Metta Sutta

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An Exposition of the Mea Sua A

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An Exposition of

The Metta Sutta

byBhikkhu Pesala


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i

An Exposition ofThe Metta Sutta

byBhikkhu Pesala

Latest Edition Nov 2012Bhikkhu PesalaAssociation for Insight MeditationYou may print copies of this book for your own use.

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Contents

An Exposition of the Metta Sutta.....................................................1

The Pi Text.....................................................................................1

The Discourse on Loving-kindness.............................................2Explanation of the Discourse.......................................................3

Verse One: Able, Honest, and Humble..............................3

Verse Two: Content, Wise, Serene, and Impartial...........6

Verse Three: Blameless and Kind..........................................9

Verse Four: Send Love to All Beings.................................10

Verse Five: Seen or Unseen.................................................11

Verse Six: Dont Deceive or Harm Others.......................12

Verse Seven: As A Mother Loves Her Only Child........13Verse Eight: Send Love In All Directions..........................14

Verse Nine: Meditate Constantly.......................................14

Verse Ten: Free from Wrong View and Rebirth.............15

How to Practise Loving-kindness............................................15


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1

An Exposition of the Metta SuttaThe Mea Sua oen referred to as the Karaya Mea

Sua was taught by the Buddha to a group of forest monkswho were disturbed by ee spirits. He urged them to practiseloving-kindness towards all beings. Then those spirits toleratedtheir presence happily.

The Pi TextSuttanipta, vv 143-152

1. Karayamahakusalena,yanta santa pada abhisamecca;Sakko uj ca suhuj (sj)ca,

svaco cassa mudu anatimn.

2. Santussako ca subharo ca,appakicco ca sallahukavui;Santindriyo ca nipako ca,appagabbho kulesvananugiddho (kulesu an~).

3. Na ca khuddamcare (smacare) kici,yena vi pare upavadeyyu;Sukhino va khemino hontu,sabbasa (sabbe sa) bhavantu sukhita.

4. Ye keci pabhtahi,tas v thvar vanavases (va anavases);Dgh v ye va mahant (ye mahant v),majjhim rassak aukathl.

5. Dih v ye va adih,ye ca dre vasanti avidre.Bht va (v) sambhaves va (v),sabbasa (sabbe sa) bhavantu sukhita.

6. Na paro para nikubbetha,ntimaetha kahaci na (na) kaci.Byrosan paighasa,

namaassa dukkhamiccheyya. Chahasagyana Pi Text: variant readings are in brackets.


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2 An Exposition of the Mea Sua

7. Mt yath niya puamyus ekapuamanurakkhe;Evampi sabbabhtesu,

mnasa bhvaye aparima.8. Meaca sabbalokasmi,

mnasa bhvaye aparima;Uddha adho ca tiriyaca,asambdha averamasapaa.

9. Tiha cara nisinno va (v),sayno yvatssa vitamiddho (vigatamiddho).

Eta sati adhiheyya,brahmameta vihramidhamhu.

10. Dihica anupaggamma,slav dassanena sampanno;Kmesu vinaya (vineyya) gedha,na hi jtuggabbhaseyya punaretti.

The Discourse on Loving-kindness1. He who is skilled in welfare, who wishes to aain

that state of calm (nibbna), should act thus: heshould be able, upright, perfectly upright, obedient,gentle, and humble.

2. Contented, easily supported, with few duties, oflight livelihood, with senses calmed, prudent, not

impudent, not greedily aached to families.

3. He should not do the slightest thing for which otherwise men might censure him. May all being behappy and secure, may they keep themselves happy!

4-5. Whatever living beings there may be: feeble orsong, long or big, medium or short, tiny or huge,without exception; seen or unseen, those dwellingfar or near, those who are born or those who are to

be born, may all beings be happy!


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Verse One: Able, Honest, and Humble 3

6. Let none deceive another, nor despise any personwhatsoever in any place. Let him not wish any harmto another out of anger or ill-will.

7. Just as a mother would protect her only child at therisk of her own life, even so, let him cultivate a

boundless heart towards all beings.

8. Let one cultivate thoughts of boundless love for thewhole world: above, below, and across without anyobsuction, without any haed, without any enmi.

