The Four Divine Abidings

Next after the meditation subjects consisting in recollection, of the four divine abidings set out — loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity — a beginning meditator wishing first to develop loving-kindness should, having taken up the meditation subject with all hindrances to it cut off, eaten his meal and dispelled the drowsiness that follows eating, sit down comfortably on a well-prepared seat in a secluded spot, and first of all consider the danger in hatred and the benefit in patience.

Why? Because by this development hatred is to be abandoned and patience is to be attained. And it is not possible to abandon anything whose danger has not been seen, nor to attain anything whose benefit has not been known. Therefore the danger in hatred should be seen by way of such passages as: "Friends, one who hates, overcome by hatred, his mind consumed by it, even kills a living being" (A.N. 3.72).

"Patience is the highest austerity, endurance; the Buddhas say Nibbāna is the highest" (D.N. 2.90; Dhp. 184).
"The power of patience is the power of an army — that one I call a brahmin." (Dhp. 399; Sn. 628)
The benefit in patience should be understood by way of such passages as "there is nothing better than patience" (S.N. 1.250).

Then, in order to disengage the mind from hatred whose danger has thus been seen, and in order to yoke it to patience whose benefit has thus been known, the development of loving-kindness should be begun. And one beginning it should first of all know the division of persons: "toward these persons loving-kindness should not be developed first; toward these it should never be developed at all."

For this loving-kindness should not be developed first toward these four: an unloved person, a very dear friend, a neutral person, and a hostile person. It should not be developed, singling out one individual, toward someone of the opposite sex. It should never be developed toward a person who has died. For what reason should it not be developed first toward the unloved and the rest? Placing an unloved person in the position of a loved one is wearisome. Placing a very dear friend in the position of a neutral person is wearisome, and even when only a slight suffering has arisen for him, one comes to be as if on the verge of weeping. Placing a neutral person in the position of one respected or one loved is wearisome. In one recollecting a hostile person, anger arises. For these reasons it should not be developed first toward the unloved and the rest.

But in one developing it, singling out a specific individual, toward someone of the opposite sex, lust arises. It is told that a certain minister's son asked a resident elder monk, "Venerable sir, toward whom should loving-kindness be developed?" The elder said, "Toward a loved person." Now his own wife was dear to him. Developing loving-kindness toward her, he fought a battle against the wall the entire night. Therefore it should not be developed, singling out one individual, toward someone of the opposite sex.

But one developing it toward a person who has died attains neither absorption nor access. It is told that a certain young monk took up loving-kindness with reference to his teacher. His loving-kindness would not proceed. He went to a great elder and said, "Venerable sir, the jhāna-attainment of loving-kindness is familiar to me, and yet I am unable to enter it — what, I wonder, could be the reason?" The elder said, "Friend, search for the sign." Searching, he learned that his teacher had died. Then, taking up loving-kindness with reference to another, he attained absorption. Therefore it should never be developed toward one who has died.

But first of all it should be developed repeatedly toward oneself alone, thus: "may I be happy and free from suffering," or "may I be free from enmity, free from affliction, free from trouble, and may I keep myself happy."

This being so, one might object that this contradicts what is said in the Vibhaṅga —

"And how, monks, does one dwell pervading one direction with a mind endowed with loving-kindness? Just as one might feel loving-kindness on seeing a single dear and beloved person, so does one pervade all beings with loving-kindness" (Vibh. 643) —

and what is said in the Paṭisambhidāmagga —

"By which five modes is the unspecified-pervasion deliverance of mind through loving-kindness to be developed? May all beings be free from enmity, free from affliction, free from trouble, and may they keep themselves happy. May all breathing things … may all creatures … may all persons … may all those included in a person's own existence be free from enmity, free from affliction, free from trouble, and may they keep themselves happy" (Paṭis. ii.22) —

and what is said in the Mettā Sutta —

"May they be happy and secure, may all beings be happy at heart" (Khp. 9.3; Sn. 145) —

since in none of these is the development toward oneself mentioned at all. But this is no contradiction. Why not? Because those passages are stated with reference to absorption, while this one is stated with reference to serving as a witness.

For even if one develops loving-kindness toward oneself by the method beginning "may I be happy," for a hundred years or for a thousand years, no absorption will ever arise for him from it. But in one developing "may I be happy," the desire for the welfare and happiness of other beings arises by taking oneself as a witness, in this way: "just as I wish for happiness and am averse to suffering, wish to live and do not wish to die, so do other beings also." The Blessed One himself, speaking thus, showed just this method —

"Having traveled all directions with the mind, one finds nowhere anyone dearer than oneself; just so is one's own self dear to others as well — therefore let one who loves himself not harm another." (S.N. 1.119; Ud. 41)

Therefore, having first pervaded himself with loving-kindness for the purpose of serving as a witness, next, for the purpose of causing happiness to proceed, one should recollect that person — whether a loved, dear, respected, esteemed teacher, or one like a teacher, or a preceptor, or one like a preceptor — recollecting the reasons that make him dear and beloved, such as his generosity and kind speech, and the reasons that make him worthy of respect and esteem, such as his virtue and learning, and develop loving-kindness by the method beginning, "may this good person be happy and free from suffering."

And though absorption may certainly be reached with regard to a person of this kind, this monk, not content with that much alone but wishing to accomplish the breaking of boundaries, should next develop loving-kindness toward a very dear friend, then from the very dear friend toward a neutral person, and from the neutral person toward a hostile person. And in developing it, having made the mind soft and workable in each single category, it should be directed on to the very next one in turn.

But one who has no hostile person at all, or one who, by the nature of a great being, does not even conceive the perception "enemy" toward another even when that other does him harm, should not artificially undertake the exercise of thinking, "my mind of loving-kindness has become workable toward the neutral person — now let me direct it toward the hostile person." It is with reference to one who does have such a person that it was said, "loving-kindness should be developed from the neutral person toward the hostile person."

But if, in directing his mind toward the hostile person, resentment arises in him through remembering some wrong that person has done, then he should, again and again, attain loving-kindness toward whichever of the earlier persons is available, and emerging from it again and again, dispel the resentment by suffusing that person with loving-kindness. If, even striving in this way, it does not go out, then —

By following the saw-simile admonition and the rest, one should strive again and again for the abandoning of resentment.

And this is done precisely by admonishing oneself in this manner: "Hey, you angry man, was it not said by the Blessed One —

'Monks, even if bandits were to sever you limb from limb with a two-handled saw, whoever there defiles his mind at that would not, on that account, be a follower of my teaching' (M.N. 1.232), and
'Worse than the angered is the one who angers back; not angering back at the angered, one wins a battle hard to win. One practices for the good of both — one's own and the other's — knowing the other provoked, one who remains mindful is at peace' (S.N. 1.188), and
'Monks, there are these seven things, dear to an enemy and productive of an enemy's purpose, that come upon an angry woman or man. What seven? Here, monks, an enemy wishes this of an enemy: "Oh, may this one be ugly!" Why is that? An enemy does not delight in an enemy's good looks. Monks, this person, angry, overcome by anger, mastered by anger — though he be well-bathed, well-anointed, his hair and beard trimmed, clothed in white — is nevertheless ugly, being overcome by anger. This, monks, is the first thing, dear to an enemy and productive of an enemy's purpose, that comes upon an angry woman or man. Again, monks, an enemy wishes this of an enemy: "Oh, may this one sleep badly!" … "may he not prosper!" … "may he not be wealthy!" … "may he not be famous!" … "may he not have friends!" … "may he not, at the breaking up of the body after death, arise in a good destination, in a heavenly world!" Why is that? An enemy does not delight in an enemy's going to a good destination. Monks, this person, angry, overcome by anger, mastered by anger, conducts himself badly in body, badly in speech, badly in mind. Having conducted himself badly in body, speech, and mind, at the breaking up of the body after death, overcome by anger, he arises in a state of misery, a bad destination, a fallen state, in hell' (A.N. 7.64), and
'Monks, suppose there were a firebrand from a funeral pyre, burning at both ends and smeared with dung in the middle — it would serve neither as timber in the village nor as timber in the forest. Just such a person, monks, is what I call this one.'

