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religionJan 10, 20253:12pending

The 4 Sublime States

Mystic Monk

About this episode

The Buddha's teaching on the 4 sublime abidings as described in the early Buddhist texts (Digha Nikaya 13). These 4 meditative moods are said to be sublime because they are the ideal way of conduct towards all living beings. They are the great removers of tension, great peace-makers in social conflict, and great healers of wounds suffered in the struggle of existence. They level social barriers, build harmonious communities, awaken slumbering magnanimity, revive joy and hope, and promote human brotherhood/sisterhood against the forces of egotism.

https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel006.html

The Basic Passage on the Four Sublime States from the Discourses of the Buddha

I. Here, monks, a disciple dwells pervading one direction with his heart filled with loving-kindness, likewise the second, the third, and the fourth direction; so above, below and around; he dwells pervading the entire world everywhere and equally with his heart filled with loving-kindness, abundant, grown great, measureless, free from enmity and free from distress.

II. Here, monks, a disciple dwells pervading one direction with his heart filled with compassion, likewise the second, the third and the fourth direction; so above, below and around; he dwells pervading the entire world everywhere and equally with his heart filled with compassion, abundant, grown great, measureless, free from enmity and free from distress.

III. Here, monks, a disciple dwells pervading one direction with his heart filled with sympathetic joy, likewise the second, the third and the fourth direction; so above, below and around; he dwells pervading the entire world everywhere and equally with his heart filled with sympathetic joy, abundant, grown great, measureless, free from enmity and free from distress.

IV. Here, monks, a disciple dwells pervading one direction with his heart filled with equanimity, likewise the second, the third and the fourth direction; so above, below and around; he dwells pervading the entire world everywhere and equally with his heart filled with equanimity, abundant, grown great, measureless, free from enmity and free from distress.

Digha Nikaya 13

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The 4 Sublime States

Mystic Monk

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