9. Whether he stands, walks, sits, or lies down, as longas he is awake, he should develop this mindfulness.This they say is the noblest living here.

10. Not falling into wrong views, being virtuous andendowed with insight, by discarding aachment tosense desires, never again is he reborn in a womb.

Explanation of the Discourse

Verse One: Able, Honest, and Humble

One who is skilled in welfare: One who is skilled in welfare(aha) knows what should be done (karaya), and whatshould not be done (akaraya). The commentary explainsthat, in brief, what should be done means that one should followthe bhikkhus aining. What should not be done means that one

should avoid failure in morali (slavipai), failure in view(dihivipai), failure in conduct (cravipai), and failure in rightlivelihood (jvavipai). One who has gone forth in this dispen-sation of the Buddha should abstain om the twen-one kindsof wrong livelihood, and fulfil the fourfold morali:

Twenty-one kinds of wrong livelihood for bhikkhus: 1) medicalpractice, 2) conveying messages, 3) doing things at the behest of laymen,4) lancing boils, 5-17) giving: medicinal oil, emetics, purgatives, oil for

nose-treatment, medicinal oil, bamboos, leaves, flowers, fruits, soapclay,toothsticks, water for washing the face, or talcum-powder, 18) flattery, 19)halftruths, 20) fondling children, and 21) running errands. (continued)


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1. Fundamental resaint by the Pimokkha rules, whichis fulfilled by faith or confidence.

2. Sense-facul resaint, which is fulfilled by mindfulness.

3. Right livelihood, which is fulfilled by energy.4. Reflection on the proper use of requisites, which is

fulfilled by wisdom.One who fulfils this fourfold morali, is said to be skilled

in welfare (ahakusalena).This is for bhikkhus, but how should lay people practise to

be skilled in welfare? They should observe the eight preceptswith right livelihood as the eighth.

Unlike the eight precepts observed on Uposatha days, thismorali can be observed by a lay person throughout life. Toobserve it one can simply determine as follows (or make aformal undertaking in the presence of a bhikkhu), From todayonwards throughout my life

1. I will abstain om taking life.2. I will abstain om stealing.

3. I will abstain om indulging in sexual misconduct andtaking intoxicants. (These three comprise Right Action).

4. I will abstain om telling lies.5. I will abstain om seing one person against another.6. I will abstain om using rude and rough words.7. I will abstain om talking ivolously. (These four com-

prise Right Speech).

8. I will abstain om earning a living by taking life, stealing,sexual misconduct, telling lies, or selling animals, weapons,flesh, poisons, or intoxicants, which is Right Livelihood.

(continued.) Wrong livelihood by deception: 1) inducing people tomake offerings by: a) pretending that one does not want to receive alms,but accepting out of compassion; b) insinuating that one has attainedjhna, magga, and phala;c) feigning deportment to make people think thatone is a Noble One; 2) talking to please donors to acquiring gain, honour,and fame; 3) inviting offerings by giving hints; 4) harassing to induceofferings; 5) giving something to getting something more. SeeVisuddhimagga pp 23ff for further details.


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Verse One: Able, Honest, and Humble 5

One who can undertake and observe these eight preceptsis said to be skilled in welfare.

Who wishes to aain that state of calm (nibbna):The

purpose of the Dhamma taught by the Buddha is to find mentalpeace and to realise nibbna. Every good person wishes to aainnibbna, which means the end of craving and suffering. Thosewho do not wish to aain it, do not know what it is. Perhaps theythink that it is some kind of self-denial or annihilation. Thereforeit is vital to understand that nibbna is the supreme bliss.

He should be able (sakko):means that one should haveconfidence and energy to practise morali, concenation, andwisdom. Pious hopes and wishful prayers are useless. Thoughpious thoughts are productive of merit, they do not reach the goal.The King of Tvatisa, Sakka, got that high position by his greatdiligence and abili. He is able, therefore he is Sakka. Some people,who profess to be Buddhists, rarely practise morali, concena-tion, and wisdom. They are really opposed to the Dhamma andsongly addicted to sensual pleasures, just like Mra! Since they

do not practise morali properly, they are hopeless of aainingconcenation. Without concenation, insight is far away, and therealisation ofnibbna is even more remote.

