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318 – Loving Your Enemies: Extending Metta Does Not Mean Capitulation
Episode 318

318 – Loving Your Enemies: Extending Metta Does Not Mean Capitulation

The Zen Studies Podcast

November 16, 202536m 37s

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Show Notes

Unlike Jesus, the Buddha didn't explicitly instruct us to "love our enemies." However, he did instruct us to extend goodwill, or Metta, to all beings unconditionally – including, of course, our enemies. In this time of growing divisiveness, what does it really mean to follow this teaching? Most people will admit that nurturing resentment and hatred is probably a bad idea, but on the other hand it feels completely unacceptable to capitulate to – surrender to or stop resisting – those who we perceive as causing harm. Fortunately, there are many benefits to loving our enemies, and doing so does not mean capitulating to them.