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對於「愛」的定義，在聖經的哥林多前書上，有一段很動人的描述：
「愛是恆久忍耐，又是恩慈。
愛是不嫉妒，愛是不自誇、不張狂，
不做害羞的事，不求自己的益處。
不輕易發怒，不計算人的惡；
不喜歡不義，只喜歡真理。
凡事包容，凡事相信，
凡事盼望，凡事忍耐。
愛是永不止息。」
耶穌倡導「博愛」，四處教化人們，最後為了代世人受苦，甘願被自己的同胞釘死在十字架上；中國的孔子一生追求「仁」的理想，為了尋求可以實施仁政的國君而周遊列國，至死不渝。這都是在教導我們愛人！世間上的人，不論種族、國籍、膚色，不論男、女、老、少，不論貧、富、貴、賤，都和我們頂著同樣一片天，踏著同樣一塊地，呼吸著同樣的空氣，這便是百千劫積來的緣分；可是我們卻為了一己的私利與執著，動輒起爭鬥之心，不但自己和自己爭，也和他人爭，甚至家與家爭，公司與公司爭，國與國爭，宗教與宗教爭，各種各類的戰爭無時或已，把原本美麗的世界變得傷痕累累，醜陋不堪。這是誰的錯啊？這是誰的罪呢？曾幾何時，人心日趨狹隘，識見日趨淺薄，因而鬥爭也日趨堅固，最終受害的還是人們自己！所以各種宗教衛道人士都在大聲疾呼、四處奔走，希望喚醒世人的愛心，用愛心來挽救我們所生存的世界。
但是一般宗教或哲學所談論的仁愛思想，都還止於「人本主義」，只有佛教，更把愛的觸角深入一切飛潛動植的眾生；所有胎、卵、溼、化種種不同色身、不同心性、不同知見的有生命體，都包括在內。為什麼呢？因為這種種的眾生，在未開悟成佛之前，都在「迷」中，不知自己與其他眾生在累世輪迴中，互為同類、互為眷屬；今生一旦異形異類相見，就互相傷害，因此怨戾之氣瀰漫在我們所生存的空氣間，眾生呼吸之後心性就更加暴戾乖張。如是惡性循環，大大小小戰爭也就無了時了，所以佛示現世間，就為了開導迷頑、指示迷津，欲我們省悟，覺今是而昨非，終至入道成佛。所謂佛，就是智慧、就是覺道；成佛，就是返迷歸覺，也就是了悟覺道、證得大智慧的境界。因此，是凡眾生，早晚都要成佛的，不管你這輩子作不作人、信不信佛。嚴格說來，佛教其實不能算是一種宗教；宗教是有門戶之分的，而佛教超越一切宗派，是一種智慧的教育。所以說佛教是佛陀的教育，亦即是眾生對智慧的追求。而這種大智慧，眾生本具種子，若要它開華結果，必須以慈悲水來灌溉。
什麼叫做「慈悲」？簡單地說，慈是愛護眾生，給眾生喜樂；悲是體恤眾生，為眾生去苦。〈法華經觀世音菩薩普門品〉中，讃誦觀世音菩薩：
眾生被困厄，無量苦逼身；
觀音妙智力，能救世問苦。
所以觀世音菩薩，又被尊稱為「大悲菩薩」。而那大肚能容、笑口常開的彌勒菩薩，穿的是《法華經》所說的「柔和忍辱衣」，修的是令眾生歡喜的法門，則是「大慈菩薩」。〈華嚴經普賢行願品〉說：「一切眾生而為樹根，諸佛菩薩而為華果；以大悲水饒益眾生，則能成就諸佛菩薩智慧華果。」眾生好比樹根，菩薩是花果；沒有樹根或有樹根而缺乏灌溉，樹如何茁壯？又如何開花結果？這就是為什麼修學菩薩道者，不但能慈心愛護眾生，更能犧牲自己，用悲心去攝受眾生之故。上宣下化老和尚發了十八大願，第十三願，願代一切眾生受苦，不也就是大悲菩薩的化身？
根據《法句經》，佛說常行慈悲的人，生生世世可以獲得十二種利益：一、福常隨身。二、臥安。三、覺安。四、不見惡夢。五、天護。六、人愛。七、不毒。八、不兵。九、水不喪。十、火不喪。十一、在所得利。十二、死昇梵天。所以不管是不是佛教徒，常行慈悲，於人於己都好，何苦而不為呢？美國的第十六任總統林肯先生，就是個很慈悲的人。當他還住在伊利諾州的春田小鎮時，有一個女孩約了朋友去旅行，事先請好人來幫忙搬行李；誰知請的人沒來，女孩又連火車站在哪都搞不清楚，急得站在門口哭了起來。恰好林肯經過，問明情形，看看錶還來得及，就扛起行李，教她在後頭跟著。
女孩連走帶跑地跟這位長腿先生到了車站，火車還沒開呢！林肯幫她把行李放下，一文錢也不拿就走了。又有一回，他還是律師時，和幾個同事騎馬到外地去辦事，路經一座森林。當大家看見小河，要牽馬去飲水時，才發現林肯不見了。跟林肯同行的就說：「林肯拾了一隻被風颳下來的小鳥，他一定是找鳥窩去了！」不久，林肯趕上同伴，告訴他們：「總算找著鳥窩了！雖然很不容易找，但是我一定要找到。假如不能讓這可憐的小鳥回到母親身邊，今晚我就要睡不著覺了！」
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Regarding the definition of love, there is a very moving description in the Corinthians section of the Bible.
Love is patient, love is kind.
It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails...
1 Corinthians 13：4-8
Jesus preached universal aching people across the land, he willingly allowed his fellow men to crucify him, so that he could suffer on behalf of the world’s people. Confucius pursued the ideal of benevolence all his life. In his search for a king who would be able to govern with benevolence, he wandered through various countries until his death. These examples teach us that we should love people. People in this world, regardless of their ethnic background, nationality, skin color, gender, age, economic and