Cultivating the Brahmavihāras

Whoever develops mettā (loving-kindness) as a brahmavihāra (sublime abode) within themselves lives in an excellent way. Not only mettā: having trained in mettā, one develops on to karuṇā (compassion), muditā (sympathetic joy) and upekkhā (equanimity) as well. That is why it is called living in an excellent way.

Vihāra-dhamma (abiding) means the dhamma one abides in, the dhamma held constantly in the heart, the dhamma that is the heart’s mainstay in living one’s life.

The Four Kinds of Abiding

1. Dibba-vihāra (divine abiding): the eight jhānas (meditative absorptions).
2. Brahma-vihāra (sublime abiding): mettā, karuṇā, muditā and upekkhā.
3. Ariya-vihāra (noble abiding): the fruits of stream-entry, once-returning, non-returning and arahantship, the abiding of the noble ones.
4. Iriyāpatha-vihāra (abiding in the postures): the postures of standing, walking, sitting and lying down.

Brahmavihāra

The word “brahmavihāra” means an excellent abiding, an excellent dhamma held in the heart, an excellent and pure principle of conduct.

The brahmavihāras are dhammas we must keep as the mainstay of the heart and as the guide of our conduct; only then can we be said to live a pure life and to behave rightly toward all beings.

Brahmā as Depicted in Buddhist Thought

So that we can see the brahmavihāras, the dhammas found in Brahmā, Brahmā has four faces:

• The first face is mettā
• The second face is karuṇā
• The third face is muditā
• The fourth face is upekkhā

We cannot make them all arise at once; we must switch faces to fit the situation.

• Mettā takes as its object beings in their pleasing, agreeable state (piyamanāpa-satta-paññatti).
• Karuṇā takes as its object beings who meet suffering and hardship (dukkhita-satta-paññatti).
• Muditā takes as its object beings who meet happiness and success (sukhita-satta-paññatti).
• Upekkhā is impartiality toward all beings, favoring no one out of liking and pushing no one away out of dislike, the same from beginning to end, the same in happiness and in suffering; it seeks to uphold the Dhamma and keep all things in line with rules and principles (majjhatta-satta-paññatti).

The Four Brahmavihāras

Mettā

Mettā is adosa, non-anger: a heart of love and goodwill, caring in a way that touches the heart, and speaking beautiful words. Mettā is used in situations where beings are going on normally.

• Its near cause is seeing the pleasing state of beings: seeing that their bodily deeds are beautiful, their speech is beautiful or their thoughts are beautiful, seeing the strong points of beings, and so love and goodwill arise.
• Its far enemy is dosa (aversion).
• Its near enemy is taṇhā (craving).

Mettā and taṇhā are loves that lie very close together. If you do not develop mindfulness and clear comprehension (sati-sampajañña) while cultivating mettā, for example when spreading mettā to your partner, before long lust and delight arise, attachment and longing, and rāga (lust) appears at once.

Karuṇā

Karuṇā is wanting to help others out of suffering: feeling pity, striving to relieve suffering, unable to stand by and do nothing, being moved on seeing others suffer, wanting to redeem them, wanting to end the suffering of others. It is used in abnormal situations on the way down.

• Its near cause is seeing beings in misery and hardship and wishing to help.
• Its far enemy is vihiṃsā, the thought of harming.
• Its near enemy is domanassa, mental suffering.

A person cultivating karuṇā must beware of domanassa, sorrow and grief: for example, being unable to help and so suffering in mind.

True karuṇā as a brahmavihāra does not suffer, even when it cannot help. Instead it feels glad on seeing the compassion that has arisen in oneself, having striven to help as fully as one could, to the limit of one’s ability, with wisdom that knows and understands.

Muditā

Muditā is gladness when others are well and happy, a mind that is bright, refreshed and always cheerful, rejoicing with them, delighted and happy at the success of others. It is used in abnormal situations on the way up.

• Its near cause is seeing beings enjoying happiness, and so rejoicing along with them.
• Its far enemy is jealousy and envy, not wanting others to do better than oneself.
• Its near enemy is rejoicing only for those we love, our relatives, or people from whose success we stand to gain.

True muditā rejoices when others succeed, even when they are not relatives, but neutral people or enemies.

Upekkhā

Upekkhā is watching on, setting aside the urge to intervene, reaching impartiality. It is used in situations that call for upholding rules and upholding the Dhamma.

• Its near cause is impartiality toward beings, removing both liking and aversion.
• Its far enemy is abhijjhā, being swayed by attraction, and domanassa, resentment and sorrow.
• Its near enemy is aññāṇupekkhā, indifference, not caring or paying attention; this is moha (delusion).

