Muditā Bhāvanā

Muditā is the genuine happiness one experiences upon seeing others’ success. If one does not feel envy having seen others righteously gain wealth and property,and instead develops appreciative joy, he or she is said to have muditā. When others around us gain fame and praise, succeed in education, or grow in beauty, we should be happy for them. If one develops jealousy instead, then one must suppress such evil thoughts, eradicate such defiled thoughts and develop altruistic joy.

 

The Buddha said that developing appreciative joy helps eliminate ‘arati’, which is developing displeasure in wholesome activities. In order to develop concentration, muditā meditation can be practiced as appamāna (infinite) and mahaggata (great) following the same approach as explained under mettā meditation. As explained below, one may practice muditā meditation based on mahaggata ceto vimutti:

 

1. May I grow in lifespan; may I grow in power; may I grow in beauty; may I grow in pleasure; may I grow in fame; may I grow in praise; and may I grow in wisdom.
2. As I wish for myself, may everyone in this house grow in lifespan; may they grow in power; may they grow in beauty; may they grow in pleasure; may they grow in fame; may they grow in praise; and may they grow in wisdom.
3. As I wish for myself, may everyone in this village grow in lifespan; may they grow in power; may they grow in beauty; may they grow in pleasure; may they grow in fame; may they grow in praise; and may they grow in wisdom.
4. As I wish for myself, may everyone in this city grow in lifespan; may they grow in power; may they grow in beauty; may they grow in pleasure; may they grow in fame; may they grow in praise; and may they grow in wisdom.
5. As I wish for myself, may everyone in this province grow in lifespan; may they grow in power; may they grow in beauty; may they grow in pleasure; may they grow in fame; may they grow in praise; and may they grow in wisdom.
6. As I wish for myself, may everyone in this country grow in lifespan; may they grow in power; may they grow in beauty; may they grow in pleasure; may they grow in fame; may they grow in praise; and may they grow in wisdom.
7. As I wish for myself, may everyone in this world grow in lifespan; may they grow in power; may they grow in beauty; may they grow in pleasure; may they grow in fame; may they grow in praise; and may they grow in wisdom.
8. As I wish for myself, may all beings grow in lifespan; may they grow in power; may they grow in beauty; may they grow in pleasure; may they grow in fame; may they grow in praise; and may they grow in wisdom.

 

Below is the way to practice muditā meditation based on appamāna ceto vimutti.

 

1. May I grow in lifespan; may I grow in power; may I grow in beauty; may I grow in pleasure; may I grow in fame; may I grow in praise; and may I grow in wisdom.
2. May all beings in the North grow in lifespan; may they grow in power; may they grow in beauty; may they grow in pleasure; may they grow in fame; may they grow in praise; and may they grow in wisdom.
3. May all beings in the Northeast grow in lifespan; may they grow in power; may they grow in beauty; may they grow in pleasure; may they grow in fame; may they grow in praise; and may they grow in wisdom.
4. May all beings in the East grow in lifespan; may they grow in power; may they grow in beauty; may they grow in pleasure; may they grow in fame; may they grow in praise; and may they grow in wisdom.
5. May all beings in the Southeast grow in lifespan; may they grow in power; may they grow in beauty; may they grow in pleasure; may they grow in fame; may they grow in praise; and may they grow in wisdom.
6. May all beings in the South grow in lifespan; may they grow in power; may they grow in beauty; may they grow in pleasure; may they grow in fame; may they grow in praise; and may they grow in wisdom.
7. May all beings in the Southwest grow in lifespan; may they grow in power; may they grow in beauty; may they grow in pleasure; may they grow in fame; may they grow in praise; and may they grow in wisdom.
8. May all beings in the West grow in lifespan; may they grow in power; may they grow in beauty; may they grow in pleasure; may they grow in fame; may they grow in praise; and may they grow in wisdom.
9. May all beings in the Northwest grow in lifespan; may they grow in power; may they grow in beauty; may they grow in pleasure; may they grow in fame; may they grow in praise; and may they grow in wisdom.
10. May all beings in the direction above grow in lifespan; may they grow in power; may they grow in beauty; may they grow in pleasure; may they grow in fame; may they grow in praise; and may they grow in wisdom.
11. May all beings in the direction below grow in lifespan; may they grow in power; may they grow in beauty; may they grow in pleasure; may they grow in fame; may they grow in praise; and may they grow in wisdom.