🧡 If you find benefit in my videos, consider supporting the channel by joining us on Patreon and get fun extras like exclusive livestreams, ad-free audio-only versions, and extensive show notes: www.patreon.com/dougsseculardharma 🙂 📙 You can find my book here: books2read.com/buddhisthandbook
I had been doing strictly zazen for years (not as regularly as i should have but did my best) and only ended up scratching my head for my efforts 😂... In discovered Metta practice several months ago and have been enjoying it and actually look forward to practice! There are so many different paths in Buddhism... don't be afraid to go beyond Zen
Sympathy is a feeling of pity or sorrow for someone else's suffering, empathy is the ability to feel what another person is feeling, and compassion is the combination of both sympathy and empathy with a desire to alleviate suffering
Hi Doug, really insightful, and useful to think of the progression of 'at the very least, neutrality is better than enmity' - it speaks to the fact this is a path, not a revelatory instant (for most of us) and unpicking our less than useful ingrained behaviour, or habit energies. Hope you are well over the holidays. Sympathetic joy and compassion from Scotland!
Thank you for what is, to me, one of the clearest, most concise overviews on the Brahmaviharas. I have often struggled to distinguish between loving-kindness & compassion, but your explanations today helped clarify. Again, thank you.
Thanks, Doug. I got to practice mudita meditation at the end of a four day retreat with Bhikkhu Bodhi and it was incredibly powerful and deeply moving. Thank you for highlighting these essential practices!
Sutta Nipāta Mettā Sutta 1.8. Loving-kindness Just as a mother at the risk of life loves and protects her child, her only child, so one should cultivate this boundless love to all that live in the whole universe- extending from a consciousness sublime upwards and downwards and across the world,untroubled, free from hate and enmity. 🙏🏼
The things I always think about for the first two of the bramaviharas (in skt) karuna and maitri. Karuna comes from the same proto-Indo-European root as caritas. Caritas is translated sometimes as charity and sometimes as love. But my favorite is that the motto of the ICRC (the Red Cross in conflict) is Inter Armas Caritas -- which they translate as "humanity in the midst of war." So also humanitarianism. Maitri I usually remind myself is the root word for Maitreya, the "Buddha of the future" in Mahayana, but also the principle deity during the Kushan Empire. And that mitra still means friend in some modern Indian languages.
Thanks. This is a timely message. I'd like to add that in my experience, spiritually supportive friends and/or communities plus liberal dosed of patience is helpful. I wish I would have learned that earlier. Too bad patience isn't bottled and sold in stores. 😊
@@DougsDharma I wonder how many people were telling me that change takes time and that I needed to be patient. Probably many. I have heard that young people generally lack it. I've been sharing my experiences with my younger spiritually minded friends, hoping that they will be more patient with themselves and suffer less. I don't know if it helps or not, but several of them do say that they remind themselves to stay on track and be patient - and I hear hope in their words. So many of us struggle with living. I love being part of a community of support. Doug, your channel is part of my expanded support system. Thank you.
I spent 7 years teaching meditation to groups of people affected by cancer. Most of it was Buddhist teachings I snuck under the radar. Do you know what I learnt from that period of my life. That it all came down to one thing, kindness. Kindness first and foremost towards yourself. If you can be self compassionate, then this is equal to the amount of love you can receive from others.
Are the 4 brahmavihārās analogous to the 4 Immeasurables as it's presented in Tibetan Buddhism? If so, are there any key differences between the way they are presented? And thank you for the work you do, it's very helpful!
Yes they are known as the Four Boundless States in the early texts as well; not sure if there are differences in how they are described in Tibetan Buddhism though.
@@mishapurser4439 leave it to the germans to have a word for it. Didn’t know there was an English word for it. I’ve often had to say “I’m happy for you” or “I share in your joy” or with a smile “I’m jealous/envious of you.” I’m gonna try, “I’m confelicitous!”, next time. I’m sure everyone will understand 😂
Buddhism is dependently arisen. If the Buddha stands in your path, slay him. Focus on liberation from suffering and enlightenment for all sentient beings, not on whether some ism is safe from some other isms.
One thing I find very hard, especially with western post modern interpretations is separating being "nice" and "positive" and being Kind. Sometimes being kind and honest means disagreement and even causing upset, no matter how gently you try to approach the situation.
Yes, and I've discussed this aspect in a number of past videos. The Buddha's recommendation for speaking difficult truths is to do so only when necessary and at the right time and place. Not sure it's post-modern though ...
When I mean post modern I mean what appears to be weaponised progressive ideology which is very present in all institutions at the moment in the western world. Where, objective truths are being sidelined and oppressed to prop up a deeply flawed and failing ideology. There are many examples but I don't want to dive into that stuff, but I think only a blind or dishonest person would ignore it at the moment (maybe not so much America as a certain president elect appears to be the polar opposite) It's a hard world to navigate whilst trying to be honest whilst also trying to be remain compassionate and avoiding harming to others.