Now then, being angry in this way, you will not even be a follower of the Blessed One's teaching; angering back, you will be worse than the angry person himself and will not win the battle hard to win; you will be doing to yourself the very things an enemy would wish done to you; and you will become just like that firebrand from a funeral pyre."

If, one striving and making effort in this way, that resentment settles down, this is good. But if it does not settle down, then whatever quality of that person is already settled and purified, and which, when recollected, brings confidence, that quality should be recollected, and the grudge dispelled by it.

For in one person, only bodily conduct is settled. His settled state is known to everyone by the many observances and practices he performs, while his verbal and mental conduct remain unsettled. Without thinking about those, only the settledness of his bodily conduct should be recollected.

In another, only verbal conduct is settled. His settled state is known to everyone: by nature he is skilled at hospitality, gracious, pleasant to converse with, welcoming, cheerful of countenance, one who speaks first, who delivers the Dhamma with a sweet voice, who tells a Dhamma-talk with well-rounded words and phrasing — while his bodily and mental conduct remain unsettled. Without thinking about those, only the settledness of his verbal conduct should be recollected.

In another, only mental conduct is settled, and his settled state becomes evident to everyone on such occasions as venerating a shrine. For one whose mind is unsettled does not venerate a shrine, or the Bodhi tree, or the elders, with full respect, and sits at the hall for hearing the Dhamma with a distracted mind or nodding off. But one whose mind is settled venerates with full commitment, ears inclined, giving it his whole attention, listening to the Dhamma while producing confidence of mind by body or by speech. Thus in another, only mental conduct is settled, while bodily and verbal conduct remain unsettled; without thinking about those, only the settledness of his mental conduct should be recollected.

But in another, not even one of these three qualities is settled. Toward such a person compassion should be established: "although this one now walks about in the human world, yet within a matter of days he will become one who fills up the eight great hells and their sixteen surrounding hells." For a grudge settles down also on account of compassion.

In yet another, all three of these qualities are settled; toward him, whichever quality one wishes may be recollected. For in a person of that kind the development of loving-kindness is not difficult at all.

And to make this matter clear, the Āghātapaṭivinaya Sutta of the Book of Fives should be given in full: "Friends, there are these five means of dispelling a grudge, by which a grudge that has arisen in a monk should be entirely dispelled" (A.N. 5.162).

But if, admonishing himself in this way, the resentment still does not settle down, then he should admonish himself thus —

"If your enemy has done you harm within his own domain, why do you wish to do harm, within a domain not his own, to your own mind?
"Having abandoned your very helpful circle of relatives, their faces streaked with tears, why do you not abandon anger, that greatly harmful enemy?
"Anger is the very uprooting of the virtues you now protect — yet you coddle this thing called anger; who is as much a fool as you?
"Angry, you say, 'an ignoble deed has been done by another' — but why is it that you yourself wish to do that very same kind of deed?
"If another, wishing to provoke you to anger, has done something displeasing to you, why, by giving rise to anger, do you fulfill exactly his wish?
"Whether, being angry, you will cause him suffering or not, you are certainly afflicting yourself, right now, with the suffering of anger.
"If your enemies have mounted the harmful path of anger, why, by getting angry yourself, do you follow their very example?
"Cut off that very fault in dependence on which the enemy has done you this displeasure — why torment yourself over what is beside the point?
"Since phenomena are momentary, the very aggregates by which that displeasing deed was done to you have already ceased — toward whom, then, are you now angry?
"Whoever causes suffering to whom — without that other one's presence, to whom could he cause it at all? Since you yourself are also a cause of that suffering, why are you angry with him?"

But if, admonishing himself in this way, the resentment still does not settle down, then he should reflect on the ownership of deeds, both his own and the other's. Herein, his own should first be reflected on thus: "Hey, being angry at him, what will you accomplish? Will this very deed, whose root is hatred, not lead to your own harm? For you are the owner of your deeds, the heir of your deeds, deeds are your origin, your kinsman, your refuge; whatever deed you do, of that you will be the heir. And this deed of yours is not capable of accomplishing full self-awakening, nor private awakening, nor the level of a disciple, nor any of the various attainments — becoming a Brahmā, a Sakka, a wheel-turning monarch, a regional king, and the rest — but is a deed that will only cause you to fall away from the Dispensation into the state of one who feeds on scraps and the like, and into the various distinct sufferings of hell and the rest. In doing this, you are like a man who, wishing to strike another, first takes up glowing coals or dung with both his own hands — you burn yourself first, and make yourself stink."

Having thus reflected on the ownership of his own deeds, he should also reflect thus on the other's: "And what will this one accomplish by being angry at you? Will this not lead only to his own harm? For this venerable one too is the owner of his deeds, the heir of his deeds … whatever deed he will do, of that he will be the heir. And this deed of his is not capable of accomplishing full self-awakening, nor private awakening, nor the level of a disciple, nor any of the various attainments — becoming a Brahmā, a Sakka, a wheel-turning monarch, a regional king, and the rest — but is a deed that will only cause him to fall away from the Dispensation into the state of one who feeds on scraps and the like, and into the various distinct sufferings of hell and the rest. This one, in doing this, is like a man who, standing against the wind and wishing to scatter dust upon another, only scatters it upon himself. For this was said by the Blessed One —

"'Whoever offends an inoffensive man, one who is pure and without blemish — that very evil returns upon the fool himself, like fine dust thrown against the wind.'" (Dhp. 125; Sn. 667)

But if, even reflecting thus on the ownership of deeds, it does not settle down, then the virtues of the Teacher's own past conduct should be recollected.

Here is the method of that reflection: "Hey, renunciant — was it not the case that your Teacher, even before his full awakening, while still unenlightened, a bodhisatta fulfilling the perfections for four incalculable aeons and a hundred thousand aeons besides, on this occasion and that, never once corrupted his mind even toward murderous enemies? For instance: in the Sīlava Jātaka, when a rival king — brought in by a wicked minister whom his own queen had corrupted — was seizing a kingdom three hundred leagues wide, he would not even let the ministers who had risen up to stop it so much as touch a weapon. Again, buried up to the neck together with a thousand ministers in a raw burial-pit, without producing so much as a trace of mental corruption, and having regained his life by an act of resolve with the help of jackals who had come to feed on corpses and scattered away the earth, he then, by a spirit's power, descended into his own royal bedchamber and, seeing his enemy lying there upon the royal couch, felt no anger at all — instead, having exchanged mutual oaths with him, he placed him in the position of a friend, and said —

"One should indeed go on hoping; the wise should never grow weary; I see it for myself: just as I wished, so it has come to be." (Jā. 1.1.51)

In the Khantivādī Jātaka, when the foolish King of Kāsi asked, "What is your teaching, ascetic?" and was told, "I am called a teacher of patience," he did not produce even a trace of anger while being flogged with thorn-studded whips and having his hands and feet cut off.

And this is not so remarkable, that one who had gone forth in mature adulthood should act thus. But in the Cūḷadhammapāla Jātaka, even while still an infant lying on his back —

"Smeared with sandalwood paste, the arms of Dhammapāla, heir to the earth, are being cut off; my very life-breath, O king, is being torn away." (Jā. 1.5.49)

While his mother thus cried out in lament, his father — a king named Mahāpatāpa — had all four of his limbs cut off like sections of bamboo, and even then, not yet satisfied, commanded, "Cut off his head!" — and the infant Bodhisatta thought: "Now is the time for you to take hold of your own mind. Now, dear Dhammapāla, be of even mind toward these four: the father who orders the beheading, the man who performs the beheading, the mother who is lamenting, and yourself." Having firmly undertaken this resolve, he did not produce even a trace of a corrupted state.

