Sunday, January 08, 2006

the four immeasurables

"...learn from the earth. whether people spread pure and fragrant flowers, perfume, or fresh milk on it, or discard filthy and foul-smelling feces, urine, blood, mucus, and spit on it, the earth receives it all equally witout clinging or aversion. when pleasant or unpleasant thoughts arise, don't let them entangle or enslave you.

learn from the water...when people wash dirty things in it, the water is not sad or disdainful. learn from fire. fire burns all things without discrimination. it is not ashamed to burn impure substances. learn from the air. the air carries all fragrances whether sweet or foul...

practice loving kindness to overcome anger. loving kindness has the capacity to bring happiness to others without demanding anything in return. practice compassion to overcome cruelty. compassion has the capacity to remove the suffering of others without expecting anything in return. practice sympathetic joy to overcome hatred. sympathetic joy arises when one rejoices over the happiness of others and wishes others well-being and success. pracitce non-attachment to overcome prejudice. non-attachment is the way of looking at all things openly and equally. this is because that is. that is because this is. myself and other are not separate. do not reject one thing only to chase after another..."

the Buddha

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