Imagine preaching compassion, kindness, peace, and love whilst eating the bodies of dismembered innocent beings as your "holiday" dinner. Smh Extended that compassion and kindness to all non-human animals. Live vegan.
Given this definition, limitless compassion sounds like a noble but impractical ideal to me. Being compassionate to the wolf is bad for the deer, and being compassionate to the deer is bad for the wolf. The fact that there is a predator-prey relationship between these two species means that the wolf has to go hungry for the deer to live, and a deer has to die to feed the wolf. Unlike modern human civilization, these species instinctively obey ecological laws of balance; the wolves never seek to wipe out the entire deer population but rather hunt for what they need, and the deer never seek to take vengeance by eradicating the wolves. Likewise with indigenous human tribal societies, who for the most part understand that they have an immediate duty (dharma) to support and protect their own tribe but do so in a manner that respects the dignity of other species and tribes and their right to compete for limited resources without being completely eradicated. It's kind of like how Christians thought they were compassionately saving people when they were burning witches and promoting genocidal colonizations that eliminated most of the cultures who were living in relative balance with their environments. Rationalizing human supremacy to an unsustainable degree is part of Buddhism as much as it is of Christianity or Islam or Judaism or Hinduism.
Firstly, justifying genocide with religious doctrine only applies in the case of 20th century Japan. In the case of ancient India - where Buddhism began, the Buddhists themselves were subjected to genocide. Secondly, you misunderstand the meaning of compassion. Compassion is a state of mind that drives a person to act. Just like anger and greed are states of mind that drive a person to act. The action can be hard or soft, what matters is the volition of the mind performing the action. In Theravada Buddhism, before Metta (loving kindness meditation), comes Vipassana (insight meditation). Before this comes the Ana Pana (calming meditation). The problem is with the McDonalds version of Buddhism which you get in the West - where there is yapping and no meditation.
🧡 If you find benefit in my videos, consider supporting the channel by joining us on Patreon and get fun extras like exclusive livestreams, ad-free audio-only versions, and extensive show notes: www.patreon.com/dougsseculardharma 🙂
📙 You can find my book here: books2read.com/buddhisthandbook
Thank you so much! Joy and happiness to all who encounter this message, and to ALL who don't! Be well, live well. Namo Buddhaya
Christmas blessings Doug, Suffolk, UK 🙏⭐️
I had been doing strictly zazen for years (not as regularly as i should have but did my best) and only ended up scratching my head for my efforts 😂... In discovered Metta practice several months ago and have been enjoying it and actually look forward to practice! There are so many different paths in Buddhism... don't be afraid to go beyond Zen
Sympathy is a feeling of pity or sorrow for someone else's suffering, empathy is the ability to feel what another person is feeling, and compassion is the combination of both sympathy and empathy with a desire to alleviate suffering
Hi Doug, really insightful, and useful to think of the progression of 'at the very least, neutrality is better than enmity' - it speaks to the fact this is a path, not a revelatory instant (for most of us) and unpicking our less than useful ingrained behaviour, or habit energies. Hope you are well over the holidays. Sympathetic joy and compassion from Scotland!
Thanks so much, love Scotland, it's a beautiful place! 🙏
A powerful message, thanks Doug. The world would be better if this lesson got more air time everywhere.
Thank you for what is, to me, one of the clearest, most concise overviews on the Brahmaviharas. I have often struggled to distinguish between loving-kindness & compassion, but your explanations today helped clarify. Again, thank you.
Thanks Doug - great overview 🙏🏻
Thanks for watching!
Thanks, Doug. I got to practice mudita meditation at the end of a four day retreat with Bhikkhu Bodhi and it was incredibly powerful and deeply moving. Thank you for highlighting these essential practices!
Wonderful!
Thank so much for your videos, they are what I've been searching
Glad to help!
Happy Buddhamas Doug 🙏
😄🙏
All you need to live well is kindness, a bowl and three robes.
Sutta Nipāta
Mettā Sutta
1.8. Loving-kindness
Just as a mother at the risk of life
loves and protects her child, her only child,
so one should cultivate this boundless love
to all that live in the whole universe-
extending from a consciousness sublime
upwards and downwards and across the world,untroubled, free from hate and enmity. 🙏🏼
The things I always think about for the first two of the bramaviharas (in skt) karuna and maitri. Karuna comes from the same proto-Indo-European root as caritas. Caritas is translated sometimes as charity and sometimes as love. But my favorite is that the motto of the ICRC (the Red Cross in conflict) is Inter Armas Caritas -- which they translate as "humanity in the midst of war." So also humanitarianism.
Maitri I usually remind myself is the root word for Maitreya, the "Buddha of the future" in Mahayana, but also the principle deity during the Kushan Empire. And that mitra still means friend in some modern Indian languages.
Neat, there is a lot of interesting info in the history of words.
