Cattāri Brahmavihārā

(21 reflections for solitary and communal practice)

1. Accept all phenomena as they are.
   See body, feelings, mind, and dhammas as impermanent (anicca), unsatisfactory (dukkha), and not-self (anattā).
2. Do not seek pleasure for its own sake.
   Abandon craving for sense pleasures (kāma-taṇhā), delighting instead in the joy of renunciation.
3. Rely on full awareness, not on passing moods.
   Base actions on mindfulness (sati) and wisdom (paññā), not on fleeting likes or dislikes.
4. Think lightly of self and deeply of the Dhamma.
   Set aside pride and self-importance; contemplate dependent origination and the welfare of all beings.
5. Remain detached from desire throughout life.
   Cultivate contentment and the Noble Eightfold Path as your true treasure.
6. Let go of regret by making amends and resolving anew.
   Acknowledge unwholesome acts, purify through Right Effort, and do not cling to remorse.
7. Be free from jealousy.
   Rejoice in others’ virtue and success (muditā).
8. Meet separations with understanding.
   Reflect on impermanence and maintain loving-kindness even in loss.
9. Do not harbor resentment or complain.
   Practice patience (khanti) and speak only words that lead to harmony.
10. Guard the mind from lust and clinging love.
    Nurture loving-kindness without attachment; let compassion guide relationships.
11. Favor no thing with craving.
    See all conditioned things as equal in emptiness, free of grasping.
12. Be at home everywhere and nowhere.
    Dwell content whether in forest, village, or city; let the mind be your true dwelling.
13. Eat with mindfulness, not indulgence.
    Take food as medicine to sustain the body for practice.
14. Let go of what is not needed.
    Live simply, owning little, generous in giving.
15. Examine traditions with wisdom.
    Follow what accords with Dhamma, not mere custom or hearsay.
16. Train with the true weapons of the Noble Path.
    Replace swords with the sharpness of mindfulness, the shield of virtue, and the spear of wisdom.
17. Contemplate death without fear.
    Remember mortality (maraṇasati) to deepen urgency and clarity.
18. Seek no wealth or security for old age.
    Place trust in the fruit of wholesome kamma and the refuge of the Triple Gem.
19. Honor the Buddha, Dhamma, and Saṅgha without clinging.
    Respect and rely on them for guidance, not as objects of superstition.
20. Care for the body, yet prize integrity above it.
    Guard virtue even at the cost of comfort or life.
21. Never stray from the Way of liberation.
    Walk steadily on the Noble Eightfold Path until Nibbāna is realized.