4👑☸ Cattāri Ariya-saccaṃ 四聖諦
Vimt. 4bv
chapter on brahma viharas
THE PATH OF FREEDOM
FASCICLE THE EIGHTH
WRITTEN BY THE ARAHANT UPATISSA
WHO WAS CALLED GREAT LIGHT IN RYO
TRANSLATED IN RYO
BY TIPITAKA SANGHAPALA OF FUNAN
CHAPTER THE EIGHTH
Section Five
(chap 8 section 5) THE IMMEASURABLE THOUGHT OF friendly-kindness
4bv☮️ → 1.🤝🤗: THE IMMEASURABLE THOUGHT OF FRIENDLY-KINDNESS
4bv☮️ →
1.🤝🤗
Q. What is friendly-kindness?
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What is the practising of it?
What are its salient characteristic, function and manifestation?
What are its benefits?
What is the procedure?
A. As parents, on seeing their dear and only child, arouse thoughts of friendly-kindness and benevolence towards that child, so one arouses thoughts of friendly-kindness and benevolence towards all beings. Thus is loving- kindness to be known.
The undisturbed dwelling of the mind in this practice is called the practising of it.
To cause the arising of benevolence is its salient characteristic.
The thought of friendly-kindness is its function.
Non-hatred is its manifestation.
If a man practises friendly-kindness, he is benefitted in eleven ways thus:
Happily he sleeps;
happily he awakes;
he does not see bad dreams;
he is dear to humans;
he is dear to non-humans;
deities protect him; fire, poison, sword and stick come not near him;
he concentrates his mind quickly;
the colour of his face is pleasingly bright;
at the time of death he is not bewildered;
if he attains not the sublime state, he is reborn in the world of Brahma.
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DISADVANTAGES OF ANGER AND RESENTMENT
What is the procedure?
The new yogin who aspires to practise loving- kindness, should at first reflect on the disadvantages of anger and resentment and on the advantages of patience and bear patience in mind. What is meant by "should at first reflect on the disadvantages of anger and resentment"? If a man arouses anger and resentment, his thoughts of friendly-kindness will be consumed and his mind will become impure. Thereafter he will frown; thereafter he will utter harsh words; thereafter he will stare in the four direc- tions ; thereafter he will lay hold of stick and sword; thereafter he will convulse with rage and spit blood; thereafter he will hurl valuables hither and thither; thereafter he will break many things; thereafter he will kill others or kill himself. And again, if a man is angry and resentful always, he, owing to his wicked mind, is liable to kill his parents, or kill a Consummate One or cause a schism in the Community of Bhikkhus, or draw blood from the body of an Enlightened One. Such fearful acts is he liable to do. Thus should one reflect.
SIMILE OF THE SAW
And again, one should reflect thus: I am called a hearer; I shall be put to shame, if I do not remove anger and resentment. I remember the simile of the Saw.
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I like to enjoy good states (of mind); if now I arouse anger and resentment, I shall be like a man desirous of taking a bath, entering into a cesspool. I am one who has heard much;* if I do not overcome anger and resentment, I shall be forsaken like a physician who is afflicted with vomiting and diarrhoea. I am esteemed by the world; if I do not remove anger and resentment, I shall be cast away by the world like a painted vase containing filth, and uncovered. (Further, one reflects thus:) When a wise man grows angry and resentful, he inflicts severe sufferings. So he will be poisoned out of the fear of terrible punishment. If a man who is bitten by a snake has the antidote and refrains from taking it, he is like one who seems to relish suffering and not happiness. In the same way, a bhikkhu who arouses anger and resentment and does not suppress these, quickly, is said to be one who relishes suffering and not happiness, because he accumulates more fearful kamma than this anger and this resentment. And again, one should reflect on anger and resentment thus: He who arouses anger and resentment will be laughed at by his enemies, and cause his friends to be ashamed of him. Though he may have deep virtue, he will be slighted by others. If he was honoured before, he will be despised hereafter. Aspiring after happiness, he will acquire misery. Outwardly calm, he will be inwardly perturbed. Having eyes, he will not see. Being intelligent, he will be ignorant. Thus one should reflect on the disadvantages of anger and resentment.
