The Four Immeasurables talk given by Joe Goodding

July 8, 2012

This talk represents my understanding of the Four Immeasurables, loving kindness, compassion, empathetic joy and equanimity. These are qualities or states of mind that we can cultivate within ourselves through our spiritual practice.

My references are The Four Immeasurables: Cultivating a Boundless Heart  by B. Alan Wallace and a pdf document, The Jhanas and The Brahma Viharas by Lloyd Burton. The Buddha’s teachings were written down in the Pali and Sanskrit languages. As recorded in the Pali Canon, the Brahma Viharas are translated as “divine abodes” or “four immeasurables”.

I understand that describing these four qualities as “The Four Immeasurables” means that they have the potential of being experienced, felt and expressed by us as limitless, boundless, encompassing the entire universe. However, I also know that as human beings, we may often not experience ourselves as open to such mental and emotional states. We do not always feel loving and kind or compassionate or joyful or equanimous.  I believe that it is important for each of us to respect our limits, our boundaries, and not try to make ourselves feel something that we don’t. Likewise, I think that it is harmful for us to judge ourselves and criticize ourselves for not being more loving, kind, compassionate and joyful than we are.

Buddhism is a practice and when we notice that we have emotional reactions towards ourselves or others, I believe that it is important to acknowledge at least to ourselves how we feel. Take notice of your reactions, feelings or perceptions and perhaps simply wonder, “What is this reaction about?” As much as one can, do this without judging yourself. And even if we do judge ourselves, then that is also something to notice and be inquisitive about in our practice. In this way we can increase our compassion and understanding of ourselves as we acknowledge our humanness that we have in common with all other human beings.

And now a brief description of The Four Immeasurables”.

Loving Kindness – Maitri in the Sanskrit language and Metta in the Pali language. This is the quality of open heartedness for ourselves and others that we may be happy, peaceful, safe, etc. and that we may experience well being.

Compassion – Karuna in Sanskrit and perhaps also in Pali. This is the experience of being touched by the suffering in ourselves and others.

Empathetic Joy – Mudita, perhaps both Pali and Sanskrit. This may also be called Altruistic Joy or Selfless Joy. This is rejoicing in the well being of ourselves and others.

Equanimity – Upekkha in Pali and Upeksa in Sanskrit. This represents balance, calmness, evenness in our reactions and responses. This does not mean we are to be indifferent or non-feeling in our reactions. Sometimes action may be required and it becomes our responsibility to determine how to respond without acting out.  

We often practice The Four Immeasurables when we recite  a Metta prayer, a prayer of loving kindness. This prayer encompasses all Four Immeasurables as loving kindness is expressed through all four. In this practice we then come face to face with how we regard ourselves, our loved ones, neutral persons and those with whom we have difficulty. This becomes a practice of living with our experience of how we incorporate The Four Immeasurables into our lives.

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Brahma Vihara Bhavana – Cultivation of the Four Immeasurables

Lloyd Burton

Conciliation and Atonement

If there is any way I have harmed myself, either knowingly or unknowingly, through action of body, speech, or mind, I ask forgiveness.

If there is any way I have suffered harm by reason of anything I have thought, or said, or done, I forgive myself.

If there is any way I have harmed another, either on purpose or by accident, by reason of anything I have thought, or said, or done, I ask forgiveness.

If there is any way another has harmed me, either knowingly or unknowingly, through action of body, speech, or mind, I forgive them.

Karuna - Compassion

May I live with ease and in safety, free from physical affliction.

May I open to any physical suffering in me with courage, caring, and kindness.

May I live with ease, free of physical suffering.

May I live with ease, free of mental anguish.

May I open to any mental suffering in me with courage, caring, and kindness.

May I live with ease, free of mental suffering.

May I live with ease, free of suffering and the roots of suffering.

May I open to the suffering I see in others.

May we open to each other’s suffering with courage, caring, and kindness.

May we live with ease, free of suffering and the roots of suffering.

Mudita - Selfless Joy

May I open to the joy that is in me, and be happy.

May I open to the joy in others, and be happy.

May we open to each other’s joy, and be happy.

Upekkha - Equanimity

May I open to the silence and stillness within me, and be at peace.

May we open to the silence and stillness in each other, and be at peace.

Metta – Loving Kindness

May I let go the bounds of the heart-mind, awaken, and be free.

May all here live with ease, free from suffering and the roots of suffering.

May we open to the joy within us, and be happy.

May we open to the silence and stillness within us, and be at peace.

May we let go the bounds of the heart-mind, awaken, and be free.

May my friends, family, and loved ones – all whom I hold dear, be free from suffering and the roots of suffering.

May we be happy. May we be peaceful. May we be free.

May all in my community and place of work, those whom I know and do not know, whom I like and do not like, with whom I have had some difficulty, may we all live with ease. May we all be happy. May we all be peaceful. May we all be free.

May all those who have suffered violence and all those who have committed violence against them live with ease, free of suffering and the roots of suffering. May they again be happy. May they again live in peace. May they be awakened.

Just as a mother protects her child, her only child, with her life if need be, so too with a boundless heart may we cherish all living beings, suffusing the entire world with unobstructed loving kindness.

May all beings live with ease, free from suffering and the roots of suffering.

May all beings be happy. May all beings be peaceful. May all beings be free.

All Beings who walk the Earth, All Beings who fly in the skies above, All Beings who swim in the waters below, All Beings now living, All Beings gone beyond, All Beings yet to be born, All Beings in all the realms of existence, May All Beings live with ease. May all beings be happy. May all beings be peaceful. May all beings be free.