And this too is not so remarkable, that a human being should act in this way. But even as an animal — being the elephant named Chaddanta — though pierced in the navel by a barbed arrow, he did not corrupt his mind even toward the hunter who had done him this harm. As he said —

"Struck through by a broad-bladed shaft, / the elephant, his mind undefiled, spoke to the hunter: / 'For what purpose, or for what reason, friend, / have you slain me — whose undertaking is this?'" (Jā. 1.16.124)

And having spoken thus, and being told, "Venerable one, I have been sent for the sake of your tusks, by the chief queen of the King of Kāsi," fulfilling her wish, he cut off, with his own effort, his own tusks — radiant with the beautiful glow of six-colored rays streaming from them — and gave them to the man.

Being the Great Monkey, he himself pulled a man up out of a mountain chasm; and that man thought —

"This one is food for men, just like any other creature of the forest; what if, having killed it, I, being hungry, were to eat this monkey. I will go bearing it as a burden, taking its flesh as provisions; I shall cross the wilderness, and it shall be my food for the journey." —

Having thought this, he lifted a stone and struck the monkey's head, splitting it open; and the monkey, with eyes full of tears, looking upon that man, said —

"May you not, good sir, be one who has done such a deed to me; may you indeed live long — you should rather be one who restrains others from doing likewise." (Jā. 1.16.209) —

Having said this, without corrupting his mind toward that man, and without regarding his own agony, he brought that very man safely to a place of security.

Being the nāga-king named Bhūridatta, having undertaken the uposatha factors and lying atop an anthill, even while his entire body was being doused with a caustic preparation like the fire that arises at the destruction of an aeon, and even while being placed in a basket and made to perform tricks throughout the whole of Jambudīpa, he did not produce even a trace of mental corruption toward that brahmin. As he said —

"Even while he put me in the basket, and even while he crushed me with his hand, / I did not grow angry — for fear of breaking my virtue." (Cariyā. 2.16)

Being also the nāga-king Campeyya, though tormented by a snake-charmer, he did not produce even a trace of mental corruption. As he said —

"At that time too, though I was one practicing the Dhamma, having undertaken the uposatha, / the snake-charmer seized me and made me perform at the king's gate.
"Whatever color he thought of — blue, yellow, or red — / following his thought, I became just as he had thought.
"I could have turned dry land into water, and water into dry land; / had I grown angry at him, in an instant I could have reduced him to ashes.
"But if I were to come under the sway of that anger, I would fall away from virtue; / and for one fallen away from virtue, the highest goal is never accomplished." (Cariyā. 2.21–24)

Being the nāga-king Saṅkhapāla, pierced with sharp spears in eight places, with thorny creepers pushed into the mouths of the wounds, a stout rope thrust through his nose, and being carried slung on a pole by sixteen village youths, his body dragged along the ground, undergoing great suffering — though capable, merely by looking upon them in anger, of reducing all those village youths to ashes — he did not, even opening his eyes, produce so much as a trace of a corrupted state. As he said —

"On the fourteenth and the fifteenth days, O noble one, / I constantly kept the uposatha; / then sixteen village youths came, / taking a rope and a firm snare.
"Having pierced my nose and drawn the rope through, / the cruel ones led me away, seizing me on every side; / such suffering as this I endured, / never letting my uposatha vow be disturbed." (Jā. 2.17.180–181)

And not only these — in the Mātuposaka Jātaka and others too, he performed many other wonders of this same kind. For you now, professing allegiance to that Blessed One, the Teacher who has attained omniscience, whose quality of patience is matched by no one in the world together with its gods, to give rise to so much as a thought of resentment is exceedingly improper and unfitting."

But if, even reflecting thus on the virtues of the Teacher's own past conduct, the resentment still does not settle down in one who has long been given over to servitude under the defilements, then the beginninglessness of the round should be reflected on. For it was said —

"Monks, it is not easy to find a being who has not, at some time in the past, been your mother, been your father, been your brother, been your sister, been your son, been your daughter." (S.N. 2.137–142)

Therefore this thought should be aroused with regard to that person: "It is said that this one, in the past, having been my mother, carried me in her womb for ten months, and, without any disgust — removing my urine, feces, saliva, and mucus as if they were yellow sandalwood — raised me, dancing me upon her breast and carrying me about on her body; or, having been my father, going by goat-tracks and rough mountain paths, conducting trade, sacrificing even his own life for my sake, entering battle arrayed on both sides, plunging by ship into the great ocean, and doing other difficult deeds besides, thinking, 'I shall raise my children,' gathered wealth by this means and that, and so raised me. Or, having been my brother, my sister, my son, or my daughter, did me this favor and that. Therefore it is not fitting for me to let my mind be corrupted toward him."

But if, even so, one is simply unable to cool the mind, then the benefits of loving-kindness should be reflected on thus: "Hey, renunciant, was it not said by the Blessed One —

'Monks, when the deliverance of mind through loving-kindness is cultivated, developed, made much of, made into a vehicle, made a basis, firmly established, consolidated, and properly undertaken, eleven benefits may be expected. What eleven? One sleeps happily; one wakes happily; one does not see bad dreams; one is dear to human beings; one is dear to non-human beings; deities protect one; fire, poison, or weapons do not touch one; one's mind becomes concentrated quickly; the complexion of one's face is serene; one dies unconfused; and, if one penetrates no further, one is headed for the Brahmā-world.' (A.N. 11.15)

"If you do not cool this mind, you will be excluded from these very benefits."

But for one unable to perform the analysis into elements, sharing through giving should be done. What is one's own should be given to the other, and what is the other's should be taken by oneself. But if the other's livelihood is broken and his requisites are not fit for use, only what is one's own should be given. For one who acts in this way, the grudge in that person is certainly settled. And even anger that had followed the other from a past birth was settled in that very moment — as in the case of the great elder who received the bowl, after the alms-round-going elder, who had had his lodging turned him out three times at the Cittalapabbata monastery, said, "Venerable sir, this bowl, worth eight kahāpaṇas, is a legitimate gain given to me by my mother, a lay devotee; please make merit for my great lay-devotee mother by accepting it." Such is the great power of this thing called giving. For it was also said —

"Giving tames the untamed; giving accomplishes everything; by giving, and by kind speech, some are raised up, and some bow down."

Once the resentment toward that hostile person has thus settled, the mind proceeds by way of loving-kindness toward him just as it does toward a loved one, a very dear friend, and a neutral person. Then, by developing loving-kindness again and again and accomplishing an equal-mindedness among these four persons — oneself, a loved person, a neutral person, and a hostile person — the breaking of boundaries should be brought about. Here is its defining mark: suppose this monk were sitting in one place together with a loved person, a neutral person, and a hostile person — himself making a fourth — and bandits came and said, "Venerable sir, give us one of these monks," and, being asked "For what reason?" replied, "So that we may kill him, take the blood from his throat, and perform a sacrifice" — if, in that situation, this monk should think, "let them take this one or that one," the breaking of boundaries has not been accomplished. And even if he should think, "let them take me, not these three others," the breaking of boundaries has still not been accomplished. Why not? Because in wishing that any one of them at all be taken, he is thereby wishing harm to that one, while wishing well only to the others.

But when, among these four persons, he sees not even a single one who should be given to the bandits, and his mind proceeds equally toward himself and toward those three others, then the breaking of boundaries has been accomplished. On this the ancient teachers said —

"When, among these four kinds — oneself, a loved one, a neutral one, and a hostile one — one sees no difference, being of a mind that wishes well to all living beings —
"then one is called skilled in loving-kindness, one who has genuinely attained it — when the four boundaries have been broken down for that monk.
"He pervades, with equal loving-kindness, the entire world together with its gods; far greater than the one before him is the one for whom no boundary can any longer be found."

And by this monk, precisely at the same moment as the breaking of boundaries, both the sign and access concentration are obtained. Once the breaking of boundaries has been accomplished, then, by cultivating, developing, and making much of that very sign, he reaches absorption with little difficulty, by the very method already stated for the earth kasiṇa.

