The Four Immeasurables: Compassion, Joy, and Selfless Giving

Teachings from Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju, recorded and transcribed by Namo Amituofo’s disciple, Venerable HaiZe.

On the second of August, 2024, during the first session of the Thrice Yearning Ceremony, Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju provided essential guidance on the Four Immeasurables. These four qualities are the bedrock of a practitioner's spiritual life, guiding us from the depths of confusion toward the light of awakening.

The Boundless Radiance of the Four Immeasurables

The Four Immeasurables—Compassion, Joy, and Selfless Giving—are the boundless states of mind that every practitioner must cultivate. When we embody these virtues, we bring immense benefit not only to ourselves but to all beings in the heavens and on earth. By practising these, we align our lives with the higher realms of existence. The four aspects are:

• Boundless Loving-Kindness: The heart that wishes to bring true happiness to all beings.
• Boundless Compassion: The heart that seeks to rescue all beings from their suffering.
• Boundless Joy: The heart that rejoices in the goodness and liberation of others.
• Boundless Selfless Giving: The heart that is capable of letting go of all attachments.

Each of these qualities serves as a powerful remedy to counteract the sources of our pain and sorrow. When we cultivate these, the benefits we receive are immeasurable, and the positive impact we have on the world around us is equally vast.

Dissolving the Shadows of the Afflicted Mind

The minds of sentient beings are often obscured by deep layers of confusion and various afflictions. We are frequently trapped by the Five Poisons—Greed, Anger, Ignorance, Arrogance, and Doubt—as well as the Five Desires: wealth, lust, fame, food, and sleep. However, when one encounters a person who possesses a boundless heart of joy, these dark clouds can be pierced and broken.

The quality of Selfless Giving is particularly profound. It is the ability to let go of everything that ordinary beings cling to so tightly. By practising this, we learn to release the causes that lead to the Three Evil Realms, thereby ensuring that we do not reap the bitter fruits of such paths. When we let go completely, we attain a state of profound emptiness, freedom, and inner coolness. This is the true liberation of the spirit.

Embodying the Virtues of the Awakened

Those who have realised their true nature naturally possess these Four Immeasurables. For those who have attained Buddhahood, these qualities are not merely practices but are the very essence of their being. Compassion, Joy, and Selfless Giving represent the true capacity of the heart. They are the marks of a wise person who is capable of embracing others with an open and inclusive mind.

These virtues are not meant to be reserved for special occasions; they are the internal character and moral conduct that should define our natural state of being. Whether we are in the midst of our daily routines or interacting with others in the world, we must strive to embody these qualities. People are naturally drawn to those who radiate such warmth and selflessness.

The fourfold assembly of disciples must take these teachings to heart. We must practise them diligently and manifest them in every action we take. By doing so, we walk the path of the wise and move ever closer to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.

Namo Amituofo