Hatred

For hatred does not cease by hatred at any time:
hatred ceases by love.
This is an eternal law.

                                                             ---The Dhammapada, verse 5




I have seen many translations of this verse. At one time I preferred the ones that translated the Pali word avera as non-anger or non-hatred. I thought love was a stretch. But a wise old Buddhist monk pointed out non-anger is passive whereas love is a positive action. Buddhism is not a passive tradition. It requires us to act. It requires us to be positive and love, not simply passive and not-hate.