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śramaņa, Vol 59, No.4/October-December 2008
compassionate person lives not for himself but for others. He tries to find the chance or an opportunity to work for others and expects nothing in return. He never wants even the fame or praising from whom he helps. He spreads his compassion in the entire direction from where he dwells'3.
Muditā
The term Muditā is derived from Pāli root Modanti, which is associated itself with the gladness or Modanā meaning the mere act of being glad; therefore, Muditā can be defined as gladness. In other words, the kind of feeling that a person gets when he is happy with the progress and prosperity of others is called Muditā or gladness!4. Muditā is the state of happiness at the sight of the welfare of others without jealousy. Gladness or sympathetic joy is more concerned with oneself than with others because it will destroy the jealousy within oneself. Negatively, it helps not to hinder the progress and welfare of others. Muditâ, though initially difficult to attain, can be practiced by habit. It can also be cultivated by all kinds of people. Thus is shown the possibility of practicing of Muditā:
“And how does a Bhikkhu dwell pervading one direction with his heart endued with gladness? Just as he would be glad on seeing a dear and beloved person, so he pervades all beings with gladness”S.
That is the very reason why individuals and groups have to practice the sympathetic joy. They can sublimate themselves and be internally happy within themselves. One can make up one's mind happy with the prosperity of others than he can make the society happy. Muditā influences all the prosperous beings and it is the congratulatory attitude of a person. It tends to eliminate any dislike towards a successful person.
The chief characteristic of Muditā as pointed out by Nárada Mahāthera, “is happy acquiescence in others' prosperity and successes (Anumodanā). Muditā embraces all prosperous beings. It eliminates dislike (Arati) and is congratulatory attitude of a person”16. Muditā
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