Although clinical interest has predominantly focused on mindfulness meditation, interest into the clinical utility of Buddhist-derived loving-kindness meditation (LKM) and compassion meditation (CM) is also growing. This paper follows the PRISMA (preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analysis) guidelines and provides an evaluative systematic review of LKM and CM intervention studies. (Fredrickson, Cohn, Coffey, Pek, & Finkel, 2008), (vi) the accuracy and encoding of socialrelevant stimuli (Mascaro, Rilling, Negi, & Raison, 2013a), and (vii) affective processing (Desbordes et al., 2012).CM is described in the psychological literature as the meditative development of affective empathy as part of the visceral sharing of others' suffering (Shamay-Tsoory, 2011).LKM is more concerned with the meditative cultivation of a feeling of love for all beings (Lee et al., 2012). Depending on whether they are practising LKM or CM, the meditation practitioner first establishes themselves in meditative absorption and then intentionally directs either compassionate (CM) or altruistic/loving (LKM) feelings towards a specific individual, 3 group of individuals (which can also include sentient beings in general), and/or situation, and has conviction that they are tangibly enhancing the wellbeing of the person or persons concerned (Shonin, Van Gordon, & Griffiths, 2014b). Although CM and LKM interventions in clinical contexts are typically delivered using a secular format (i.e., without the explicit use of Buddhist terminology), the manner in which CM and LKM techniques are operationalized in clinical settings is still reasonably closely aligned with the traditional Buddhist model.
Buddhist Construction of Loving-kindness and CompassionWithin Buddhism, loving-kindness (Sanskrit: maitrī) is defined as the wish for all sentient beings to have happiness and its causes (Bodhi, 1994). Compassion (Sanskrit: karunā) is defined as the wish for all sentient beings to be free from suffering and its causes.In conjunction with 'joy' (Sanskrit: muditā) and 'equanimity' (Sanskrit: upeksā), lovingkindness and compassion make up what are collectively known as the 'four immeasurable attitudes' (Sanskrit: catvāri brahmaviharas). Although in Buddhist meditation the four immeasurable attitudes are often generated and then emanated to other sentient beings one at a time, each attitude is deeply connected to, and reliant upon, the others. For example, the immeasurable attitude of 'joy' highlights the Buddhist view that genuine loving-kindness and compassion can only develop in a mind that is 'well-soaked' in meditative bliss, and that has transmuted both gross and subtle forms of ego-attachment (Khyentse, 2007). Likewise, given the objective is to distribute loving-kindness and/or compassion in equal and unlimited measures to all sentient beings, the immeasurable attitude of 'equanimity' emphasizes the need for total impartiality in one's regard for others (for a detailed discussion of the four immeasurable attitudes, see Na...