BRAHMAVIHÀRATHE SUBLIME STATES
Venerable Narada
Mahathera
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"Rare is birth as a human
being.
Hard is the life of mortals." "Do not let slip this opportunity." (Dhammapada)
Man is a
mysterious being with inconceivable potentialities. Latent in him are both
saintly characteristics and criminal tendencies. They may rise to the surface at
unexpected moments in disconcerting strength. How they originated we know not.
We only know that they are dormant in man in varying degree.
Within the powerful mind in this
complex machinery of man are also found a storehouse of virtue and a rubbish
heap of evil. With the development of the respective characteristics man may
become either a blessing or a curse to humanity.
Those who wish to be great, noble and
serviceable, who wish to sublimate themselves and, serve humanity both by
example and by precept, and who wish to avail themselves of this golden
opportunity as human beings, endeavour their best to remove the latent vices and
to cultivate the dormant virtues.
To dig up precious gems embedded in
the earth men spend enormous sums of money and make laborious efforts, and
sometimes even sacrifice their lives. But to dig up the valuable treasures
latent in man, only persistent effort and enduring patience are necessary. Even
the poorest man or woman can accomplish this task, for wealth is not an
essential prerequisite to the accumulation of transcendental
treasures.
It is strange that the vices latent
in man seem to be almost natural and spontaneous. It is equally strange that
every vice possesses its opposite sterling virtue, which does not however appear
to be so normal and automatic, though still within the range of all.
One powerful destructive vice in man
is anger (dosa). The sweet virtue that subdues this evil force and
sublimes man is loving-kindness (mettà).
Cruelty (himsà) is another
vice that is responsible for many horrors and atrocities prevalent in the world.
Compassion (karunà) is its antidote.
Jealousy (issà) is another
vice that poisons one's system and leads to unhealthy rivalries and dangerous
competitions. The most effective remedy for this poisonous drug is appreciative
joy (mudità).
There are two other universal
characteristics that upset the mental equipoise of man. They are attachment to
the pleasurable and aversion to the non-pleasurable. These two opposite forces
can be eliminated by developing equanimity (upekkhà).
These four sterling virtues are
collectively termed in Pàli "Brahmavihàra" which may be rendered by Modes
of Sublime Conduct, Sublime States, or Divine Abodes.
These virtues tend to elevate man.
They make one divine in this life itself. They can transform man into a
superman. If all try to cultivate them, irrespective of creed, colour, race, or
sex, the earth can be transformed into a paradise where all can live in perfect
peace and harmony as ideal citizens of one world.
The four sublime virtues are also
termed illimitables (appamannà). They are so called because they find no
barrier or limit and should be extended towards all beings without exception.
They embrace all living beings including animals.
Irrespective of religious beliefs,
one can cultivate these sweet virtues and be a blessing to oneself and all
others.
1. METTÀ
The first Sublime State is
Mettà (Samskrit: Maitri). It means that which softens one's heart,
or the state of a true friend. It is defined as the sincere wish for the welfare
and genuine happiness of all living beings without exception. It is also
explained as the friendly disposition, for a genuine friend sincerely wishes for
the welfare of his friend.
"Just as a mother protects her only
child even at the risk of her life, even so one should cultivate boundless
loving-kindness towards all living beings" is the advice of the
Buddha.
It is not the passionate love of the
mother towards her child that is stressed here but her sincere wish for the
genuine welfare of her child.
Mettà is neither carnal love nor
personal affection, for grief inevitably arises from both.
Mettà is not mere neighbourliness,
for it makes no distinction between neighbours and others.
Mettà is not mere universal
brotherhood, for it embraces all living beings including animals, our lesser
brethren and sisters that need greater compassion as they are
helpless.
Mettà is not political brotherhood or
racial brotherhood, or national brotherhood, or even religious
brotherhood.
Political brotherhood is confined
only to those who share similar political views, such as the partial brotherhood
of Democrats, Socialists, Communists, and so forth.
