Brahmavihara:

Buddhist tenets for boundless peace

By Lionel Wijesiri

It is a fact of life that most of us are troubled by difficult emotional states in the pressured societies we live in, but do little in terms of developing skills to deal with them. One of the most important questions we come to in spiritual practice is how to reconcile responsible action with a Buddhist life based on non-attachment, letting go and coming to understand the ultimate emptiness of all conditioned things.

Among the disciples of the Buddha were kings, queens, princes and princesses

It is strange that the vices latent in us seem to be almost natural and spontaneous. It is equally strange that each vice possesses its opposite sterling virtue, which does not, however, appear to be normal and automatic.

One powerful destructive vice in us is anger (Dosa). The virtue that subdues this evil force and sublimes us is loving-kindness (Metta). Cruelty (Himsa) is another vice that is responsible for many horrors prevalent in the home and the outside world. Compassion (Karuna) is its antidote. Jealousy (Irissa) is another vice that poisons our system and leads to unhealthy rivalries. The effective remedy for this poison is appreciative joy (Mudita).

Mental equilibrium

There are two other characteristics that upset our mental equilibrium. They are attachment to the pleasurable and aversion to the non-pleasurable. These two opposite forces could be eliminated by developing equanimity (Upekkha).

The four virtues are collectively known in Pali as ‘Brahmavihara’. The practice of the four Brahmaviharas involves radiating outwards the positive qualities associated with such states of mind, directing them first towards ourselves, then to our families, the local community and eventually to all beings in the universe.

The Brahmaviharas are also known as the four immeasurable (Appamanna). The Buddha held that cultivation of the four immeasurable elements has the power to cause the practitioner to be reborn into a Brahmaloka.

These virtues bring about positive attitudinal changes in our lives as they systematically develop the values of moral excellence. They act as a form of self-psychotherapy, a way of healing the troubled mind to free it from its pain and confusion.

Metta

“Here, Bhikkhus, a disciple dwells pervading one direction with his heart filled with loving-kindness, likewise the second, the third, and the fourth direction; so above, below and around; he dwells pervading the entire world everywhere and equally with his heart filled with loving-kindness, abundant, grown great, measureless, free from enmity and free from distress.”

- Digha Nikaya 13

The importance of Metta in Buddhism cannot be overstated. Metta is benevolence towards all beings, without discrimination or selfish attachment. By practising Metta, a Buddhist overcomes anger, ill-will, hatred and aversion.

According to the Buddha, a Buddhist should cultivate for all beings the same love a mother would feel for her child. This love does not discriminate between benevolent people and malicious people. It is a love in which “I” and “you” disappear, and where there is no possessor and nothing to possess.

Karuna

“Here, Bhikkhus, a disciple dwells pervading one direction with his heart filled with compassion, likewise the second, the third and the fourth direction; so above, below and around; he dwells pervading the entire world everywhere and equally with his heart filled with compassion, abundant, grown great, measureless, free from enmity and free from distress.”

- Digha Nikaya 13

Karuna is active sympathy extended to all sentient beings and ideally should be combined with Prajna (wisdom). It is compassion that removes the heavy bar, opens the door to freedom and makes the narrow heart as wide as the world. Compassion takes away from the heart the inert weight, the paralysing heaviness; it gives wings to those who cling to the lowlands of self.

Mudita

“Here, Bhikkhus, a disciple dwells pervading one direction with his heart filled with sympathetic joy, likewise the second, the third and the fourth direction; so above, below and around; he dwells pervading the entire world everywhere and equally with his heart filled with sympathetic joy, abundant, grown great, measureless, free from enmity and free from distress.”

- The Buddha, Digha Nikaya

According to the Buddha, a Buddhist should cultivate for all beings the same love a mother would feel for her child

Mudita is taking sympathetic or altruistic joy in the happiness of others. The cultivation of Mudita is an antidote to envy and jealousy. It is quite easy to rejoice over the success of our near and dear ones, but rather difficult to do so over the success of our adversaries.

Sometimes, we seek delight in creating every possible obstacle so as to ruin our adversaries. These are visible among nations, among races, among religions and among families. The practice of Metta and Karuna is easier than the practice of Mudita, which demands great personal effort and very strong will-power.

Upekkha

“Here, Bhikkhus, a disciple dwells pervading one direction with his heart filled with equanimity, likewise the second, the third and the fourth direction; so above, below and around; he dwells pervading the entire world everywhere and equally with his heart filled with equanimity, abundant, grown great, measureless, free from enmity and free from distress.”

-Digha Nikaya

Upekkha is a mind in balance, free of discrimination and rooted in insight. This balance is not indifference, but active mindfulness. It is not unbalanced by the passions of attraction and aversion.

Incorporating facets of this teaching in a series of increasingly vivid similes, the Buddha says: “Bhikkhus, even if bandits were to savagely severe you, limb by limb, with a double-handled saw, even then, whoever of you harbours ill-will at heart would not be upholding my teaching.

“Bhikkhus, even in such a situation, you should train yourselves thus: ‘Neither shall (ones’) minds be affected by this, nor for this matter shall (one shall) give vent to evil words, but we shall remain full of concern and pity, with a mind of love, and we shall not give in to hatred. On the contrary, (one) shall live projecting thoughts of universal love to those very persons, making them as well as the whole world the object of our thoughts of universal love – thoughts that have grown great, exalted and measureless. One shall dwell radiating these thoughts which are void of hostility and ill will.’ It is in this way, Bhikkhus, that one should train oneself.” (Kakacupama Sutta)

Mindfulness

It is important to understand that the entire body of the Buddha’s teaching and related practices is the prescription for the purification of the causes of suffering. The practice of mindfulness provides the conditions that are conducive to see the truth of suffering through to the end of suffering. Our role is to engage the practice of mindfulness to provide the presence of mind while becoming familiar with the “skill in means” that allow for the slow, methodical efficient process of this purification.

As an example, the Buddha taught that wisdom, alone, cannot bring an end to ill-will. This can be achieved only through the practice of Metta. With many other wholesome qualities, Metta arises spontaneously as a condition of mindfulness.

Metta is the capacity for love. Karuna is the capacity to remain present in the face of pain and suffering. Mudita is the capacity for boundless, appreciative joy and gratitude. Upekkha is the capacity to be with things as they are, in truth.

Awareness

The Buddhist concept of Brahmavihara is not a removal or escape from life. It is seeing the world with a deeper vision that is not self-centred, a vision that sees through dualistic views to the underlying inter-connectedness of all of life. It is the discovery of freedom in the very midst of our bodies and minds.

Metta, Karuna, Mudita and Upekkha will infuse our awareness, enable us to open to and accept the truth of each moment, to feel our intimate connectedness with all things, and to see the wholeness of life. Whether we are sitting in meditation or sitting at home or working at office that should be our spiritual practice in every moment.