Q. What is meant by "one should reflect on the advantages of patience"?
A. Patience is power.
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This is armour. This protects the body well and removes anger and resentment, This is honour. This is praised by the wise. This causes the happiness of not falling away. This is a guardian. This guards all. This helps one to understand the meaning of things well. This is called "putting others to shame". And further, one should reflect thus: I have shorn off the hair of the head; now I must cultivate patience.
2
I have received the alms of the country; I will cause great merit to accrue to the givers, through having a mind of patience. I bear the form and the apparel of the Consummate Ones;
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this patience is a practise of the Noble Ones; therefore I will not allow anger to remain in my mind. I am called a hearer. I will cause others to call me a hearer in truth. The givers of alms give me many things; through this patience I will cause great merit to accrue to them. I have confidence; this patience is the place of confidence in me. I have knowledge; this patience is the sphere of knowledge in me. If there is the poison of anger and resentment in me, this patience is the antidote which will counteract the poison in me. Thus one should reflect on the disadvantages of anger and resentment and on the advantages of patience, and resolve: "I will reach patience. When people blame me, I will be patient. I will be meek and not haughty".
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Thus the yogin proceeds towards the bliss of patience and benefits himself. He enters into a place of solitude, and with mind undisturbed begins to fill his body (with the thought) thus: "I am happy. My mind admits no suffering". What is meant by "I have no enemy; I have no anger; I am happily free from all defilements and perform all good".? That yogin controls his mind and makes it pliant. He makes his mind capable of attainment. If his mind is pliant, and is able to bear the object, he should practise friendly-kindness. He should regard all beings as (he regards) himself. In practising friendly-kindness towards all beings, the yogin cannot at the start develop friendly-kindness for enemies, wicked men, beings without merit and dead men. That yogin develops friendly-kindness for one towards whom he behaves with respectful reserve, whom he honours, whom he does not slight, towards whom he is not indifferent, and by whom he has been benefitted and, therefore, in regard to whom he is not jealous or ill-disposed. He should develop friendly-kindness for such a one, thus: "I esteem a man who is of such and such a nature, namely, a man endowed with honour, learning, virtue, concentration and wisdom. I am benefitted through alms, sweet speech, liberality and intentness on that. These are of advantage to me". Thus he recalls to mind the virtues he esteems
and the benefits he has acquired (in and through that one), and develops friendly-kindness towards that one. One should develop the benevolent mind and always reflect and investigate. One should have a mind that is without anger and resentment. One should wish to be endowed with tranquillity, to be free from hatred, to be endowed with all merits and to gain good advan- tages. One should wish to gain a good reward, a good name, to gain con- fidence, to gain happiness, to be endowed with virtue, knowledge, liberality and wisdom. One should wish for happy sleep and happy awaking. One should wish to have no evil dreams. One should wish to become dear to humans and to be honoured by them. One should wish to become dear to non-humans and to be honoured by them. One should wish to be protected by the gods; to be untouched by fire, poison, sword or stick and the like; to concentrate the mind quickly; to have a pleasant complexion; to be born in the Middle Country;
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to meet good men; to perfect oneself; to end craving; to be long-lived; and to attain to the peace and happiness of the Immortal.
And again, one should recollect thus: If one has not yet produced demerit, one should wish not to produce it; and if one has already produced it, one should wish to destroy it. If one has not yet produced merit, one should wish to produce it; and if one has already produced it, one should wish to increase it.
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And again, one should not wish to produce undesirable states, and if one has produced them, one shouid wish to destroy them. (One should wish to produce) desirable states of mind, (and if one has) produced them, one should wish to increase them).
