Korea Journal of Buddhist Studies ISSN:1598-0642(Print) 불교학연구

From the religious point of view, the mettā(loving-kindness) meditation of Early٠Theravada Buddhism was considered as a stage of development. Today it is accepted as a well-structured process in terms of the modern psychological interpretations. Starting from self-love meditation by the Path of Purification (Visuddhimagga), it presents the order of objects that has psycho-social implications of mental growth and reveals the positive function of self-love itself. The practice of self-love and its meaning provides the foundation of Mindfulness Self-Compassion (MSC) which is widely accepted today. Self-love is a healthy willpower to live one’s life well, and it is different from egoism or autism because meditation begins as a way of strengthening life. Until recently, not many researches have been carried out on how to explain Buddhist practice about self-love in terms of psychological explanations. This study examines the psychological basis of the traditional Buddhist practice by comparing Buddhist scripture Path of Purification (Visuddhimagga) which suggests self-love meditation, psychotherapy theory, and Kohut’s self psychology among psycho-dynamic theories. Both ‘loving-kindness’ and ‘self-love’ are not only a volitional aspect but also a starting point for the spiritual development, encouraging us to move on from narcissistic emotion. Also, loving-kindness and self-love are psychological factors that affect happiness and strengthen personality. Therefore, it is undeniable that healthy self-love works as an essential instrument in our mental growth.