The Four Arms of Buddhist Love

It's no secret. I love the Buddhists. I think of the four arms of Buddhist love often and I have them listed in a PowerPoint file on my desktop. I open it every once in a while to remind myself how I can spread happiness by loving people.

• Maitra -- A boundless feeling of friendliness and wishing well for others. It implies friendliness: befriending and accepting yourself, your body and mind, and the world.
• Karuna -- Compassion, empathy, being moved by feeling what others feel.
• Upeksha -- Equanimity, recognizing the equality of all that lives.
• Mudita -- Spiritual joy and satisfaction. This includes rejoicing in the virtue and success of others. The antidote to envy and jealousy.

Let's all offer Andrew some karuna today -- pray he finds the precious thing he lost.