The 4 Brahmaviharas deliver mind to a Higher State!
The Blessed Buddha once said:
The Noble Disciple, Bhikkhus
and friends, who is freed from greed and grudge,
unconfused,
alert, attentive, and clearly comprehending, with mind filled up by
kind
friendliness ..., by
compassionate pity
..., by
altruistic joy
... and finally by
imperturbable equanimity,
pervades
first one direction, then the 2nd, the 3rd,
and then the 4th one, and just as above, so
also below, across, and all around!
Thus sympathetic with all
beings, embracing all living, he pervades the whole world,
and the entire universe with a vast mind, refined, infinite, freed from all hate and
any ill-will. And he understands: Formerly my mind was limited, and undeveloped...
Now,
however, my mind is unlimited and developed, and
no limited behaviour based
on a narrow, restricted intention, favouring
this, while rejecting that, remains left!
What do you think, Bhikkhus and friends: If a boy from his early childhood develops
kind friendliness, compassionate pity, altruistic joy, and imperturbable equanimity,
will he then still be able to do bad, evil, or wrong deeds? No, Venerable
One...
But, if he no longer does bad, or wrong deeds, will suffering then still attack him?
Certainly not. Venerable One..
on leaving this life,
How should anyone, who is doing no evil actions,
ever still be
attacked by suffering!
Therefore should
kind friendliness .. compassionate pity .. altruistic joy, and subtle
imperturbable equanimity be developed, by all
male, female, and
conscious beings!
Neither men, nor women can keep this body on
leaving this life. Any mortal has only
his
mind as base, foundation, essence, mediator, creator, controller, and protector!
The Bhikkhu, however, knows: Whatever formerly I have done of bad deeds with
this material body, all that I still have to atone for here, and after that, then
nothing
of it will follow me. So developed, the release of the mind by
kind
friendliness,
by
compassionate pity,
by altruistic joy ...
and by
imperturbable equanimity,
leads to
Never-Return, unless the wise monk
already during this life penetrates
to
a
higher
deliverance than that!
More on the 3rd Noble State:
Non-Return (Anāgāmi)
https://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/a/anagami.htm
Video on Mettā Meditation on Friendliness:
How to cure Depression?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yz0nE1wRWQY
Metta Meditation As streaming audio and mp3 download:
https://soundcloud.com/bhikkhu-samahita/metta-meditation
More these 4 Infinitely Divine States
(Appamaññā
Brahma-Vihāra):
https://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/b_f/brahma_vihaara.htm
https://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/How_to_Cure_Anger_and_Irritation.htm
https://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/The_Buddha_on_Noble_Friendship.htm
https://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Selfless_Friendship_is_Sweetest.htm
https://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/All-Embracing_Kindness.htm
https://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/All_Embracing_Kindness.htm
https://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Rejoicing_Bliss_is_Mudita.htm
https://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Blazing_Friendliness.htm
https://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Anger_and_Irritation.htm
https://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Subduing_Irritation.htm
https://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/The-Effective_Saw.htm
https://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/United_in_Harmony.htm
https://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_Good_Friend.htm
https://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Good-Will_Again.htm
https://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Hot_Hostile_Hate.htm
https://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Goodwill_Encore.htm
https://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Blazing_and_Bright.htm
https://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Friendliness_Frees.htm
https://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Kalyanamitta.htm
https://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Metta.htm
Source: The Numerical Discourses of the Buddha.
Anguttara Nikāya 10:208
Brahmavihara Sutta: The Sublime Attitudes..
https://what-buddha-said.net/library/ati_website/html/tipitaka/an/an10/an10.208.than.html
