(Pali: ) is a Sanskrit term that refers to benevolence, loving-kindness, friendliness, amity, good will, and active interest in others. The term appears in various ancient and medieval Indian texts, such as the Upanishads, Jain Sutras and Buddhist Suttas. Within Buddhism, it is notably the first of the four sublime states (), one of the ten of Theravāda Buddhism, and expounded upon in the Metta Sutta.
The cultivation of benevolence () is a popular form of Buddhist meditation. It is a part of the four immeasurables in (divine abidings) meditation. as "compassion meditation" is often practiced in Asia by broadcast chanting, wherein monks chant for the laity.
The meditative cultivation of mettā has been studied by scientists. Small sample studies suggest that loving-kindness meditation may result in enhanced positive emotions during daily life in individuals who continue the practice. However, peer reviews question the quality and sample size of these studies.
Etymology and meaning The Sanskrit term is derived from the term mitra which means "friend". The Pali term is derived from the Sanskrit term. The Sanskrit term is found in this sense in the Vedic literature, such as the Shatapatha Brahmana and various early Upanishads, and Vedanga literature such as Pāṇini's Aṣṭādhyāyī 5.4.36. The term appears in Buddhist texts as an important concept and practice.
Buswell and Lopez, as well as Harvey, translate as "loving-kindness". In Buddhist belief, this is a (divine abode) or an immeasurable that leads to a meditative state by being a counter to ill-will. It removes clinging to negative states of mind, by cultivating kindness unto all beings.
Origins According to Martin Wiltshire, prior to the advent of the Buddha, there existed traditions of and of meditation with the four virtues of loving-kindness, compassion, empathetic joy, and equanimity. The early Buddhist texts assert that pre-Buddha ancient Indian sages who taught these virtues were earlier incarnations of the Buddha. Post-Buddha, these same virtues are found in the Hindu texts such as verse 1.33 of the Yoga Sutras of Patañjali, wherein the word is synonymous with .
Loving-kindness (), along with compassion and equanimity, are found in the early Upanishads of Hinduism, while loving-kindness () is found in early Sutras of Jainism along with compassion, empathetic joy and equanimity. The ancient Indian Paccekabuddhas who are mentioned in the early Buddhist Suttas, those who lived before the Buddha, mention all "four immeasurables" and Brahmavihara, and they are claimed in the Suttas to be previous incarnations of the Buddha.
According to Ian Harris, the Buddhist scriptures acknowledge that the -concept containing four meditation practices "did not originate within the Buddhist tradition". The Buddha never claimed that the "four immeasurables" and related -meditation were his unique ideas, states Harvey Aronson, in "cessation, quieting, nirvana".
The pre-Buddha Chandogya Upanishad, states Jayatilleke, in section 8.15 teaches mettā and ahimsa (doctrine of non-harm, esp. non-violence) to all creatures claiming that this practice leads to . The shift in Vedic ideas, from rituals to virtues, is particularly discernible in the early Upanishadic thought, and it is unclear as to what extent and how early Upanishadic traditions of Hinduism and Sramanic traditions such as Buddhism and Jainism influenced each other, on ideas such as "four immeasurables", meditation, and Brahmavihara.
In the Jain text, the Tattvartha Sutra (Chapter 7, sutra 11), which is accepted by all Jain sub-traditions as authoritative, there is a mention of four right sentiments: Maitri, pramoda, karunya, and madhyastha:
Mettā in Buddhism
Mettā meditation meditation, or often "loving-kindness meditation", is the practice concerned with the cultivation of , i.e. benevolence, kindness, and amity. The practice generally consists of silent repetitions of phrases such as "may you be happy" or "may you be free from suffering", for example directed at a person who, depending on tradition, may or may not be internally visualized.
Two different methodological approaches have been discerned in recent review papers: practices that focus on compassion, and practices focusing on loving-kindness. Focusing on compassion means that meditation consists of the wish to relieve a being from suffering, whereas focusing on loving-kindness means wishing a being happiness.
The practice gradually increases in difficulty with respect to the targets that receive the practitioner's compassion or loving-kindness. At first the practitioner is targeting "oneself, then loved ones, neutral ones, difficult ones, and finally all beings, with variations across traditions".
According to Ven. Sangye Khadro's book Awakening a Kind Heart, loving kindness or is the sincere wish that all beings have happiness and its causes.https://www.kmspks.org/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/Awakening-2ndEdition.2013-Web.pdf
Page 7-10 of the book not pdf This can be displayed mainly through 3 forms:
Care for the other individual Appreciation of what the individual has done for us The sincere wish for the individual to have happiness
The "far enemy" of is hate or ill-will, a mind-state in obvious opposition. The "near enemy" (quality which superficially resembles but is in fact more subtly in opposition to it), is attachment (greed): here too one likes experiencing a virtue, but for the wrong reason.
