Buddhist-Meditation-Systematic-and-Practical

a. The self-nature of this meditation is to have equal
mercy upon the three kinds of beings: one's friends,
one's enemies, and those neither friend nor foe. Here the
meditator meditates on giving them all pleasure and
happiness.
b. The common nature of this meditation is that all
beings have pain, so why should we increase it? Every
man and woman, every sentient being everywhere, may
at some time have been our father or mother; should we
not therefore give them something to make them happy?
The relative positions of being among the hurt, or being
a hurter, change constantly. Realizing this, we are stupid
to think of hurting others, let alone actually doing so.
With this meditation strengthened we are truly able to
give happiness to all beings.
c. Karmic quality. If we do not hate other beings, no
harm is done either to them or to ourselves in retribution.
This is "white" karma. Hating and harming only
produce "black" results, and for such deeds we may fall
into the hell states.
d. Time. How many beings in the past have already died
without my having given them mercy? I must make the
best use of the present to do this, making them all joyful.
Thus I must continue into the future; in this way the
meditator should think.
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