Karaniya Metta Sutta

Where we gather to focus on a single discourse or thematic collection from the Sutta Piṭaka (new selection every two weeks)
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Karaniya Metta Sutta

Post by jcsuperstar »

Snp 1.8 PTS: Sn 143-152
Karaniya Metta Sutta: The Hymn of Universal Love
translated from the Pali by
Acharya Buddharakkhita
Who seeks to promote his welfare,
Having glimpsed the state of perfect peace,
Should be able, honest and upright,
Gentle in speech, meek and not proud.

Contented, he ought to be easy to support,
Not over-busy, and simple in living.
Tranquil his senses, let him be prudent,
And not brazen, nor fawning on families.

Also, he must refrain from any action
That gives the wise reason to reprove him.
(Then let him cultivate the thought:)
May all be well and secure,
May all beings be happy!

Whatever living creatures there be,
Without exception, weak or strong,
Long, huge or middle-sized,
Or short, minute or bulky,

Whether visible or invisible,
And those living far or near,
The born and those seeking birth,
May all beings be happy!

Let none deceive or decry
His fellow anywhere;
Let none wish others harm
In resentment or in hate.

Just as with her own life
A mother shields from hurt
Her own son, her only child,
Let all-embracing thoughts
For all beings be yours.

Cultivate an all-embracing mind of love
For all throughout the universe,
In all its height, depth and breadth —
Love that is untroubled
And beyond hatred or enmity.

As you stand, walk, sit or lie,
So long as you are awake,
Pursue this awareness with your might:
It is deemed the Divine State here.

Holding no more to wrong beliefs,
With virtue and vision of the ultimate,
And having overcome all sensual desire,
Never in a womb is one born again.
สัพเพ สัตตา สุขีตา โหนตุ

the mountain may be heavy in and of itself, but if you're not trying to carry it it's not heavy to you- Ajaan Suwat
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Re: Karaniya Metta Sutta

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Karaniya Metta Sutta: Loving-Kindness
translated from the Pali by
Ñanamoli Thera
What should be done by one skillful in good
So as to gain the State of Peace is this:

Let him be able, and upright and straight,
Easy to speak to, gentle, and not proud,
Contented too, supported easily,
With few tasks, and living very lightly;
His faculties serene, prudent, and modest,
Unswayed by the emotions of the clans;
And let him never do the slightest thing
That other wise men might hold blamable.

(And let him think:) "In safety and in bliss
May creatures all be of a blissful heart.
Whatever breathing beings there may be.
No matter whether they are frail or firm,
With none excepted, be they long or big
Or middle-sized, or be they short or small
Or thick, as well as those seen or unseen,
Or whether they are dwelling far or near,
Existing or yet seeking to exist.
May creatures all be of a blissful heart.
Let no one work another one's undoing
Or even slight him at all anywhere:
And never let them wish each other ill
Through provocation or resentful thought."
And just as might a mother with her life
Protect the son that was her only child,
So let him then for every living thing
Maintain unbounded consciousness in being;

And let him too with love for all the world
Maintain unbounded consciousness in being
Above, below, and all round in between,
Untroubled, with no enemy or foe.
And while he stands or walks or while he sits
Or while he lies down, free from drowsiness,
Let him resolve upon this mindfulness:
This is Divine Abiding here, they say.

But when he has no trafficking with views,
Is virtuous, and has perfected seeing,
And purges greed for sensual desires,
He surely comes no more to any womb.
สัพเพ สัตตา สุขีตา โหนตุ

the mountain may be heavy in and of itself, but if you're not trying to carry it it's not heavy to you- Ajaan Suwat
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Re: Karaniya Metta Sutta

Post by jcsuperstar »

Karaniya Metta Sutta: Good Will
translated from the Pali by
Thanissaro Bhikkhu
This is to be done by one skilled in aims
who wants to break through to the state of peace:
Be capable, upright, & straightforward,
easy to instruct, gentle, & not conceited,
content & easy to support,
with few duties, living lightly,
with peaceful faculties, masterful,
modest, & no greed for supporters.

Do not do the slightest thing
that the wise would later censure.

Think: Happy, at rest,
may all beings be happy at heart.
Whatever beings there may be,
weak or strong, without exception,
long, large,
middling, short,
subtle, blatant,
seen & unseen,
near & far,
born & seeking birth:
May all beings be happy at heart.

Let no one deceive another
or despise anyone anywhere,
or through anger or irritation
wish for another to suffer.

As a mother would risk her life
to protect her child, her only child,
even so should one cultivate a limitless heart
with regard to all beings.
With good will for the entire cosmos,
cultivate a limitless heart:
Above, below, & all around,
unobstructed, without enmity or hate.
Whether standing, walking,
sitting, or lying down,
as long as one is alert,
one should be resolved on this mindfulness.
This is called a sublime abiding
here & now.