That yogin is able to gain confidence by means of the heart of kindness. Through confidence that is free, he can establish his mind. Through estab- lishing that is free, he can dwell in mindfulness. Through mindfulness that is free, through establishing that is free and through confidence that is free, he is endowed with the unshakable mind, and he understands the state of the unshakable (mind). That yogin by these means and through these activities develops the thought
3
of friendly-kindness for himself, repeats it and understands unshakability. [436] Having by these means and through these activities developed the thought of friendly-kindness and repeated it, he makes his mind pliant and gradually develops the thought of friendly-kindness for a person whom he holds dear. After he has developed the thought of friendly-kindness for a person whom he holds dear, he gradually develops the thought of loving- kindness for an indifferent person. After he has developed the thought of friendly-kindness for an indifferent person, he gradually develops the thought of
friendly-kindness for an enemy. Thus he encompasses all beings (with loving- kindness) and identifies himself with them. If he does not develop loving- kindness for an indifferent person or is unable to do so and develops dislike, he should reflect thus: "In me are states of demerit. I have dislike. Wishing to acquire merit, I stirred up confidence and was ordained. And again, I said, 'I will develop great friendly-kindness and compassion for the weal of all beings, through the merit of the Great Teacher'. If I cannot develop loving- kindness towards one indifferent person, how shall I develop friendly-kindness towards enemies?". If that yogin is still unable to destroy dislike and hate, that yogin should not endeavour to develop friendly-kindness, but should adopt another way to remove the hatred he has for that person.
TWELVE MEANS OF REMOVING HATRED
Q. What are the means of success in removing hatred?
A. (1) One should share in order to benefit the other (whom one hates). One should consider: (2) merit, (3) goodwill, (4) one's own kamma, (5) debt-cancellation, (6) kinship, (7) one's own faults. (8) One should not consider the suffering inflicted on oneself. One should investigate: (9) the nature of the faculties, (10) the momentary destruction of states, (11) and.aggregation. (12) One should investigate emptiness. One should bear these in mind.
(1) Even if one.is angry j one should give the other what, he asks, accept willingly what he gives. And in speaking with him, one should always use good words. One should do what the other does. By such action, the destruc- tion of the anger of the one and the other takes place. (2) Merit—if one sees the merits of the other, one ought to think: "This is merit. This is not demerit".
SIMILE OF THE POND
It is like this: There is a pond covered with duckweed, and one, having removed the duckweed, draws out water.
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If the other has no merit, one should develop friendly-kindness for him thus: "This man has no merit; surely, he will fare ill".
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(3) Goodwill — one should think thus (of gaining) the other's goodwill: If a man does not revere (the other) let him arouse the thought of goodwill. If he is not revered, he should make merit. And again, the destruction of demerit is well-faring. Thus should the changing of hatred to goodwill be known. (4) One's own kamma—one should con- sider one's own evil kamma
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thus: "The evil that I do will cause anger to arise in others". (5) Debt-cancellation—(thus one thinks:) "Owing to my past kamma, others blame me. Now I am free from debt. Reflecting on this evidence (of debt-cancellation), I am glad". (6) Kinship — he remembers that beings succeed one another in (the cycle of) birth and death, thus: "This is my kinsman", and arouses the thought of kinship.
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(7) One's own faults — one arouses self-perception thus: "That man's anger is produced on account of me. I acquire demerit on account of him". Thus arousing self-percep- tion
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one sees one's own faults. (8) One should not consider — one should not consider the perception (of one's own suffering) which is unrelated to hatred. Suffering — (one thinks thus:) "Owing to folly, I see my own suffering as a hindrance". Thus one should see. One suffers by oneself, because one does not think on friendly-kindness. It appears so (i.e., as a hindrance) because of mental suffering. Avoiding the place where the enemy lives, one should dwell where one does not hear (his voice) or see him. (9) Nature of the faculties — one should investigate thus: "To be tied to the lovely and the unlovely is the nature of the faculties. Therefore I hate. Because of this I am unmindful". (10) The momentary destruction of states—one should investigate thus: "That man suffers because of birth. All these states perish in one thought-moment. With which state in him am I angry?". (11) Aggre- gation— one should investigate thus: "The inner and the outer aggregates produce suffering. It is not possible for me to be angry with any part or place". (12) Emptiness — one should investigate thus: In the absolute sense it cannot be said, "This man causes suffering" or "This man suffers".
