Читать книгу The Buddha Book: Buddhas, blessings, prayers, and rituals to grant you love, wisdom, and healing - Lillian Too - Страница 23

When practicing Dharma, Four Immeasurable Thoughts should arise. These are:

1 Immeasurable equanimity – being free of the bias of liking some and disliking others, so remaining tranquil and unattached

2 Immeasurable compassion, wishing that all beings are freed from suffering

3 Immeasurable joy in the highest happiness and liberation of all beings

4 Immeasurable loving kindness, wishing for the happiness of all living beings.

Buddhism does not believe in a supernatural and omnipotent Creator God. Salvation does not come from the intervention of a divine entity. Instead, Buddha’s teachings advocate the practice of compassion and loving kindness toward all living beings, combined with meditation practices to develop wisdom. It is the union of compassion and wisdom that leads to liberation and awakening.

Prayers to the buddhas are supplications to receive the wisdom to understand the true nature of reality – what are referred to as “realizations.” Every living being possesses buddha-nature. It is by living a moral life, practicing compassion, and meditating on the steps that lead to the awakened mind that can be developed to high levels of concentration and wisdom, leading to enlightenment.

There are different schools of Buddhist practice, but all traditions focus on the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path in order to achieve liberation from the cycle of rebirth. Mahayana Buddhism particularly emphasizes the attainment of enlightenment for the sake of all beings. Compassion and love for others represent the selfless, altruistic attitude that is paramount if you are to reach enlightenment.