Nyanaponika Thera on the Inter-relations of the Four Sublime States

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They are his own reflections as far as I can tell. IMO the suttas don't suggest that the 4 brahma vihāras keep each other in check. My interpretation is that each of the 4bv on its own, like every other major pre Buddhist concept that the Buddha borrowed and then redefined, like the 5 faculties, 'dukkha', 'arahant', becomes subservient and must conform to the Buddha's teaching on 4 noble truths, and right view especially. So the upekkha as a brahma-vihāra, essentially becomes the same upekkha of 4th jhāna. Whereas upekkha pre-Buddhist, would probably mean one has the equanimous observation of someone with the understanding of karma, rebirth, but obviously not the full understanding of a Buddha and an Arahant that ends rebirth.

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