Upright, perfectly upright (uj ca, suhuj ca):Why is itemphasised as perfectly upright? The meaning of upright isthat one should be completely honest and upright in onesactions and speech. Perfectly upright means that one should

be honest even in thought that is one should expel lust,ill-will, delusion and wrong views whenever they arise.

Obedient (suvaco):In many anslations this is given aspleasant or gentle speech. However, the commentary says itmeans that one receives admonishment meekly, and invitesones critic open-heartedly: It is good, venerable sir. Thank youfor telling me. It is difficult to see ones own fault. Please tell me

if you see any such fault in me again, out of compassion for me.If one responds like that when criticised or admonished,

one would also quali as suvaco in the sense of having gentle


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speech. Venerable Rhula, when he was a novice in aining,piled up a heap of sand, and made an earnest wish, May I beadmonished as many times as there are grains of sand in this

heap. Such a person is capable of rapid spiritual progress.Gentle (mudu):The commentary makes it clear that this

does not mean that a bhikkhu should run errands for laysupporters or give them presents, to ingratiate himself withthem, but he should win their respect by his polite and gentlemanners. He should not be stubborn.

Humble (anatimn): Anatimn means not conceited.One should not be puffed up with pride on account of oneslineage, learning, or other virtues. It is said that VenerableSripua was humble like a beggar with shabby clothes enteringa village with an earthernware pot. Though he was praised bythe Buddha as the wisest of his disciples, Venerable Sripuawas also the meekest and humblest person one could imagine.

Verse Two: Content, Wise, Serene, and Impartial

Contented (santussako):One should be contented withwhatever is available, whatever is within ones means, orwhatever is suitable considering ones status. At his ordinationa bhikkhu is reminded to be content with lumps of rice collectedon almsround. If he is invited for luxurious meals in the housesof wealthy supporters he can accept, but he should not expect.If he longs for special food it would amount to discontent, then

he would not be able to gain concenation. A householder, andhis wife and children, should be content with whatever theirincome can provide. If not, they will quarrel, and get into debt.The Buddha said, Contentment is the greatest easure.

Easily supported (subharo):means that one should beugal and able to make do with lile. If a bhikkhu is avariciousand difficult to satis, he will not be able to develop loving-kindness.

With few duties (appakicco):One who wishes to practisemeditation should not burden himself with any unnecessary


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Verse Two: Content, Wise, Serene, and Impartial 7

responsibilities. Bhikkhus have a du to maintain theirdwelling-place and robes, and to look aer sick monks, butthey should spend most of their time for meditation and study.

If a bhikkhu has no time to practise meditation, he should goelsewhere, otherwise the purpose of his going forth will be lost.

A certain elder was always sweeping the monastery. One dayhe saw the elder Revata, who was meditating as usual, andthought, Why does this elder not sweep at least one room? Theelder Revata knew what he was thinking, and admonished himto sweep only in the morning and evening, not the whole time,

but to spend the day in meditation. The sweeping elder soonaained Arahantship, and stopped doing so much sweeping.Rubbish started piling up, and the other bhikkhus thought hewas negligent. The elder replied that though he was heedless

before, now he was not. The bhikkhus reported this to the Buddha,and the Buddha said that the elder had spoken the uth:

Whoever was heedless before, but aerwards is not,illumines the world like the moon eed omclouds. (Dhp v.172)

Of light livelihood (sallahukavui):A bhikkhu shouldhave eight essential requisites an almsbowl, three robes, awaist-band, a razor, a water-sainer, and a needle. If he avelsanywhere he should carry these eight things with him. It would

be very easy. Certainly, he will not have to pay excess baggageon any airline. He could easily carry it all himself. Nowadays,we need a van to carry all our stuff when we move residence.When I avelled to Burma, I took just an overnight bag and ashoulder bag, but even that was rather burdensome.

