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The perfect day for Metta(Loving-Friendliness)
BhikkhuJayasara
Bhikkhu Veteran
So I noticed there being a lot of questions on Metta lately and this being Valentine's day, a day celebrating attachment full of dukkha, we could talk about metta! I do a guided metta meditation every Thursday on the Buddha Center and the way I do it almost fully comes from what I learned during a 7 day metta meditation retreat at Bhavana Society, a Theravadan Forest monastery. The metta bhavana shown here is directly from the suttas as what the Buddha taught.
WARNING - LOTS O TEXT - if anyone else has any metta related videos or links they suggest, please post below. Also if any of my friends from other traditions would like to add how they are taught metta, please do so!
When people think of metta, they may often think of the Karaniya Metta Sutta: Good Will. This was in fact the Buddhas directions to monks in developing the metta mindstate for a specific incidence of dealing with devas and ghosts in the forest.
May all beings be happy and secure.
May all beings have happy minds.
Whatever living beings there may be,
Without exception: week or strong,
Long or large, medium, short
Subtle or gross,
Visible or invisible,
Living near or far,
Born or to be born-
May all beings have happy minds.
Let no one deceive another,
Nor despise anyone anywhere.
Neither from anger nor ill will
Should anyone wish harm to another.
As a mother would risk her own life
To protect her only child,
Even so towards all living beings,
One should cultivate a boundless heart.
One should cultivate for all the world
A heart of boundless loving-friendliness
Above,below, and all around,
Unobstructed, without hatred or resentment.
Whether standing, walking, or sitting,
Lying down or whenever awake,
One should develop this mindfulness.
This is called divinely dwelling here.
Not falling into erroneous views,
But virtuous and endowed with vision,
Removing desire for sensual pleasures,
One comes never again to birth in the womb.
The Pali word metta means loving-friendliness. When we develop metta, we develop warm feelings of loving-friendliness first for ourselves and then for all beings. Metta was taught by the Buddha as an integral part of dhamma practice some 2600 years ago and this practice is as needed and as relevant in the modern world as it was then.
Metta is a mental state in which the mind can work to develop equanimity and the uprooting of attachment, aversion, and ignorance in our minds. Metta is one of the four sublime abodes, high mental states which we can strive to live with at all times. When we can live in unconditional unconditional loving-friendliness with ourselves and with all beings, we give a gift of fearlessness to all beings.
Metta is is the only love which is free of suffering(dukkha) and which is truly unconditional love. As opposed to martial love(eros) or family love(Philial), which is conditional and eventually leads to suffering. For this reason we practice metta, as the Buddha did and as the sangha has practiced throughout the millennia.
The Buddha taught two types of metta meditation." Immeasurable release of mind", where you radiate metta in six directions and "Exalted release of mind", where you radiate metta starting from yourself and then growing larger through your town, country, the earth and the universe.
The Buddha taught the benefits of metta in the following sutta -
Metta (Mettanisamsa) Sutta: Discourse on Advantages of Loving-kindness
"Monks, eleven advantages are to be expected from the release (deliverance) of heart by familiarizing oneself with thoughts of loving-friendliness (metta), by the cultivation of loving-kindness, by constantly increasing these thoughts, by regarding loving-friendliness as a vehicle (of expression), and also as something to be treasured, by living in conformity with these thoughts, by putting these ideas into practice, and by establishing them. What are the eleven?
1. "He sleeps in comfort.
2. He awakes in comfort.
3. He sees no evil dreams.
4. He is dear to human beings.
5. He is dear to non-human beings.
6. Devas protect him.
7. Fire, poison, and sword cannot touch him.
8. His mind can concentrate quickly.
9. His countenance is serene.
10. He dies without being confused in mind.
11. If he fails to attain arahantship here and now, he will be reborn in the brahma-world.
So said the Blessed One. Those monks rejoiced at the words of the Blessed One.
In the Suttas the instructions given by the buddha are often phrased in this way -
a bhikkhu abides pervading one quarter with a mind imbued with loving-kindness, 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 loving-kindness, abundant, exalted, immeasurable, without hostility, and without ill will.
and of course I always end metta with this famous section of the Dhammapada -
In this world
Hate never yet dispelled hate.
Only love dispels hate.
This is law,
Ancient and inexhaustible.
I will continue with some directions in a following thread as to not make this one too long.
WARNING - LOTS O TEXT - if anyone else has any metta related videos or links they suggest, please post below. Also if any of my friends from other traditions would like to add how they are taught metta, please do so!
When people think of metta, they may often think of the Karaniya Metta Sutta: Good Will. This was in fact the Buddhas directions to monks in developing the metta mindstate for a specific incidence of dealing with devas and ghosts in the forest.
May all beings be happy and secure.
May all beings have happy minds.
