THOUGHT OF THE DAY TO YOUR LIFE FROM BUDDHISM(SOURCE-VIEW ON BUDDHISM WEB SITE)

The four immeasurable, also known as the Brahma Viharas (Skt.) are found in one brief and beautiful prayer:

May all sentient beings have happiness and its causes,
May all sentient beings be free of suffering and its causes,
May all sentient beings never be separated from bliss without suffering,
May all sentient beings be in equanimity, free of bias, attachment and anger.

The Buddha taught the following to his son Rahula (from "Old path white clouds" by Thich Nhat Hahn): 

"Rahula, practice loving kindness to overcome anger. Loving kindness has the capacity to bring happiness to others without demanding anything in return.
Practice compassion to overcome cruelty. Compassion has the capacity to remove the suffering of others without expecting anything in return.
Practice sympathetic joy to overcome hatred. Sympathetic joy arises when one rejoices over the happiness of others and wishes others well-being and success.
Practice non-attachment to overcome prejudice. Non-attachment is the way of looking at all things openly and equally. This is because that is. Myself and others are not separate. Do not reject one thing only to chase after another.
I call these the four immeasurables. Practice them and you will become a refreshing source of vitality and happiness for others."

If you are interested in meditating on these and many other subjects, see the List of Sample Meditations.

LOVE

The definition of love in Buddhism is: wanting others to be happy.
This love is unconditional and it requires a lot of courage and acceptance (including self-acceptance).
The "near enemy" of love, or a quality which appears similar, but is more an opposite is: conditional love (selfish love, see also the page on attachment).
The opposite is wanting others to be unhappy: anger, hatred.
A result which one needs to avoid is: attachment.

This definition means that 'love' in Buddhism refers to something quite different from the ordinary term of love which is usually about attachment, more or less successful relationships and sex; all of which are rarely without self-interest. Instead, in Buddhism it refers to de-tachment and the unselfish interest in others' welfare.

'Even offering three hundred bowls of food three times a day does not match the spiritual merit gained in one moment of love.'
Nagarjuna

"If there is love, there is hope that one may have real families, real brotherhood, real equanimity, real peace. If the love within your mind is lost and you see other beings as enemies, then no matter how much knowledge or education or material comfort you have, only suffering and confusion will ensue"
His Holiness the Dalai Lama from 'The little book of Buddhism'

Attachment and love are similar in that both of them draw us to the other person. But in fact, these two emotions are quite different. When we’re attached we’re drawn to someone because he or she meets our needs. In addition, there are lots of strings attached to our affection that we may or may not realize are there. For example, I “love” you because you make me feel good. I “love” you as long as you do things that I approve of. I “love” you because you’re mine. You’re my spouse or my child or my parent or my friend. With attachment, we go up and down like a yo-yo, depending on how the other person treats us. We obsess, “What do they think of me? Do they love me? Have I offended them? How can I become what they want me to be so that they love me even more?” It’s not very peaceful, is it? We’re definitely stirred up.
On the other hand, the love we’re generating on the Dharma path is unconditional. We simply want other to have happiness and the causes of happiness without any strings attached, without any expectations of what these people will do for us or how good they’ll make us feel.
Don’t Believe Everything You Think: Living with Wisdom and Compassion, by Thubten Chodron

COMPASSION

The definition is: wanting others to be free from suffering.
This compassion happens when one feels sorry with someone, and one feels an urge to help.
The near enemy is pity, which keeps other at a distance, and does not urge one to help.
The opposite is wanting others to suffer, or cruelty.
A result which one needs to avoid is sentimentality.
Compassion thus refers to an unselfish, de-tached emotion which gives one a sense of urgency in wanting to help others. From a Buddhist perspective, helping others to reduce their physical or mental suffering is very good, but the ultimate goal is to extinguish all suffering by stopping the process of rebirth and the suffering that automatically comes with living by reaching enlightenment.

The attitude of a so-called Bodhisattva is Bodhicitta: this is the ultimate compassionate motivation: the wish to liberate all sentient beings from the sufferings of cyclic existence and to become a fully enlightened Buddha oneself in order to act as the perfect guide for them. Actually, this could well be the most honorable and idealistic motivation possible.

(See also the page on compassion.)

SYMPATHETIC JOY

The definition is: being happy with someone's fortune/happiness. Sympathetic joy here refers to the potential of bliss and happiness of all sentient beings, as they can all become Buddhas.
The near enemy is hypocrisy or affectation.
The opposite is jealousy, when one cannot accept the happiness of others.
A result which one needs to avoid is: spaced-out bliss, which can easily turn into laziness.
Note: sympathetic joy is a great antidote to depression for oneself as well, but this should not be the main goal.
By rejoicing in others' progress on the spiritual path, one can actually share in their positive karma.
Sympathetic joy is an unselfish, very positive mental attitude which is beneficial for oneself and others. In this case, it also refers specifically to rejoicing in the high rebirth and enlightenment of others.

