Recently I read this quote from Richard Power's latest beautiful book Bewilderment in which the father was answering a question from his young son that references the Four Immeasurables, which are drawn from Buddhism:
"There are four good things worth practicing. Being kind toward everything alive. Staying level and steady. Feeling happy for any creature anywhere that is happy. And remembering that any suffering is also yours."
I am not Buddhist and do not identify with any particular religious or spiritual tradition. Rather I am drawn to absorb and integrate and practice in my daily life any and all spiritual teachings which nourish and expand our capacities for love and healing and wholeness, consciousness and kindness and compassion, and connection with and caring for all living beings.
The quote above from Bewilderment moves me to share more on the Four Immeasurables. May we all grow in our embodiment of these simple, powerful, and deeply needed practices. 🙏 Molly
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Kuan Yin, Goddess of Compassion. Photo by Molly
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The Four Immeasurables
Loving Kindness, Compassion, Joy and Equanimity
“Compassion and love are not mere luxuries.
As the source both of inner and external peace,
they are fundamental to the continued
survival of our species.”
— His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama
*****
The Four Immeasurables are found in
one brief and beautiful prayer:
May all sentient beings have happiness
and its causes,
May all sentient beings be free of
suffering and its causes,
May all sentient beings not be separated
from sorrowless bliss,
May all sentient beings abide in equanimity,
free of bias, attachment and anger.
*****
The Buddha taught the following to his son Rahula, (from "Old Path, White Clouds" by Thich Nhat Hahn):
"Rahula, practice loving kindness to overcome anger. Loving kindness has the capacity to
bring happiness to others without demanding anything in return.
Practice compassion to overcome cruelty. Compassion has the capacity to remove the
suffering of others without expecting anything in return.
Practice sympathetic joy to overcome hatred. Sympathetic joy arises when one rejoices over
the happiness of others and wishes others well-being and success.
Practice non-attachment to overcome prejudice. Non-attachment is the way of looking at all
things openly and equally . . . This is because that is . . . Myself and others are not separate.
Do not reject one thing only to chase after another.
I call these the four immeasurables. Practice them and you will become a refreshing source of vitality and happiness for others."
*****
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