mudita: pervading rays of mudita swerving around unworthy beings, and other Vism. apologist arguments

 

https://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?p=687102#p687102

Johann wrote: ↑Fri Jul 29, 2022 3:18 am...

I can instantly generate mudita contemplating the meaning and beauty in the Buddha's dharma, and pervade that energy in all directions or toward specific beings.

That's merely sharing merits, which is great and good, yet isn't mudita-brahmavihara, good householder.

Similar pattern is made by citing dedication of merits, and metta.

What energy? Those are thoughts, and evaluations. It's not a feeling that one spreads, by it's gain of pamojja (feeling), by surrender, letting go, give peace, by verbalized thoughs of appreciation.
...

frankk:
What's the phrase people usually use when sharing merits?
The word 'anumodana', appears in there. Rejoicing.
anu-modana = continuous modati = pamojja (pa-modati) = mudita.


If Vism. can twist such a versatile mudita into a very specific 'non jealousy at others joy regardless of whether it's kusala or not',
why would you be so nitpicky about sharing merits of appreciating True Dharma as 'not mudita'?
Is gratitude at someone doing a great favor for you also not mudita?
Or the joy that arises for forgiving someone, or a group of beings? That's not mudita?
If we assume the 4 brahmaviharas cover the full range of positive emotions,
then surely Vism. can't be right in making mudita so narrow and specific. Where would all the other joys that arise from skillful Dharmas fall under?

Good idea to recommend Thanissaro's teachings on the subject of brahmaviharas, highly recommended for everyone.
I've read probably most of his articles on the topic before, but reading it again yesterday was a well worthwhile. Repeated study of good teachings, leads to more depth of understanding, picking up new nuances we didn't notice before, or had forgotten.

At the same time, I would also highly recommend people not pay any attention to vism.'s teaching on the 4bv.
It's got serious problems, is seriously misleading, will leave you more confused than you were before.
Vimuttimagga, which Vism. is based on, is far better, though it still has some problems that don't quite fit with EBT, IMO.






Re: Mudita (as one of 4 brahma-vihara): What is it exactly? Vism. is absolutely wrong

Post by frank k » Mon Aug 01, 2022 1:55 am
So you're saying if you see a serial killer murdering people and enjoying it,
your response is you rejoice in their joy. That may be what you do, and what vism. supports (or doesn't actively reject as Vimutiimagga does), but I see no sutta passages that would endorse that.

4bv was a pre Buddhist practice, but any time a non Buddhist practice gets assimilated, it becomes subservient to the Dhamma, and is not exempt from the Buddha's Dhamma.
4bv practiced by non Buddhists, practiced correctly, leads to brahma realm rebirth, but after that rebirth they fall to lower realms (animal or hell).
4bv practiced by buddhists practicing, leads to brahma realm rebirth as an ariya (AN 4.125, 4.126).
So clearly right view becomes part of anything subsumed into Buddhism.
That means mudita is subservient to right view.
You can not rejoice in a serial killer murdering people and enjoying it, simply for their joy, non judgmental and disregarding the source of their joy.

Restricting one's mudita rejoicing to only activities where joy was derived from skillful Dharmic activities, does not have to exclude any beings.
For example, every living being, in their past or future lives, have done some skillful dharmic activities. You can rejoice in that, then pervade the 8 directions with that energy and mind state, without giving special instructions to have your mudita rays miss and avoid serial killers.