Racial brotherhood and national
brotherhood are restricted only to those of the same race and nation. Some
nationalists love their race so much that sometimes they ruthlessly kill
innocent men, women and children because they unfortunately are not blessed with
blond hair and blue eyes. The white races have particular love for the white
skin, the black for the black, the yellow for the yellow, the brown for the
brown, the pale for the pale, the red for the red. Others of a different
complexion are at times viewed with suspicion and fear. Very often to assert
their racial superiority they resort to brutal warfare, killing millions by
mercilessly raining bombs from the sky above. The pathetic incidents of the
Second World War are striking examples which can never be forgotten by
mankind.
Amongst some narrow-minded peoples,
within the wider circle of their ancient nations, there exist minor circles of
caste and class where the so-called brotherhood of the powerful oppressors is so
limited that the oppressed are not even permitted to enjoy bare human rights
merely because of the accidents of birth or class. These oppressors are to be
pitied because they are confined to their water-tight compartments.
Mettà is not religious brotherhood
either. Owing to the sad limitations of so-called religious brotherhood human
heads have been severed without the least compunction, sincere outspoken men and
women have been roasted and burnt alive; many atrocities have been perpetrated
which baffle description; cruel wars have been waged which mar the pages of
world history. Even in this supposedly enlightened twentieth century the
followers of one religion hate or ruthlessly persecute and even kill those of
other faiths merely because they cannot force them to think as they do or
because they have a different label.
If, on account of religious views,
people of different faiths cannot meet on a common platform like brothers and
sisters, then surely the missions of compassionate world teachers have pitifully
failed.
Sweet mettà transcends all
these kinds of narrow brotherhood. It is limitless in scope and range. Barriers
it has none. Discrimination it makes not. Mettà enables one to regard the whole
world as one's motherland and all as fellow beings.
Just as the sun sheds its rays on all
without any distinction, even so sublime mettà bestows its sweet
blessings equally on the pleasant and the unpleasant, on the rich and the poor,
on the high and the low, on the vicious and the virtuous, on man and woman, and
on human and animal.
Such was the boundless Mettà
of the Buddha who worked for the welfare and happiness of those who loved
Him as well as of those who hated Him and even attempted to harm and kill
Him.
The Buddha exercised mettà
equally towards His own son Ràhula, His adversary Devadatta, His attendant
Ànanda, His admirers and His opponents.
This loving-kindness should be
extended in equal measure towards oneself as towards friend, foe and neutral
alike. Suppose a bandit were to approach a person travelling through a forest
with an intimate friend, a neutral person and an enemy, and suppose he were to
demand that one of them be offered as a victim. If the traveller were to say
that he himself should be taken, then he would have no mettà towards
himself. If he were to say that anyone of the other three persons should be
taken, then he would have no mettà towards them.
Such is the characteristic of real
mettà. In exercising this boundless loving-kindness oneself should not be
ignored. This subtle point should not be misunderstood, for self-sacrifice is
another sweet virtue and egolessness is yet another higher virtue. The
culmination of this mettà is the identification of oneself with all
beings (sabbattatà), making no difference between oneself and others. The
so-called "I" is lost in the whole. Separatism evaporates. Oneness is
realized.
There is no proper English equivalent
for this graceful Pàli term Mettà. Goodwill, loving-kindness, benevolence
and universal love are suggested as the best renderings.
The antithesis of mettà is
anger, ill-will, hatred, or aversion. Mettà cannot co-exist with anger or
vengeful conduct. The Buddha states:
Mettà not only tends to conquer anger
but also does not tolerate hateful thoughts towards others. He who has mettà
never thinks of harming others, nor does he disparage or condemn others.
Such a person is neither afraid of others nor does he instil fear into
any.
A subtle indirect enemy assails
mettà in the guise of a friend. It is selfish affection (pema),
for unguarded mettà may sometimes be assailed by lust. This indirect
enemy resembles a person who lurks afar in the jungles or hills to cause harm to
another. Grief springs from affection but not from mettà.
This delicate point should not be
misunderstood. Parents surely cannot avoid having affection towards their
children and children towards their parents; husbands towards their wives and
wives towards their husbands. Such affection is quite natural. The world cannot
exist without mutual affection. The point to be clarified here is that unselfish
mettà is not synonymous with ordinary affection.
