How
is Release by Friendliness Achieved?
The Blessed Buddha once said:
How, Bhikkhus, is the mental release by universal friendliness achieved?
What does this liberation have as its destination, what is its culmination,
what is its sweet fruit, what is the final goal of such mental release by
universal, infinite and endless friendliness?
Here, Bhikkhus, a Bhikkhu dwells pervading the frontal quadrant,
with a mind imbued with infinite friendliness, so the second quarter,
the third quarter, and the fourth quarter. Thus above, below, across,
and everywhere, and to all beings as to himself, he dwells pervading
the entire universe with a mind saturated with unlimited friendliness,
immense, exalted, vast, measureless, without hostility, without enmity,
without any ill will! Thus prepared and expanded he then develops:
1:
The Awareness
Link to Awakening joined with limitless friendliness.
2:
The
Investigation Link to Awakening fused with such friendliness.
3:
The Energy
Link to Awakening together with infinite friendliness.
4:
The Joy Link to
Awakening accompanied with absolute friendliness.
5:
The Tranquillity Link to Awakening linked with open friendliness.
6:
The
Concentration Link to Awakening associated
with friendliness.
7:
The
Equanimity Link to Awakening joined with endless friendliness.
While
based upon seclusion, disillusion, ceasing, & culminating in release.
If he then wishes:
May I dwell experiencing the repulsive in the
attractive and tempting,
then he can dwell experiencing only repulsiveness therein. If he wishes:
May I dwell experiencing the unrepulsive in the disgusting &
displeasing,
then he dwells experiencing delight and beauty in whatever is disgusting!
If he wishes: May I dwell experiencing the repulsive in what is both
unrepulsive & repulsive, he dwells experiencing
revolting disgust in it.
If he wishes: May I dwell experiencing the unrepulsive in what is both
unrepulsive & repulsive,
then he experiences only appealing beauty by it!
If he wishes: Avoiding both the repulsive and the unrepulsive, may I
dwell in
equanimity, just aware and clearly comprehending, then he
dwells in
equanimity,
just aware and clearly comprehending. Or else
he enters and dwells in the
mental deliverance
of the beautiful aspect...
I tell you Bhikkhus for a wise Bhikkhu here, who has not penetrated to
an even more superior
mental release, this release of mind by pure
and
infinite friendliness has the
beautiful
deliverance as its culmination!
More on the 7 links to Awakening
(bojjhanga):
Source of reference
(edited extract):
The Grouped Sayings of the Buddha. Samyutta Nikāya.
Book [V:
115-21] 46: The Links. 54: Joined by Friendliness...
