Known as maitri in Sanskrit and metta in Pali, loving-kindness is the first of the four immeasurables (also known as the four brahmaviharas) and serves as an antidote to ill will. In Sanskrit, maitri is related to the word mitra, which means friend. Within this context, the meaning of love in Buddhism could be interpreted as warmth, friendship, and the wish for others to be happy.

Meditation on kindness can begin with ourselves, as we generate basic gentleness and friendliness towards our own situation. We make the wish that we might enjoy contentment or happiness, generating an attitude similar to a loving parent or caregiver who only wishes for their child’s well-being. Gradually, we can extend this goodwill first to those we care about, then to those for whom we feel neutral, and finally to those we believe have harmed us or been unkind. Finally, we work towards being able to generate and rest in loving-kindness without object, filling space. Bit by bit, we expand our loving-kindness to all beings, making it infinite, limitless, and immeasurable. This systematic approach helps practitioners develop genuine, unconditional loving-kindness rather than mere sentimentality.