Thanks. This is a timely message. I'd like to add that in my experience, spiritually supportive friends and/or communities plus liberal dosed of patience is helpful. I wish I would have learned that earlier. Too bad patience isn't bottled and sold in stores. 😊
Patience is difficult! 😄
@@DougsDharma I wonder how many people were telling me that change takes time and that I needed to be patient. Probably many. I have heard that young people generally lack it. I've been sharing my experiences with my younger spiritually minded friends, hoping that they will be more patient with themselves and suffer less. I don't know if it helps or not, but several of them do say that they remind themselves to stay on track and be patient - and I hear hope in their words. So many of us struggle with living. I love being part of a community of support. Doug, your channel is part of my expanded support system. Thank you.
"Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment." - Buddha
I spent 7 years teaching meditation to groups of people affected by cancer. Most of it was Buddhist teachings I snuck under the radar. Do you know what I learnt from that period of my life. That it all came down to one thing, kindness. Kindness first and foremost towards yourself. If you can be self compassionate, then this is equal to the amount of love you can receive from others.
Yes, self compassion is so important, and also often so difficult for many of us.
Are the 4 brahmavihārās analogous to the 4 Immeasurables as it's presented in Tibetan Buddhism? If so, are there any key differences between the way they are presented? And thank you for the work you do, it's very helpful!
Yes they are known as the Four Boundless States in the early texts as well; not sure if there are differences in how they are described in Tibetan Buddhism though.
I like to translate the third brahmavihārā, muditā, into English as confelicity. The German word is freudenfreude.
@@mishapurser4439 leave it to the germans to have a word for it. Didn’t know there was an English word for it. I’ve often had to say “I’m happy for you” or “I share in your joy” or with a smile “I’m jealous/envious of you.” I’m gonna try, “I’m confelicitous!”, next time. I’m sure everyone will understand 😂
Yes that works too!
What should be behavior of Buddhist towards non-believer and people who wants to harm Buddhism?
Compassion is still necessary but appropriate and healthy boundaries that protect what is precious is also necessary.
Buddhism is dependently arisen. If the Buddha stands in your path, slay him. Focus on liberation from suffering and enlightenment for all sentient beings, not on whether some ism is safe from some other isms.
One thing I find very hard, especially with western post modern interpretations is separating being "nice" and "positive" and being Kind. Sometimes being kind and honest means disagreement and even causing upset, no matter how gently you try to approach the situation.
Yes, and I've discussed this aspect in a number of past videos. The Buddha's recommendation for speaking difficult truths is to do so only when necessary and at the right time and place. Not sure it's post-modern though ...
When I mean post modern I mean what appears to be weaponised progressive ideology which is very present in all institutions at the moment in the western world. Where, objective truths are being sidelined and oppressed to prop up a deeply flawed and failing ideology. There are many examples but I don't want to dive into that stuff, but I think only a blind or dishonest person would ignore it at the moment (maybe not so much America as a certain president elect appears to be the polar opposite)
It's a hard world to navigate whilst trying to be honest whilst also trying to be remain compassionate and avoiding harming to others.
Sir What does Buddha say about the end of the world.will the world ever end
All things will end, that's the essence of the teaching of anicca.
Imagine preaching compassion, kindness, peace, and love whilst eating the bodies of dismembered innocent beings as your "holiday" dinner. Smh
Extended that compassion and kindness to all non-human animals.
Live vegan.
Given this definition, limitless compassion sounds like a noble but impractical ideal to me. Being compassionate to the wolf is bad for the deer, and being compassionate to the deer is bad for the wolf. The fact that there is a predator-prey relationship between these two species means that the wolf has to go hungry for the deer to live, and a deer has to die to feed the wolf. Unlike modern human civilization, these species instinctively obey ecological laws of balance; the wolves never seek to wipe out the entire deer population but rather hunt for what they need, and the deer never seek to take vengeance by eradicating the wolves. Likewise with indigenous human tribal societies, who for the most part understand that they have an immediate duty (dharma) to support and protect their own tribe but do so in a manner that respects the dignity of other species and tribes and their right to compete for limited resources without being completely eradicated. It's kind of like how Christians thought they were compassionately saving people when they were burning witches and promoting genocidal colonizations that eliminated most of the cultures who were living in relative balance with their environments. Rationalizing human supremacy to an unsustainable degree is part of Buddhism as much as it is of Christianity or Islam or Judaism or Hinduism.
Firstly, justifying genocide with religious doctrine only applies in the case of 20th century Japan. In the case of ancient India - where Buddhism began, the Buddhists themselves were subjected to genocide. Secondly, you misunderstand the meaning of compassion. Compassion is a state of mind that drives a person to act. Just like anger and greed are states of mind that drive a person to act. The action can be hard or soft, what matters is the volition of the mind performing the action.
In Theravada Buddhism, before Metta (loving kindness meditation), comes Vipassana (insight meditation). Before this comes the Ana Pana (calming meditation).
The problem is with the McDonalds version of Buddhism which you get in the West - where there is yapping and no meditation.