The Four Immeasurables as Antidotes

Compassion - I want all sentient beings to free from suffering and negative thinking.
Love - I want all sentient beings to have happiness and positive thinking.
Joy - I want all sentient beings to never be separated from the sublime joy, beyond delusion and illusion
Equanimity - I want all sentient being to live in equanimity, beyond fear and hope.

Most of us practicitioners know this prayer or a variation of it. It is commonly called the Bodhicitta Prayer bringing forth the Four Immeasurable powers of love, compassion, joy, and equanimity.

As my teachers have taught me, they are called the Four Immeasurables because they are inexhaustible within our thinking. Namely, when one holds these wishes in our thinking, our capability to generate them grows exponentially. There is an inexhaustible well of good and positive wishes that can grow to ultimately fill every thinking moment. This is way of a Bodhisattva.

I just came across a discussion that reminded me of the Four Immeasurables as antidotes to negative thinking/emotions. So here they are:

Desire/Attachment – the antidote to wanting something, to wanting to hold on to something, can be Love. Whatever is the object of our desire and attachment, we offer to all sentient beings with the wish they all sentient beings can be happy.

Anger/Hatred – the antidote to wanting to avoid something or pushing something away from us can be Compassion. Whatever is unpleasant and anger provoking we take on for all sentient beings with the wish that they be free from suffering.

Jealousy/Envy – The antidote to feeling envious of others success and good fortune can be wish for Joy. Whatever good fortune others have, we wish that their happiness remain unending and continue. We rejoice in all sentient beings good fortune and happiness.

Pride – the antidote to feeling superior and prideful compared to others is equanimity. We see that all sentient beings have the Awakened Nature naturally present within their hearts and their entire being. We regard all sentient beings as naturally Buddhas within and serve all with love, compassion, and wish for joy with no exception.

Many Dharma Blessings,

Geoff