A benevolent attitude is the chief
characteristic of inettà. He who practises mettà is constantly
interested in promoting the welfare of others. He seeks the good and beautiful
in all but not the ugliness in others.
Attendant blessings of
Mettà
1) He who practises mettà
sleeps happily. As he goes to sleep with a light heart free from hatred he
naturally falls asleep at once. This fact is clearly demonstrated by those who
are full of loving-kindness. They are fast asleep immediately on closing their
eyes.
2) As he goes to sleep with a loving
heart he awakes with an equally loving heart. Benevolent and compas-sionate
persons often rise from bed with smiling faces.
3) Even in sleep loving persons are
not perturbed by bad dreams. As they are full of love during their waking hours,
they are peaceful in their sleeping hours too. Either they fall into deep sleep
or have pleasant dreams.
4) He becomes dear to human beings.
As he loves others, so do others love him.
When a persons looks at a mirror with
a smiling face, a similar face will greet him. If, on the contrary, he looks
with a wry face, he will see a similar reflection. The outside world reacts on
one in the same way that one acts towards the world. One full of faults himself
is apt to see the evil in others. The good he ignores. An English poet -- Bolton
Hall -- has put it beautifully: --
Why should we see the ugliness in
others when there is evil in the best of us and good in the worst of us? It
would be a source of pleasure to all if we could see the good and beautiful in
all.
5) He who practises mettà is
dear to non-humans as well. Animals are also attracted to him. Radiating their
loving-kindness, ascetics live in wild forests amidst ferocious beasts without
being harmed by them.
6) Owing to his power of mettà
he becomes immune from poison and so forth unless he is subject to some
inexorable Kamma.
As mettà is a constructive
healthy force it has the power to counteract hostile influence. Just as hateful
thoughts can produce toxic effects in the system, even so loving thoughts can
produce healthy physical effects. It is stated that a very generous and devout
woman named Suppiyà, who had a wound in her thigh, was healed on seeing the
Buddha. The peaceful thought vibrations of the Buddha and the woman combined to
produce this salutary effect.
When the Buddha visited His
birthplace for the first time, His son Ràhula, who was only seven years of age,
approached Him and spontaneously remarked: "O ascetic, even your shadow is
pleasing to me." The child was so much dominated by the Buddha's mettà
that he deeply felt its magnetic power.
7) Invisible deities protect him
because of the power of his
mettà.
8) Mettà
leads to quick mental concentration. As the mind is not
perturbed by hostile vibrations one-pointedness can be gained with ease. With
mind at peace he will live in a heaven of his own creation. Even those who come
in contact with him will also experience that bliss.
9) Mettà
tends to beautify one's facial expression. The face as a
rule reflects the state of the mind. When one gets angry, the heart pumps blood
twice or three times faster than the normal rate. Heated blood rushes up to the
face, which then turns red or black. At times the face becomes repulsive to
sight. Loving thoughts on the contrary, gladden the heart and clarify the blood.
The face then presents a lovable appearance.
It is stated that when the Buddha,
after Enlightenment, reflected on the Causal Relations (Patthàna), His
heart was so pacified and His blood so clarified that rays of different hue such
as blue, yellow, red, white, orange, and a mixture of these emanated from His
body.
10) A person imbued with mettà
dies peacefully as he harbours no thoughts of hatred towards any. Even after
death his serene face reflects his peaceful death.
11) Since a person with mettà
dies happily, he will subsequently be born in a blissful state. If he has
gained the Jhànas (ecstasies), he will be born in a Brahma
realm.
Power of Mettà
Besides these inevitable worldly
blessings mettà possesses a magnetic power. It can produce a good
influence on others even at a distance and can attract others to
oneself.
Once when the Buddha visited a
certain city, many distinguished nobles came to welcome Him, amongst whom was a
nobleman named Roja, who was a friend of Venerable Ànanda.
Seeing him, Venerable Ànanda said: "It is very kind of you,
Roja, to have come to welcome the Buddha."
"No, Venerable Sir, it is not out of
any reverence towards the Buddha that I have come to greet Him. We agreed
amongst ourselves that whoever would not go to greet the Buddha would be fined
500 gold coins. It is through fear of the fine that I have come here to welcome
the Buddha", replied Roja.
