The First Element of True Love: Maitri | Teaching by Thich Nhat Hanh | #mindfulness

In the Buddhist teaching of love,

we learn that there are four elements

that can provide true love and happiness.

And the first element is maitrī.

Maitrī means friendship, brotherhood.

​(French) L'amitié, la fraternité.

When you love someone, you offer
your friendship, your brotherhood.

And friendship and brotherhood does not
deprive him or her of his or her freedom.

When you love,
you maintain your whole freedom

and you help maintain
the freedom of the person you love.

You don't deprive him or her
of his or her freedom.

We are on an equal basis.

By loving you, I retain my freedom.

And by loving you, I respect your freedom.

And that is maitrī.

And a friend
that does not understand a friend

cannot really offer
his brotherhood, his friendship.

And that is why to cultivate maitrī

you have to cultivate understanding,
loving kindness.

You spend your time with him or with her
with mindfulness

and you discover every day

his need, his difficulties,
his obstacles, his deep aspiration

and on that base of understanding
you offer maitrī, happiness.

Maitrī can become...

unlimited.

And this is the kind of love we call
love without frontiers,

infinite love!

And when you have your love to that level,
you are called a Bodhisattva

You are called a Buddha.

And there are Buddhas
and Bodhisattvas in the world.