social status, all live under the same sky, walk upon the same earth, and breathe the same air. This is due to affinities we have created over hundreds and thousands of eons. Yet, because of our desire for personal gain and our attachments, we very easily get into a belligerent frame of mind. We fight not only with ourselves, but with others. This leads to family feuds, competition among companies, wars among nations, and bickering among religions. There are struggles and battles going on all the time, turning what was once a beautiful world into a scarred and hideous world. Who is to blame? Whose fault is it? Since some unknown time, people's minds have become more and more narrow and their views more and more shallow with each passing day. As a result, aggression and fighting have become more and more prevalent. In the end, it is we ourselves who get hurt! Therefore, people of all religions, those who care about the spiritual path, have been traveling around and speaking out forcefully, hoping to awaken the love in people's hearts, using love to save the world we live in.
However, the benevolent love that most religions and philosophies speak of is directed at human beings. Buddhism alone extends the bounds of love to encompass all living beings, whether they fly, swim, crawl, or remain still; whether they are born from wombs, eggs, moisture, or transformation; creatures endowed with various physical appearances, temperaments, and outlooks. Why? Because all these living beings, before becoming enlightened and achieving Buddhahood, are deluded and do not realize that they have been of the same species and the same families as other beings, in the endless cycle of transmigration. If they happen to have different forms and belong to different species in this life, they mutually want to hurt one another. Thus the atmosphere is suffused with hatred and enmity. When living beings breathe in that air, their dispositions grow more violent and perverse. In this vicious cycle, great and small wars break out endlessly.
The Buddha appeared in the world in order to teach and guide the deluded masses, hoping to wake us up so we realize our past mistakes and do things right from now on, and ultimately realize Buddhahood. The Buddha represents wisdom and enlightenment. The realization of Buddhahood involves turning away from delusion and returning to enlightenment; awakening to Bodhi and achieving a state of great wisdom. All living beings will sooner or later realize Buddhahood, regardless of whether they are human beings in this life and whether or not they believe in Buddhism.