Venerable Ànanda was slightly
displeased. He approached the Buddha and implored Him to preach the Dhamma to
Roja.
The Buddha instantly radiated
mettà towards Roja and retired to His chamber.
Roja's body was saturated with the
mettà of the Buddha. He was electrified, so to say, with the magnetic
power of Buddha's irresistible love. Just as a calf would run after its mother
he ran from cell to cell in the monastery inquiring where the Buddha was. The
monks directed him to the Buddha's chamber. He knocked at the door. The Buddha
opened it. In he went, saluted the Buddha, heard the doctrine, and became a
convert.
Such is the magnetic power of
mettà which everyone can exercise according to his ability.
On another occasion an intoxicated
elephant was driven towards the Buddha in an effort to kill Him. The Buddha
calmly radiated His love towards the elephant and subdued it.
A beautiful story may be cited to
show how the Bodhisatta as a boy extended his boundless mettà when his
own father ordered him to be killed. Young though he was, the Bodhisatta thought
to himself:--
"Here is a golden opportunity for me
to practise my mettà. My father stands before me, my good mother is
weeping, the executioner is ready to chop off my hands and feet. I, the victim,
am in the centre. Love I must all the four in equal measure without any
distinction. May my good father not incur any suffering because of this ruthless
act! May I become a Buddha in the future!"
In one of his previous births the
Bodhisatta was once practising the virtue of patience in a royal park. The king,
a drunkard, meaning to test his patience, ordered the executioner to beat him
and cut off his hands and feet. Still he practised patience. The impatient king
kicked him in the chest. Lying in a pool of blood, almost on the verge of death,
the Bodhisatta blessed the king and wished him long life saying that men like
himself never get angry.
A Bhikkhu is expected to practise
mettà to such an extent that he is forbidden to dig or cause to dig the
ground lest insects and other minute creatures die.
The high standard of mettà
expected from a Bhikkhu can be understood by the following admonition of the
Buddha:-- "If bandits sever your limbs with a two-handled saw, and if you
entertain hate in your heart, you will not be a follower of my
teaching."
Such enduring patience is extremely
difficult. But, that is the lofty ethical standard the Buddha expects from His
followers.
The Buddha Himself has set the noble
example:
"As an elephant in the battlefield
withstands arrows shot from a bow," says the Buddha, "even so will I endure
abuse; verily most people are undisciplined." (Dhammapada v. 320)
This chaotic, war-weary, restless
world of today, where the nations are arming themselves to their teeth,
frightened of one another, where human life is endangered by nuclear weapons
which may be released at any moment, is sorely in need of this universal
loving-kindness so that all may live in one world in perfect peace and harmony
like brothers and sisters.
Is it practically possible to
exercise mettà when one is threatened with devastating bombs and other
destructive weapons?
Well, what can powerless people do
when bombs rain from above? Can they avert such a catastrophe?
Buddhist mettà is the only
answer to such deadly bombs when one is faced with inexorable death.
If all warlike nations could be
prevailed upon to substitute this spiritual mettà for the destructive
weapons of materialism and rule the world not with might and force but with
right and love, then only would there be genuine peace and happiness in this
world.
Leaving the almost unpractical major
issues aside, it is advisable to be concerned with oneself and the rest of
mankind in cultivating this sweet virtue of mettà to the best of one's
ability.
How to Practise
Mettà
A few practical hints are given below
to practise this meditation on loving-kindness.
Mettà
should be practised first towards oneself. In doing so a
person should charge his mind and body with positive thoughts of peace and
happiness. He should think how he could be peaceful, happy, free from suffering,
worry and anger. He then becomes the embodiment of loving-kindness.
Shielded by loving-kindness, he cuts
off all hostile vibrations and negative thoughts. He returns good for evil, love
for anger. He becomes ever tolerant and tries his best not to give occasion for
anger to any. Himself beaming with happiness, he injects happiness into others
not only inwardly but also outwardly by putting his mettà into practice
in the course of his daily life.
