A personal blog by a graying (mostly Anglo with light African-American roots) gay left leaning liberal progressive married college-educated Buddhist Baha'i BBC/NPR-listening Professor Emeritus now following the Dharma in Minas Gerais, Brasil.
Tuesday, January 9, 2024
Via Dhamma Wheel | Right Intention: Cultivating Appreciative Joy
Whatever you intend,
whatever you plan, and whatever you have a tendency toward will become
the basis on which your mind is established. (SN 12.40) Develop
meditation on appreciative joy, for when you develop meditation on
appreciative joy, any discontent will be abandoned. (MN 62)
The characteristic of appreciative joy is gladdening produced by the success of others. (Vm 9.93)
Reflection
Appreciative joy is the neglected brahma-vihara,
or sublime state of mind, less well known than its siblings
lovingkindness, compassion, and equanimity. As we see from this
definition, it serves as an antidote to discontent. When feeling good
about someone else, you cannot at the same time feel bad about yourself.
While feeling joy in appreciation of the good fortune of others might
feel forced at first, it can gradually become a habit of mind.
Daily Practice
Look for
opportunities to notice when good things are happening to other people
and extend good wishes to those people rather than jealousy or
resentment. Celebrate the good fortune of even strangers and be happy
for them. Joy and gladness are both rare and precious, and celebrating
others' good fortune is an easy way to access those feelings on a
regular basis. Even if things are not going well for you, you can share
in the happiness of others. Try it and see for yourself.
Tomorrow: Refraining from Harsh Speech One week from today: Cultivating Equanimity
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