EQUANIMITY

Equanimity in Buddhism means to have a clear-minded tranquil state of mind - not being overpowered by delusions, mental dullness or agitation. For example, with equanimity we do not distinguish between friend, enemy or stranger, but regard every sentient being as equal.
The near enemy is indifference. It is tempting to think that just 'not caring' is equanimity, but that is just a form of egotism, where we only care about ourselves.
The opposite of equanimity is anxiety, worry, stress and paranoia caused by dividing people into 'good' and 'bad'; one can worry forever if a good friend may not be a bad person after all, and thus spoiling trust and friendship.
A result which one needs to avoid is apathy as a result of 'not caring'.
Equanimity is the basis for unconditional, altruistic love, compassion and joy for other's happiness and Bodhicitta.
When we discriminate between friends and enemies, how can we ever want to help all sentient beings?
Equanimity is an unselfish, de-tached state of mind which also prevents one from doing negative actions.

"If one tries to befriend an enemy for a moment, he becomes your friend.
The same thing occurs when one treats a friend as an enemy.
Therefore, by understanding the impermanence of temporal relations,
Wise ones are never attached to food, clothing or reputation, nor to friends or enemies.

The father becomes the son in another life,
Mother becomes the wife,
Enemy becomes friend;
It always changes.
Therefore there is nothing definite in samsara."
The Buddha

"The foundation for practicing the seven-point cause and effect method is cultivating a mind of equanimity. Without this foundation you will not be able to have an impartial altruistic view, because without equanimity you will always have partiality towards your relatives and friends. Realize that you should not have prejudice, hatred, or desire towards enemies, friends, or neutral persons, thus lay a very firm foundation of equanimity."
His Holiness the Dalai Lama, from 'Path to Bliss: A Practical Guide to Stages of Meditation'

It is said that the awareness of a Buddha is completely even, like the ocean, taking in equally the joys and sorrows of all people, friends, loved ones, relatives, and those never met. This is the meaning of a statement made by so many of the world's great spiritual teachers,
"Love your enemy."
It doesn't mean love the person you hate. You can't do that. Love those who hate you.

Total Number Of Dengue Patients Reported This Year Has Exceeded Last Year's Figure

The total number of Dengue Patients reported throughout the island this year up to now has exceeded the total number of Dengue Patients  reported during the last year(2013) according to the Sri Lanka Epidemiology Unit.Around 43,059 Dengue Patients have been reported during January-December this year while 32,063 Dengue Patients have been reported during last year.

There's an increase of 10,996 patients this year when comparing to the total number of dengue patients that have been reported during  last year the epidemiology unit has said.

During first eighteen days of this month 1104 dengue patients have been reported throughout the island it has been revealed.The majority of these patients have been reported from the Western Province 

THOUGHT OF THE DAY TO YOUR LIFE FROM BUDDHISM (SOURCE-METTA SITE)

People for the most part, no matter what country they're born in, are more interested in the affairs of the body. They're not all that interested in tending to the heart and mind. They don't look after the heart and mind. When the heart is suffering, they don't look into why it's suffering. They're more wrapped up in looking after the body. When the body's in the slightest pain, they run to the doctor, to the hospital. But when they suffer in their hearts and minds, they aren't all that interested in finding out why.

People who have trained their minds, though, investigate into the reasons and causes. When the heart is suffering, and they've investigated down to the real causes, they'll know how to release the heart from that suffering. You could say that they act as their own doctors. The Buddha was a master doctor, a doctor specializing in the diseases of the heart and mind.

When we listen to the Dhamma and put it into practice, we're said to be studying medicine for the heart and mind. Once we've learned the Dhamma, we train ourselves in line with it. Once the mind attains concentration, we'll have strategies and techniques for looking after our own hearts and minds. When suffering arises in the heart and mind, we'll be able to contemplate it for ourselves and treat it by ourselves. This is why the Buddha says that there are great benefits, great results, for those who practice generosity, virtue, and meditation. People who do this are called sages. The word "sage" here can apply to women or men. It applies to anyone who knows — who knows the affairs of the heart and mind. But these affairs are hard to know. Most people abandon their own minds, throw them away. The mind is a crucial thing to train. And as I've said, we train it through generosity, virtue, and meditation.

2015 Budget Proposals Have Been Defeated At The Ambilipitiya Urban Council

The 2015 budget proposals submitted to the  government controlled Ambilipitiya (Sabaragamuwa Province)Urban Council have been defeated today(16) as all the five government MP's in   the council have been refrained from voting during the vote.

The governing United Peoples Freedom Alliance(UPFA) having 5 MP's at the urban council while the opposition United National Party (UNP)is having 2 MP's.During the voting 2 opposition MP's have  voted against the budget proposals while all governing party MP's have refrained from voting.