By this much, this monk has attained the first jhāna accompanied by loving-kindness — abandoning five factors, possessing five factors, good in three ways, endowed with ten characteristics. And once that is attained, by cultivating, developing, and making much of that very sign, he goes on, in due order, to reach the second and third jhānas by the fourfold method, or the second, third, and fourth jhānas by the fivefold method.

For, by way of the first jhāna or one of the others, he dwells pervading one direction with a mind endowed with loving-kindness. So too the second direction, so too the third, so too the fourth. Thus, above, below, across, everywhere, in every way, he dwells pervading the entire world together with all beings with a mind endowed with loving-kindness that is extensive, grown great, measureless, free from enmity, and free from affliction (Vibh. 642; D.N. 1.556). For this transformation is accomplished only in a mind that has actually reached absorption, by way of the first jhāna and the rest.

Herein, "endowed with loving-kindness" means possessed of loving-kindness. "With a mind" means with the mind. "One direction" is said with reference to pervading the beings included within a single direction, taking as one's starting point whichever being is first apprehended in each particular direction. "Having pervaded" means having touched, having made into an object. "Dwells" means one carries on a mode of conduct established upon the divine abiding. "So too the second" means: just as one dwells pervading whichever one direction it may be, among the eastern direction and the rest, so too, immediately following that, the second, the third, and the fourth — this is the meaning. "Thus above" means, by this same method, the upper direction is meant. "Below, across" means likewise for the direction below and the intermediate directions. Herein, "below" means underneath; "across" means the intermediate directions. In this way, in all directions, the mind endowed with loving-kindness is sent forth and sent back again and again, like a horse being exercised on a level, circular training-ground. By this much, having apprehended one direction, the pervasion of loving-kindness by way of specification has been shown.

But the passage beginning "everywhere" is stated for the purpose of showing pervasion without specification. Herein, "everywhere" means in every place. "In every way" means by way of one's own selfhood in all its varieties — the inferior, the middling, the excellent, the friend, the enemy, the neutral, and the rest — that is, without making the division "this is another being," by way of an equality with oneself. Or else, "in every way" means without one's mind, in any part of it, straying even slightly outward. "The entire world" means possessed of all beings, that is, joined with all beings. "World" means the world of living beings. Because a further explanation is here shown by way of such synonyms as "extensive" and the rest, it is said once again, "with a mind endowed with loving-kindness." Or else, because here, unlike in the pervasion by specification, the word "so" or the word "thus" is not repeated, therefore it is said again, "with a mind endowed with loving-kindness." Or this is said by way of a summing-up. And here, in "extensive," extensiveness should be understood by way of the pervasion. But "grown great," by way of level, and "measureless," by way of both its mastery and its measureless object of beings, are meant; "free from enmity" is meant by the abandoning of ill will, its opposing quality; "free from affliction" is meant by the abandoning of displeasure, that is, free from suffering. This is the meaning of the transformation stated by the method beginning "with a mind endowed with loving-kindness."

And just as this transformation is accomplished only in a mind that has actually reached absorption, so too what is said in the Paṭisambhidāmagga — "the deliverance of mind through loving-kindness by unspecified pervasion has five modes; the deliverance of mind through loving-kindness by specified pervasion has seven modes; the deliverance of mind through loving-kindness by directional pervasion has ten modes" (Paṭis. ii.22) — this too should be understood as accomplished only in a mind that has actually reached absorption.

Herein: "may all beings be free from enmity, free from affliction, free from trouble, and may they keep themselves happy; may all breathing things … may all creatures … may all persons … may all those included in a person's own existence be free from enmity … and may they keep themselves happy" — by these five modes, the deliverance of mind through loving-kindness by unspecified pervasion should be understood.

"May all women be free from enmity … and keep themselves happy; may all men, all noble ones, all worldlings, all deities, all human beings, all those in states of loss be free from enmity … and keep themselves happy" — by these seven modes, the deliverance of mind through loving-kindness by specified pervasion should be understood.

"May all beings in the eastern direction be free from enmity … and keep themselves happy. May all beings in the western direction, all in the northern direction, all in the southern direction, all in the south-eastern intermediate direction, all in the north-western, all in the north-eastern, all in the south-western, all in the direction below, all in the direction above be free from enmity … and keep themselves happy. May all breathing things, creatures, persons, and those included in a person's own existence in the eastern direction be free from enmity … and keep themselves happy. May all women, all men, noble ones, worldlings, deities, human beings, and those in states of loss in the eastern direction be free from enmity … and keep themselves happy. May all women … and those in states of loss in the western, northern, southern, south-eastern, north-western, north-eastern, south-western directions, in the direction below, and in the direction above be free from enmity, free from affliction, free from trouble, and may they keep themselves happy" — by these ten modes, the deliverance of mind through loving-kindness by directional pervasion should be understood.

Herein, "all" is a term of exhaustive inclusion, leaving nothing out. "Beings" (sattā): because of desire and lust for the aggregates of form and the rest, they are attached (satta), stuck fast (visatta) — thus they are "beings." For this was said by the Blessed One: "Rādha, whatever desire, whatever lust, whatever delight, whatever craving there is for form — one is attached there, stuck fast there, and therefore is called a 'being'; … for feeling … for perception … for formations … whatever desire, whatever lust, whatever delight, whatever craving there is for consciousness — one is attached there, stuck fast there, and therefore is called a 'being'" (S.N. 3.161). But by common usage this expression continues to apply even to those free of lust, just as the expression "palm-leaf fan" continues to apply even to a fan made only of woven strips. Grammarians, however, without examining the meaning, hold this to be a mere name; while those who do examine the meaning hold that "being" (satta) derives from a connection with "attachment" (sat).

By virtue of breathing, they are "breathing things" (pāṇā) — the meaning is, their functioning is dependent on in-breathing and out-breathing. By virtue of having become, they are "creatures" (bhūtā) — the meaning is, by virtue of having come into being, having been generated. "Pu" is a word for hell. Those who fall (galanti) into it are "persons" (puggalā) — the meaning is, those who go there. "Own existence" (attabhāva) is a word for the body — or rather, for the mere group of five aggregates, since it is only in dependence on that group that the mere conceptual designation "own existence" arises. Those included within that own existence are "those included in a person's own existence" (attabhāvapariyāpannā). "Included" (pariyāpanna) means delimited, contained within.

Just as the word "beings," so too all the remaining terms, having been applied by common usage, should be understood as all being synonyms for "all beings." And although there are indeed other synonyms for "all beings" as well, such as "all creatures born" and "all living things," yet, by way of what is well known, only these same five have been taken, and it is said, "the deliverance of mind through loving-kindness by unspecified pervasion has five modes."

But those who would hold that terms such as "beings," "breathing things," and the rest are not merely different in wording but actually different in meaning — for them, unspecified pervasion would be contradicted. Therefore, without taking the meaning in that way, loving-kindness should be pervaded without specification by way of any one of these five modes.

Herein, "may all beings be free from enmity" — this is one attainment. "May they be free from affliction" — this is one attainment. "Free from affliction" (abyāpajjā) means without ill will. "May they be free from trouble" — this is one attainment. "Free from trouble" (anīghā) means free from suffering. "May they keep themselves happy" — this is one attainment. Therefore, in these phrases too, whichever one is clear to a given practitioner, loving-kindness should be pervaded by way of that one. Thus, by way of four attainments in each of the five modes, there are twenty attainments in unspecified pervasion.

In specified pervasion, by way of four in each of seven modes, there are twenty-eight. Herein, "women" and "men" are stated by way of sex; "noble ones" and "worldlings," by way of the distinction between the noble and the ordinary person; "deities," "human beings," and "those in states of loss," by way of mode of rebirth.