When he is full of peace and is free
from thoughts of hatred, it is easy for him to radiate loving-kindness towards
others. What he does not possess he cannot give to others. Before he tries to
make others happy he should first be happy himself. He should know the ways and
means to make himself happy.
He now radiates his loving-kindness
towards all his near and dear ones individually and collectively, wishing them
peace and happiness and freedom from suffering, disease, worry and
anger.
Diffusing his thoughts of
loving-kindness towards his relatives and friends, he radiates them also towards
neutrals. Just as he wishes for the peace and happiness of himself and of his
near and dear ones, even so he sincerely wishes for the peace and happiness of
those who are neutral to him, wishing them freedom from suffering, disease,
worry and anger. Finally, though this is somewhat difficult, he should radiate
his mettà in the same way towards those (if any) who are inimical to him.
If, by practising mettà, he could adopt a friendly attitude towards those
thought to be inimical towards him, his achievement would be more heroic and
commendable. As the Buddha advises --"Amidst those who hate let him live free
from hatred."
Starting from himself he should
gradually extend his mettà towards all beings, irrespective of creed,
race, colour, or sex, including dumb animals, until he has identified himself
with all, making no distinction whatever. He merges himself in the whole
universe and is one with all. He is no more dominated by egoistic feelings. He
transcends all forms of separatism. No longer confining himself to water-tight
compartments, no longer influenced by caste, class, national, racial, or
religious prejudices, he can regard the whole world as his motherland and all as
fellow beings in the ocean of life.
2. KARUNÀ
The second virtue that sublimes man
is compassion (karunà). It is defined as that which makes the hearts of
the good quiver when others are subject to suffering, or that which dissipates
the sufferings of others. Its chief characteristic is the wish to remove the
woes of others.
The hearts of compassionate persons
are even softer than flowers. They do not and cannot rest satisfied until they
relieve the sufferings of others. At times they even go to the extent of
sacrificing their lives so as to alleviate the sufferings of others. The story
of the Vyàghri Jàtaka where the Bodhisatta sacrificed his life to save a
starving tigress and her cubs may be cited as an example.
It is compassion that compels one to
serve others with altruistic motives. A truly compassionate person lives not for
himself but for others. He seeks opportunities to serve others expecting nothing
in return, not even gratitude.
Who needs
compassion?
Many amidst us deserve our
compassion. The poor and the needy, the sick and the helpless, the lonely and
the destitute, the ignorant and the vicious, the impure and the undisciplined
are some that demand the compassion of kind-hearted, noble-minded men and women,
to whatever religion or to whatever race they belong.
Some countries are materially rich
but spiritually poor, while some others are spiritually rich but materially
poor. Both these pathetic conditions have to be taken into consideration by the
materially rich and the spiritually rich.
It is the paramount duty of the
wealthy to come to the succour of the poor, who unfortunately lack most of the
necessaries of life. Surely those who have in abundance can give to the poor and
the needy their surplus without inconveniencing themselves.
Once a young student removed the door
curtain in his house and gave it to a poor person telling his good mother that
the door does not feel the cold but the poor certainly do. Such a kindhearted
attitude in young men and women is highly commendable.
It is gratifying to note that some
wealthy countries have formed themselves into various philanthropic bodies to
help under-developed countries, especially in Asia, in every possible way.
Charitable organizations have also been established in all countries by men,
women and students to give every possible assistance to the poor and the needy.
Religious bodies also perform their respective duties in this connection in
their own humble way. Homes for the Aged, Orphanages and other similar
charitable institutions are needed in under-developed countries.
The beggar problem has still to be
solved in some countries where begging has become a profession. Out of
compassion for the unfortunate beggars this problem has to be solved
satisfactorily by the respective Governments as the existence of beggars is an
insult to any self-respecting nation.
As the materially rich should have
compassion on the materially poor and try to elevate them, it is the duty of the
spiritually rich, too, to have compassion on the spiritually poor and sublime
them though they may be materially rich. Wealth alone cannot give genuine
happiness. Peace of mind can be gained not by material treasures but by
spiritual treasures. Many in this world are badly in need of substantial
spiritual food, which is not easily obtained, as the spiritually poor far
exceed the materially poor numerically, as they are found both amongst the rich
and the poor.
