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Snp 1.8PTS Snp 25Karaṇīyamettā1 min read

The Discourse on Love

Mettasutta

The practice of developing universal goodwill: the practices that form a foundation for the practice, the attitude of universal goodwill itself, and the steps that lead from goodwill to awakening.

Translated by Bhikkhu Sujato · Pāli: Mahāsaṅgīti Tipiṭaka · Public domain (CC0) via SuttaCentral

  • 0.1Sutta Nipāta 1.8Anthology of Discourses 1.8

0.2MettasuttaThe Discourse on Love

1.1“Karaṇīyamatthakusalena,Those who are skilled in the meaning of scripture11.2Yanta santaṁ padaṁ abhisamecca;should practice as follows <j>to realize the state of peace.21.3Sakko ujū ca suhujū ca,Let them be capable and upright, very upright,1.4Sūvaco cassa mudu anatimānī.easy to speak to, gentle and humble;

2.1Santussako ca subharo ca,content and unburdensome,2.2Appakicco ca sallahukavutti;unbusied, living lightly,2.3Santindriyo ca nipako ca,alert, with senses calmed,2.4Appagabbho kulesvananugiddho.courteous, not fawning on families.

3.1Na ca khuddamācare kiñci,Let them not do the slightest thing3.2Yena viññū pare upavadeyyuṁ;that others who are wise would blame.33.3Sukhino va khemino hontu,May they be happy and safe!3.4Sabbasattā bhavantu sukhitattā.May all beings be happy!

4.1Ye keci pāṇabhūtatthi,Whatever living creatures there are4.2Tasā vā thāvarā vanavasesā;with not a one left out—4.3Dīghā vā ye va mahantā,frail or firm, long or large,44.4Majjhimā rassakā aṇukathūlā.medium, small, tiny or round,

5.1Diṭṭhā vā ye va adiṭṭhā,seen or unseen,5.2Ye va dūre vasanti avidūre;living far or near,5.3Bhūtā va sambhavesī va,those who have been born <j>and those about to be born—55.4Sabbasattā bhavantu sukhitattā.may all beings be happy!

6.1Na paro paraṁ nikubbetha,Let none deceive another,6.2Nātimaññetha katthaci na kañci;nor look down on anyone anywhere.6.3Byārosanā paṭighasañña,Though provoked or aggrieved,6.4Nāññamaññassa dukkhamiccheyya.let them not wish pain on each other.

7.1Mātā yathā niyaṁ puttamEven as a mother would protect with her life7.2Āyusā ekaputtamanurakkhe;her child, her only child,7.3Evampi sabbabhūtesu,so too for all creatures7.4Mānasaṁ bhāvaye aparimāṇaṁ.unfold a boundless heart.

8.1Mettañca sabbalokasmi,With love for the whole world,8.2Mānasaṁ bhāvaye aparimāṇaṁ;unfold a boundless heart:8.3Uddhaṁ adho ca tiriyañca,above, below, all round,8.4Asambādhaṁ averamasapattaṁ.unconstricted, without enmity or foe.

9.1Tiṭṭhaṁ caraṁ nisinno va,When standing, walking, sitting,9.2Sayāno yāvatāssa vitamiddho;or lying down while yet unweary,9.3Etaṁ satiṁ adhiṭṭheyya,keep this ever in mind;9.4Brahmametaṁ vihāramidhamāhu.for this, they say, is a divine meditation <j>in this life.

10.1Diṭṭhiñca anupaggamma,Avoiding harmful views,610.2Sīlavā dassanena sampanno;virtuous, accomplished in insight,10.3Kāmesu vinaya gedhaṁ,with desire for sensual pleasures dispelled,10.4Na hi jātuggabbhaseyya punaretī”ti.they never return to a womb again.7

10.5Mettasuttaṁ aṭṭhamaṁ.

Translator’s notes

  1. See AN 5.169:3.1 for this sense of atthakusala.

    Kusala in the sense of “one who is skilled”, an “expert” is found occasionally in the canon, especially in the Aṭṭhakavagga. It appears also in early Sanskrit, for example, for those who are “skilled” in recitation (Chāndogya Upaniṣad 1.8.1), or for those who only think that they are skilled (Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa 11.4.2.1, 4, and 13).

    ↩ snp1.8:1.1

  2. Reading the absolutive in an infinitive sense, an alternative given in the commentary: abhisamecca viharitukāmena.

    ↩ snp1.8:1.2

  3. Compare AN 4.121:3.3.

    ↩ snp1.8:3.2

  4. Creatures “firm and frail” (tasathāvare) is a common Jain idiom (eg. Uttarādhyayana 5.8: tasesu thāvaresu ya; Sūyagaḍa 3.4.20: je keī tasathāvarā; Dasaveyāliya 4.1.42: tasaṁ vā thāvaraṁ vā; Ācāraṅgasūtra 9.1.14: tasa-jīvā ya thāvarattāe).

    ↩ snp1.8:4.3

  5. For “have become or will be” (bhūtā va sambhavesī va) I follow Norman and Bodhi in reading sambhavesī as a future active participle. Compare such Sanskrit constructions as Rig Veda 1.66.8, yamo ha jāto yamo janitvaṁ (“the twin that is born and the twin about to be born”) and Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa 2.3.1.24, bhūtaṁ caiva bhaviṣyacca jātaṁ ca janiṣyamāṇaṁ (“has become and will be, born and to be born”).

    ↩ snp1.8:5.3

  6. The final verse is set in a different meter, and given that the preceding verse already brings the poem to a satisfying conclusion, must be a later addition. Apparently the original poem was not Buddhist enough, and at some point more doctrinal material was felt to be needed.

    ↩ snp1.8:10.1

  7. Note that jātu here is not connected to jāti “birth”. Rather, na hi jātu is an idiom meaning “never”. Commentary: ekaṁseneva.

    ↩ snp1.8:10.4