RIGHT INTENTION
Cultivating Lovingkindness
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Whatever you intend,
whatever you plan, and whatever you have a tendency toward, that will
become the basis upon which your mind is established. (SN 12.40) Develop
meditation on lovingkindness, for when you develop meditation on
lovingkindness, all ill will will be abandoned. (MN 62)
The purpose of lovingkindness is warding off ill will. (Vm 9.97)
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Our capacity
for lovingkindness is one of the great resources we have as human
beings. Yes, we can be nasty and feel ill will toward one another, but
this can always be replaced by lovingkindness, at least in principle.
Learning how to do this is both a challenge and an opportunity. Here we
are told that if we are able to arouse and maintain a feeling of
kindness, our minds will be immune, at least for the time being, from
all aversion.
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Practice
lovingkindness, if only as a protection from ill will. It is easy to get
annoyed, to be bothered by people and things, to be surly and sour as
you go through the day. But this is unhealthy, does not feel good, and
infects the people around you. Look instead at others with goodwill and
benevolence and kindness, even if this is difficult to do. You will not
only release ill will toward others but also shield yourself from
others' ill will toward you.
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Tomorrow: Refraining from False Speech
One week from today: Cultivating Compassion
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