Meditation on Loving Kindness and Other Sublime States

I picked up this book, written by Ven Sujiva, from BGF on Nov 24, before we head for the Plum Village retreat at Genting. As CA and I arrived quite early at Genting View Resort, and I don't have much to do since I'm not a committee, I have some time to browse through this book, and eventually got me hooked to finish reading the book. One of the aspects of this book which really helped me, was how it breaks down the Metta Sutta, and listing the different suttas relating to Metta.

Point #1There is a section on "The Conditioned Nature of Metta", where the opening paragraph reads as such:

In the first part of the metta sutta, we come across conditions important for one who wishes to develop metta. If we study them we can see into their relevance and as to what way it works as it concerns our practic of it in our daily lives.
(1) He should be capable
(2) He should be frank
(3) Extremely honest
(4) One should be meek
(5) Gentle
(6) Not proud
(7) Contented
(8) Easy to support
(9) Have few duties
(10) Frugal
(11) Serene in faculties
(12) Prudent
(13) Free from rudeness
(14) Not favouring in families
(15) He should not do even the slightest thing which other wise men might deplore

Why it "enlightened" me - it's because, somehow, although I've read the sutta numerous times, I had the impression that this first part of the sutta describes the quality of a person with metta. But after reading the opening paragraph, actually, it's just the first sentence - I understand that these qualities are required in preparation for metta cultivation.

Point #2How Ven. Sujiva describes the 4 bramaviharas, their qualities and how to select individuals to radiate these brahmaviharas

...The 4 brahmaviharas are:
(1) Metta
(2) Karuna
(3) Mudita
(4) Upekkha

...Individuals may be classified into 5 categories
(1) extremely intimate
(2) lovable
(3) indifferent
(4) unpleasant
(5) hostile

...In a way the first 3 are different shades of each other. Compassion and Symphathetic Joy can overlap with Metta but not with each other. Compassion sees into the suffering of beings while Symphatetic Joy sees into their happiness. Metta can be applied to both situations. Equanimity however differs in the sense of being a detached (yet with understanding) state.

Metta
...In selecting an individual as an initial object of metta bhavana, one is advised to choose the 2nd, a lovable individual because metta can arise easily. The 1st may arouse attachment, the 3rd may pose some difficulties and the 4th and 5th may arouse anger instead. One is also advised against giving it to the opposite sex as it may arouse lust. One's mother of he, or father of she, is usually not preferred for the unstable ind may wanter to another of the opposite sex. The other individual not recommended is the deceased because it does not produce deep concentration as the person is no longer present and is already in different state.
... The lovable should be alive and of the same sex as one. Lovable means he inspires metta in you, he would most likely be one with a lot of metta himself besides many other virtues like morality, concentration, wisdom, patience, humility and so on. It is someone when you think of or meet with a lot of respect and friendliness. Someone whom you can call a true friend.

Karuna
...For a start, it should not be anyone too close which could cause grief. It should not be a hostile one which we could even be glad about it! The opposite sex and dead are also not suitable. We are advised not to consider whether he is dead, neutral or hostile. Instead we ought to choose one who we can clearly see as suffering.

Mudita
...Usually it is not easy for this state of mind to arise, especially when one sees another doing better than oneself. It is often easier to feel indifferent or even jealous. For a lot of people it has to be cultivated. So for a start one is advised to do it to a very intimate person. One is more likely to rejoice in his happiness owing to closeness.
... One cannot help but notice the fact that mudita is a more lighter emotion than the previous two. In fact it is like a high pitch or fine clouds that ifts up one high and quickly.
...In mudita one should be careful one does not fall into joyful attachment and satisfaction to worldly things. One has to remember one's mindfulness and keep the mind in control and detached.

Upekkha
... for more effective practice, one would need to study and understand what kamma is, and how these actions can bring about their results. Comparatively this state of mind is far more detached, and often misunderstood as cold. Usually it is more suitable to apply the other 3 divine abidings first and when they fail or is unwise to do so, one will then resort to equanimity. For eg. when it is too difficult to change a wicked man's heart, it is best to keep a distance. In another case it may be someone who cannot escape death, we can use compassion and then maintain an equanimous state when he dies. Equanimity also occurs frequently when much detachment is summoned when one devotes one's effort to one's own purification first.
.. In the practice of upekkha bhavana one first selects the neutral person... When one has done so successfully with the neutral person, one can proceed to the dear one and the rest in the same way.

Why I felt that these selected passages helped in my understanding:
- It provides some additional context to what Ven Buddharakhitta spoke about. E.g. why people usually do not choose to radiate Mudita
- It explains why the selection of different individuals would be beneficial for different type of brahma vihara
- It categorizes the individuals
- It categorizes the 4 brahmaviharas, where it overlaps and where it it's different
- It explains the way the lines for each brahma vihara can be recited, aspirations multiplied by unspecified individuals (class of beings), directional and specified individusals

This post is not intended to be a proper book review. I just wanted to post about it because I appreciate the understanding I've gained from reading it.. May it be of benefit to others too!

~ttg @ Realized Tranquility of the Heart~