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Practice of Brahmavihāra in Theravāda Buddhism
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is not only sympathetic or appreciating joy but also the quality of heart that can make one happy at the prosperity of others as his own.
“Gladness is characterized as gladdening (produced by others' successes). Its function resides in being unen vious. It is manifested as the elimination ofaversion (boredom), its proximate cause is seeing being successes. It succeeds when it makes aversion (boredom) subside, and it fail in when it produces merriment”!?.
In fact, to express Muditãto others is to get peace or happiness to oneself. Because a person who has the heart full of aversion with others' successes, he cannot get peace in his life. There are many people who are trembled with the prosperity of others. They could not bear their feeling; envy them because they cannot see that they are good and famous in society. Therefore, the purpose of Muditā is to demolish the aversion or boredom from mind. That is possible only by practicing Mudita repeatedly again, so that mind will be attuned to Muditā. Upekkhā
The term Upekkha means looking at things impartially. Upekkhā views an object with a balanced mind. Upekkhā is, therefore, a condition which arises inside of human's feelings. It is "to view impartially, that is, with neither attachment nor aversion”18. By Upekkhă, we can understand not merely indifference but perfect equanimity or the well-balanced mind. This state is settled and does not get itself disturbed whatever may be the circumstances. The significance of this fourth sublime state is well expounded thus:
“And how does 'a Bhikkhu dwell pervading one direction with his heart endued with equanimity? Just as he would feel equanimity on seeing on a person who unbeloved, so the pervades all with equanimity"
Upekkha is a neutral condition or a balanced state of mind. It discards clinging and aversion, it is the impartial attitude looking at all beings equally.
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