My Friends,
I'd like to share this text which has it's origins in the Buddhism of Sri Lanka with the victims of the
Tsunami in mind:
How to develop complete Harmlessness & infinite Friendliness: The
Brahma-Viharas - Free as a gift of Dhamma supreme There, O friends, the Bhikkhu with a mind full of friendly loving-kindness
is pervading first one direction, then a second one, then a third one, then the fourth one, & as below so above, across
& all around, everywhere identifying himself with all sentient beings, he is encompassing the whole world with a mind
full of friendly loving-kindness, with a mind wide, developed, unbounded, cleared, exalted, pure & bright, freed &
released from any hate and all ill will ... There, O friends, the Bhikkhu with a mind full of
understanding, pity & compassion is pervading first the front, then the right side, then the back, then the left
side, as below so above, across & all around, all over, far & wide; identifying himself with all sentient beings,
he is perfusing the whole universe with a mind imbued with emphatic compassion, with a spacious mind, a refined mind,
infinite, cleared, pure & brilliant, freed & released from all anger and any enmity ... There, O friends,
the Bhikkhu with a mind full of altruistic sympathetic joy is pervading first the North, then the East, then the South,
then the West, as below so above, across & all around, universally, infinitely; identifying himself with all sentient
beings, he is suffusing all galaxies with a mind full of genuine mutual & altruistic sympathetic joy, rejoicing in
the success of all other beings, with an open mind, vast, limitless, purified, cleared, pure & shining, freed &
released from all aversion and any bitterness ... There, O friends, the Bhikkhu with a mind full of balanced equanimity
is pervading first the frontal quadrant, then the right, then the rear & then the left quadrant, as below so above,
across & all around; and everywhere identifying himself with all sentient beings, he is permeating the whole world
with a mind satiated by balanced equanimity, calmed, with a mountain-like mind, cultivated, endless, cleared, pure &
dazzling, freed & released from all irritation, any agitation and even subtle resentment ... This device
should be contemplated & emulated daily as it is the supreme medicine against all Hate, Hostility, Anger, Indignation,
Wrath, Cruelty, Brutality, Violence, Irritation, Ill Will, Resentment, Bitterness, Opposition, Conservatism, Mental Rigidity
& Stubbornness ! Then one day, we might sleep with the doors open & dance with the children in our arms ...
Friendship is the Greatest !
With Compassion,
IB
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