Cattāri Brahmavihārā

For some time now I have been watching my mouth and my thoughts to ensure that I don’t let slip any lamentations or complaints. I’m not always successful but I feel that I have dramatically improved the quality of my speech. However, I have been noticing a funny thing has begun to occur: I am silently judging others for their inability to restrain themselves from complaint.

Even though it must be said that talking to Facebook to lament the weather, one’s day or anything else is not a productive use of one’s time, it is surely the case that passing judgement on anyone who does so is even worse. And, what is this criticism but a complaint about someone else’s behavior anyway?

If I truly want to live by a code that eschews complaint in favor of action and appreciation, I need to start to catching the mind as it moves towards criticism. Besides, none of these other people have ever made the determination to give up complaint so it’s silly to even judge them by such standards.