1. Loving-Kindness (Metta)
2. Compassion (Karuna)
3. Altruistic Joy (Mudita)
4. equanimity (Upekkha)

Metta

Metta is defined as that which softens one's heart. It is the wish for the good, safety and happiness of all beings. Benevolent attitude is its chief characteristic. It is not carnal love (raga) or personal affection (pema). Its direct enemy is hatred or ill-will (dosa) or aversion (kodha). Its indirect enemy is pema (lobha). It has the ability to quench ill-will.

11 Benefits of Metta

1. Sleeps in comfort
2. Wakes up in comfort
3. No bad dreams
4. Dear to human beings
5. Dear to non-human beings
6. The gods guard him
7. No fire or poison or weapon harms him
8. His mind can be quickly concentrated
9. His complexion is serene
10. He dies without falling into confusion
11. Even if he does not progress any further, he will pass on to the world of High Divinity, to the Brahma World

Karuna

Karuna is defined as that which makes the hearts of the noble quivers when others are subject to suffering or that dissipates the sufferings of others. The wish to remove the sufferings of others is its chief characteristic. Its direct enemy is cruelty or wickedness (himsa) and its indirect enemy is passionate grief (domanassa). It discards cruelty or wickedness.

Mudita

Mudita is the congratulatory attitude of oneself. Its chief characteristic is to be happy and full of joy in others' prosperity and success. Its direct enemy is jealousy, and its indirect enemy is exhilaration (pahasa). It eliminates dislike (arati).

Upekkha

Upekkha literally means 'to view impartially', that is, with neither attachment nor aversion. Impartial attitude is its chief characteristic. It keeps the mind balanced and unwavering amidst vicissitudes of life such as praise and blame, pain and happiness, gain and loss, repute or disrepute (the wind of change). Its direct enemy is passion (raga) and its indirect enemy is callousness. It eliminates clinging and aversion.

The Buddha's Words on Kindness (Metta Sutta)

This is what should be done
By one who is skilled in goodness,
And who knows the path of peace:
Let them be able and upright,
Straightforward and gentle in speech.
Humble and not conceited,
Contented and easily satisfied.
Unburdened with duties and frugal in their ways.
Peaceful and calm, and wise and skillful,
Not proud and demanding in nature.
Let them not do the slightest thing
That the wise would later reprove.
Wishing: In gladness and in saftey,
May all beings be at ease.
Whatever living beings there may be;
Whether they are weak or strong, omitting none,
The great or the mighty, medium, short or small,
The seen and the unseen,
Those living near and far away,
Those born and to-be-born,
May all beings be at ease!
 

Let none deceive another,
Or despise any being in any state.
Let none through anger or ill-will
Wish harm upon another.
Even as a mother protects with her life
Her child, her only child,
So with a boundless heart
Should one cherish all living beings:
Radiating kindness over the entire world
Spreading upwards to the skies,
And downwards to the depths;
Outwards and unbounded,
Freed from hatred and ill-will.
Whether standing or walking, seated or lying down
Free from drowsiness,
One should sustain this recollection.
This is said to be the sublime abiding.
By not holding to fixed views,
The pure-hearted one, having clarity of vision,
Being freed from all sense desires,
Is not born again into this world.
 

Thich Nhat Hanh's 4 Brahma Vihara
Thich Nhat Hanh's Metta Sutta

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