With senses calmed (santindriyo): A meditator mustconol the six-senses. On seeing a sight with the eye, oneshould not take notice of any details, but should merely beaware that one sees it. If one can stop the mind at the point of

seeing, there will not be any chance for mental defilements toarise and develop. It was said earlier that morali of sense-


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facul resaint is fulfilled by mindfulness. If one is not mindful,one will not be able to resain the senses. A short story omthe Visuddhimagga will illusate the point:

A certain elder lived in a cave for thir years practisingmeditation. Some monks came to visit the elder and commentedon the lovely flowering ee outside the cave, and the beautifulpaintings on the ceiling of the cave. The elder commented,

Only now iends have I learnt about the paintings on the ceiling,though I knew the ee was in blossom when I saw the flowerson the ground. This was a sharp reminder to the young monksto practise sense-facul resaint. Though they had only justarrived, they had already allowed their eyes to wander inpursuit of sensual pleasures. The elder, who was an Arahant,was always mindful, so he did not want to look around hereand there.

A bhikkhu should be serene and composed. Since he haseyes and ears, he must see and hear, but he should keep awatchful guard over his mind to protect himself om defile-

ments that might invade his mind. When eating his meals, sincehe has a tongue, he must taste the food as sweet, sour, bier,sal, etc. If he takes delight in the taste, and further commentsthat the food is delicious, then he has no conol over his tongue

neither in tasting, nor in speaking.

Prudent (nipako):One should be prudent and discreet andknow what is suitable to develop concenation. There are seven

kinds of suitable things (sappya)that one should know about residence, alms-resort, speech, teachers and companions,food, weather, and posture. If even one of these is unsuitable,one may find it hard to develop concenation. One mansmeat is another mans poison as the saying goes, so one shouldknow what is good for ones health and spiritual well-being.One should avoid unprofitable speech, and those who indulge

in it. One should know when to take exercise, what to eat andhow much, and not indulge in sleeping a diligent meditatorneeds very lile sleep.


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Verse Three: Blameless and Kind 9

Not impudent (appagabbho):means that one should bepolite, not rude. There are three kinds of rudeness physical,verbal, and mental. This is a maer of cultural values, what is

rude in one culture is not rude in another. Ones posture andspeech should be calm, unhurried, polite, unassertive, anduninusive. Ones mental aitude should also be ee ompride, arrogance, and contempt. The best thing is to act andspeak with awareness, then one will soon realise if one causessome offence.

Not greedily aached to families (kulesvananugiddho):A bhikkhu should be detached, unbiased, and unprejudiced.In dealing with lay-supporters he should not show anypartiali or discrimination, which would amount to corruption.He should not grasp them as his own supporters. To cultivategenuine mea is not easy, as affection and aachment can easilycorrupt ones mind in the guise of kindness and loyal. A

bhikkhu who is aached to families cannot admonish laysupporters when it is his du to resain them om evil. Parents

can spoil their children with too much affection.

Verse Three: Blameless and Kind

He should not do the slightest thing for which otherwise men might censure him (na ca khuddamcare kici,yena vi pare upavadeyyu):To summarise, one shoulddo nothing blameworthy by the wise.

Although the Mea Sua seems short and simple, it is notat all superficial. Even before beginning the practise of loving-kindness meditation, we have to cultivate the above fieenvirtues to puri morali. Only then will we be pure-heartedenough to practise real mea.

As usual, the Buddha preaches a graduated discourse: firstmorali, then concenation, and finally wisdom. So havingfirmly established morali with Right Action, Right Speech,and Right Livelihood, we can begin to develop concenationon loving-kindness.


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May all being be happy and secure, may they keepthemselves happy! (Sukhino va khemino hontu, sabbe sabhavantu sukhita):While reciting the words slowly, one

should cultivate sincere thoughts of loving-kindness: May allbeings keep themselves (aa) happy (sukhita), may they feelsecure (khemino). Everyone wishes to be happy and ee omanxie and fear. Comparing others to oneself, let one wish fortheir happiness.

Verse Four: Send Love to All Beings

Whatever living beings there may be (ye keci

pabhtahi):Pa means breathing things, bhta meansthose have come into existence. Ye keci means all beingswithout exception whatever beings there may be existinganywhere in the universe.

Feeble or song (tasa v thvar v):Those beings whohave many defilements are feeble (in mind), those who havefew or no defilements are song.

