Yoga Sutras on Friendiness, Compassion, Joy and Equanimity

Yoga Sutra 1.33:Maitri karuna mudita upekshanam sukha duhkha punya apunya vishayanam bhavanatah chitta prasadanam, By cultivating attitudes of friendliness toward the happy, compassion for the unhappy, delight in the virtuous, and equanimity toward the non virtuous, the mind-stuff retains its undisturbed calmness.

This is a very often quoted sutra. It has universality regarding cultivation of friendliness and compassion but in its application it is most similar to some buddhist principles. Let's take a closer look at this sutra.

First of all Patanjali states that the purpose of this way of behaving helps the mind to retain its "undisturbed calmness". Categorically we have four states of mind that are to be reacted to: sukha (happiness, ease), duhkha (unhappiness, sorrow, distress), punya (virtuous), and apunya (non-virtuous). In yoga philosophy there are three qualities of nature (gunas): sattva (purity), rajas (activity, restlessness) and tamas (inertia, dullness or delusion). These qualities can and are applied to everything in nature including emotions, nutrition, disease, treatment, seasons, etc.

When applied to a yogic lifestyle, the quality of sattva is always to be cultivated. Now let's apply this principle to the four states of the mind mentioned above. In the case of sukha (happiness), if we react in a sattvic (pure, balanced) manner we would react with friendliness (maitri). A rajasic way to react would be with jealousy, a tamasic reaction would be attachment. When faced with dukha (unhappiness), a sattvic reaction would be compassion (karuna). A rajasic reaction would be malevolence and hatred a tamasic one. With regards to punya (virtuous), delight(mudita) is sattvic, anger is rajasic. Finally with apunya (non-virtuous), upeksha (equanimity) is sattvic and intolerance is tamasic.

Carrera in his commentary states, "we are not being told what to do but how to be". It is common to think of being compassionate to the unhappy, though not always easy. But it is almost never mentioned that we should be friendly when people are happy or joyful when people are good or virtuous. It is easy to feel a sense of lack when those around us are successful, happy, or good which can breed the above lower reactions.

Perhaps the most counter intuitive and difficult reaction is upeksha (equanimity). This is not a license to do nothing. Rather it is a practical way to not waste energy and to be the most effective we can be. For example if one were to react to hostility with hostility (as it is so easy to do), clarity of mind is lost, creativity is lost and we have just become non virtuous as well.

Finally Carrera reminds us that we should remember to apply these principles to ourselves, "We need to cultivate:
1. Friendliness toward our own happiness. This is one instance in life
when a little indulgence is good, especially when our happiness has its
roots in spiritual acts or values.
2. Loving compassion for our own sorrow. Be kind to yourself.
3. Joy when we manifest virtues.
4. Strength, patience, and equanimity when working to eliminate our weaknesses.
Forgiveness plays an important role with this."