This body is the result of causes and conditions. There is no soul-entity in the aggregates.
Therefore the Blessed One uttered this stanza :-
He who dwells amidst the village grove, experiencing pleasure and pain, is not burned because of self or other but because his mind is passionate. If one's mind were cleansed of passion's stain, who could touch that one immaculate 7
1 Thus after that yogin has clearly understood the way of destroying hatred, has identified friends, indifferent ones and enemies with himself, and acquired facility in the practice, he should gradually arouse the thought of friendly-kindness and develop it for various bhikkhus in (his) dwelling-place. After that he should develop friendly-kindness for the Community of Bhikkhus in (his) dwelling-place. After that he should develop friendly-kindness for the deities in his dwelling-place. After that he should develop friendly-kindness for beings in the village outside his dwelling-place. Thus (he develops loving- kindness for beings) from village to village, from country to country. After that he should develop (friendly-kindness for beings) in one direction. That yogin "pervades one quarter with thoughts of friendly-kindness; and after that, the second; and after that, the third; and after that, the fourth. Thus he spreads friendly-kindness towards all beings of the four directions, above, below and pervades the whole world with thoughts of friendly-kindness immense immeasurable, without enmity, without ill will.
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(first jhana vitakka thoughts of metta for beings, their location, and a direction to pervade metta)
Thus that yogin develops friendly-kindness and attains to fixed meditation in three ways: through com- prehending all beings, through comprehending all village-domains
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and through comprehending all directions. He attains to fixed meditation, jhana, through developing friendly-kindness for one being, and in the same way, for two, three and for all beings. He attains to fixed meditation, jhana, through developing friendly-kindness for beings of one village-domain, and in the same way for (beings of) many villages. He attains to fixed meditation, jhana, through developing friendly-kindness for one being in one direction, and in the same way (for beings) in the four directions. Here when one develops loving- kindness for one being, if that being is dead, that object is lost. If he loses the object, he cannot arouse friendly-kindness. Therefore he should develop the thought of friendly-kindness widely. Thus practising he can fulfil great fruition and merit.
Q. What are the roots, manifestation, fulfilment, non-fulfilment and object of friendly-kindness?
A. Absence of greed is a root; absence of hatred is a root; absence of delusion is a root. Willing is a root. Right consideration
1
is a root. What is its "manifestation"? The making visible of these roots is its manifes- tation. What is its "fulfilment" ? When one is endowed with friendly-kindness he destroys hatred, removes impure affection and purifies his bodily, verbal and mental actions. This is called "fulfilment". What is its "non-fulfilment" ? Through two causes one fails in the practice of friendly-kindness: through regard- ing friends as enemies and through impure affection. "Non-fulfilment" is produced when one arouses the feeling of enmity and rivalry. Thus should "non-fulfilment" be known. What is its "object"? Beings are its "object".
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TEN PERFECTIONS
Q. That is wrong. In the absolute sense there is no being. Why then is it said that beings are its object?
A. Owing to differences in faculties, in common parlance, it is said that there are beings. Now, the Bodhisatta* and the Mahasatta* develop friendly-kindness for all beings and fulfil the ten perfections.
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Q. How is it so?
A. The Bodhisatta and the Mahasatta develop friendly-kindness for all beings and resolve to benefit all beings and give them fearlessness.
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Thus they fulfil the perfection of giving.
5 The Bodhisatta and the Mahasatta develop friendly-kindness for allbeings. For the sake of benefitting all beings, they cause separation from suffering and do not lose the faculty of truth. It is like the relation of a father to his children. Thus they fulfil the perfection of virtue.