THE THOUGHT OF THE DAY TO YOUR LIFE FROM BUDDHISM (SOURCE-METTA REFUGE SITE)

When we hurt others, and our conscience is awake, we suffer. While having a conscience is good, the Buddha is all about the ending of suffering, right? So, what do we do?

How do we free ourselves of a victimizer suffering?

Reflect on the truth that we are deluded.

Remember we have acted out of a mistake arising from our primal ignorance and that therefore we are at heart innocent. This allows us to forgive ourselves.

It is necessary to take on our proper responsibility for the role we played.

We need to accept our part in the process of ‘causing’ that pain, of being a catalyst. For instance, once we know how to press someone’s buttons, we can use it to control, to spite them and to enjoy ourselves! Because harm comes as a result of our behavior, we need to accept our share of the responsibility – the more so if the person is not in control of their behavior, such as a child.

However, we must be careful not to take on false guilt.

Just as it is true for us, so it is true for others. Each of us is responsible for our own psychological pain, even those we have harmed.

We must make resolutions not to behave in a similar way again.

Resolutions can be dangerous things! Sometimes we overestimate what we are capable of, in which case we need to be realistic and revise our resolutions.

Because our behavior patterns are deeply ingrained, we will necessarily make the same mistakes over and over. So we need to accept that the process will have to be repeated and repeated and repeated. Slowly, if this is done with an earnest heart, our habits are lessened and they will eventually die away.

We have to sit in the midst of the flames we have caused in our own hearts.

This is the psychotherapeutic process of vipassana insight meditation. Again we must be careful not to indulge in fantasy, but as soon as the mind has wandered into thought patterns around shame, guilt and remorse, we need to bring ourselves back to just those emotions as felt in the body and sit patiently with them. Accept unreservedly that this suffering is a proper consequence of unskilful action. So we must learn to sit patiently amidst the flames.

At an insight level, we begin to realise that we cannot fool our hearts. Whenever we do harm, these mental states of shame, guilt and remorse will arise. Eventually they become automatic reminders of potential suffering as soon as any unskilful thought or desire arises. In this way they become our guardians.

It is true that all feelings of shame, guilt and remorse are unwholesome. A liberated person would not feel such states. However, if we do not look upon them as teachers, we will experience them as punishment which will make us the more bitter.

Common Opposition Expressed Displeasure Over Not Removing Political Cutouts And Banners

The common opposition has today(14) claimed that despite the orders of Elections Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya to the police to remove all the political cutouts and banners related to the upcoming presidential elections displayed in cities,still a large number of such cutouts and pandals have been openly display in most parts of the country.

According to the opposition around 1000 political cutouts and 12 pandals of incumbent president are being  displayed  in Maharagama City alone.Although the elections commissioner have been instructed the Police to remove all these cutouts with immediate effect ,Police have not taken any action in this regard up to now the Opposition Parties have charged.

Meanwhile the common opposition has today requested from the elections commissioner to remove all digital billboards on roadsides and to stop telecasting live coverage of rallies attended by the ruling party leaders as it's a violation of the election law.

Addressing a media briefing held in Colombo today the  former minister of Hela Urumaya Party Patali Champika Ranawake has said that the presidential elections campaign had turned worse with increasing trend of violence.

A THOUGHT OF THE DAY TO YOUR LIFE FROM BUDDHISM (SOURCE METTA SITE)

Simply watch yourself. Be aware. Notice how you react with others. Try to bring clarity of attention to all your interactions, and try to perceive which of your buttons is being pushed. Notice the habitual, reflexive, and often unconscious reactions arising. Name them, and let them go. See if by so doing, you can create a more spacious and open approach to your relationships with others. See if you can become more skillful, intelligent, and even-handed. Doing this doesn't mean that you will never again get angry or resentful; it does mean that you can channel emotions like anger and resentment more effectively.

1. NOTICE WHAT YOU ARE FEELING

Don't deny or bury what you are feeling. Simply notice each feeling that arises and call it by its name — anger, pride, jealousy, covetousness, lustful desire, irritation, or annoyance for example.

2. RATHER THAN REJECTING IT, EMBRACE IT WITH AWARENESS

Recognize the feeling for what it is - simply a feeling that is arising. Don't get angry at yourself or the feeling, but don't let it take over and carry you away.

3. USE DISCRIMINATING AWARENESS TO REFLECT ON WHAT YOU ARE FEELING

  Analyze and examine the feeling. Are you having a knee-jerk reaction? Is your feeling justified? (Perhaps it is a reasonable response.)

4. BEHAVE IN AN INTENTIONAL AND WISE MANNER

Make a wise decision about how to react to what you are feeling at the moment. Remember that no matter how strong your feeling is, nothing remains the same. The feeling will change, and another will take its place. With that in mind, take the long view; use spiritual intelligence and an understanding of kamma to make an appropriate choice about how to act.

When we handle our feelings mindfully in this way, we become more emotionally stable, trustworthy, and reliable. Through the power of insight, our responses become more balanced and more in line with what is really happening.