In short: the Buddha saw envy as a block to a peaceful mind: "A well-off mendicant ought not look down on others, nor should they be envious. A mendicant who envies others does not achieve immersion." (Dhammapada 365). Jealousy also undoes outward goodness: no one is "holy" "if they're jealous, stingy, and devious" (Dhammapada 262). The antidote many teachers point to is muditā, sympathetic joy: being glad for others.
Envy disturbs the mind
"A well-off mendicant ought not look down on others, nor should they be envious. A mendicant who envies others does not achieve immersion."
Dhammapada 365
Read the full guide
Looks aren't goodness
"Not by mere enunciation, or a beautiful complexion does a person become holy, if they're jealous, stingy, and devious."
"But if they've cut that out, dug it up at the root, eradicated it, that intelligent one, purged of vice, is said to be holy."
Dhammapada 262–263
Why envy hurts
Envy makes someone else's gain feel like our loss. It's a kind of craving, and like all craving it can't be satisfied. (Real quotes on desire) It also ties us to comparison, one of the eight worldly conditions.
The antidote: sympathetic joy
- Notice it kindly: "This is envy." No shame; everyone feels it.
- Start easy: be glad for someone you love. Let the gladness grow.
- Then the hard one: "I'm glad for your success. May it last." Even if it feels forced, say it.
- Count your own blessings: three good things today. (Contentment)
The full practice: sympathetic joy (muditā) meditation.
Try it
A 3-minute kindness practice: Practice → Kindness.
Questions people ask
What does Buddhism say about jealousy?
That it blocks peace: 'A mendicant who envies others does not achieve immersion' (Dhammapada 365). The traditional antidote is muditā, sympathetic joy: practising gladness at other people's good fortune.