Sympathetic joy—called mudita in both Sanskrit and Pali—is the third of the four immeasurables (also known as the four brahmaviharas) and serves as an antidote to jealousy and envy.

When generating joy, we are asked to acknowledge and deeply appreciate the positive accomplishments and experiences of others. On an outer level, we can appreciate their kind actions, successes, and wholesome qualities; and on an inner level, we can rejoice in their wisdom and their mental qualities such as loving-kindness, compassion, and equanimity (i.e., the other “immeasurables”).

The Buddha taught that this is the most difficult of the four, as it asks us to generate joy for others, even when we ourselves may be experiencing suffering. Sometimes, worldly cultural ideas—such as thinking that wealthy people have everything desirable—can cause us to forget that suffering is universal and that all beings, regardless of how much or how little they have, are worthy objects of our “immeasurable” thoughts.

Meditation on sympathetic joy can begin with one’s self—we can notice that when we experience joy, we delight in that joy, and wish that it may continue, but without slipping into the mind of clinging. Step by step, we can extend this sympathetic joy—first, to those we care for; later, to those we have no feeling for; and lastly, to those we think have harmed us or been unkind to us. Finally, we work towards being able to generate and rest in a sympathetic joy without object, filling space. In this way, bit by bit, we extend our sympathetic joy to all beings, and it becomes infinite, limitless, “immeasurable.”

If we experience jealousy, we can remember that sympathetic joy is the antidote, and aspire to wish that whatever positive circumstance for another has triggered our jealousy will increase or remain for them, and that their joy will continue uninterrupted. This contradicts the spiteful impulse of jealousy, which leads us to wish for their joy to end and their fortune to diminish. By countering this selfish mindset, we train ourselves to be less egotistical and more generous.

One who is engaged in mudita finds delight, satisfaction, and contentment in the positive experiences of others. By reducing comparisons with others and fostering a more open-hearted and compassionate attitude, we become more aware of the interconnectedness of all beings and recognize that others’ happiness does not diminish our own capacity for joy.

Reflect on a joyful memory. Notice how rejoicing for your own experience of joy is much like a feeling of gratitude. Practice celebrating the small victories of friends and family members, noticing any jealousy that arises without judgment.

• What is the feeling in the body when you see a good friend, a younger sibling, a cousin, or a beloved pet playing joyfully?

Analyze the nature of sympathetic joy; guide unscripted meditation practices for cultivating this quality; and develop the practice of responding by rejoicing when witnessing others’ happiness.