The Four Immeasurables: Practices for a Fulfilling and Enlightened Life

The Four Immeasurables

The Four Immeasurables, also known as the Four Infinite Minds or the Four Brahmaviharas, are virtues or practices that the Buddha taught to cultivate for a fulfilling and enlightened life. They are:

• Loving-kindness (Metta): This is the wish for all sentient beings to be happy.
• Compassion (Karuna): This is the wish for all sentient beings to be free from suffering.
• Sympathetic Joy (Mudita): This is the feeling of joy in the joy of others, and the wish for all sentient beings to have the causes of happiness.
• Equanimity (Upekkha): This is the balanced state of mind, free from bias, attachment, and aversion, and the wish for all sentient beings to be free from bias, attachment, and aversion.

These practices are considered immeasurable because they are directed towards all beings without exception, and because the positive states of mind they induce are considered to be boundlessly beneficial.

"The Four Immeasurables are considered immeasurable because they are directed towards all beings without exception, and because the positive states of mind they induce are considered to be boundlessly beneficial."