Brahmavihara

Brahmavihārā is a Buddhist term meaning " The Four Heavenly Verweilzustände " or "The Four Immeasurable " ( Pali: appamaññā, skt. Apramana ). The Brahmaviharas basis for meditation exercises ( brahmavihārā - bhavana ) in Theravada as well as Mahayana. They are part of Buddhist ethics and designate four to cultivate attitudes towards other beings. Other translations of the term are: "The four immeasurable attitudes ", " The four limitless states of mind ", " The four abodes of Brahma " ( Vihara means something like " dwelling ", "place of abiding '; Brahma is an Indian deity ).

Generally

" The four immeasurable heart exemptions " are:

Metta / maitri

The four Brahmaviharas are closely related. Finally, describe the "Four Limitless " all different facets of metta -based connectedness with all beings. Metta is a friendly form of love that is not rooted in desire ( attachment ), but the interest in the happiness of all is motivated. A benevolent recognition and appreciation of one's own person is the precondition for this form of the ability to love. If this should not be present, it can be learned. Many Buddhist authors avoid metta with 'love' and prefer instead to translate terms such as " loving kindness ", " friendliness " or " benevolence ". The term 'love' is too strong for them associated with possessive and greedy arrested forms of passionate affection. Metta as a mental attitude is in Buddhism in various forms of meditation ( metta meditation) systematically cultivated.

Karuna

Karuna is compassion, empathy, the ability to deep sympathy and empathy for other beings. Earlier it was karuna often translated as " compassion " and also in English here today is still the term ' compassion ' are used. The term ' compassion ', however, is misleading insofar as karuna on the one hand requires no active com-passion and ' compassion ' also always an element of condescension of distancing from pitied object contains. This separation of subject and object contradicts the non- dualistic mind the Buddhist anatta doctrine and the mindset of upeksha.

Mudita

While karuna especially the ability to perceive the suffering of other beings is asked is what mudita to the participation in the joy of other beings. mudita is Sympathetic joy, the gift of joyful ( = sorry free ) to be able to share moments with others.

Upekkha / upeksha

This term has multiple levels of meaning: equanimity, serenity, letting go, non-attachment, non- discriminating. The importance of equanimity, it refers to a form of serenity in relationships that acts as a corrective to the possessive and adherent tendencies of affection. This equanimity is not to be confused with indifference ( indifference ). On another level of meaning to upeksha refers to the insight into the fundamental equivalence of love objects and the fundamental equality between subject and object in the context of metta.

Quote

"Four immensities: Since radiates, her brothers, a monk loving mind weilend in one direction, then after a second, then the third, then the fourth, as upwards and downwards: everywhere in all again knowing he radiates through the whole world clarified with a loving mind, with wide, deep, unbounded, of wrath and resentment. Gracious mind, joyful mind, unmoved mind weilend it radiates in one direction, then after a second, then the third, then the fourth, as upwards and downwards: everywhere in all again knowing he radiates through the whole world with erbarmendem mind, clarified with joy full mind, with an unmoved mind, with wide, deep, unbounded, of wrath and resentment. "