Brahmaviharas Gleaned in the Selected Works of the 14th Dalai Lama: Implications on Noted Filipino Students’ Values

Abstract

Nowadays, the complexities of life have led to negativity which threatens the very core of love in people's hearts and minds. Contemporary men live in a world struggling to rehabilitate themselves from disharmony. His Holiness, the 14th Dalai Lama has given a lifetime of selfless devotion to the pursuit of solutions in service of mankind, with insightful ideals within his literary masterpieces. Thus, this qualitative study analyzed His Holiness’ selected literary works pointing out events and situations on how the Brahmaviharas of the Buddhist tradition are manifested in his works. Findings of the analysis revealed that agape can be traced back to the early days of Buddhism and is expressed in many of its teachings; that His Holiness manifested the fundamental tenets of agape, which underscore the Brahmaviharas or loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy and equanimity; and that readers may draw out implications on Filipino students’ values specifically their mapagkandiling pagmamahal, pagkamahabagin, kaligayahan and kahinahunan from his writings. By practicing the Brahmaviharas, a great feeling of contentment may result from gratitude and appreciation of life's simple joys even during unprecedented times.