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 and 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
ShouldThis 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 and 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.
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 vews,
The pure-hearted one, having clarity of vision,
Being freed from all sense-desires,
Is not born again into this world.
The Karaniya Metta Sutta - 'The Loving-Kindness To Be Cultivated Sermon' - is one of the most beloved of Buddhist sutras. It is presented here for our contemplation, for in its short but succinct form, we have a priceless guide to becoming better beings. In the upcoming months, a series of reflections on the sutra will appear on this blog. The translation presented here is from the Western Forest Sangha Chanting Book, which can be downloaded from the following address: Abhayagiri Buddhist Monastery
2 comments:
The Nikayas consistently represent the brahma-vihara meditations as a form of ascetico-religious practice that existed long before the advent of The Buddha. For example, they report the ancient figure of King Makhadeva of Videha as one who practiced brahma viharas. Passages in the Digha Nikaya also mention two additional mythological figures, King Sudhassana and Govinda as having practiced them too.
While such things may please scholars, one would also have to believe that all the Buddhist religious books were spoken by The Buddha, who did not know Pali, and that people were able to remember such books for 400 years before they were written down.
What gives a much better perspective on the reality of what The Buddha actually taught is the practice itself.
This is the major problem in Buddhism, most monks and laypeople read and believe stuff more than they practice, and even when they do practice it is usually sporadic and short term, so very few end up as truly knowledgeable. Instead, you end up with entertainers who tell jokes in their talks and are good at collecting money. Buddhism is not concerned with building stuff, it is concerned with the cessation of Dukkha. The practice of Metta is also dukkha, unsatisfactory, so why would anyone on the higher paths who got there without practicing Metta be bothered to teach it?
It’s just a nice piece of Brahmanism for those who don’t really want to wake up.
I agree with you, Anonymous, that the proof of the pudding is in the eating. The practice of metta-bhavana has many benefits, for both those that cultivate it and for those that receive it. These include calmness, restful sleep, confidence, good relations with other beings, and concentration. Metta-bahvana can lead to samadhi, and is a stepping stone to futher meditative states, opening the mind up to a spacious knowing conducive to awakening.
This isn't based on opinion or scholarly arguments, but on practice. Those who knock metta-based practice haven't practiced it, or haven't practiced it well. Still, there are many mindfulness & meditation techniques taught in Buddhism; metta isn't for everyone... even if the world benefits from it.
Be well in your practice, whatever it is, and may you & all suffering beings find release.
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