Our intentions plant the seeds for both happiness and suffering. Buddhist teachings offer four sublime seeds for the cultivation of true happiness. They are called the Divine Abodes; loving-kindness; compassion; joy/gladness (in the happiness of others); and equanimity.
I would like to offer a meditation on the mental quality of joy for your consideration. Joy (gladness) in a spiritual practice prevents us from getting stuck in the difficulties of life. Without joy practice can become dry, heavy and sometimes quite intellectual or philosophical. The practice of Appreciative Joy in the good fortune of others allows us opportunities to celebrate happiness and experience joy.
The word joy/gladness in Pali language is mudita, which translates to a “sense of happiness from a tender heart”. It is often a neglected practice possibly because we don’t take the time to share in the joy of others.
There are many ways we can encounter joy. Consider how fortunate we are to live in a place and time where we can hear these teachings. We live in a place with many freedoms, adequate food, clothing and shelter. How fortunate we are! Think about this for a moment. Right now do you feel threatened? What about greed and craving? What does it feel like to be free of these at this moment?
Similar to meditations on loving-kindness there are meditations to generate and encourage joy. The great 6th century Buddhist monk Buddhagosa made suggestions for this meditation in his masterful work Visuddhimagga. He suggests not using a romantic partner or someone who has died.
The Meditation.
Sit in a quiet place with straight back and hands on your lap or legs. Settle your breath and breathe normally. Notice the sensations of the in-breath and out-breath as the air enters the nose. Notice the cool sensation of air on in breath and the warm quality of the out breath. Sit for a few minutes and notice how simple it is to breathe. Now notice how different each breath is; some are longer; some are shorter; some are smooth; some are coarse. Spend a few minutes with this. Now see if you can stay with the in breath and out breath for one breath; then another. If your mind moves to a thought, a noise, a sensation you may become lost in these for a while. That’s what mind does! When you realize you’ve wandered just come back to the breath without comments and judgments. This is mindfulness. Now let the breath calm on its own until it is settled and peaceful. Breath is calm- mind is calm.
Now call to mind a friend or acquaintance and recall some recent event in their life that has made them happy. It often involves some small aspect of their life but it has given rise to their happiness. Picture their face with a smile of joy. Now call to mind the following words and let the words come from your heart center.
Repeat these words to yourself as you visualize the person. You can compose your own words if you like.
“May your happiness continue”
“May your happiness and success be a source of joy”
“May your joy continue and be a cause for joy in those around you.
Say these words to yourself and repeat them. If you are distracted and your mind wanders repeat the phrases as a way to bring your attention back to the present moment. When you are almost finished with your meditation time say the following:
“May my happiness continue”
“May my happiness and success be a source of joy”
“May my joy continue and be a cause for joy in those around me”
and finally to end the meditation repeat the following directed toward our loved ones and all beings;
“May the happiness of those I love and all beings continue”
“May their happiness and success be a source of joy”
“May their joy continue and be a cause their happiness”
Let the phrases dissolve into your heart space.
Rest in this space of peace and joy in the happiness of others until your sitting time is finished.
This meditation is less about directly developing joy than about breaking down the barriers between “self” and others. When these barriers fall we naturally live from our innate “joyful” and kind heart, which is our birthright, our “original goodness”, our Buddha nature.
May you be well, happy, joyful and at peace. Floyd
