The Four Sublime States

In Buddhism there are four sublime states.

- Loving-kindness
- Compassion
- Sympathetic Joy
- Equanimity

If you could fully master one of the four sublime states by the end of today, which would you choose?

(You could still eventually master the other three, but if you can only pick one to master now, which would it be?)

Also please say...
... Why did you choose the one that you did?
... How would you describe this sublime state, in your own words? What's your interpretation or understanding of it?

Thank you! (I will be answering my own question eventually, but am still thinking about it!)

Hm, no replies yet. Well, here's mine. I choose loving-kindness as the first one I'd like to master because if you have loving-kindness for everyone then compassion and sympathetic-joy for everyone come much easier. So after a short while, the only one left that I'd really have to work at is equanimity.

How do I define loving-kindness? This is tougher to answer. There's much to say. But I'd say a core part of it is genuinely and deeply desiring the well-being of others, and also feeling adoration for all their positive qualities and all their positive though still latent potential, and perhaps also a sense of them being precious/valuable in your heart -- and all of this even if there are many things about the person you very much dislike... I think you can dislike many things about someone, even intensely, and still feel/have loving-kindness towards them

[Samana]

Hi,

Here's a teaching from the Buddha about the 4 sublime states:

SN 46.54 Metta Sutta

On one occasion the Blessed One was staying among the Koliyans. Now there is a Koliyan town named Haliddavasa. Then, early in the morning, a large number of monks adjusted their under robes and — carrying their bowls & robes — went into Haliddavasana for alms. Then the thought occurred to them, "It's still too early to go for alms in Haliddavasana. Why don't we go to the park of the wanderers of other sects?"

So the monks went to the park of the wanderers of other sects. On arrival, they exchanged courteous greetings with the wanderers of other sects. After an exchange of friendly greetings & courtesies, they sat to one side.

As they were sitting there, the wanderers of other sects said to them, "Friends, Gotama the contemplative teaches the Dhamma to his disciples in this way: 'Come, monks — abandoning the five hindrances, the corruptions of awareness that weaken discernment — keep pervading the first direction [the east] with an awareness imbued with good will, likewise the second, likewise the third, likewise the fourth.

Thus above, below, & all around, everywhere, in its entirety, keep pervading the all-encompassing cosmos with an awareness imbued with good will — abundant, expansive, immeasurable, without hostility, without ill will.

"'Keep pervading the first direction with an awareness imbued with compassion...

"'Keep pervading the first direction with an awareness imbued with empathetic joy...

"'Keep pervading the first direction with an awareness imbued with equanimity, likewise the second, likewise the third, likewise the fourth. Thus above, below, & all around, everywhere, in its entirety, keep pervading the all-encompassing cosmos with an awareness imbued with equanimity — abundant, expansive, immeasurable, without hostility, without ill will.'

Continued here:

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn46/sn46.054.than.html

With kind wishes,

Sam

[the_crow]

Equanimity.
The state of balance from which all else is born.
Requiring constant attention to maintain, in smaller and smaller increments.
Taoism distilled.
Calm peace.