In short: sympathetic joy (muditā) is gladness at other people's happiness and success. It is the third of the Buddha's four divine abodes and the natural antidote to envy. The Buddha describes spreading "a heart full of rejoicing" in every direction to the whole world (AN 3.65). Here is a 10-minute practice.
The Buddha's instruction
"They meditate spreading a heart full of rejoicing to one direction, and to the second, and to the third, and to the fourth. In the same way above, below, across, everywhere, all around, they spread a heart full of rejoicing to the whole world—abundant, expansive, limitless, free of enmity and ill will."
AN 3.65 · Muditā is the third of the four divine abodes.
Read the full guide
A 10-minute sympathetic joy meditation
- Settle (1 minute). Three slow breaths. Let the face soften into a slight smile.
- Someone easy (3 minutes). A child laughing, a friend who just got good news. Picture their happiness. Silently: "I'm glad for you. May your happiness last. May it grow."
- Your own good fortune (2 minutes). Recall something good in your life without judging it. Let yourself be glad.
- Someone neutral (2 minutes). A stranger you passed today. They have joys you'll never see. "May your happiness last."
- Someone you envy (1 minute). Only if you feel ready. "I'm glad for your success." If it feels false, notice that kindly and go back to step 2.
- Everywhere (1 minute). Let the gladness spread in every direction, to all beings.
Why it matters
Envy shrinks the world: someone else's gain feels like our loss. Muditā turns that around. Every good thing that happens to anyone becomes a reason to be glad, so there is always something to rejoice in. That is why many teachers call it the antidote to envy.
More: envy and jealousy in Buddhism.
Try it
Pair it with loving-kindness and compassion, then steady them all with equanimity. For a guided start, open Practice.
Questions people ask
What is muditā?
Muditā is sympathetic joy: gladness at someone else's happiness or success. It is the third of the four divine abodes (brahmavihāras), and a natural antidote to envy.
How do I practice sympathetic joy if I feel jealous?
Start with someone easy to be glad for, like a child or a close friend, and let the gladness grow before you bring to mind people you envy. Notice jealousy kindly; it shows you where the practice is useful.