Strictly speaking, Buddhism cannot be considered a religion. Whereas religions are usually partisan, Buddhism transcends all parties and factions. It is the teaching of wisdom. That's why we say that Buddhism is the teachings of the Buddha, and it is also the pursuit of wisdom by living beings. The seed of this great wisdom is inherent in all living beings. In order for it to bloom and bear fruit, it must be watered with the water of kindness and compassion.
What is meant by kindness and compassion? In simple terms, kindness means cherishing living beings and making them happy; compassion means sympathizing with living beings and eliminating their suffering. "Guanshiyin Bodhisattva's Universal Door Chapter" in the
Lotus Sutra praises Guanshiyin Bodhisattva in this way:
Living beings are beset with hardships
And oppressed by limitless sufferings.
The power of Guanyin's wondrous wisdom
Can rescue the world from suffering.
Guanshiyin Bodhisattva is also known as the Bodhisattva of Great Compassion. And Maitreya Bodhisattva, with his big belly that holds everything and his ever-laughing mouth, wears what the
Lotus Sutra calls "the clothing of gentleness and patience" and cultivates the Dharma door of making living beings happy; he is the Bodhisattva of Great Kindness. The "Chapter of Universal Worthy's Conduct and Vows" in the
Avatamsaka Sutra says, "The Bodhisattva takes living beings as his roots. By benefiting all beings with the water of great compassion, the Bodhisattva can realize the flowers and fruit of wisdom." Living beings are like the roots of a tree; Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are its flowers and fruit. If there are no roots, or if the roots are there but they do not get watered, how can the tree grow tall and strong? How can it blossom and bear fruit? That is why those who study and practice the Bodhisattva Path are able not only to cherish living beings with a kind heart, but to sacrifice themselves and compassionately gather in living beings. The Venerable Master Hua made Eighteen Great Vows. Doesn't his third vow, "to undergo suffering on behalf of all living beings," make him a transformation of the Bodhisattva of Great Compassion?
According to the Dhammapada, the Buddha said that people who always practice kindness and compassion will obtain twelve kinds of benefits in life after life: (1) They are always blessed. (2) They sleep peacefully. (3) They are peaceful when awake. (4) They have no nightmares. (5) They are protected by gods. (6) They are loved by people. (7) They will not be poisoned. (8) They will not be involved in the military. (9) They will not be killed by water. (10) They will not be killed by fire. (11) They will obtain benefit wherever they are. (12) They will ascend to the Brahma Heaven after death.
Therefore, whether one is a Buddhist or not, to practice kindness and compassion is beneficial to others as well as oneself. Thus, is there any rea son not to practice? The Sixteenth President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln, was a very kind and compassionate man. When he was still living in Springfield, Illinois, there was a girl who had planned a trip with her friend. However, the person she had asked to help her carry her luggage did not show up, and she herself did not even know where the train station was. She was so worried that she stood by the door and started crying. Lincoln happened to pass by and asked what was the matter. Seeing that there was still time to catch the train, he picked up her luggage and told her to follow him.
The girl raced to keep up with the long-legged gentleman, following him to the station. The train had not left yet! Lincoln helped put her bags on the car and then left without taking a cent. Another time, when he was still a lawyer, he and several colleagues made a trip on horseback to take care of some business. On their way, they passed by a forest. The group spotted a stream and went to water their horses. At that time, they discovered that Lincoln was no longer with them. One of his companions said, "Lincoln found a baby bird that had been blown down by the wind. He must be looking for its nest!" Soon afterwards, Lincoln caught up with his companions and told them, "I found the nest! It was difficult, but I was determined to find it. If I didn't return that poor little bird to its mother, I wouldn't be able to sleep tonight."
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