“By cultivating attitudes of friendliness toward the happy, compassion for the unhappy, delight in the virtuous and disregard toward the wicked, the mind-stuff retains its undisturbed calmness.”
–The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali
Maitri Karuna Muditopeksanam Sukha Duhkha Punyapunya Visayanam Bhavanatas Citta Prasadanam
Maitri: friendliness | Karuna: compassion | Mudita: delight | Upeksa: discard | Anam: of these four | Sukha: Happy | Duhkha: unhappy/suffering | Punya: virtuous | Apunya: wicked | Visaya: in the domain | Anam: of the four, with respect to the previous four | Bhavanatah (bhavanatas): cultivating the attitudes | Citta: mind-stuff | Prasadanam: undisturbed calmness
Be kind to those who are fortunate and experiencing luck and happiness at any point in their life. Have compassion for those who are suffering and/or in pain. Find joy in the presence and existence of those who are morally fit and upstanding individuals who follow the path of righteousness. And, lastly, but definitely not least, pay little to no attention to bad-minded, evil, and wicked people. This is the key to maintaining an undisturbed and calm mind in life that will keep you on track and undisturbed as you move toward your goal of Self-Realization.
Instead of suffering from judgmental and distorted view from and about others, concerning yourself with their lives, and their ways of being and living in the world (which often has nothing to do with you, your happiness, or your destination in life–no matter how convincing this may, or may not, be at any given point in time), work to instead cultivate an internal state that is calm and equanimous, and stay focused on what really matters in the end: your own connection to the Source and Creator, which is something that ultimately has nothing to do with anyone else at its core.
Why?
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Here is something to always remember as you move forward on your path:
Don’t hate: Congratulate, and celebrate with, those who are happy/fortunate/successful, have compassion and empathy for those who are suffering and in pain, be grateful for those who are virtuous, and believe that others who behave in evil ways can overcome their hatred and nastiness, but never be attached to whether they do or do not. Simply remain calm and centered as you peacefully walk your path in life. In the same way, that others must walk their own paths in the temporary and circumstantial plane of life on Earth, so must you. Stay focused, and always remember that we are all unique aspects of the same eternal Source and Creator. You are not here to judge anyone, including yourself. The only thing worth doing here is returning back to your pure nature as eternal, unchanging, Love.
