Combining the Meditation of Four Immeasurables with the Chittamatra View

Discussion of meditation in the Mahayana and Vajrayana traditions.
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Aemilius
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Combining the Meditation of Four Immeasurables with the Chittamatra View

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"Quoting Maitreya's Filigree for the Mahayana Sutras (Theg-pa chen-po'i mdo-sde rgyan, Skt. Mahayanasutra-alamkara), Tsongkhapa goes on, in the same commentary, to explain the conditions for developing the four immeasurable attitudes, such as immeasurable compassion. The explanation accords with the theories of the Chittamatra tenet system followed in Maitreya's text.

The causal conditions (rgyu'i rkyen) – the seeds for the four attitudes, unassociated with confusion (zag-med-kyi sa-bon), that are imputable on the all-encompassing foundation consciousness (kun-gzhi rnam-shes, Skt. alayavijnana; storehouse consciousness). These seeds are aspects of the naturally abiding family-traits (rang-bzhin gnas-rigs; abiding Buddha-nature). In other words, tendencies that allow for the development of the four immeasurable attitudes are present in all limited beings as aspects of their Buddha-natures.

The dominating condition (bdag-po'i rkyen) for the development of the four attitudes – the inspiration and guidance of a spiritual teacher. A dominating condition is the condition that exercises the main influential role in bringing about a result, such as the eye sensors for the arising of a visual cognition.

The immediately preceding condition (de-ma-thag rkyen) – an understanding of the self-nature (rang-bzhin) of all phenomena. Mindfulness of such understanding needs to immediately precede the arising of the immeasurable attitudes. In other words, the factors required for the Buddha-nature seeds for the four immeasurable attitudes to grow are the positive influence of a spiritual teacher and a correct understanding of the nature of all phenomena, especially the nature of all limited beings. Further, as mentioned above, the mind that develops the four immeasurable attitudes needs to have a bodhichitta aim and an advanced level of concentration."

from https://studybuddhism.com/en/advanced-s ... na-and-bon
svaha
"All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.
They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
Sarvē mānavāḥ svatantrāḥ samutpannāḥ vartantē api ca, gauravadr̥śā adhikāradr̥śā ca samānāḥ ēva vartantē. Ētē sarvē cētanā-tarka-śaktibhyāṁ susampannāḥ santi. Api ca, sarvē’pi bandhutva-bhāvanayā parasparaṁ vyavaharantu."
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 1. (in english and sanskrit)
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