In directional pervasion, by the method beginning "may all beings in the eastern direction," reckoning twenty for each single direction, there are two hundred; and by the method beginning "may all women in the eastern direction," reckoning twenty-eight for each single direction, there are two hundred and eighty — thus, altogether, four hundred and eighty attainments. So in all, as stated in the Paṭisambhidāmagga, there are five hundred and twenty-eight attainments.

Thus, having developed the deliverance of mind through loving-kindness by way of any one of these attainments, this meditator obtains the eleven benefits stated by the method beginning "one sleeps happily."

Herein, "one sleeps happily": just as other people, tossing and turning and snoring, sleep miserably, so this one, without sleeping in that way, sleeps happily. Even while sinking into sleep, he is like one who has entered an attainment.

"One wakes happily": just as others wake miserably, groaning, stretching, and turning over, so this one, without waking in that way, wakes happily, without any unpleasant reaction, like a lotus opening.

"One does not see bad dreams": even when he does see a dream, he sees only an auspicious one — as though venerating a shrine, or making an offering, or listening to the Dhamma. Whereas others see themselves surrounded by bandits, or set upon by wild beasts, or falling over a precipice, this one does not see any such bad dream.

"One is dear to human beings": like a pearl necklace worn upon the chest, or a garland worn upon the head, he is dear and pleasing to human beings.

"One is dear to non-human beings" — just as to human beings, so too to non-human beings he is dear, as in the case of the Elder Visākha.

It is told that he was a householder in Pāṭaliputta. Living there, he heard: "It is said that the island of Tambapaṇṇi is adorned with garlands of shrines and ablaze with the yellow robe; there, in whatever place one wishes, one may sit or lie down; everything there is easily obtained — a climate suitable for practice, lodgings suitable for practice, people suitable for practice, and conditions suitable for hearing the Dhamma."

He made over his own accumulated wealth to his wife and children, and, leaving home with only a single coin tied in the corner of his garment, waited a full month at the seashore for a ship. Being skilled in trade, buying goods in one place and selling them in another by honest commerce, he amassed a thousand coins within that very month. Coming by stages to the Mahāvihāra, he requested the going-forth.

Brought to the boundary for his ordination, he let that purse of a thousand coins fall to the ground from within the fold of his robe. Asked, "What is this?", and having said, "A thousand coins, venerable sirs," he was told, "Lay follower, from the moment of going forth it is no longer possible to consider such things — settle this matter now, this very moment." Thinking, "let none who have come to Visākha's ordination-place go away empty-handed," he scattered it, releasing it there in the ordination hall, and went forth and received the higher ordination.

Having been a monk for five years, having made himself proficient in the two codes of monastic discipline and completed the rains-retreat ceremony, he took up a meditation subject suited to himself and wandered about, staying four months in each single monastery, dwelling in a manner of even, steady conduct. Wandering in this way —

The elder Visākha, "the roarer," standing in the midst of the forest, seeking out his own virtue, spoke these words:
"For as long as I have been fully ordained, for as long as I have come to be here, in all that time there has been no lapse — ah, what a gain is yours, good sir!"

Going toward the Cittalapabbata monastery, he came to a fork in the road and stopped, thinking, "Is this the way, or is that the way?" Then a deity dwelling on the mountain stretched out her hand and showed him, saying, "This is the way." He went to the Cittalapabbata monastery, and, having dwelt there four months, thinking "I shall depart at dawn," lay down to sleep. A deity dwelling in a jewel-tree at the head of the walking path sat down on a step of the staircase and wept.

The elder said, "Who is that?" "I, venerable sir, am Maṇiliyā." "Why are you weeping?" "On account of your departure." "What benefit is it to you, my dwelling here?" "Venerable sir, while you dwell here, the non-human beings gain mutual loving-kindness toward one another; now, once you have gone, they will quarrel, and will even speak coarse words to one another." The elder said, "If, while I dwell here, your life is made more comfortable, very well" — and he dwelt there another four months as well. Again the thought of departing arose in him just the same, and the deity wept again just the same. By this very same method, the elder went on dwelling there, and there, in that very place, he attained final Nibbāna. In this way, a monk who dwells in loving-kindness is dear to non-human beings.

"Deities protect one": deities protect him just as parents protect a child.

"Fire, poison, or weapons do not touch one": just as fire did not touch the body of the laywoman Uttarā, as poison did not touch the body of the Elder Cūḷasīva, the reciter of the Saṃyutta, and as a weapon did not touch the body of the novice Saṃkicca, so fire, poison, or weapons do not touch, do not penetrate, the body of one who dwells in loving-kindness — it does not disturb his body, this is the meaning. They also tell, in this connection, the story of the cow. It is told that a certain cow stood releasing a stream of milk for her calf. A hunter, thinking "I shall pierce her," turned his hand and released a long-shafted spear. Striking her body, it merely spun off like a palm leaf, doing no harm at all — neither through the power of access concentration nor through the power of absorption, but purely through the powerful, loving concern she had for her calf. Such is the great power of loving-kindness.

"One's mind becomes concentrated quickly": for one who dwells in loving-kindness, the mind becomes concentrated very quickly; there is no sluggishness in him.

"The complexion of one's face is serene": his face has a serene complexion, like a palm fruit released from its stalk.

"One dies unconfused": for one who dwells in loving-kindness there is no such thing as a confused death; he dies unconfused, as though falling into sleep.

"If one penetrates no further": unable to attain arahantship beyond the attainment of loving-kindness, passing away from here, he arises in the Brahmā-world as though waking from sleep.

This is the detailed treatment of the development of loving-kindness.

But one wishing to develop compassion should reflect on the danger in lacking compassion and on the benefit in compassion, and then begin its development. And one beginning it should not begin first with a loved person and the rest. For a loved person remains fixed in the position of one who is loved; a very dear friend, fixed in the position of a very dear friend; a neutral person, fixed in the position of a neutral person; an unloved person, fixed in the position of one unloved; a hostile person remains fixed in the position of one hostile. As with loving-kindness, a person of the opposite sex singled out, and one who has died, are simply not the field for this practice at all.

Because it is said in the Vibhaṅga, "And how, monk, does one dwell pervading one direction with a mind endowed with compassion? Just as one might feel compassion on seeing a single person fallen into misery, wretched — so does one pervade all beings with compassion" (Vibh. 653), one should first of all call to mind some person of just such a form as calls for compassion — one who has fallen into the utmost extremity, wretched, pitiable, a poor man with his food cut off, a begging bowl set before him, sitting in a poorhouse, his limbs oozing with a mass of worms, uttering a piteous cry — and, seeing him, one should arouse compassion thus: "alas, this being has fallen into such misery — oh, may he indeed be freed from this suffering!" And one unable to find such a person should feel compassion, by comparing him to a condemned man, even for a currently happy wrongdoer.

How so? Suppose a thief, seized together with his stolen goods, is bound by the king's men on the king's order, "put him to death," and, receiving a hundred blows at every crossroads, is led to the place of execution. People give him things to chew and to eat, garlands, perfumes, unguents, and betel. Although, eating and enjoying these, he goes along as if he were happy, as if furnished with wealth, still no one thinks of him, "this one is happy, a man of great fortune" — rather, everyone thinks, "this poor wretch is now going to die; with every single step he takes, he draws that much nearer to death," and feels compassion for him. In just the same way, a monk practicing the meditation subject of compassion should feel compassion even for a happy person in this way: "although this poor wretch now enjoys himself, happy and well provided with pleasures, yet, having done not a single good deed through any of the three doors, he will now, in the states of misery, experience no small suffering and grief."