Mettā in specific Buddhist texts In the Pāli Canon, the term appears in many texts such as the Kakacupama Sutta and Karaniya Metta Sutta. Other canonical materials, such as in the Paṭisambhidāmagga, elaborate on it as a practice. Yet other canonical sources, such as the Abhidhamma, underline the key role of benevolence in the development of wholesome karma for better rebirths.
can also be found in several other canonical discourses.In addition to AN 10.176, other discourses that contain include: Discourse for the Brahmans of Sala (Sāleyyaka Sutta, MN 41) (Ñanamoli & Khantipalo, 1993) Discourse for the Brahmins of Verañja (Verañjaka Sutta, MN 42, which is substantially a reiteration of MN 41 in a different locale) Sutta on the To Be Cultivated and Not to Be Cultivated (Sevitabbāsevitabba Sutta, MN 114) (Ñāṇamoli & Bodhi, 2001, p. 917) First Discourse on Hell and Heaven (Paṭhama-niraya-sagga Sutta, AN 10.211) Second Discourse on Hell and Heaven (Dutiya-niraya-sagga Sutta, AN 10.212) First Discourse on Intentional Actions (Paṭhama-sañcetanika Sutta, AN 10.217) Second Discourse on Intentional Actions (Dutiya-sañcetanika Sutta, AN 10.218) the Paṭisambhidāmagga (see below) the paracanonical Milinda Pañha.
Karaniya Metta Sutta (Sn 1.8)
or lovingkindness here, states Harvey, is a heartfelt aspiration for the happiness of all beings. It is different from "lack of ill-will", and more an antidote to fear and hatred. It is the precept to conquer anger by kindness, conquer the liar by truth, conquer the stingy by giving, and conquer evil by good, says Harvey.
Vatthūpama Sutta In over a dozen discourses, the following description (in English and Pāli) is provided for radiating loving-kindness in six directions:See for instance, in the Digha Nikāya alone: The Great Splendor Discourse (Mahāsudassana Sutta, DN 17), v. 2.4 (Walshe, 1995, p. 287) The Great Steward Discourse (Mahāgovinda Sutta, DN 19), v. 59 (Walshe, 1995, p. 312) The Great Lion's Roar to the Udumbarikans Discourse (Udumbarika-Sīhanāda Sutta, DN 19), v. 17 (Walshe, 1995, pp. 390-391) The Lion's Roar on the Turning of the Wheel Discourse (Cakkavatti-Sīhanāda Sutta, DN 79), v. 28 (Walshe, 1995, p. 405).
In the canon, this basic formula is expanded upon in a variety of ways. For instance, a couple of discoursesSee, for instance the Discourse to Subha (Subha Sutta, MN 99) (Ñāṇamoli & Bodhi, 2001, pp. 816–17) The Threefold Knowledge Discourse (Tevijja Sutta, DN 13), vv. 76–77 (Walshe, 1995, p. 194) See also the Discourse to Dhānañjāni (Dhānañjāni Sutta, MN 97) (IAST|Ñāṇamoli & Bodhi, 2001, p. 796), in which a similar statement about union with Brahma is made by the Ven. Sariputta without the trumpeter metaphor. provide the following description of how to gain rebirth in the heavenly realm of Brahmā () : "What... is the path to the company of Brahmā? Here a bhikkhu abides pervading one quarter with a mind imbued with benevolence, likewise the second, likewise the third, likewise the fourth; so above, below, around, and everywhere, and to all as to himself, he abides pervading the all-encompassing world with a mind imbued with benevolence, abundant, exalted, immeasurable, without hostility, and without ill will. When the deliverance of mind by benevolence is developed in this way, no limiting action remains there, none persists there.
"Just as a vigorous trumpeter could make himself (or herself) heard without difficulty in the four quarters, so too, when the deliverance of mind by benevolence is developed in this way, no limiting action remains there, none persists there. This is the path to the company of Brahmā."MN 99 (Ñāṇamoli & Bodhi, 2001, pp. 816-17). In that translation, this text was presented as one paragraph. Here, it is divided into two, thus following the Pāli text presentation, to enhance readability. Given this text's length, relatively uncomplicated translation and lesser known status (e.g., compared with the Karaniya Metta Sutta), the associated Pāli text is not represented in this main article but here:
The word that is repeatedly elided ("...") is ("student" or "young man") so that only the text that is common to all of the identified discourses is represented here. (For instance, in MN 97, instead of , it uses the name of the Brahmin being addressed.)
Patisambhidamagga Mettakatha (Ps. 2.4)
In the Khuddaka Nikāyas Paṭisambhidāmagga, traditionally ascribed to Sariputta, is a section entitled Mettākathā (Ps. 2.4, "Story on Loving-Kindness").In this section of this article, the primary English-language sources are:
The Pali is primarily based on Patisambhidamagga 2, BJT pp. 64–80, see: In this instruction, a general formula (below, in English and Pāli), essentially identical to the aforementioned Cunda Kammaraputta Sutta verse (especially evident in the Pāli), is provided for radiating benevolence:
In addition, this instruction categorizes twenty-two ways in which "the mind-deliverance of benevolence" () can be radiated with five ways of "unspecified pervasion" () all beings (), all breathing things (), all creatures (), all persons (), all with a personality () seven ways of "specified pervasion" () all women (), all men (), all Noble Ones (), all non-Noble Ones (), all deities (), all humans (), all born in lower realms (), ten ways of "directional pervasion" () of the eastern direction (), of the western direction (), of the northern direction (), of the southern direction (), of the eastern intermediate direction (), of the western intermediate direction (), of the northern intermediate direction (), of the southern intermediate direction (), of the downward direction (), of the upward direction ().
Moreover, the directional pervasions can then be applied to each of the unspecific and specific pervasions. For instance, after radiating benevolence to all beings in the east (), one radiates it to all beings in the west and then north and then south, etc.; then, one radiates it to all breathing things in this fashion (), then all creatures, persons, and so forth until such is extended for all those born in the lower realms.
Benefits of mettā The Pali canon says that there are a number of benefits from the practicing of meditation, including: