| Part ofTheravāda Abhidhamma |
| 52Cetasikas |
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| Theravāda Buddhism |
7 universal(sabbacittasādhāraṇa) |
25 beautiful(sobhana)
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| Buddhism |
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| Translations of Mudita | |
|---|---|
| English | Sympathetic joy |
| Sanskrit | मुदिता |
| Pali | मुदिता |
| Burmese | မုဒိတာ (MLCTS:mṵdḭtà) |
| Chinese | 喜 (Pinyin:xǐ) |
| Japanese | 喜 (Rōmaji:ki) |
| Khmer | មុទិតា (UNGEGN:mŭtĭta) |
| Sinhala | මුදිතා |
| Tagalog | Mudita |
| Thai | มุทิตา (RTGS:muthitaa) |
| Vietnamese | hỷ |
| Glossary of Buddhism | |
Muditā (Pāli andSanskrit: मुदिता) is adharmic concept ofjoy, particularly an especially sympathetic or vicarious joy—the pleasure that comes from delighting in other people's well-being.[1]
The traditionalparadigmatic example of this mind-state is the attitude of a parent observing a growing child's accomplishments and successes.[2]
Mudita meditation cultivates appreciative joy at the success and good fortune of others. TheBuddha described this variety of meditation in this way:
Here, O, Monks, a disciple lets his mind pervade one quarter of the world with thoughts of unselfish joy, and so the second, and so the third, and so the fourth. And thus the whole wide world, above, below, around, everywhere and equally, he continues to pervade with a heart of unselfish joy, abundant, grown great, measureless, without hostility or ill-will. (DN 13)[3]
Buddhist teachers compare mudita to an inner spring of infinite joy that is available to everyone at all times, regardless of circumstances.
The more deeply one drinks of this spring,
the more securely one becomes in one's own abundant happiness,
the more bountiful it becomes to relish the joy of other people.[4]
Joy is also traditionally regarded as the most difficult to cultivate of thefour immeasurables (brahmavihārā: also "four sublime attitudes"). To show joy is to celebrate happiness and achievement in others even when we are facing tragedy ourselves.[5]
According to Buddhist teacherAyya Khema showing joy towardssadistic pleasure[clarification needed] is wrong. Here there should instead be compassion (karuṇā).
The "far enemies" of joy arejealousy (envy) andgreed, mind-states in obvious opposition. Joy's "near enemy", the quality which superficially resembles joy but is in fact more subtly in opposition to it, isexhilaration, described as a grasping at pleasant experience out of a sense of insufficiency or lack.[6][verification needed]
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