Not taken with views,
but virtuous & consummate in vision,
having subdued desire for sensual pleasures,
one never again
will lie in the womb.
สัพเพ สัตตา สุขีตา โหนตุ

the mountain may be heavy in and of itself, but if you're not trying to carry it it's not heavy to you- Ajaan Suwat
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Re: Karaniya Metta Sutta

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Karaniya Metta Sutta: The Buddha's Words on Loving-Kindness
translated from the Pali by
the Amaravati Sangha
This is what should be done
By one who is skilled in goodness,
And who knows the path of peace:
Let them be able and upright,
Straightforward and gentle in speech,
Humble and not conceited,
Contented and easily satisfied,
Unburdened with duties and frugal in their ways.
Peaceful and calm and wise and skillful,
Not proud or demanding in nature.
Let them not do the slightest thing
That the wise would later reprove.
Wishing: In gladness and in safety,
May all beings be at ease.
Whatever living beings there may be;
Whether they are weak or strong, omitting none,
The great or the mighty, medium, short or small,
The seen and the unseen,
Those living near and far away,
Those born and to-be-born —
May all beings be at ease!

Let none deceive another,
Or despise any being in any state.
Let none through anger or ill-will
Wish harm upon another.
Even as a mother protects with her life
Her child, her only child,
So with a boundless heart
Should one cherish all living beings;
Radiating kindness over the entire world:
Spreading upwards to the skies,
And downwards to the depths;
Outwards and unbounded,
Freed from hatred and ill-will.
Whether standing or walking, seated or lying down
Free from drowsiness,
One should sustain this recollection.
This is said to be the sublime abiding.
By not holding to fixed views,
The pure-hearted one, having clarity of vision,
Being freed from all sense desires,
Is not born again into this world.
สัพเพ สัตตา สุขีตา โหนตุ

the mountain may be heavy in and of itself, but if you're not trying to carry it it's not heavy to you- Ajaan Suwat
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cooran
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Re: Karaniya Metta Sutta

Post by cooran »

jcsuperstar wrote:Karaniya Metta Sutta: The Buddha's Words on Loving-Kindness
translated from the Pali by
the Amaravati Sangha
This is what should be done
By one who is skilled in goodness,
And who knows the path of peace:
Let them be able and upright,
Straightforward and gentle in speech,
Humble and not conceited,
Contented and easily satisfied,
Unburdened with duties and frugal in their ways.
Peaceful and calm and wise and skillful,
Not proud or demanding in nature.
Let them not do the slightest thing
That the wise would later reprove.
Wishing: In gladness and in safety,
May all beings be at ease.
Whatever living beings there may be;
Whether they are weak or strong, omitting none,
The great or the mighty, medium, short or small,
The seen and the unseen,
Those living near and far away,
Those born and to-be-born —
May all beings be at ease!

Let none deceive another,
Or despise any being in any state.
Let none through anger or ill-will
Wish harm upon another.
Even as a mother protects with her life
Her child, her only child,
So with a boundless heart
Should one cherish all living beings;
Radiating kindness over the entire world:
Spreading upwards to the skies,
And downwards to the depths;
Outwards and unbounded,
Freed from hatred and ill-will.
Whether standing or walking, seated or lying down
Free from drowsiness,
One should sustain this recollection.
This is said to be the sublime abiding.
By not holding to fixed views,
The pure-hearted one, having clarity of vision,
Being freed from all sense desires,
Is not born again into this world.
This is the one we chant every Sunday before meditation and sutta study.

metta
Chris
---The trouble is that you think you have time---
---Worry is the Interest, paid in advance, on a debt you may never owe---
---It's not what happens to you in life that is important ~ it's what you do with it ---
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Re: Karaniya Metta Sutta

Post by Jechbi »

And here's the back story:
While the Buddha was staying at Savatthi, a band of monks, having received subjects of meditation from the master, proceeded to a forest to spend the rainy season (vassana).

The tree deities inhabiting this forest were worried by their arrival, as they had to descend from tree abodes and dwell on the ground. They hoped, however, the monks would leave soon; but finding that the monks would stay the vassana period of three months, harassed them in diverse ways, during the night with the intention of scaring them away.

Living under such conditions being impossible, the monks went to the Master and informed him of their difficulties. Thereon the Buddha instructed them in the Metta sutta and advised their return equipped with this sutta for their protection.

