English
This, friends, is the escape from cruelty, that is, the liberation of mind by compassion. This, friends, is the escape from discontent, that is, the liberation of mind by appreciative joy. This, friends, is the escape from passion, that is, the liberation of mind by equanimity.” 265. For each of these, there are two enemies, one near and one far. For the Brahma-abode of loving-kindness, passion is the near enemy, like a foe to a man who is close by, due to its characteristic of seeing good qualities; it quickly finds an opening. Therefore, loving-kindness should be well guarded from it. Ill-will is the far enemy, like a foe to a man hidden in a mountain thicket, due to its characteristic of being similar and dissimilar. Therefore, one should practice loving-kindness fearlessly from it. It is impossible that one would practice loving-kindness and also generate anger. For the Brahma-abode of compassion, household grief, as described in the passage beginning with “when one sees the non-acquisition of desirable, pleasing, agreeable, charming, delightful forms cognizable by the eye, connected with worldly allurements, or when one recollects past forms previously acquired, which have ceased, perished, and changed, grief arises; such grief is called household grief,” is the near enemy, due to its characteristic of seeing misfortune. Cruelty is the far enemy, due to its characteristic of being similar and dissimilar. Therefore, one should practice compassion fearlessly from it. It is impossible that one would practice compassion and also torment with hands and so on. For the Brahma-abode of appreciative joy, household joy, as described in the passage beginning with “when one sees the acquisition of desirable forms cognizable by the eye... connected with worldly allurements, or when one recollects past forms previously acquired, which have ceased, perished, and changed, joy arises; such joy is called household joy,” as stated in the way of (M.N. 3.306), the household joy that arises, being akin to seeing prosperity, is a near enemy. Discontent, being akin to both similar and dissimilar, is a far enemy. Therefore, one should cultivate muditā (sympathetic joy) without fear from that. And it is impossible that one who is joyful would become weary of secluded abodes or of higher wholesome states. But for the brahmavihāra of equanimity, as stated in the way of (M.N. 3.308), "Seeing a form with the eye, equanimity arises in the foolish, deluded, ordinary person, one who has not conquered the conditions, one who has not conquered the results, one who does not see the danger, the uninstructed ordinary person— such equanimity does not transcend form. Therefore, that equanimity is called household equanimity." This household equanimity, being the equanimity of ignorance, is a near enemy because of its similarity in not considering faults and virtues. Greed and aversion, being akin to both similar and and dissimilar, are far enemies. Therefore, one should be equanimous without fear from that. And it is impossible that one who is equanimous would become attached or repelled. 266. For all of these, the desire to act (chanda) is the beginning, the suppression of hindrances, etc., is the middle, and absorption (appanā) is the end. In terms of conceptual objects, one being or many beings are the object. When access concentration or absorption is attained, the object is expanded. Here is the sequence of expansion: Just as a skilled farmer marks out the area to be cultivated and then cultivates, so first, having marked out one dwelling place, one should cultivate mettā (loving-kindness) towards the beings in that place, in the manner of "May the beings in this dwelling be free from enmity," etc. Having made the mind soft and workable there, two dwelling places should be marked out. Then, in order, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, one street, half a village, a village, a district, a kingdom, one direction— thus, up to one world-system, or even beyond that, mettā should be cultivated towards the beings in each place. Similarly for karuṇā (compassion), etc. This is the sequence of object expansion here. 267. Just as for the kasiṇas, The outflow of the formless attainments, the outflow of concentration is the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception, the outflow of insight is the attainment of fruition, the outflow of tranquility and insight is the attainment of cessation. Thus, the outflow of the first three Brahma-vihāras here is the Brahma-vihāra of equanimity. Just as, indeed, having not erected pillars and not placed crossbeams, it is not possible to place rafters in the air, so too, without the third jhāna among the preceding ones, it is not possible to develop the fourth. 