Dmytro,
Thank you for your excellent post. I want to ask for clarification on one point:
"the sequence of four brahma viharas is consonant to the sequence of four jhanas. It's not too surprising since in some suttas a certain stage of practice is described interchangeably as either four jhanas or four brahma viharas."

This seems to say that
metta corresponds to vitakka/vicara, piti, sukha, and samadhi,
karuna corresponds to piti, sukha, and samadhi,
mudita corresponds to sukha and samadhi, and
upekkha corresponds to samadhi.

I don't understand this. Can you explain the meaning and/or specify one or more of the suttas that discuss this idea?

Thanks and Metta,
Ray




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