the pre-Buddhist traditions of Brahma-loka, meditation and these four virtues are evidenced in both early Buddhist and non-Buddhist literature. The Early Buddhist Texts assert that pre-Buddha ancient Indian sages who taught these virtues were earlier incarnations of the Buddha. Post-Buddha, these same virtues are found in the Hindu texts such as verse 1.33 of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. Three of the four immeasurables, namely Maitri, Karuna and Upeksha, are found in the later Upanishads, while all four are found with slight variations – such as pramoda instead of mudita – in Jainism literature, states Wiltshire. The ancient Indian Paccekabuddhas mentioned in the early Buddhist Suttas – those who attained nibbāna before the Buddha – mention all "four immeasurables." According to British scholar of Buddhism Peter Harvey, the Buddhist scriptures acknowledge that the four Brahmavihara meditation practices "did not originate within the Buddhist tradition". The Buddha never claimed that the "four immeasurables" were his unique ideas, in a manner similar to "cessation, quieting, nirvana". A shift in Vedic ideas, from rituals to virtues, is particularly discernible in the early Upanishadic thought, and it is unclear as to what extent and how early Upanishadic traditions and Sramanic traditions such as Buddhism and Jainism influenced each other on ideas such as "four immeasurables", meditation and Brahmavihara. In an authoritative Jain scripture, the Tattvartha Sutra (Chapter 7, sutra 11), there is a mention of four right sentiments: Maitri, pramoda, karunya, madhyastha: References Sources See also Karuṇā Metta Mudita Upekkha Further reading Buddhas Reden (Majjhimanikaya), Kristkreitz, Berlin, 1978, tr. by Kurt Schmidt Yamamoto, Kosho (tr.) & Page, Tony (revision) (2000). The Mahayana Mahaparinirvana Sutra. London, UK: Nirvana Publications. External links The Sublime Attitudes: A Study Guide on the Brahmavihāras - Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu (2014) The Four Immeasurable Attitudes in Hinayana, Mahayana, and Bon - by Alexander Berzin (2005) An Extensive Commentary on the Four Immeasurables- by Buddhagupta The Four Sublime States by the Venerable Nyanaponika Thera. Brahma-Vihara Foundation The Four Brahma Viharas The Four Immeasurables Safe Medicine! Buddhist philosophical concepts Buddhist meditation Pali words and phrases