Without exception (anavasesa):this is sessed to showthe nature of genuine loving-kindness, which does not discrim-inate at all.

Long or big (dgh v ye va mahant):medium, short,tiny, or huge (majjhim rassak aukathl):From what itsays here, it is clear that loving-kindness must be practisedtowards all manner of living beings, whatever their size or

nature. Some people may have difficul extending loving-kindness towards mosquitoes, snakes, or scorpions, or they maythink that larvae or fleas are insignificant, but they also love life,so one should not kill any living thing. One of the bhikkhusessential requisites is a water-sainer, and he should not avelmore than a few miles om the monastery without one. If water,sand, or wood is le outside even for a few days, it may containliving beings. One should check for signs of life before throwingaway water, burning wood, or digging sand. If one desoys lifeunintentionally, no evil kamma is made, but one should take


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Verse Five: Seen or Unseen 11

due care when clearing rubbish, at least by turning things overand knocking them on the ground before burning them.

Verse Five: Seen or Unseen

Seen or unseen (dih v ye va adih):Some beingsmay be invisible due to their small size, or living under theground, inside plants, or in non-human realms. Whether onecan see them or not, one should be aware of them, and extendloving-kindness towards them.

Those dwelling far or near (ye va dre vasanti avidre):Loving-kindness can be effective at any distance, just like a

telephone call to say, How are you geing on? How long doesit take to think of a family member living in the same house?How long does it take to think of them if they are living in adistant couny? The answer is, Exactly the same. or It dependson how my mind is disposed towards them: if I know them verywell, I can think of them at once; otherwise it takes a few secondsto visualise them. There is plen of anecdotal evidence of people

thinking of a close relative at the exact instant they have had somekind of accident while staying in a distant place.

Those who are born or those who are to be born (bhtva sambhaves va):Life begins at conception, not just at birth.Beings in the womb, larvae, or fertile eggs, have life already,so a Buddhist should not desoy them. Every mother shouldextend loving-kindness towards the baby in her womb by

giving up smoking, drinking, and other harmful things duringpregnancy. Everyone should eat a pregnant woman withspecial care and kindness, as they would if she was carrying a

baby in her arms.In another sense this means those who are Arahants who

have been born (bht), but will not be born again, and thosenon-Arahants who will be born again (sambhaves) or whoare seeking (es) rebirth.

May all beings be happy (sabbe sa bhavantusukhita):May all beings be happy in body and mind; may


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they keep themselves happy. While visualising living beings,one diffuses loving-kindness towards them.

Verse Six: Dont Deceive or Harm Others

Let none deceive another (na paro para nikubbetha):One who deceives others does not have loving-kindness for them.They are absolutely devoid of compassion and good-will forothers. One who claims to be a monk should follow the life-sleand discipline of a monk. He is deceiving others if he has noaspiration to realise nibbna, but is just ying to make a living.

I heard that a certain lady claims to be seam-winner, and

says that merely by listening to her sermons people can aainnibbna. Though some people with special perfections can anddid gain realisation of the Dhamma while listening to sermons,the vast majori of people will have to sive very hard to puritheir morali, deepen their concenation, and mature theirinsight. Even when the Buddha himself preached the Dhamma-cakka Sua, only one of the five ascetics gained realisation on

the spot. The other four had to practise mindfulness for severaldays before gaining realisation.

Those who make exavagant claims about their Dhammatalks are practising the worst kind of deception. A genuineseam-winner would make no such claims, as they wouldknow that realisation comes about only through senuousefforts and scrupulous moral conduct.

Very gied and intelligent individuals may aain specialknowledge quickly and easily. To illusate the great value ofunremiing mindfulness in daily activities, my meditationteacher told me about one meditator who gained the stage ofequanimi (sakhrupekkha-a) within fourteen days ofintensive practice. He was a Rhodes scholar, i.e. he won ascholarship in the USA to aend Oxford Universi. Let allBuddhists therefore beware of those who say that nibbna is easyto aain. As one would test a car before buying it, one shouldtest the Dhamma for oneself by practising it to see if it works.


