3.23 · The Strength of Kindness

Saṃyama on friendliness and the other attitudes gives their strengths.

Word by word

maitrī-ādiṣu

on friendliness and the others

balāni

strengths, powers

Where it fits

The strengths begin with the attitudes of 1.33. Saṃyama on friendliness, compassion and gladness makes each a strength. Vyāsa says equanimity toward the wicked is not a cultivation, so it yields no strength (p. 252). A practice for clearing the mind in pāda 1 becomes an object of saṃyama.

Reading

A practice for clearing the mind in 1.33 now becomes an object of saṃyama. Vyāsa names three of its attitudes: friendliness toward the happy, compassion toward those in pain, gladness toward the good. Each, made the object of saṃyama, becomes a power of unfailing energy. Equanimity toward wrongdoers, the fourth attitude, is not a feeling cultivated in this way, he says, so no power comes from it. Of all the powers in this pāda, this is the one anyone can begin today.

Vyāsa

“By cultivating friendliness towards beings who are happy, one gains the strength of friendliness. By cultivating compassion towards those who suffer, one gains the strength of compassion. By cultivating gladness towards the virtuous, one gains the strength of gladness. … But equanimity towards the wicked is not a cultivated feeling.”

Vyāsa's Yoga-bhāṣya, the oldest commentary. New translation from the Sanskrit, with reference to Woods (1914), p. 252.

Practice

Choose three people: one who is happy, one who is struggling, one who is doing good. Spend three minutes with each in mind, wishing the first well, feeling for the second, rejoicing in the third. Then do one small act for one of them.

A question to sit with

Which kindness could become a strength in you?

Where commentators disagree

Can all four attitudes of 1.33 be made objects of saṃyama, or only three?

Vyāsa

Only friendliness, compassion and gladness. Equanimity towards those given to wrong is not a sentiment that is cultivated, so there is no absorption on it and no power arises from it. (Woods 1914, p. 252)

Vācaspati Miśra

The power of friendliness makes everyone happy; that of compassion frees beings from pain and its causes; that of gladness gives others a detached attitude. Equanimity is simply detachment, with nothing to arise from it. (Woods 1914, pp. 252–253)

Bhoja

Includes all four. By saṃyama on friendliness, compassion, gladness and equanimity the yogin gains such command of them that he can make friends with everyone. (Tatya 1885, pp. 115–116; Mitra 1883, wisdomlib on 3.23)

Key ideas

saṃyama (holding together), siddhi (powers)