(first 3 jhanas done with metta by Bodhisatta)
The Bodhisatta and the Mahasatta develop friendly-kindness for all beings. For the sake of benefitting all beings, they acquire non-greed, and in order to remove the non-merit of beings, they attain to meditation, jhana,
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and enter into homelessness. Thus they fulfil the perfection of renunciation.
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The Bodhisatta and the Mahasatta develop friendly-kindness for all beings. For the sake of benefitting all beings, they consider merit and non-merit. Understanding in accordance with truth, devising clean expedients, they reject the bad and take the good. Thus they fulfil the perfection of wisdom.
3 The Bodhisatta and the Mahasatta develop friendly-kindness for all beings. For the sake of benefitting all beings, they, without abandoning energy, exert themselves at all times. Thus they fulfil the perfection of energy.
4 The Bodhisatta and the Mahasatta develop friendly-kindness for all beings. For the sake of benefitting all beings, they practise patience and do not grow angry when others blame or hate them. Thus they fulfil the perfection of patience.
5 The Bodhisatta and the Mahasatta [743] develop friendly-kindness for all beings. For the sake of benefitting all beings, they speak the truth, dwell in the truth and keep the truth. Thus they fulfil the perfection of truth.
6 The Bodhisatta and the Mahasatta develop friendly-kindness for all beings. For the sake of benefitting all beings, they do not break their promises but keep them faithfully unto life's end. Thus they fulfil the perfection of resolution.
7 The Bodhisatta and Mahasatta develop friendly-kindness for all beings. For the sake of benefitting all beings, they identify themselves with all beings and fulfil the perfection of friendly-kindness.
8 The Bodhisatta and the Mahasatta develop friendly-kindness for all beings. For the sake of benefitting all beings, they regard friends, indifferent ones and enemies, equally, without hatred and without attachment. Thus they fulfil the perfection of equanimity.
9 In these ways do the Bodhisatta and the Mahasatta practise loving- kindness and fulfil the ten perfections.
/ elucidate (further) friendly-kindness and the four resolves.^
THE FOUR RESOLVES
Now, the Bodhisatta and the Mahasatta having practised friendly-kindness, having fulfilled the ten perfections, fulfil the four resolves. They are the resolve of truth, the resolve of liberality, the resolve of peace and the resolve of wisdom.
1 Here, the perfection of truth, the perfection of resolution and the per- fection of energy, fulfil the resolve of truth.
The perfection of giving, the perfection of virtue and the perfection of renunciation, fulfil the resolve of liberality.
The perfection of patience, the perfection of friendly-kindness and the per- fection of equanimity, fulfil the resolve of peace.
The perfection of wisdom fulfil the resolve of wisdom. Thus the Bodhisatta and the Mahasatta having practised friendly-kindness and fulfilled the ten perfections, fulfil the four resolves and attain to two states, namely, serenity and insight.
(first 3 jhanas done with metta by Bodhisatta)
2 Here, the resolve of truth, the resolve of liberality and the resolve of peace fulfil serenity. The resolve of wisdom fulfils insight. Through the fulfilment of serenity, they attain to all meditations, jhanas, and hold to emancipation and concentration firmly. They cause the arising of the concentration of the twin-miracle
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and the concentration of the attainment of great compassion.
4 With the attainment of insight, they are endowed with all supernormal knowledge,
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analytical knowledge,
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the powers,
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the confidences.
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There- after they cause the arising of natural knowledge
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(?) and omniscience.
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Thus the Bodhisatta and the Mahasatta practise friendly-kindness, and gradually attain to Buddhahood.
{the section on} friendly-kindness has ended
4bv☮️ → 2.👐😊️: THE IMMEASURABLE THOUGHT OF COMPASSION
4bv☮️ →
2.👐😊️
Q. What is compassion?
What is the practising of it?
What are its salient characteristic, function and manifestation?
What are its benefits? What is the procedure?
