6. “Please explain how to cultivate muditā. I’ve heard it described as ‘poor man’s happiness.’” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Empathetic joy ] [Happiness] // [Divine Abidings] [Jealousy] [Selfishness]
20. “I’m glad that people have questions and people are reflecting on their experience of what the practice is. It’s very heartening to see.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Questions] [Appropriate attention] [Empathetic joy]
9. “Is gladness the same as thankfulness?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Empathetic joy] [Gratitude] // [Translation] [Divine Abidings]
Sutta: AN 6.10 Mahānāma [Recollection/Dhamma] [Gladdening the mind]
4. “What exactly is muditā of the Four Brahmavihāras? To what degree does it correspond to the popular New Age practice of ‘law of attraction and gratitude?’ The standard translation of sympathetic joy seems inexact at best.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Empathetic joy ] [Divine Abidings] [Translation] [Gratitude] // [Jealousy]
9. “Muditā, gladness, joy, can be felt by listening to Dhamma, chanting, an uplifting shrine. … I heard that muditā can be a moment or a way of enlightenment. Could you comment please.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Empathetic joy] [Gladdening the mind] [Liberation] // [Divine Abidings]
4. Comment: It’s remarkable how much pleasure can come from seeing other people be kind and generous. [Happiness] [Empathetic joy] [Generosity] [Monasteries]
Responses by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Ñāṇiko.
7. “Could you please explain if there’s an antidote to that painful feeling when a person who is the object of our affection pays attention to people other than me? If it’s due to this entrenched sense of self, is it enough to be mindful of its impermanent nature or is there a way to counteract it? Does it make sense to try to develop muditā towards a person only because they receive attention?” Answered by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Clinging] [Jealousy] [Self-identity view] [Impermanence] [Empathetic joy] // [Relationships] [Sexual misconduct] [Drawbacks] [Self-reliance] [Goodwill]