Having thus felt compassion for that person, next, by this same method, compassion should be developed, in due order, toward a loved person, then a neutral person, then a hostile person. If, as described earlier, resentment arises toward the hostile person, it should be settled by the very same method already described for loving-kindness. And even one who has done good deeds — seeing or hearing that he is possessed of some misfortune such as the loss of relatives, illness, or loss of wealth, or, even in the absence of such misfortunes, since he has not gone beyond the suffering of the round — should be seen, in every case, as "this one too is suffering," and compassion felt for him in just this way. Then, by the method already given, having brought about the breaking of boundaries among the four persons — oneself, the loved person, the neutral person, and the hostile person — and cultivating, developing, and making much of that sign, absorption should be developed by way of the first-through-third and first-through-fourth jhāna methods, exactly as described for loving-kindness.

In the Aṅguttara commentary, however, a different order is given: the hostile person should be given compassion first, and, having softened the mind toward him, then the wretched person, then the loved person, then oneself. But this does not accord with the canonical text's own words, "fallen into misery, wretched." Therefore development should be begun here by the method already stated, the breaking of boundaries brought about, and absorption developed accordingly. Beyond this, the transformation — "unspecified pervasion with five modes, specified pervasion with seven modes, directional pervasion with ten modes" — and the benefits beginning "one sleeps happily" should be understood exactly as stated for loving-kindness.

This is the detailed treatment of the development of compassion.

In beginning the development of sympathetic joy as well, one should not begin first with a loved person and the rest. For a loved person, by the mere fact of being loved, is not yet the proximate cause for sympathetic joy — still less a neutral or hostile person. As with the previous two abidings, a person of the opposite sex singled out, and one who has died, are simply not the field for this practice at all.

But a very dear friend of the boon-companion type, the sort called in the commentaries a "jolly companion," could well serve as the proximate cause. For such a person is joy itself, joyous through and through — he laughs first and speaks afterward — and so he, or such a one, should be pervaded with sympathetic joy first. Alternatively, having seen or heard of a loved person who is happy, prosperous, and rejoicing, sympathetic joy should be aroused thus: "indeed, this being is rejoicing — oh, how good, how excellent!" For it is with reference to this same sense that it is said in the Vibhaṅga, "And how, monk, does one dwell pervading one direction with a mind endowed with sympathetic joy? Just as one might feel joy on seeing a single dear and beloved person — so does one pervade all beings with sympathetic joy" (Vibh. 663).

And if that boon companion, or that loved person, was happy in the past but is presently fallen into misery and wretchedness, then, recollecting only his past state of happiness, sympathetic joy should be aroused by taking hold of just that aspect of his former joy, thinking, "in the past this one was of such great wealth, such a great retinue, always so joyful." Or else, sympathetic joy should be aroused by taking hold of an aspect of his future joy, thinking, "or else, in the future, having regained that same good fortune, he will go about riding on the backs of elephants and horses, or in golden litters."

Having thus aroused sympathetic joy toward the loved person, next, in due order, sympathetic joy should be developed toward the neutral person, then the hostile person. Absorption should then be developed. If, as before, resentment arises toward the hostile person, it should be settled by the very method already described for loving-kindness; then, having brought about, in these three together with oneself, the breaking of boundaries among the four persons by way of equal-mindedness, and cultivating, developing, and making much of that sign, absorption should be developed by way of the first-through-third and first-through-fourth jhāna methods, exactly as described for loving-kindness. Beyond this, the transformation — "unspecified pervasion with five modes, specified pervasion with seven modes, directional pervasion with ten modes" — and the benefits beginning "one sleeps happily" should be understood exactly as stated for loving-kindness.

This is the detailed treatment of the development of sympathetic joy.

But one wishing to develop equanimity, having already attained the first-through-third and first-through-fourth jhānas by way of loving-kindness and the rest, should emerge from that proficient third jhāna and, having seen the danger in the previous three — namely, their being bound up with an attention that "cherishes" beings by way of such formulas as "may they be happy," their being in close proximity to the near enemies of resentment and favoritism, and their grossness owing to their association with joy — and having seen the benefit in equanimity, owing to its peaceful nature, should arouse equanimity by looking with equanimity upon whichever person is by nature already neutral to him. Then he should proceed to a loved person and the rest. For it was said, "And how, monk, does one dwell pervading one direction with a mind endowed with equanimity? Just as one might look with equanimity upon seeing a single person who is neither pleasing nor displeasing — so does one pervade all beings with equanimity" (Vibh. 673).

Therefore, having by the method stated aroused equanimity toward a neutral person, then toward a loved person, then toward the boon companion, then toward a hostile person — and thus, in these three together with oneself, having brought about, throughout, the breaking of boundaries by way of neutrality — that sign should be cultivated, developed, and made much of. For one who acts in this way, the fourth jhāna arises, by the very method already stated for the earth kasiṇa.

But does this fourth jhāna also arise for one whose third jhāna has arisen by way of the earth kasiṇa and the rest? It does not arise. Why not? Because of the dissimilarity of object. It arises only for one whose third jhāna has arisen by way of loving-kindness and the rest, because of the similarity of object. Beyond this, the transformation and the attainment of the benefits should be understood exactly as stated for loving-kindness.

This is the detailed treatment of the development of equanimity.

Since these divine abidings were taught by the Supreme Brahmā, having thus understood them, a further miscellaneous discussion concerning them should also be known.

Among these — loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity — as to meaning, first: it melts (mejjati), thus it is "loving-kindness" (mettā) — the meaning is, it softens. Or: it arises in a friend (mitta), or it is that which occurs toward a friend, thus it is "loving-kindness." When another's suffering is present, it produces a trembling of the heart in good people, thus it is "compassion" (karuṇā). Or: it destroys, it does violence to, it annihilates another's suffering, thus it is "compassion." Or: it is extended toward suffering beings by way of pervasion, thus it is "compassion." Those possessed of it rejoice by means of it, or it itself rejoices, or it is the mere fact of rejoicing, thus it is "sympathetic joy" (muditā). Because of abandoning such active engagement as "may they be free from enmity" and arriving instead at a state of neutrality, it looks on evenly, thus it is "equanimity" (upekkhā).

By way of characteristic and so on: loving-kindness has the characteristic of proceeding in the manner of promoting welfare; its function is bringing about welfare; its manifestation is the removal of ill will; its proximate cause is seeing the agreeable side of beings. Its success is the calming of ill will; its failure is the arising of mere worldly affection. Compassion has the characteristic of proceeding in the manner of removing suffering; its function is not being able to bear another's suffering; its manifestation is non-cruelty; its proximate cause is seeing the helplessness of those overwhelmed by suffering. Its success is the calming of cruelty; its failure is the arising of grief. Sympathetic joy has the characteristic of gladdening; its function is being free of envy; its manifestation is the dispelling of discontent; its proximate cause is seeing the good fortune of beings. Its success is the calming of discontent; its failure is the arising of frivolous merriment. Equanimity has the characteristic of proceeding in the manner of neutrality toward beings; its function is seeing evenness among beings; its manifestation is the calming of resentment and favoritism; its proximate cause is seeing beings as owners of their own deeds, thus: "beings are owners of their deeds — by whose wish, then, will they become happy, or be freed from suffering, or not fall away from the good fortune they have attained?" Its success is the calming of resentment and favoritism; its failure is the arising of the unknowing equanimity that is rooted in household life.

For all four of these divine abidings, the pleasure of insight and the attainment of a favorable rebirth are their common purpose; the removal of ill will and the rest is each one's own particular purpose. Herein, loving-kindness's purpose is the removal of ill will; the others' purpose is the removal of cruelty, of discontent, and of lust, respectively. This too was said —

"Friends, this is the escape from ill will, namely, the deliverance of mind through loving-kindness. Friends, this is the escape from cruelty, namely, the deliverance of mind through compassion. Friends, this is the escape from discontent, namely, the deliverance of mind through sympathetic joy. Friends, this is the escape from lust, namely, the deliverance of mind through equanimity." (D.N. 3.326; A.N. 6.13)

For each one of these, there are two enemies apiece, by way of nearness and distance. For the loving-kindness divine abiding, lust is the near enemy, like an enemy who lives close by to a man, because of their shared quality of dwelling on someone's good qualities; it gains entry easily, and therefore loving-kindness must be guarded against it especially carefully. Ill will is the far enemy, like an enemy who has taken refuge in a mountain thicket or some such distant place, being of both a similar and a dissimilar nature to it; therefore loving-kindness may be developed fearlessly with regard to that. For it is simply not possible that one should, at one and the same time, be extending loving-kindness and also be producing anger.