A. As parents who on seeing the suffering of their dear and only child, compassionate it, saying, "O, how it suffers!", so one compassionates all beings. This is compassion.
One dwells undisturbed in compassion — this is called the practising of it.
The non-manifestation of non-advantage is its salient characteristic.
Happiness is its function.
Harmlessness 1 is its manifestation.
Its benefits are equal to those of friendly-kindness.
What is the procedure?
The new yogin enters into a place of solitude and sits down with mind collected and undisturbed. If he sees or hears of a person stricken with disease, or a person affected by decay, or a person who is full of greed, he considers thus: "That person is stricken with suffering. How will he escape suffering?".
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And again, if he sees or hears of a person of perverted mind and bound with the defilements, or a person entering into ignorance, or one, who, having done merit in the past does not now train himself, he considers thus: "That person is stricken with suffering; he will fare ill. How will he escape suffering?".
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And again, if he sees or hears of a person who follows demeritorious doctrines and does not follow meritorious doctrines, or of a person who follows undesirable doctrines and does not follow desirable doctrines, he considers thus: "That person is stricken with suffering; he will fare ill. How will he escape suffering?".
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That yogin by these means and through these activities develops the thought of compassion for these persons and repeats it. Having by these means and through these activities developed the thought of compassion and repeated it, he makes his mind pliant, and capable of bearing the object. Thereafter he gradually develops (compassion) for an indifferent person and an enemy. The rest is as was fully taught above. Thus he fills the four directions.
Q. What is the fulfilment of compassion and what, non-fulfilment?
A. When a man fulfils compassion, he separates from harming and from killing. He is not afflicted. He separates from impure affection. Through two causes compassion is not fulfilled: through resentment produced within himself and through affliction.
Q. All do not suffer. Suffering does not prevail always. Then how is it possible to compassionate all beings ?
A. As all beings have at some previous time experienced suffering, they can grasp the sign well and practise compassion
in all places. Again, sorrow of birth and death is the common property of all beings. Therefore all beings can in all places practise compassion.
{section on} Compassion has ended
4bv☮️ → 3.😊: THE IMMEASURABLE THOUGHT OF APPRECIATIVE JOY
4bv☮️ →
3.😊
Q. What is appreciative joy?
What is the practising of it?
What are its salient characteristic, function and manifestation?
What are its benefits?
What is the procedure?
A. As parents, who, on seeing the happiness of their dear and only child are glad, and say, "sadhu!" so, one develops appreciative joy for all beings. Thus should appreciative joy be known.
The undisturbed dwelling of the mind in appreciative joy — this is called the practising of it.
Gladness is its salient characteristic.
Non-fear is its function.
Destruction of dislike is its manifestation.
Its benefits are equal to those of friendly-kindness.
What is the procedure ?
The new yogin enters a place of solitude and sits down with mind collected and undisturbed. When one sees or hears that some person's qualities are esteemed by others, and that he is at peace and is joyful, one thinks thus: "sadhu! sadhu! may he continue joyful for a long time!".
And again, when one sees or hears that a certain person does not follow demeri- torious doctrines, or that he does not follow undesirable doctrines and that he follows desirable doctrines, one thinks thus: "sadhu! sadhu! may he continue joyful for a long time!".
That yogin by these means and through these activities develops the thought of appreciative joy and repeats it. Having by these means and through these activities developed the thought of appreciative joy and repeated it, he makes his mind pliant, and capable of bearing the object.
Thereafter he gradually develops appreciative joy for an indifferent person and an enemy. The rest is as was fully taught above. Thus with appreciative joy he fills the four directions.
Q. What is the fulfilment of appreciative joy?
What is its non-fulfilment?
A. When one fulfils appreciative joy, he removes unhappiness, does not arouse impure affection and does not speak untruth. Through two causes appreciative joy is not fulfilled: through resentment produced within himself and derisive action. The rest is as was fully taught above.
Appreciative joy has ended.