Even more than poverty sickness
prevails throughout the world. Many are physically sick, some are mentally sick.
Science provides effective medicine for the former but not for the latter, who
very often languish in mental hospitals.
There are causes for these two kinds
of diseases. Compassionate men and women must try to remove the causes if they
wish to produce an effective cure.
Effective measures have been employed
by various nations to prevent and cure diseases not only of mankind but also of
animals. The Buddha set a noble example by attending on the sick Himself and
exhorting His disciples with the memorable words:
"He who ministers unto the sick
ministers unto
me."
Some selfless doctors render free
services towards the alleviation of suffering. Some expend their whole time and
energy in ministering to the poor patients even at the risk of their
lives.
Hospitals and free dispensaries have
become a blessing to humanity but more are needed so that the poor may benefit
by them. In underdeveloped countries the poor suffer through lack of medical
facilities. The sick have to be carried for miles with great inconvenience to
the nearest hospital or dispensary for medical treatment. Sometimes they die on
the way. Pregnant mothers suffer most. Hospitals, dispensaries, maternity homes,
etc. are essential needs in backward village areas.
The lowly and the destitute deserve
the compassion of wealthy men and women. Sometimes servants and workers are not
well paid, well fed, well clothed and more often than not they are ill treated.
Justice is not meted out to them. They are neglected and are powerless as there
is nobody to plead for them. Glaring cases of inhuman cruelty receive publicity
in some exceptional cases. Many such cases are not known. These unfortunate ones
have no other alternative but to suffer meekly even as Mother Earth suffers
everything in silence. When the grief is unbearable, they commit suicide in
utter desperation.
The vicious, the wicked, and the
ignorant deserve compassion even, more than those who suffer physically as they
are mentally and spiritually sick. They should not be condemned and despised but
sympathised with for their failings and defects. Though a mother has equal
compassion towards all her children still she may have more compassion towards a
sick child. Even so, greater compassion should be exercised towards the
spiritually sick as their sickness ruins their character.
The Buddha, for instance, had great
compassion towards the courtesan Ambapàli, and towards Angulimàla the murderer.
Both of them later became His converts and underwent a complete reformation in
character.
We must understand that greatness is
latent in all however wicked they may be. Perhaps one appropriate word at the
right moment may change the whole outlook of a person.
The Emperor Asoka perpetrated many
crimes, so much so that he was stigmatized Asoka the Wicked. Later the words
from a young novice -- "Diligence is the path to the deathless" -- produced such
a great change in him that he became Asoka the Righteous (Dharmàsoka).
The Buddha's advice is to shun the
company of the foolish. That does not mean that the good should not associate
with them so as to reform them. People avoid those who suffer from contagious
diseases. But compass-sionate physicians, attend on them so as to heal them.
Otherwise they might die. In the same way the wicked may die spiritually if the
good are not tolerant and compassionate towards them.
As a rule the Buddha went in search
of the poor, the ignorant and the vicious, but the good and the virtuous came in
search of the Buddha.
Like mettà (loving-kindness),
karunà (compassion) should also be extended without limit towards all
suffering and helpless beings, including dumb animals and fertile
eggs.
To deny the rights and privileges of
mankind on account of caste, colour, or race is inhuman and cruel. To feast on
the flesh of animals by killing or causing them to be killed is not human
compassion. To rain bombs from above and ruthlessly destroy millions of men,
women and children is the worst form of cruelty that deluded man has ever
perpetrated.
Today this pitiless, vengeful world
has sacrificed the most precious thing on earth -- life -- at the altar of brute
force. Whither has compassion fled?
The world needs today compassionate
men and women to banish violence and cruelty from the face of the
earth.
Buddhist compassion, it should be
noted, does not consist in mere shedding of tears and the like, for the
indirect enemy of compassion is passionate grief (domanassa).
Compassion embraces all
sorrow-stricken beings, while loving-kindness embraces all living beings, happy
or sorrowful.
3. MUDITÀ
The third sublime virtue is
mudità. It is not mere sympathy but sympathetic or appreciative joy which
tends to destroy jealousy, its direct enemy.