True upekkhā has the character of “looking on calmly”, not “being indifferent”. It looks on calmly with wisdom, knowing and understanding that as beings create causes, so they must receive the results.

For example, when a child has not finished their homework in time, the parents should use upekkhā at that moment: look on calmly and keep a balanced mind, so that the child can learn, practice and grow. Or when a relative breaks the law, even if we have the power to help, in that situation we should use upekkhā: uphold the rules, keep our own sīla (moral precepts) and our own Dhamma, and reflect that all beings are the owners of their kamma (intentional action).

Brahmavihāra and Right Intention

Sammā-saṅkappa, right intention, is what lies closest to the brahmavihāras.

The intention to get free of ill will is called abyāpāda-saṅkappa; it is the intention that makes mettā arise.

The intention not to harm is called avihiṃsā-saṅkappa; it is the intention that makes karuṇā and muditā arise.

The intention to get free of sensual desire is called nekkhamma-saṅkappa: the thought of leaving behind attachment to sights, sounds, smells, tastes and touches. It is the intention that makes upekkhā arise.

The condition that supports right intention is yoniso manasikāra, wise attention.

Yoniso manasikāra, wise attention, comes from hearing the true Dhamma;
hearing the true Dhamma comes from associating with good people;
associating with good people comes from living in a suitable place;
living in a suitable place comes from having made merit well in the past;
having made merit well in the past comes from setting oneself up rightly…

Brahmavihāra and Right View

A person able to cultivate the brahmavihāras must have correct views. Right view (sammā-diṭṭhi) has many levels, for example:

1. Kammassakatā-sammādiṭṭhi: the wisdom that understands cause and effect, kamma and the results of kamma.
2. Jhāna-sammādiṭṭhi: the wisdom that is skilled in investigating and discerning how to make concentration arise.
3. Vipassanā-sammādiṭṭhi: wisdom that sees matter and mind (rūpa, nāma), the five aggregates (khandha), as they really are.
4. Magga-sammādiṭṭhi: wisdom in the noble path.
5. Phala-sammādiṭṭhi: wisdom in the noble fruit.
6. Paccavekkhaṇa-sammādiṭṭhi: wisdom that reviews the path, the fruit and nibbāna, the defilements abandoned and the defilements not yet abandoned.

The highest level of right view is right view brought together in the supramundane (lokuttara).

Right view and right intention support each other. Both come from yoniso manasikāra as their condition.

Right intention and right view belong to the training in wisdom (paññā-sikkhā). They are the drivers that make mettā, karuṇā, muditā and upekkhā arise at the level of the heart, and push them out into action: for example, giving, gentle speech, acting for one another’s benefit, bonding together, sharing each other’s sorrows and joys.

Right intention and right view come from having yoniso manasikāra, which is wise attention.

Yoniso manasikāra comes from hearing the true Dhamma;
hearing the true Dhamma comes from associating with good people;
associating with good people comes from living in a suitable place;
living in a suitable place comes from pubbe-katapuññatā (merit made in the past);
pubbe-katapuññatā comes from setting oneself up rightly.

If you can be someone who establishes mettā together with firm mindfulness, you are called one who has the brahmavihāras, one whose abidings are mettā, karuṇā, muditā and upekkhā: mindfulness and wisdom firmly set, knowing and understanding, making mettā arise while bringing beings to mind with love and tender care, establishing a mind of mettā with strong and firm mindfulness.

A foolish cow climbed a mountain, looked down from a cliff and saw grass and water. Wild-eyed, wanting to eat the grass and drink the water, it did not mark its path well, and so it fell off the mountain and died…

If you cannot yet do mettā, do not rush into karuṇā. Leap to karuṇā, and both mettā and karuṇā will fall apart. Muditā need not even be mentioned…

Cultivating the brahmavihāras must be trained in order.

The Suvaṇṇasāma Jātaka

The Bodhisatta (the Buddha-to-be) was born as the ascetic Suvaṇṇasāma, fulfilling the perfection of mettā (mettā-pāramī). Suvaṇṇasāma cared for his blind father and mother with great devotion. One day he was shot with a poisoned arrow by King Piliyakkha and suffered terrible pain, yet he let no anger arise at all. He still showed mettā toward the one who had harmed him, and asked the king to look after his parents in his place before he lost consciousness.

Through the mettā and the words of truth (sacca-vācā) of his father and mother, and of the goddess who watched over Mount Gandhamādana, Suvaṇṇasāma recovered from his wound, and his parents regained their sight.