“In gladness and in safety, may all beings be at ease!
Whatever beings there may be, whether they are weak or
strong,
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!”
(Buddha, Karaniya-Metta Sutta, Sutta Nipata 1:8, Pali
canon)
In many countries this
time of year is when we usually remember the ideal of “goodwill
to all men.” In these more ‘enlightened’ modern times, the use of the word “men”
is often considered redundant, better replaced with “people,” “everyone,” or
simply omitted altogether. So, perhaps “goodwill to all” is more appropriate
nowadays. Most reasonably-minded people would surely agree with this, wouldn’t
they? After all, are we wishing goodwill only to men or to women & children
also? Smiling to a stranger, a friendly greeting & generosity to those in
need are all ways in which this worthy sentiment can be put into practice. Indeed,
any act of kindness is a manifestation of the wish, “Goodwill to all.”
In
Buddhism, goodwill is an important quality praised by Buddha & all wise
teachers. Called metta in Pali and maitri in Sanskrit, the main
two scriptural languages of Buddhism, goodwill is the subject of many important
discourses by Buddha. Also translated as loving-kindness or just kindness, metta
is a mental quality that Buddhists are encouraged to develop both in meditative
practices & in daily life. One way that it is expressed is in the phrase, “May
all beings be happy,” which is also rendered, “May all beings be at ease.” To
have goodwill with our family, friends, neighbors & strangers is an important
aspect of Buddhist life, and without it we might consider someone only ‘half a
Buddhist,’ at best.
Analyzing
the phrase, “May all beings be happy,” it’s worth looking at the word “beings.”
Why do we use this word and not people or humans? As Buddhists, we foster
goodwill for all sentient beings. Any being that is capable of thought, feeling
or suffering (dukkha) is worthy of our kindness, and if we open our
hearts appropriately, a natural outpouring of goodwill will flow towards all
such beings. Traditionally, the list of beings worthy of our goodwill includes
not only humans but also gods, demons, ghosts, spirits & animals. Presumably,
extraterrestrials are also rightful recipients of metta also, as are conscious,
feeling forms of artificial intelligence.
Whether
we believe in gods, ghosts and ‘greys’ or not, it is certain that animals
qualify as sentient beings, and therefore are appropriate ‘targets’ of
goodwill. So, for Buddhists, it isn’t only humans that should receive our
goodwill at this time of year, but also dogs, cats, birds, fish, spiders, insects
& any other creatures that we encounter. Putting out food & water for
birds or other animals during the festive season is a wonderful way to be kind
towards our fellow suffering beings, as is a kindly pat on the head as opposed to
a kick up the tail! Moreover, perhaps it might be an idea to think of the
animals that will be slaughtered for our consumption during the festivities: Do
they really need to die so that we can eat their flesh during the holidays? Is
a nut cutlet as opposed to a turkey a more kindly choice?
Some
might say that all this is good and well, but if our actions are kind but our
minds are full of unkind thoughts, isn’t there something inherently
contradictory there? Moreover, once the festive period comes to an end, or our
patience is pushed too far, won’t the outer thin veneer of kindliness disappear
like a mirage, only to be replaced with a rush of anger or ill-will? Well, in
truth, the above is quite possible. But, there are practical steps that we can
take to not only sustain our goodwill over yuletide, but also beyond into our
everyday lives over the coming years. One such way is to cultivate goodwill (called
metta-bhavana in Pali), which is a popular practice found across various
Buddhist schools in a variety of ways, but all of which share the common goal
of developing a mind full of goodwill & harmlessness. The method described
below is the one found in very early Buddhist texts, and attributed to Buddha
himself. It is not necessary to sit in a cross-legged meditation pose for this
practice, though one can if one wishes (especially if the intent is to develop
deep levels of concentration, but that isn’t the case here).
“One abides, having
suffused with a mind of benevolence one direction of the world, likewise the second, likewise the third, likewise the fourth, and so above,
below, around and everywhere, and to all as to himself; one abides suffusing
the entire universe with benevolence, with a mind grown great, lofty, boundless
and free from enmity and ill will.”
(Buddha,
Vatthupama Sutta, Majjhima Nikaya 7, Pali canon)
Cultivating
goodwill this way as often as possible will soften the mind, making it more
prone to kindness and less likely to get angry or aggressive towards others. It
also facilitates an ability to develop empathy towards others, feeling their
pain & hurt, and becoming a better person for it. Another benefit is that
one actually becomes happier within oneself, for one is happier with oneself,
knowing that kindness and not ill-will dominate the mind. There are other
advantages of metta-development described in the early texts which include: “One
sleeps easily, wakes easily, dreams no evil dreams. One is dear to human
beings, dear to non-human beings. The gods protect one. Neither fire, poison,
nor weapons can touch one. One's mind gains concentration quickly. One's
complexion is bright. One dies unconfused and – if penetrating no higher – is
headed for the Brahma worlds (Mettanisamsa Sutta, Anguttara Nikaya 11:16,
Pali canon).”
Now,
some of the claims above may seem to be hyperbole, such as being impervious to
fire, poison or weapons. But, perhaps this simply means that when one is full
of kindness it’s obvious to others and they are therefore unlikely to try to burn,
poison or shoot someone they see as kind. Whatever the case, this author can
vouch from personal experience that cultivation of goodwill can certainly lead
to many of the other claimed benefits, such as a sound sleep, better relation s
with those that one meets (both human & animal), and that meditative
concentration is facilitated. So, as well as benefitting others through one’s
goodwill, one benefits oneself also. Everyone’s a winner with metta! This
holiday season, why not try metta meditation, or just being kinder; and why
stop there? If we all cultivate goodwill towards each other throughout our
lives, what an even more wonderful place this world would be, wouldn’t it?
Related links on this site:Karaniya Metta Sutta
Metta / Loving-Kindness
Metta-bhavana (Loving-Kindness Meditation)
Karaniya Metta Sutta Reflections