One devastating force that endangers
our whole constitution is jealousy. Very often some cannot bear to see or hear
the successful achievements of others. They rejoice over their failures but
cannot tolerate their successes. Instead of praising and congratulating the
successful, they try to ruin, condemn and vilify them. In one way mudità
is concerned more with oneself than with others as it tends to eradicate
jealousy which ruins oneself. On the other hand it aids others as well since one
who practises mudità will not try to hinder the progress and welfare of
others.
It is quite easy to rejoice over the
success of one's near and dear ones, but rather difficult to do so over the
success of one's adversaries. Yes, the majority not only find it difficult but
also do not and cannot rejoice. They seek delight in creating every possible
obstacle so as to ruin their adversaries. They even go to the extent of
poisoning, crucifying, and assassinating the good and the virtuous.
Socrates was poisoned, Christ was
crucified, Gandhi was shot. Such is the nature of the wicked and deluded
world.
The practice of mettà and
karunà is easier than the practice of mudità which demands great
personal effort and strong will-power.
Do the Western nations rejoice over
the prosperity of the Eastern and the Eastern over the prosperity of the
Weostern? Does one nation rejoice over the welfare of another nation? Is one
race happy over the growing prosperity of another race? Does even one religious
sect, which stands for the cultivation of morals, rejoice over the spiritual
influence of another sect?
One religion is jealous of another
religion, one part of the globe is jealous of another part of the globe, one
institution is jealous of another institution, one business firm is jealous of
another business firm, one family is jealous of another family, unsuccessful
pupils are jealous of successful pupils, sometimes even one brother or sister is
jealous of another brother or sister.
This is the very reason why
individuals and groups should practise appreciative joy if they wish to sublime
themselves and be internally happy.
The chief characteristic of mudità
is happy acquiescence in others’ prosperity and success (anumodanà).
Laughter and the like are not the characteristics of mudità as
exhilaration (pahasa) is regarded as its indirect enemy.
Mudità
embraces all prosperous beings and is the
congratulatory attitude of a person. It tends to eliminate any dislike
(arati) towards a successful person.
4. UPEKKHÀ
The fourth sublime state is the most
difficult and the most essential. It is upekkhà or equanimity. The
etymo-logical meaning of the term upekkhà is "discerning rightly,"
"viewing justly" or "looking impartially," that is, without attachment or
aversion, without favour or disfavour. (See pp. 523-524 and 596-597).
Equanimity is necessary especially
for laymen who have to live in an ill-balanced world amidst fluctuating
circumstances.
Slights and insults are the common
lot of mankind. The world is so constituted that the good and the virtuous are
often subject to unjust criticism and attack. It is heroic to maintain a
balanced mind in such circumstances.
Loss and gain, fame and infamy,
praise and blame, pain and happiness are eight worldly conditions
(atthalokadhamma: gain and loss, fame and defame, praise and blame, happiness
and pain) that affect all humanity. Most people are perturbed when affected by
such favourable or unfavourable states. One is elated when one is praised, and
depressed when blamed and reviled. He is wise, says the Buddha, who, amidst such
vicissitudes of life, stands unmoved like unto a firm rock, exercising perfect
equanimity.
The Buddha's exemplary life offers us
worldlings an excellent example of equanimity.
There was no religious teacher in the
world who was so severely criticised, attacked, insulted and reviled as the
Buddha, and yet none so highly praised, honoured and revered as the
Buddha.
Once when He went in quest of alms,
He was called an outcast by an impertinent brahmin. He calmly endured the insult
and explained to him that it is not birth that makes one an outcast but an
ignoble character. The brahmin was converted.
Inviting him to a house for alms, a
certain man entertained the Buddha with the filthiest language, current in His
time. He was called 'swine', 'brute', ‘ox', etc. But He was not offended. He did
not retaliate. Calmly He questioned His host what he would do when guests
visited his house. He replied that he would prepare a feast to entertain
them.
"Well, what would you do if they did
not partake of it?" questioned the Buddha.
"In that case we ourselves would
partake of the feast."
"Well, good brother, you have invited
me to your house for alms. You have entertained me with a torrent of abuse. I do
not accept it. Please take it back," calmly replied the Buddha.