The monks went back to the forest, and practicing the instruction conveyed, permeated the whole atmosphere with their radiant thoughts of metta or loving-kindness. The deities so affected by this power of love, henceforth allowed them to meditate in peace.
Rain soddens what is kept wrapped up,
But never soddens what is open;
Uncover, then, what is concealed,
Lest it be soddened by the rain.
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Re: Karaniya Metta Sutta

Post by mikenz66 »

jcsuperstar wrote:Karaniya Metta Sutta: The Buddha's Words on Loving-Kindness
translated from the Pali by
the Amaravati Sangha
Audio here: http://www.abhayagiri.org/main/media_download/C20" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
The Buddha’s Words on Loving-Kindness
Karaniya Metta Sutta (English)

Metta
Mike
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Re: Karaniya Metta Sutta

Post by pilgrim »

This verse is a little perplexing
"Whether visible or invisible,
And those living far or near,
The born and those seeking birth,
May all beings be happy!"

What exactly are those seeking birth? This verse is sometimes taken to indicate support for antara-bhava or intermediate state between death and rebirth.
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cooran
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Re: Karaniya Metta Sutta

Post by cooran »

Hello pilgrim,

I asked the same question in 2002, triggered by a different quote, and received answers from a number of friends well-versed in the Dhamma and in Pali on DSG
- in a thread entitled "When a being has laid down his body".

But perhaps that's a whole new thread, rather than in the Metta Sutta thread?
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dhammastu ... r=1&tidx=1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

metta
Chris
---The trouble is that you think you have time---
---Worry is the Interest, paid in advance, on a debt you may never owe---
---It's not what happens to you in life that is important ~ it's what you do with it ---
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Re: Karaniya Metta Sutta

Post by mikenz66 »

Thanks Chris,

This, from your link, seems clear:
"OF THOSE SEEKING A NEW EXISTENCE" (Pali: sambhavesino pl.).
The commentary (Ps i 207) gives a detailed explanation. In the case of
the egg-born and the womb-born they refer to beings still inside the
egg or the womb before hatching out or parturition.
An explanation is
also given for the moisture-born and the spontaneously-arisen (with
the first citta of the new existence but not so with the next citta
and afterwards).
Mike
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Re: Karaniya Metta Sutta

Post by mikenz66 »

It's interesting how brief some of the statements in the Sutta Nipata are. In this particular Sutta there seems to be a very quick switch in the last verse from Metta to the insight leading to liberation:
By not holding to fixed views,
The pure-hearted one, having clarity of vision,
Being freed from all sense desires,
Is not born again into this world.
Metta
Mike
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Re: Karaniya Metta Sutta

Post by Prasadachitta »

mikenz66 wrote:It's interesting how brief some of the statements in the Sutta Nipata are. In this particular Sutta there seems to be a very quick switch in the last verse from Metta to the insight leading to liberation:
By not holding to fixed views,
The pure-hearted one, having clarity of vision,
Being freed from all sense desires,
Is not born again into this world.
Metta
Mike
Hi Mike,

I see what you mean about the seemingly abrupt switch in what the verses are saying. I have inferred my own sense of what this is trying to communicate based on my general understanding of Dhamma teachings as well as my own practice of metta mediation. In my experience of approaching absorption in well wishing towards sentient beings there a distinct way in which I begin to feel limited. That is while it generally feels very good to maintain such a positive intention there is a kind of subtle dissonance between my attachment to the pleasant feeling and the purity of my intention. I feel that this dissonance is created by the root confusion over there being a self in relation to the other. I feel that at the time when I am (relative to my usual way of being) supremely benevolent, this is the point when the Buddha is saying "Now! Attempt to look with insight into your experience".

Metta

Gabe
"Beautifully taught is the Lord's Dhamma, immediately apparent, timeless, of the nature of a personal invitation, progressive, to be attained by the wise, each for himself." Anguttara Nikaya V.332
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Re: Karaniya Metta Sutta

Post by Jechbi »

related thread with yet another translation
Rain soddens what is kept wrapped up,
But never soddens what is open;
Uncover, then, what is concealed,
Lest it be soddened by the rain.
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mikenz66
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Re: Karaniya Metta Sutta

Post by mikenz66 »

Hi Gabe,
gabrielbranbury wrote:... I feel that at the time when I am (relative to my usual way of being) supremely benevolent, this is the point when the Buddha is saying "Now! Attempt to look with insight into your experience".
Thanks, that's a useful observation, in line with usual instructions to use the jhana states to see the impermanence and ultimate unsatisfactoriness of all conditioned things.

Metta
Mike
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Re: Karaniya Metta Sutta

Post by cooran »

Hello all,

What do you think is specifically being referred to in each of these lines from different translations of the Sutta ....?

But when he has no trafficking with views
Not taken with views
By not holding to fixed views


In these translations, it isn't a matter of right or wrong view ~ but any views?

with metta
Chris
---The trouble is that you think you have time---
---Worry is the Interest, paid in advance, on a debt you may never owe---
---It's not what happens to you in life that is important ~ it's what you do with it ---
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