釋禪波羅蜜次第法門 6.13

6.13

Second, explaining the names of the four immeasurables: 1. The immeasurable mind of loving-kindness: loving-kindness means affectionately thinking of sentient beings, constantly seeking pleasant matters to benefit them. 2. The immeasurable mind of compassion: compassion means pitying sentient beings who suffer various physical afflictions in the five destinies. 3. The immeasurable mind of sympathetic joy: sympathetic joy means wishing to cause sentient beings to obtain joy from happiness. 4. The immeasurable mind of equanimity: equanimity means abandoning the three kinds of mind, merely being mindful of sentient beings without hatred or love. Taking these four dharmas as conditions, the four minds are spoken of; pervading the ten directions equally without barrier, they are called immeasurable minds. One cultivates loving-kindness to eliminate malice toward sentient beings; one cultivates compassion to eliminate vexatious thoughts toward sentient beings; one cultivates sympathetic joy to eliminate discontent toward sentient beings; one cultivates equanimity to eliminate hatred and love toward sentient beings. The sequential stages and marks of these four absorptions will be explained below.