Four Great Fields of Empathy · From the Heart of Buddha
⁘ “From the Buddha: Goodwill, compassion, delight and equanimity. Sorrow for the sorrow of others. Joy for the joy of others. Broad spectrum goodwill. Detached equanimity. Infinite fields of awareness beyond your self-imposed limits.”
Speaking of deeper, broader, more universal compassion and kindness,
it's hard not to touch on the Buddhist teachings on the same.
In the original Pali: Metta, Karuna, Mudita and Upekkha.
Goodwill, compassion, delight and equanimity.
Really there are no standard translations.
Such are the limits of language.
They need not be the limits of our awareness.
Starting with compassion,
Karuna, at its heart – sorrow for the sorrow of others.
At the positive flip side, we have delight, really "co-delight",
Mudita – joy for the joy of others.
Beyond that, we have Metta or Maitri,
variously translated as universal goodwill, loving kindness, etc.
Maitra really literally means friendship,
companionship or partnership.
Then, with this universal goodwill,
we really are gazing from the broadest of perspectives.
Then, at the other side, we have Upekkha or equanimity.
As they plant with their intention, so they shall reap.
Let them live and learn.
Rise beyond your selfish self-imposed limits.
There you will find your heart of compassion
and the infinite fields of benevolent abiding.