For the compassion divine abiding, the worldly grief that arises according to the passage beginning, "for one who regards as a non-obtaining the non-obtainment of forms cognizable by the eye that are desirable, agreeable, pleasing, charming, connected with worldly gain, or who recollects as past, ceased, and changed something previously obtained — grief arises; such grief is called worldly grief" (M.N. 3.307), is the near enemy, because of their shared quality of contemplating misfortune. Cruelty is the far enemy, being of both a similar and a dissimilar nature. Therefore compassion may be developed fearlessly with regard to that. For it is simply not possible that one should, at one and the same time, be practicing compassion and also be causing harm with one's hands or the like.

For the sympathetic-joy divine abiding, the worldly joy that arises according to the passage beginning, "for one who regards as an obtaining ... the obtainment of forms cognizable by the eye that are desirable ... connected with worldly gain, or who recollects as past, ceased, and changed something previously obtained — joy arises; such joy is called worldly joy" (M.N. 3.306), is the near enemy, because of their shared quality of contemplating good fortune; discontent is the far enemy, being of both a similar and a dissimilar nature. Therefore sympathetic joy may be developed fearlessly with regard to that. For it is simply not possible that one should, at one and the same time, be rejoicing sympathetically and also feel weary of secluded lodgings or of the higher wholesome states.

For the equanimity divine abiding, the unknowing worldly equanimity that arises according to the passage beginning, "on seeing a form with the eye, equanimity arises in a foolish, deluded ordinary person who has not overcome his limitations, who has not overcome the results of action, who does not see the danger, and who is unlearned; such equanimity does not go beyond mere form, and is therefore called worldly equanimity" (M.N. 3.308), is the near enemy, because of their shared quality of failing to examine faults and virtues. Lust and resentment are the far enemies, being of both a similar and a dissimilar nature. Therefore equanimity may be developed fearlessly with regard to those. For it is simply not possible that one should, at one and the same time, be practicing equanimity and also be inflamed with lust or struck with resentment.

For all of these, the desire to act is the beginning, the suppression of the hindrances and the rest is the middle, and absorption is the conclusion. By way of conventional designation, either a single being or many beings is the object. Once access or absorption has been reached, there is an expansion of the object.

Here is the order of that expansion: just as a skillful farmer, having marked out the area to be plowed, plows it, so too, first of all, having marked out a single dwelling-place, loving-kindness should be developed toward the beings there by the method, "may the beings in this dwelling-place be free from enmity," and so on. Having made the mind there soft and workable, two dwelling-places should be marked out. Then, in due order: three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, one street, half a village, a whole village, a district, a kingdom, one quarter of the world — thus up to a single world-system, or even beyond that — loving-kindness should be developed toward the beings there, this place and that. Likewise for compassion and the rest — this is the order of expanding the object here.

And just as the outflow of the kasiṇas is the immaterial attainments; the outflow of concentration is the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception; the outflow of insight is fruition-attainment; and the outflow of serenity and insight combined is cessation-attainment — so too, here, the outflow of the preceding three divine abidings is the equanimity divine abiding. For just as, without first raising up pillars and setting a cross-beam frame upon them, it is not possible to set the peaked rafters of a roof in the air, so too, without the third jhāna in the preceding three, it is not possible to develop the fourth.

Here one might ask: why, exactly, are these — loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity — called "divine abidings"? And why exactly four of them? And what is their order? And why are they called "measureless states" in the Abhidhamma? It is answered thus. First, their status as "divine abidings" should be understood in the sense of "best," by way of their being free of fault. For these are the best ways of abiding in relation to beings, by way of right conduct toward them. And just as Brahmās dwell with minds free of fault, so too yogis endowed with these abidings dwell having become equal to Brahmā — thus, in the sense of "best," and by way of their fault-free nature, they are called "divine abidings."

As for the question beginning "why exactly four" — this is its answer.

These are four, by way of being the path of purification and so on; and their order proceeds by way of the mode of promoting welfare and the rest; and because they operate in a measureless field, for that reason they are the "measureless states."

Among these: loving-kindness is the path of purification for one full of ill will; compassion, for one full of cruelty; sympathetic joy, for one full of discontent; equanimity, for one full of lust — this is why there are four. And because attention toward beings is precisely fourfold: by way of bringing about welfare, removing what is not welfare, rejoicing in good fortune, and remaining unconcerned — this too is why there are four. And just as a mother, with regard to four children — an infant, a sick child, one who has reached the flush of youth, and one occupied with his own affairs — wishes growth for the infant, wishes the removal of illness for the sick one, wishes long persistence of good fortune for the one who has reached youth, and remains unconcerned in some manner toward the one occupied with his own business, so too one who dwells in the measureless states should conduct himself, by way of loving-kindness and the rest, toward all beings. Therefore, on this basis — by way of being the path of purification and so on — there are exactly four measureless states.

And because one wishing to develop all four of these should first proceed toward beings by way of the mode of promoting welfare, and loving-kindness has precisely the characteristic of proceeding in that mode — therefore loving-kindness comes first. Then, having seen, heard, or surmised that beings for whom welfare has thus been wished are overwhelmed by suffering, one should proceed by way of the mode of removing suffering, and compassion has precisely the characteristic of proceeding in that mode — therefore compassion comes next. Then, having seen the good fortune of those same beings, for whom welfare was wished and from whom the wished-for suffering has departed, one should proceed by way of rejoicing in that good fortune, and sympathetic joy has precisely the characteristic of gladdening — therefore sympathetic joy comes next. After that, since there is nothing further that needs to be done, one should proceed by way of the neutral mode reckoned as the state of looking on with equanimity, and equanimity has precisely the characteristic of proceeding in that neutral mode — therefore equanimity comes last. Therefore, on this basis — by way of the mode of promoting welfare and the rest — loving-kindness is said to come first, then compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity: this order should be understood.

And because all four of these operate in a measureless field — for beings, being measureless, form the field for them — and because they proceed by way of pervading the whole of that field, without taking hold of any measure such as "loving-kindness and the rest should be developed only toward a single being within this much space" — for this reason it was said —

These are four, by way of being the path of purification and so on; and their order proceeds by way of the mode of promoting welfare and the rest; and because they operate in a measureless field, for that reason they are the "measureless states."

Thus, although these have a measureless field and share one uniform characteristic, the first three among them occur only within the first-through-third and first-through-fourth jhāna reckonings. Why is this? Because of their inseparability from joyful feeling. But why are these inseparable from joyful feeling? Because they are the escape from ill will and the rest, defilements which arise founded on displeasure. The last one, however, occurs only in the one remaining jhāna. Why is this? Because of its association with equanimous feeling. For the equanimity divine abiding, which proceeds in the mode of neutrality toward beings, does not occur at all apart from equanimous feeling.

But someone might say: "Because it was stated by the Blessed One, without distinction, regarding all four measureless states, in the Book of Eights — 'Then you, monk, should develop this concentration with applied and sustained thought; you should develop it without applied thought but with sustained thought only; you should develop it without applied or sustained thought; you should develop it with joy; you should develop it without joy; you should develop it accompanied by pleasant feeling; you should develop it accompanied by equanimous feeling' (A.N. 8.63) — therefore the four measureless states occur in the first-through-fourth and first-through-fifth jhāna reckonings." Such a person should by no means be granted his conclusion. For if this were so, then the foundations of mindfulness such as contemplation of the body would also occur in the first-through-fourth and first-through-fifth jhāna reckonings, and, with regard to feeling and the rest, there would not even be a first jhāna at all, let alone a second and the rest that follow. Therefore one should not seize upon the mere shadow of the wording and thereby misrepresent the Blessed One — for the Buddha's word is profound, and it must be grasped, by attending upon one's teachers, according to its actual intention.

