“If we really know how to live, what better way to start the day than with a smile? Our smile affirms our awareness and determination to live in peace and joy. The source of a true smile is an awakened mind. If in our daily life we can smile, if we can be peaceful and happy, not only we, but everyone will profit from it.” Thich Nhat Hanh

Joy in Buddhism is defined as sympathetic or vicarious joy. It is the pleasure that comes from delighting in another’s well-being. Buddhist teachers interpret joy more broadly as an inner spring of infinite joy that is available to everyone at all times, regardless of circumstances. To show joy is to celebrate happiness and achievement of others even when we are facing tragedy ourselves. The traditional example of this is the attitude of a parent observing a growing child’s accomplishments and successes. Sympathetic joy is a pure joy; unadulterated by self-interest. When we can be joyful in the happiness of others, it is called sympathetic joy; the opposite word is envy or greed.

Three Poisons Plus One:

Greed, anger and ignorance leads to our suffering: Greed + Anger + Ignorance = Suffering. There are two approaches when dealing with these feelings. The first approach is to remove the negatives from your life. The second approach is to add something positive to your life. For example, if you have an infection, you can either remove the infected area or you can take antibiotics. We call this the antidote approach.

Four Antidotes:

The Buddha taught his monks to arouse four states of mind, called the “four divine states of dwelling.” These four states are sometimes called the “Four Immeasurables” or the “Four Perfect Virtues.” The four states are: Sympathetic Joy, Loving Kindness, Compassion and Equanimity. These four states are also interrelated and support each other.

Sympathetic Joy is also traditionally regarded as the most difficult to cultivate of the “Four Immeasurables” (“Four Sublime Attitudes”). Sympathetic Joy is taking sympathetic or altruistic joy in the happiness of others. People also identify Sympathetic Joy with empathy. The cultivation of Sympathetic Joy is an antidote to envy and jealousy. Sympathetic Joy is not discussed in Buddhist literature nearly as much as Loving Kindness and Compassion, but some teachers believe the cultivation of Sympathetic Joy is a prerequisite for developing Loving Kindness and Compassion. This is an antidote for Greed.

The importance of Loving Kindness in Buddhism cannot be overstated. Loving Kindness is benevolence toward all beings, without discrimination or selfish attachment. This is an antidote for Anger. According to the Loving Kindness Sutta, a Buddhist should cultivate for all beings the same love a mother would feel for her child. This love does not discriminate between benevolent people and malicious people. It is a love in which “I” and “you” disappear, and where there is no possessor and nothing to possess.

Compassion is active sympathy extended to all sentient beings. Ideally, Compassion is wisdom in action, which leads to the realization that all sentient beings exist in relationship to one another and derive their identity from each other. This is an antidote for Ignorance.

Equanimity is a mind in balance, free of discrimination and rooted in insight. This balance is not indifference, but active mindfulness. Because it is rooted in the insight of No-Self, it is not unbalanced by the passions of attraction and aversion. This is an antidote for Suffering.

“Here, monks, a disciple dwells pervading the entire world everywhere and equally with his heart filled with Sympathetic Joy, Loving Kindness, Compassion, and Equanimity; abundant, grown great, measureless, free from enmity and free from distress.” The Buddha, Digha Nikaya

Practice:

It’s important to understand that these mental states are not emotions. Nor is it possible to simply make up your mind you are going to be loving, compassionate, empathetic and balanced from now on. Truly dwelling in these four states requires changing how you experience and perceive yourself and others. Loosening the bonds of self-reference and ego is especially important. Many Buddhist traditions cultivate these four states through meditative practice. Our tradition practices gratitude through Namuamidabutsu. Gratitude encompasses all Four Antidotes.

“The more deeply one drinks of this spring, the more securely one becomes in one’s own abundant happiness, the more bountiful it becomes to relish the joy of other people.” A Journey into Buddhism by Elizabeth J. Harris

Namuamidabutsu, Rev Jon Turner