"The Lord Buddha singles out four mental qualities as important for cultivation. He describes them as noble, lofty, and sublime and strongly encourages their development. They can transform our lives and the world giving beauty, joy, and meaning.
"What are these four mental factors? They are love, compassion, sympathetic joy and equanimity. Yes, to love all beings equally without discrimination; to be compassionate to all; to rejoice at the happiness and success of others; and to be even-minded, steady, or equanimous in facing the vicissitudes of life. Oh, how wonderful if we but can live in this manner, and how much better and happier the world will be!
"In this booklet, Venerable Nyanaponika Thera explores with his sharp and incisive mind the various aspects of the four mental factors and shows us how they can be applied and practiced in our daily life.
"Nyanaponika Thera (1901-1994), a German Jew, was one of the most highly respected Buddhist scholar monks in modern times. One of the founding members of the Buddhist Publication Society (BPS), Kandy, Sri Lanka, he was renowned for his many important Buddhist writings the now classic 'The Heart of Buddhist Meditation.'"
NOTE: The foregoing paragraphs are quoted from the introduction to an online edition of The Four Sublime States, published by Inward Path, Penang, Malaysia. The booklet can be read in its entirety at: The Four Sublime States (pdf)
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