268. Here it might be asked, why are these — loving-kindness, compassion, appreciative joy, and equanimity — called Brahma-vihāras? And why only four? And what is their order? And why are they called 'immeasurables' in the Abhidhamma? It is said, first, their quality as Brahma-vihāras should be understood by their excellence and their blameless nature. Indeed, these abodes are excellent due to their right conduct towards beings. And just as Brahmas dwell with blameless minds, so too, yogis endowed with these, becoming like Brahmas, dwell. Thus they are called Brahma-vihāras due to their excellence and blameless nature. 269. Now, this is the answer to the question "Why only four?" and so on. Four, due to the path of purification and so forth, And due to their modes of benefit and so forth; They proceed in order, and are immeasurable, In their range, hence they are immeasurables. For among these, loving-kindness is the path of purification for one abundant in ill-will, compassion for one abundant in harming, appreciative joy for one abundant in discontent, equanimity for one abundant in lust. And because the mental attention towards beings is fourfold: bringing benefit, removing harm, rejoicing in success, and being indifferent (to their affairs). And just as a mother, among her four sons — a baby, a sick one, one who has reached youth, and one engaged in his own affairs — desires the growth of the baby, desires the removal of sickness for the sick one, desires the long continuance of the youthful one's success in youth, and is unconcerned in any way with the one engaged in his own affairs, so too, one dwelling in the immeasurables should be towards all beings with loving-kindness and so forth. Therefore, from this perspective of the path of purification and so forth, there are only four immeasurables. Because these four, by one who wishes to develop them, first... One should act towards beings with the mode of promoting welfare, and loving-kindness has the characteristic of promoting welfare. Then, seeing or hearing or inferring the suffering of beings who thus wish for welfare, one acts with the mode of removing suffering, and compassion has the characteristic of promoting the removal of suffering. Then, seeing the success of those who thus wish for welfare and wish for the removal of suffering, one acts with the mode of rejoicing in their success, and appreciative joy has the characteristic of rejoicing. But after that, since there is nothing more to be done, one should act with a neutral mode, called being an onlooker, and equanimity has the characteristic of acting with a neutral mode. Therefore, from this perspective of the modes of welfare and so on, loving-kindness is first spoken of, then compassion, appreciative joy, and equanimity – this order should be understood. But since all of these operate in immeasurable objects. For immeasurable are the beings that are their objects. And even for a single being, loving-kindness and so on should be developed without taking such a measure, they operate by way of pervading all. Therefore it is said – The four, according to the Visuddhimagga and so on, And their modes of welfare and so on; The order operates in the immeasurable, In those objects, by which they are called immeasurables. 270. Thus, even though these have a single characteristic due to their immeasurable object, the first three are of the three or four jhānas. Why? Because they are not separated from joy. But why are these not separated from joy? Because they are an escape from ill-will and so on, which arise from displeasure. But the last one is only of the remaining single jhāna. Why? Because it is associated with the feeling of equanimity. For the brahmavihāra equanimity, which operates with a neutral mode towards beings, does not exist without the feeling of equanimity. 271. But if someone were to say this: "Since the Blessed One, in the Aṭṭhakanipāta, spoke without distinction concerning all four immeasurables: 'Then, O monk, you should develop this concentration with initial application and sustained application, you should develop it without initial application, with only sustained application, you should develop it without initial application and without sustained application, you should develop it with rapture, you should develop it without rapture, with..." You should develop accompanied by fervor, you should develop accompanied by equanimity. (A.N. 8.63) Therefore, the four immeasurables are associated with the fourfold and fivefold jhānas. This is what should be said to the one who is conceited. If this were so, mindfulness of the body and so on would also be associated with the fourfold and fivefold jhānas. And in feelings and so on, there is not even the first jhāna, let alone the second and subsequent ones. Therefore, do not, taking merely the shadow of the letter, slander the Blessed One. For profound is the word of the Buddha; it should be understood according to its intent by attending upon a teacher. 272. And this is the intent there: "It would be good for me, Venerable Sir, if the Blessed One would teach me the Dhamma concisely, so that, having heard the Dhamma from the Blessed One,