4bv☮️ → 4.🛆👁️: ️THE IMMEASURABLE THOUGHT OF EQUANIMITY
4bv☮️ →
4.🛆👁️
Q. What is equanimity?
What is the practising of it?
What are its salient characteristic, function and manifestation?
What are its benefits? What is the procedure?
A. As parents are neither too attentive nor yet inattentive towards any one of their children, but regard them equally and maintain an even mind towards them, so through equanimity one maintains an even mind towards all beings. Thus should equanimity be known.
The dwelling undisturbed in equanimity—this is called the practising of it.
Non-attachment is its salient characteristic.
Equality is its function.
The suppression of disliking and liking is its manifestation.
Its benefits are equal to those of friendly-kindness.
(do 3rd jhana with metta, karuna, etc., first)
(consider their disadvantages, then do 4th jhana with upekkha)
Q. What is the procedure?
That yogin at first attends to the third meditation, jhana, with friendly-kindness, with compassion and with appreciative joy. Having attained to the third meditation, jhana, and acquired facility therein, he sees the severe trials of friendly-kindness, compassion and appreciative joy. Liking and disliking are near. These (friendly-kindness etc.) are connected with fawning, elation and gladness. The merits of equanimity lie in the overcoming of these severe trials. That yogin, having seen the severe trials of friendly-kindness, compassion and appreciative joy and the merits of equanimity, develops equanimity towards a neutral person and makes the mind calm. Having developed and repeated it, he makes his mind pliant and capable of bearing the object. Thereafter, he gradually develops (it) towards an enemy and then towards a friend. The rest is as was fully taught above. Thus he fills the four directions. That yogin practising thus attains to the fourth meditation, jhana, through equanimity. In three ways he attains to fixed meditation, jhana, through comprehending beings, through compre- hending village-domains and through comprehending all directions.
Q, When the yogin practises equanimity, how does he consider beings?
A. The yogin considers thus: "In friendly-kindness, compassion and appreciative joy, one is overjoyed with beings", and removing joy, he induces equanimity. As a man might leap for joy on meeting a long-lost friend [438] and later, calm down, having been with him for sometime, so having lived long with friendly-kindness, compassion and appreciative joy, the yogin attains to equanimity. And again, there is a man. He speaks concerning beings, "Beings consider thus: What is the fulfilment of equanimity? What is its non-fulfilment?". When equanimity is fulfilled, one destroys disliking and liking and does not cause the arising of ignorance. Through two causes equanimity is not fulfilled: through resentment produced within oneself and through the arising of ignorance.
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MISCELLANEOUS TEACHINGS
Again I elucidate the meaning of the four immeasurables.t
What are the miscellaneous teachings concerning the four immeasurables ?
One attains to distinction in the four immeasurables through practising (them) towards animals, immoral persons, moral persons, those who dislike passion, hearers, Silent Buddhas and Supreme Buddhas regarding them as a mother regards her children according to their stage in life
1
(lit. seasons).
(why metta can only reach 3rd jhana not 4th jhana)
Q. Why is the third and not the fourth meditation, jhana, attained in friendly-kindness, compassion and appreciative joy?
A. Through constant dwelling on the sorrows (of others) one develops friendly-kindness, compassion and appreciative joy. (And so no equanimity is present). Therefore the third meditation, jhana, is attained and not the fourth.
Again the plane of equanimity belongs to the fourth meditation, jhana, because it is endowed with two kinds of equanimity, namely, neutral feeling
2 and neutrality as regards states.
3
(In AN 8.63 Buddha instructs them to do 4bv with 5fold jhana system)
(In AN 8.63 Buddha instructs them to do 4bv☮️ with 5fold jhana, samādhi in 3 ways system)
Dwelling in the plane of equanimity and regarding all beings with equal favour, one accomplishes equanimity. Owing to the nature of the planes of the three immeasurables, the third meditation, jhana, and not the fourth, is produced. And again, it is said that the four meditations, jhanas, are produced with the four immeasurables. The Blessed One has declared: "Further, O bhikkhu, you should develop the concentration which is with initial and sustained application of thought; you should develop that which is without initial, and only with, sustained application of thought; you should develop that which is without initial and without sustained appli- cation of thought; you should develop that which is with joy; (you should develop that which is without joy); you should develop that which is accom- panied by equanimity.