The offender's character was
completely transformed.
"Retaliate not. Be silent as a
cracked gong when you are abused by others. If you do so, I deem that you have
already attained Nibbàna although you have not realized Nibbàna."
(
Dhammapada v. 124)
Such is the advice of the
Buddha.
These are golden words that should be
given heed to in this ill-disciplined world of today.
Once a lady of the court induced some
drunkards to revile the Buddha so much that Venerable Ànanda, His attendant
disciple, implored the Buddha to leave the city and go elsewhere. But the Buddha
was unperturbed.
Another woman feigned pregnancy and
publicly accused the Buddha of having placed her in that condition. A woman was
killed by His rivals and the Buddha was accused of murder. His own cousin and
disciple Devadatta made an unsuccessful attempt to crush Him to death by hurling
a rock from a cliff. Some of His own disciples accused Him of jealousy,
partiality, favouritism, etc.
On the other hand many sang
the praises of the Buddha. Kings prostrated themselves before His feet and paid
the highest reverence.
Like the Mother Earth the Buddha
suffered everything in silence with perfect equanimity.
Like a lion that does not tremble at
every sound, one should not be perturbed by the poisoned darts of uncurbed
tongues. Like the wind that does not cling to the meshes of a net, one should
not be attached to the illusory pleasures of this changing world. Like the lotus
that is unsoiled by the mud from which it springs, one should live unaffected by
worldly temptations, ever calm, serene and peaceful.
As with the first three virtues so
also upekkhà has for its direct enemy attachment (ràga) and for
its indirect enemy callousness or unintelligent indifference.
Upekkhà
discards clinging and aversion. An impartial attitude is
its chief characteristic. He who practises equanimity is neither attracted by
desirable objects nor is averse to undesirable objects.
His attitude towards the sinner and
saint will be the same, for he makes no distinction.
* * *
Mettà
embraces all beings, karunà embraces sufferers,
mudità embraces the prosperous, and upekkhà embraces the good and
the bad, the loved and the unloved, the pleasant and the unpleasant.
He who wishes to be divine in
this life itself may daily cultivate these four sublime virtues which are
dormant in all.
He who wishes to perfect himself and
compassionately work for the welfare of all beings in the course of his
countless births in Samsàra may strenuously develop the ten Perfections
(Pàramì) and ultimately become a Sammà Sambuddha, a Supremely
Enlightened One.
He who wishes to eradicate his
passions and put an end to suffering by realizing Nibbàna at the earliest
possible opportunity may diligently follow the unique Noble Eightfold Path which
still exists in its pristine purity.
The Buddha exhorts:
"Suppose, O monks, this mighty earth
were one mass of water and a man were to throw down thereon a yoke with one
hole. Then comes a wind from the east and wafts it west, and a wind from the
west wafts it east; a north wind wafts it south, and a south wind wafts it
north. Then once at the end of a hundred years a blind turtle push his neck
through that yoke with one hole whenever he popped up to the surface at the end
of a hundred years?
"It is unlikely, lord, that the blind
turtle would do that.
"It is just as unlikely, O monks,
that one will get birth in human form; just as unlikely that a Tathàgata should
arise in the world, an Arahant, a Fully Enlightened One; just as unlikely that
the Norm (Dhamma) and Discipline (Vinaya) proclaimed by a
Tathàgata should be shown in the world.
"But now indeed, O monks, this state
of human birth is won, and a Tathàgata has arisen in the world, and the Norm and
Discipline proclaimed by the Tathàgata is shown in the world.
"Wherefore, O monks, ye must make an
effort to realize: This is ill, this is the cause of ill, this is the cessation
of ill, this is the way leading to the cessation of ill." (Kindred
Sayings, v. p. 334).END=RESEARCH BUDDHIST DHARMA BY THICH CHAN TAN.MHDT.WORLD VIETNAMESE BUDDHIST ORDER=VIETNAMESE BUDDHIST NUNS=GOLDEN LOTUS MONASTERY=AUSTRALIA,SYDNEY.9/11/2012.NAM MO SHAKYAMUNI BUDDHA.( 3 TIMES ).
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