For here is that actual intention. It is told that a certain monk had requested, "It would be good, venerable sir, if the Blessed One would teach me the Dhamma in brief, so that, having heard the Blessed One's Dhamma, I might dwell alone, withdrawn, diligent, ardent, and resolute." Now, because this monk, even previously, upon hearing the Dhamma, would simply go on dwelling right there without going off to do the ascetic's actual work, the Blessed One, rebuking him, said, "Just so, indeed, here some foolish men keep imploring me alone, and, once the Dhamma has been spoken, imagine that all that is needed is to go on following after me." But then, because that monk was nevertheless possessed of the supporting conditions for arahantship, admonishing him further, the Blessed One said, "Therefore, monk, you should train yourself thus: 'my mind, within, shall become steady, well composed, and no arisen evil, unwholesome states shall overpower it and remain occupying it.' Just so, monk, should you train yourself."

By this admonition, a root concentration amounting to mere one-pointedness of mind by way of one's own internal state was described for him. Then, in order to show that "having attained just this much, one should not be satisfied but should go on developing this same concentration further," it was said: "Monk, when your mind, within, has become steady and well composed, and no arisen evil, unwholesome states overpower it and remain occupying it, then, monk, you should train yourself thus: 'the deliverance of mind through loving-kindness will be developed by me, made much of, made a vehicle, made a basis, firmly established, consolidated, and properly undertaken.' Just so, monk, should you train yourself." Having thus described the development by way of loving-kindness for him, it was said further: "Monk, when this concentration has thus been developed and made much of by you, then, monk, you should develop this root concentration with applied and sustained thought as well … and so on … you should develop it accompanied by equanimous feeling as well."

The meaning of this is: when this root concentration has thus been developed by you, monk, by way of loving-kindness, then, without being satisfied with just that much, you should develop this same root concentration in application to other objects as well, bringing it to the first-through-fourth and first-through-fifth jhānas, by the method beginning "with applied and sustained thought."

And having said this, in order to show further that the development should be carried out, by way of the first-through-fourth and first-through-fifth jhānas applied to other objects as well, with compassion and the remaining divine abidings going before it in turn, it was said: "Monk, when this concentration has thus been developed and made much of by you, then, monk, you should train yourself thus: 'the deliverance of mind through compassion…'" and so on.

Having thus described the development going before with loving-kindness and the rest by way of the first-through-fourth and first-through-fifth jhānas, then, in order to show it going before with contemplation of the body and the rest, it was said: "Monk, when this concentration has thus been developed and made much of by you, then, monk, you should train yourself thus: 'I shall dwell contemplating the body in the body'" and so on — and the teaching was brought to its conclusion at the very peak of arahantship, with: "Monk, when this concentration has thus been developed, thoroughly developed, then, monk, wherever you go, you will go only in comfort; wherever you stand, you will stand only in comfort; wherever you sit, you will sit only in comfort; wherever you lie down, you will lie down only in comfort." Therefore it should be understood that loving-kindness and the rest occur only within the first-through-third and first-through-fourth jhāna reckonings, while equanimity occurs only in the one remaining jhāna. And they are analyzed in exactly this way in the Abhidhamma as well (Dhs. 251 and what follows; Vibh. 673 and what follows).

Thus, although these stand divided in two by way of the first-through-third-and-fourth jhāna reckoning and the one remaining jhāna, a distinctive power, unlike one another, by way of having the beautiful and so forth as their utmost point, should also be understood among them. For in the Haliddavasana Sutta these are specifically distinguished by way of having the beautiful and so forth as their utmost. As it is said — "Monks, I say that the deliverance of mind through loving-kindness has the beautiful as its utmost. Monks, I say that the deliverance of mind through compassion has the base of infinite space as its utmost. Monks, I say that the deliverance of mind through sympathetic joy has the base of infinite consciousness as its utmost. Monks, I say that the deliverance of mind through equanimity has the base of nothingness as its utmost." (S.N. 5.235)

Why, then, are these described in this way? Because each is a supporting condition for that specific attainment. For beings become non-repulsive to one who dwells in loving-kindness. Then, from that familiarity with what is non-repulsive, when he directs his mind toward non-repulsive, purely colored objects such as blue and the rest, his mind plunges into them with little difficulty. Thus loving-kindness is a supporting condition for the beautiful liberation, but not for anything beyond that; therefore it is said to have the beautiful as its utmost.

But for one who dwells in compassion, since compassion arises through contemplating suffering that has befallen beings by way of the sign of form — such as being struck with a stick and the like — the danger inherent in form becomes thoroughly known to him. Then, since the danger in form has thus become thoroughly known to him, when, having set aside one of the kasiṇas such as the earth kasiṇa, he directs his mind toward space, the escape from form, his mind plunges into it with little difficulty. Thus compassion is a supporting condition for the base of infinite space, but not for anything beyond that; therefore it is said to have the base of infinite space as its utmost.

But for one who dwells in sympathetic joy, since sympathetic joy arises through contemplating the consciousness of beings who have become joyful for this reason or that, his mind becomes accustomed to the apprehending of consciousness. Then, having gradually attained the base of infinite space, when he passes beyond it and directs his mind toward the consciousness having as its field the sign of space, his mind plunges into it with little difficulty. Thus sympathetic joy is a supporting condition for the base of infinite consciousness, but not for anything beyond that; therefore it is said to have the base of infinite consciousness as its utmost.

But for one who dwells in equanimity, owing to the absence of any active concern such as "may beings be happy, or be freed from suffering, or not fall away from the happiness they have attained," and owing to a disposition averse to grasping at pleasure, pain, and the other ultimate realities, his mind becomes one that finds it difficult to grasp what does not, in an ultimate sense, exist. Then, for one whose mind has thus become accustomed to this aversion from grasping at ultimate realities, and which finds it difficult to grasp what does not ultimately exist, when, having gradually attained and then passed beyond the base of infinite consciousness, he directs his mind toward the non-existence, in its essential nature, of that very consciousness which is itself an ultimate reality, his mind plunges into it with little difficulty. Thus equanimity is a supporting condition for the base of nothingness, but not for anything beyond that; therefore it is said to have the base of nothingness as its utmost.

Having thus known the power of these four by way of having the beautiful and the rest as their utmost, it should further be understood that all of them together are also the fulfillers of every wholesome quality beginning with giving. For great beings, whose minds proceed evenly toward all beings by reason of their disposition toward the welfare of beings, their inability to bear the suffering of beings, their wish for the distinctive good fortune already attained by beings to last long, and their freedom from partiality toward any being at all, give gifts productive of happiness to all beings without making any division such as "this one should be given to, this one should not." Avoiding harm to those beings, they undertake virtue. For the fulfillment of virtue, they resort to renunciation. For freedom from confusion regarding what is and is not beneficial for beings, they purify their wisdom. For the welfare and happiness of beings, they constantly rouse up energy. And, having attained the state of heroes by the power of their supreme energy, they forgive the various kinds of offenses committed by beings. Having made the promise, "we shall show you this, we shall do this for you," they do not go back on their word. They possess an unwavering resolve for the welfare and happiness of beings. Through their unwavering loving-kindness toward beings, they act as benefactors who help first, without waiting to be asked. Through their equanimity, they do not look for any return favor. Thus, having fulfilled the perfections in this way, they fulfill all the wholesome qualities without exception, up to and including the ten powers, the four kinds of intrepid confidence, the six knowledges not shared with others, and the eighteen qualities distinctive to a Buddha. In this way, these four are indeed the fulfillers of all wholesome qualities beginning with giving.

Thus, in the Visuddhimagga, composed for the joy of good people,
in the section on the development of concentration,
this is called the Brahmavihāraniddesa —
the ninth chapter.