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Q. Why are these four immeasurables and not five or three taught?
A. Were that so, uncertainty might arise concerning all. And again, in order to overcome hatred, cruelty, dislike and lust, one accomplishes the four immeasurables. And again, it is said that these four are (overcome with) only friendly-kindness. If one arouses (in oneself) hatred, cruelty, unhappiness, one, through suppressing them in the four ways, attains to distinction.
Equanimity is the purification of friendly-kindness, compassion and appre- ciative joy, because through it hatred and lust are destroyed.
Further, it should be understood that the four immeasurables are of one nature though their signs are different. Thus owing to the suppression of tribulation, owing to the object v/hich comprises beings, owing to the wish to benefit, they fulfil one characteristic.
And again, it is said that owing to the distinction in states, owing to the appropriation of object (?) and advantage, they are different, as the Blessed One taught in the Haliddavasana Sutta
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(In SN 46.54 4bv are done with arupa samadhis transcending rupa subha)
(In SN 46.54 the 4bv☮️ are done with arupa samadhis transcending rupa subha)
: "In the sphere of the beautiful, friendly-kindness is first;* in the sphere of (infinite) space, compassion is first;** in the sphere of (infinite) consciousness, appreciative joy is first;t in the sphere of nothingness, equanimity is first".!
Q. Why are they to be understood thus?
A. They should be under- stood thus because of their being the sufficing condition.
Q. How?
A. If one develops the mind of friendly-kindness, all beings are dear to him. Because they are always dear to him, he causes his mind to consider the blue-green, yellow (or other) colour kasina, and attains to fixed meditation, jhana, without difficulty. At this time the yogin accomplishes the fourth meditation, jhana, of the element of form. Therefore friendly-kindness is first in (the sphere of) the beautiful.
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At that time the yogin, depending on friendly-kindness which he has developed in the fourth meditation, jhana, of the element of form, surpasses that (element).
Q. How is that shallow?
A. He practises friendly-kindness;
therefore he knows the tribulations of the element of form.
How? Seeing the sufferings of beings he develops friendly-kindness through a material cause. After that he understands the tribulations of the element of form. He causes the mind to consider the abandoning of forms and of space, and attains to fixed medi- tation, jhana, without difficulty in the sphere of the infinity of space, because he depends on it. Therefore it is said that compassion is first in the sphere of the infinity of space.
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That yogin surpasses the sphere of the infinity of space through appreciative joy.
Q. What is the meaning?
A. That yogin, when he practises appreciative joy, contemplates on limitless consciousness, and is not attached to anything. How? (Through) this appreciative joy (the yogin) attains to fixed meditation, jhana, through contemplation on beings in the un-attached sphere of the infinity of consciousness. After that, being not attached, he grasps the object of limitless consciousness. Freed from form and attached to space, he considers limitless consciousness and through contemplating many objects, he attains to fixed meditation without difficulty. Therefore, in the sphere of the infinity of consciousness, appreciative joy is first.
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Q. That yogin transcends the sphere of the infinity of consciousness through equanimity. What is the meaning of it?
A. That yogin, practising equanimity fulfils freedom from attachment. How? If one does not practise equanimity, he will be attached (to things) and (think), "This being gets happiness", (or this being) "gets suffering". Or he depends on joy or bliss. Thereafter he turns away from all attachment. He turns away from the sphere of the infinity of consciousness
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and is happy. He attains to fixed meditation, jhana, without difficulty. His mind is not
attached to any object. Why? Because in the sphere of nothingness he cannot be attached either to consciousness or to infinity. Therefore, in the sphere of nothingness, equanimity is first.
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Miscellaneous teachings have ended