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The brahmavihāras (sublime attitudes, lit. "abodes of brahma") are a series of four Buddhist virtues and the meditation practices made to cultivate them. They are also known as the four immeasurables (Sanskrit: ''apramāṇa'', Pāli: ''appamaññā'').〔(Jon Wetlesen, Did Santideva Destroy the Bodhisattva Path? ''Jnl Buddhist Ethics'', Vol. 9, 2002 ) (accessed March 2010)〕〔Bodhi, Bhikkhu. ''Abhidhammattha Sangaha: A Comprehensive Manual of Abhidhamma''. BPS Pariyatti Editions, 2000, p. 89.〕 According to the ''Metta Sutta'', Gautama Buddha held that cultivation of the four immeasurables has the power to cause the practitioner to be reborn into a "Brahmā realm" (Pāli: ''Brahmaloka'').〔(AN 4.125, ''Metta Sutta'' ). See note 2 on the different kinds of Brahmas mentioned.〕 The meditator is instructed to radiate out to all beings in all directions the states of: # loving-kindness or benevolence # compassion # empathetic joy # equanimity The four immeasurables are also found in the ''Yoga Sutras of Patañjali'' (1.33), a text composed long after the beginning of Buddhism and substantially influenced by Buddhism.〔Karel Werner, ''The Yogi and the Mystic.'' Routledge 1994, page 27.〕〔Barbara Stoler Miller, ''Yoga: Discipline of Freedom: the Yoga Sutra Attributed to Patanjali; a Translation of the Text, with Commentary, Introduction, and Glossary of Keywords.'' University of California Press, 1996, page 9.〕 These virtues are also highly regarded by Buddhists as powerful antidotes to negative mental states (non-virtues) such as avarice, anger and pride. ==Etymology & translations== * Pāli: ''cattāri brahmavihārā'' * (サンスクリット:चत्वारि ब्रह्मविहाराः) (IAST: ') ''Brahmavihāra'' may be parsed as "Brahmā" and "vihāra"; which is often rendered into English as "sublime" or "divine abodes".〔(Thanissaro Bhikkhu ).〕 ''Apramāṇa'', usually translated as "the immeasurables," means "boundlessness, infinitude, a state that is illimitable".〔Rhys Davids & Stede, 1921-25, ''Pali-English Dictionary'', Pali Text Society.〕 When developed to a high degree in meditation, these attitudes are said to make the mind "immeasurable" and like the mind of the loving ''Brahmā'' (gods).〔Peter Harvey, "An Introduction to Buddhist Ethics." Cambridge University Press, 2000, page 104.〕 Other translations: * English: four divine abodes, four divine emotions, four sublime attitudes. * East Asia: (), (), ().〔W.E. Soothill and Lewis Hodous, 1937, (''A Dictionary of Chinese Buddhist Terms'' ).〕 * or . 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Brahmavihara」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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