Path of Freedom [Vimuttimagga]

Subjects of Meditation 185loving-kindness for an enemy. Thus he encompasses all beings (with lovingkindness)and identifies himself with them. If he does not develop lovingkindnessfor an indifferent person or is unable to do so and develops dislike,he should reflect thus: "In me are states of demerit. I have dislike. Wishingto acquire merit, I stirred up confidence and was ordained. And again, Isaid, 'I will develop great loving-kindness and compassion for the weal of allbeings, through the merit of the Great Teacher'. If I cannot develop lovingkindnesstowards one indifferent person, how shall I develop loving-kindnesstowards enemies?". If that yogin is still unable to destroy dislike and hate,that yogin should not endeavour to develop loving-kindness, but should adoptanother way to remove the hatred he has for that person.TWELVE MEANS OF REMOVING HATREDQ. What are the means of success in removing hatred?A. (1) One should share in order to benefit the other (whom one hates).One should consider: (2) merit, (3) goodwill, (4) one's own kamma,(5) debt-cancellation, (6) kinship, (7) one's own faults. (8) One shouldnot consider the suffering inflicted on oneself. One should investigate:(9) the nature of the faculties, (10) the momentary destruction of states,(11) and.aggregation. (12) One should investigate emptiness. One shouldbear these in mind.(1) Even if one.is angry j one should give the other what, he asks, acceptwillingly what he gives. And in speaking with him, one should always usegood words. One should do what the other does. By such action, the destructionof the anger of the one and the other takes place. (2) Merit—if onesees the merits of the other, one ought to think: "This is merit. This isnot demerit".SIMILE OF THE PONDIt is like this: There is a pond covered with duckweed, and one,having removed the duckweed, draws out water. 1 If the other has nomerit, one should develop loving-kindness for him thus: "This man has nomerit; surely, he will fare ill". 2 (3) Goodwill — one should think thus (of1. A. Ill, 187-8: Seyyatha pi dvuso pokkharani sevdlapanakapariyonaddha, atha purisodgaccheyya ghammdbhitatto ghammapareto kilanto tasito pipdsito, so tarn pokkharanimogdhetva ubhohi hatthehi Hi c'iti ca sevdlapanakarh apaviyuhitva ahjalind pivitva pakkameyya,evam eva kho dvuso yvdyarh puggalo aparisudhavacisamdedro parisuddhakdyasamdedro,yassa aparisuddhavacisamdedratd, na sdssa tasmim samaye manasikdtabbd,yd ca khvdssa parisuddhakdyasamdedratd, sdssa tasmim samaye manasikdtabbd. Evamtasmim puggale dghdto pativinetabbo.2. Ibid. 189: Seyyatha pi dvuso puriso dbddhiko dukkhito bdlhagildno addhanamaggapatipanno,tassa purato pi ^ssa dure gdmo pacchato pi 'ssa duregdmo, so na labheyya sappdydnibhojandni, na labheyya sappdydni bhesajjdni na labheyya patirupam upatthakam na labheyyagdmantandyakam, tarn enam ahhataro puriso passeyya addhanamaggapatipanno, so tasmimpurise karunnam yeva upatthapeyya, anudayam yeva upafthapeyya anukampam yeva