Cattāri Brahmavihārā

Today is an uposatha observance day and I am lucky enough to be able to observe. Of course, due to my purist character and absolutist ways, I have already disappointed myself at least once today (I sung the lines of a song for my son to help him get a piece he’s been practicing) but I’m doubly fortunate to have this place to confess it.

Anyway, I picked up one of a bunch of TY Lee books that a venerable sent me (I have bunch to give away if anyone one’s interested and will even pay shipping to you) and was reading the section devoted to his analysis of the Sigalovada Sutta which is the lay sutta par excellence. At one point in the sutta,I the Lord Buddha compares Sigalo’s obeisance to the compass directions to the six relationships or persons to whom we should give our repect, concern and devotion. With some license on my part they are basically as follows:

Parents and Children
Students and Teachers
Husband and Wife
Friends and Associates
Employers and Employees
Spiritual Teachers and Disciples

For some reason, as I read this today I had the idea to use each of these six relationships as a subject for metta rather than the traditional, commentarial categories. It struck me that most of my quotidian experience is involved intimately with and is, in fact, constituted by just these relationships so why not bring metta to bear purposefully upon them. And, although I was assailed by drowsiness during my sit I am inspired to continue with the experiment nonetheless.  May this be of benefit and may we all be grateful to those who have shown us the Path. Sukhita hontu!