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Verse Seven: As A Mother Loves Her Child 13

Nor despise any person whatsoever in any place(ntimaetha kahaci na kaci):Earlier it was said thatone should be ee om rudeness (appagabbho). To despise

another person for any reason is mental rudeness. Even ifsomeone has many faults and few virtues, one should notdespise them. Such a person deserves compassion for theyare very like to be reborn in the lower realms aer death,and even in this life they have no genuine happiness. Oneshould despise only immorali and ignorance, whether theyare in others or in oneself. False tolerance due to ignoranceleads to corruption.

Let him not wish any harm to another out of anger or ill-will(byrosan paighasa, namaassa dukkhamiccheyya):May one not cause physical harm (byrosana) nor verbally abuseothers. Let one not have any perception (sa) of ill-will oraversion (paigha), to another (aamaassa), let one not (na)wish(iccheyya) that suffering(dukkha)should happen to anyone.

If someone hurts us in any way, we may wish them to meet

some accident, even to die, or we may even want to kill thempersonally. Such angry and hateful thoughts are not uncommonfor ordinary individuals, but are absolutely opposed to thepractice of loving-kindness. In the early stages of developingloving-kindness, therefore, one should dispel all such angrythoughts and resentment by reflecting well on the dangers anddisadvantages of anger and haed. If any anger or ill-will

remains towards anyone, then one is not practising loving-kindness correctly. If a fire is still smoking, one has notextinguished it yet, even though no flames can be seen.

Verse Seven: As A Mother Loves Her Only Child

Just as a mother would protect her only child at the riskof her own life (mt yath niya puam yus ekapua-manurakkhe):Just as (yath) a mother (mt) would protect(anurakkhe) with her life (yus) her own flesh and blood(niya pua), her only son (ekapua).


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The meaning is that loving-kindness should be boundless,by comparing others with oneself. As one would protect oneselfom physical dangers and wicked people, let one protect others

with equal concern.Even so, let him cultivate a boundless heart towards all

beings (evampi sabbabhtesu, mnasa bhvayeaparima): Even so (evampi) towards all beings(sabbabhtesu), let one cultivate (bhvaye) a boundless(aparima) mind or heart (mnasa). This verse empha-sises the limitless and unresicted nature of loving-kindness.Thoughts and feelings of good-will should occur in a continu-ous seam, then no ace of ill-will or anger can peneate themind.

Verse Eight: Send Love In All Directions

Let one cultivate thoughts of boundless love for thewhole world (meaca sabbalokasmi mnasa bhvayeaparima): Let one cultivate (bhvaye) a boundless

(aparima) heart (mnasa) of loving-kindness (meaca)for the whole world (sabbalokasmi).

Above, below, and across without any obsuction,without any haed, without any enmi (uddha adho catiriyaca, asambdha averamasapaa): One shouldextend loving-kindness above (uddha), below (adho), andacross (tirya) not oppressing (asambdha), ee om

enmi (avera), and void of hostili (asapaa).Verse Nine: Meditate Constantly

Whether he stands, walks, sits, or lies down, as long ashe is awake (tiha cara nisinno va, sayno yvatssavitamiddho):One should develop loving-kindness at all timesand in all postures, not to have any lapse in concenation.Meditation must be continuous to be effective, otherwise the

mind wanders, defilements enter the mind, and concenationand energy decline.


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How to Practise Loving-kindness 15

Verse Ten: Free from Wrong View and Rebirth

He should develop this mindfulness. This they say isthe noblest living here (eta sati adhiheyya, brahmam-

eta vihramidhamhu): Loving-kindness must be firmlyestablished (adhiheyya). One should continue with thepractice until absorption (jhna)is aained, expelling all mentalhindrances. When there is no lust or anger at all in the mind,

one will be dwelling (vihra) like a Brahm.Not falling into wrong views, being virtuous and

endowed with insight (dihica anupaggamma, slav

dassanena sampanno):Having developedjhna or some degreeof concenation on mea, one should contemplate thoughts ofmea with bare aention. Then one will dispel the illusion of a

self(aa-dihi), and will not grasp (anupaggamma) wrong views(dihi). When this insight matures one will aain Seam-winning, whereby one is endowed with (sampanno) supramun-dane virtue (slav) through insight (dassanena).

