2026-04-08

Snp 1.8 Mettasutta

(SC, Comm, Bhikkhu Manual)

Origin: The Buddha could have composed it in 5th c. BCE, and its metrical form was later refined into
a form common for the 4th c. BCE period. (See Dating the Metta Sutta)
The Pāli commentaries were written down approx. 5th-10th c. AD.

Commentary story: A large group of monks find a beautiful forest and settle there for the Vassa.
The local tree devas leave their trees out of respect to not be above the monks, but as the monks
keep staying, the devas grow resentful and terrorize them with horrifying apparitions, dreadful sounds,
and foul smells, causing the monks to become ill. The monks go to the Buddha at Sāvatthī to ask
for a different lodging, but the Buddha tells them that they should return to the same forest.
He gives them meditation practises they should follow and teaches them the Metta Sutta.

Evaṁ bhagavā pariharaṇaṁ ācikkhitvā tesaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ mettatthañca parittatthañca vipassanāpādakajhānatthañca imaṁ suttaṁ abhāsīti.

Having thus explained the practices to be maintained, the Blessed One spoke this sutta for those monks for the purpose of loving-kindness, for the purpose of protection, and for the purpose of jhāna as a foundation for insight.

metta-atthaṁ-ca paritta-atthaṁ-ca vipassanā-pādaka-jhāna-atthaṁ-ca

Snp 1.8 Karaṇīya-metta-sutta

(Divisions as suggested by Ven. Buddharakkhita)

(Lines 3-10: Day-to-day conduct and self-restraint)

Karaṇīyam-attha-kusalena / Yan-taṁ santaṁ padaṁ abhisamecca
Sakko ujū ca suhujū ca / Suvaco c'assa mudu anatimānī

Santussako ca subharo ca / Appakicco ca sallahuka-vutti

Sant'indriyo ca nipako ca / Appagabbho kulesu ananugiddho

Na ca khuddaṁ samācare kiñci / Yena viññū pare upavadeyyuṁ

(Lines 11-20: Metta for developing the mind and supporting samādhi)

Sukhino vā khemino hontu / Sabbe sattā bhavantu sukhit'attā

Ye keci pāṇa-bhūt'atthi / Tasā vā thāvarā vā anavasesā

Dīghā vā ye mahantā vā / Majjhimā rassakā aṇuka-thūlā

Diṭṭhā vā ye ca adiṭṭhā / Ye ca dūre vasanti avidūre

Bhūtā vā sambhavesī vā / Sabbe sattā bhavantu sukhit'attā

(Lines 20-40: Commitment to metta through body, speech and mind)

Na paro paraṁ nikubbetha / Nātimaññetha katthaci naṁ kiñci

Byārosanā paṭighasaññā / Nāññam-aññassa dukkham-iccheyya

Mātā yathā niyaṁ puttaṁ / Āyusā eka-puttam-anurakkhe

Evam'pi sabba-bhūtesu / Mānasam-bhāvaye aparimāṇaṁ

Mettañ-ca sabba-lokasmiṁ / Mānasam-bhāvaye aparimāṇaṁ

Uddhaṁ adho ca tiriyañ-ca / Asambādhaṁ averaṁ asapattaṁ

Tiṭṭhañ-caraṁ nisinno vā / Sayāno vā yāvat'assa vigata-middho

Etaṁ satiṁ adhiṭṭheyya / Brahmam-etaṁ vihāraṁ idham-āhu

Diṭṭhiñca anupagamma / Sīlavā dassanena sampanno

Kāmesu vineyya gedhaṁ / Na hi jātu gabbha-seyyaṁ punaretī'ti

Related

DN 33 Saṅgītisutta

Aṭṭhānametaṁ, āvuso, anavakāso, yaṁ mettāya cetovimuttiyā bhāvitāya bahulīkatāya yānīkatāya vatthukatāya anuṭṭhitāya paricitāya susamāraddhāya. Atha ca panassa byāpādo cittaṁ pariyādāya ṭhassati, netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati. Nissaraṇaṁ hetaṁ, āvuso, byāpādassa, yadidaṁ mettā cetovimuttī'ti.

It's impossible, there is no way that --- when goodwill has been developed, pursued, handed the reins, taken as a basis, steadied, consolidated, & well-undertaken as an awareness-release---ill will would still keep overpowering the mind. That possibility doesn't exist, for this is the escape from ill will: goodwill as an awareness-release.' (Aj Thanissaro)

SN 46.54 Mettāsahagatasutta

(Aj Thanissaro) "There is the case where a monk develops mindfulness as a factor for awakening accompanied by goodwill ...

If he wants, he remains percipient of unloathsomeness in the presence of what is loathsome & what is not. If he wants --- in the presence of what is loathsome & what is not---cutting himself off from both, he remains equanimous, alert, & mindful. Or he may enter & remain in the beautiful liberation.

Subhaparamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, mettācetovimuttiṁ vadāmi, idhapaññassa bhikkhuno uttarivimuttiṁ appaṭivijjhato.

I tell you, monks, awareness-release through goodwill has the beautiful as its excellence --- in the case of one who has penetrated to no higher release.

(The "beautiful" (subha) is a state of concentration that plays a role equivalent to that of the fourth jhāna in leading to the formless jhānas.)

... etesu mettādīsu brahmavihāratā veditabbā, itarakammaṭṭhānāni attahitapaṭipattimattāni. Imāni pana 'sabbe sattā sukhitā hontū'tiādinā parahitapaṭipattibhūtāni.

Tasmā sattesu sammā paṭipattibhāvena seṭṭhā ete vihārā.

... among these [meditations] beginning with loving-kindness, their nature as Divine Abidings (brahmavihāra) should be understood [as follows]: the other meditation subjects are merely practices for one's own benefit. But these, through [the aspiration] "May all beings be happy" and so on, constitute practice for the benefit of others.

Therefore, by virtue of being right practice toward beings, these abidings are the highest (seṭṭha).

AN 5.162 Dutiya-āghāta-paṭivinaya-sutta

The Subduing of Hatred (2), Ven. Sāriputta:

(Aj Thanissaro) ... how should one subdue hatred for him? Just as when there is a little puddle in a cow's footprint, and a person comes along, burning with heat, covered with sweat, exhausted, trembling, & thirsty.

Mettā: The Philosophy and Practice of Universal Love by Ācariya Buddharakkhita

(PDF)