By discarding aachment to sense desires, never againis he reborn in a womb (kmesu vineyya gedha, na hi

jtuggabbhaseyya punaretti):As one develops insight tothe higher stages of the path, desire (gedha) for sensualpleasures (kmesu) is conquered (vineyya), and one becomesa Non-returner. So one is not born (jti) into a womb(gabbhaseyya) again (puna).

How to Practise Loving-kindnessAha avero homi: may I be ee om ill-will.Abypajjo homi: may I be ee om enmi.Angho homi: may I be ee om affliction.Sukh ana pariharmi: may I be happy.Dukkh muccmi: may I be ee om suffering.Yath-laddha-sampaito m vigacchmi: may I not be

parted om the good fortune I have aained.Kammassako: I am the owner of my kamma and must

inherit its results.


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Then one should extend loving-kindness to the guardiandeities of ones house or monastery:

Imasmi gehe (rme) rakkhadevat aver hontu: may

the guardian deities in this house be ee om anger.Abypajj hontu: may they be ee om enmi.Angh hontu: may they be ee om affliction.Sukh ana pariharantu: may they be happy.Dukkh muccantu: may they be ee om suffering.Yath-laddha-sampaito m vigacchantu: may they not

be parted om the good fortune they have aained.

Kammassak: They are owners of their kamma and willinherit its results.

Next one should extend loving-kindness to ones parents,teachers, relatives, and associates:

Amhka mtapitu cariya-ti-mia-sammuh averhontu: may my mother and father, teacher, relatives, andassociates be ee om anger.

Abypajj hontu: may they be ee om enmi.

Angh hontu: may they be ee om affliction.Sukh ana pariharantu: may they be happy.Dukkh muccantu: may they be ee om suffering.Yath-laddha-sampaito m vigacchantu: may they not

be parted om the good fortune they have aained.

Kammassak: they are owners of their kamma and willinherit its results.

Then one should extend loving-kindness to all kinds ofliving beings:

Sabbe sa, sabbe p, sabbe bht, sabbe puggal,sabbe aa-bhva-pariypann, sabb ihiyo, sabbe puris,sabbe ariy, sabbe anariy, sabbe dev, sabbe manuss,sabbe viniptik aver hontu: may all sentient things, all

breathing things, all beings, all persons, all individuals, all

women, all men, all noble ones, all ordinary persons, all deities,all human beings, all those destined for the states of loss, beee om anger.


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How to Practise Loving-kindness 17

Abypajj hontu: may they be ee om enmi.Angh hontu: may they be ee om affliction.Sukh ana pariharantu: may they be happy.

Dukkh muccantu: may they be ee om suffering.Yath-laddha-sampaito m vigacchantu: may they notbe parted om the good fortune they have aained.

Kammassak: all beings are the owners of their kammaand must inherit its results.

Finally, extend loving-kindness in all directions:

Purahimya disya, dakkhiya disya, pacchimyadisya, uarya disya, purahimya anudisya,dakkhiya anudisya, pacchimya anudisya, uaryaanudisya, hehimya disya, uparimya disya: in the east,the south, the west, the north, the south-east, the south-west,the north-west, the north-east, below, and above.

Sabbe sa, sabbe p, sabbe bht, sabbe puggal,sabbe aa-bhva-pariypann, sabb ihiyo, sabbe puris,sabbe ariy, sabbe anariy, sabbe dev, sabbe manuss,

sabbe viniptik, aver hontu: may all sentient things, allbreathing things, all beings, all persons, all individuals, allwomen, all men, all noble ones, all ordinary persons, all deities,all human beings, all those destined for the states of loss, beee om anger.

Abypajj hontu: May they be ee om enmi.Angh hontu: May they be ee om affliction.

Sukh ana pariharantu: May they be happy.Dukkh muccantu: May they be ee om suffering.Yath-laddha-sampaito m vigacchantu: May they not

be parted om their good fortune.

Kammassak: All beings are the owners of their kammaand will inherit its results.

Loving-kindness is very beneficial to calm and concenate

the mind. When coupled with bare awareness, it will quicklygive rise to insight and liberation om defilements, whichmeans eedom om suffering.


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Metta Sutta

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Transcript of Metta Sutta