Whatever living beings there may be,
Without exception: week or strong,
Long or large, medium, short
Subtle or gross,
Visible or invisible,
Living near or far,
Born or to be born-
May all beings have happy minds.
Let no one deceive another,
Nor despise anyone anywhere.
Neither from anger nor ill will
Should anyone wish harm to another.
As a mother would risk her own life
To protect her only child,
Even so towards all living beings,
One should cultivate a boundless heart.
One should cultivate for all the world
A heart of boundless loving-friendliness
Above,below, and all around,
Unobstructed, without hatred or resentment.
Whether standing, walking, or sitting,
Lying down or whenever awake,
One should develop this mindfulness.
This is called divinely dwelling here.
Not falling into erroneous views,
But virtuous and endowed with vision,
Removing desire for sensual pleasures,
One comes never again to birth in the womb.
The Pali word metta means loving-friendliness. When we develop metta, we develop warm feelings of loving-friendliness first for ourselves and then for all beings. Metta was taught by the Buddha as an integral part of dhamma practice some 2600 years ago and this practice is as needed and as relevant in the modern world as it was then.
Metta is a mental state in which the mind can work to develop equanimity and the uprooting of attachment, aversion, and ignorance in our minds. Metta is one of the four sublime abodes, high mental states which we can strive to live with at all times. When we can live in unconditional unconditional loving-friendliness with ourselves and with all beings, we give a gift of fearlessness to all beings.
Metta is is the only love which is free of suffering(dukkha) and which is truly unconditional love. As opposed to martial love(eros) or family love(Philial), which is conditional and eventually leads to suffering. For this reason we practice metta, as the Buddha did and as the sangha has practiced throughout the millennia.
The Buddha taught two types of metta meditation." Immeasurable release of mind", where you radiate metta in six directions and "Exalted release of mind", where you radiate metta starting from yourself and then growing larger through your town, country, the earth and the universe.
The Buddha taught the benefits of metta in the following sutta -
Metta (Mettanisamsa) Sutta: Discourse on Advantages of Loving-kindness
"Monks, eleven advantages are to be expected from the release (deliverance) of heart by familiarizing oneself with thoughts of loving-friendliness (metta), by the cultivation of loving-kindness, by constantly increasing these thoughts, by regarding loving-friendliness as a vehicle (of expression), and also as something to be treasured, by living in conformity with these thoughts, by putting these ideas into practice, and by establishing them. What are the eleven?
1. "He sleeps in comfort.
2. He awakes in comfort.
3. He sees no evil dreams.
4. He is dear to human beings.
5. He is dear to non-human beings.
6. Devas protect him.
7. Fire, poison, and sword cannot touch him.
8. His mind can concentrate quickly.
9. His countenance is serene.
10. He dies without being confused in mind.
11. If he fails to attain arahantship here and now, he will be reborn in the brahma-world.
So said the Blessed One. Those monks rejoiced at the words of the Blessed One.
In the Suttas the instructions given by the buddha are often phrased in this way -
a bhikkhu abides pervading one quarter with a mind imbued with loving-kindness, 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 loving-kindness, abundant, exalted, immeasurable, without hostility, and without ill will.
and of course I always end metta with this famous section of the Dhammapada -
In this world
Hate never yet dispelled hate.
Only love dispels hate.
This is law,
Ancient and inexhaustible.
I will continue with some directions in a following thread as to not make this one too long.
1
Comments
"immeasurable Release of Mind(Immeasurable Metta)"
We begin our practice with immeasurable Metta.
As with all forms of meditation, make sure you are in a position comfortable for you. It does not matter whether you are on a cushion or in a chair, but always remember to be kind to your body and your mind.
Begin by taking three deep breaths.
as you begin to become mindful and aware of your body and mind, begin to think about all living beings and their plight of impermanence and Dukkha.
All beings are born, grow sick, grow old, and die, this is dhamma, it is the true nature of reality. All beings are connected by this truth. All beings wish to be well, happy, and peaceful.
Begin within your own mind to develop feelings of loving friendliness, of empathy, of kindness, first for yourself, as you too are subject to impermanence and Dukkha. Radiate metta through out your entire body- mind construct.
Your metta practice can be wordless, visual, or you may use the words of metta. It is not the words or the visions that matter, but the feelings and mental state of abiding in metta. Since this is a guided meditation I will use the words of metta.
May I be calm and peaceful
May I be well, happy, and peaceful.
May I be free from Anger
May I be free from Hatred
May I be free from Jealousy
May I be free from Suffering
May i live long and joyfully.
Now we radiate metta to the six directions. The Buddha taught that radiation of metta, immeasurable release of mind, is like a beam of pure white light that shoots out from you and travels to all beings.
Let us now send our metta, our pure light, out to all beings. Imagine that beam shooting out through the planet and to all beings throughout the universe in each direction.
May all beings in my front direction, be well, happy, and peaceful x3
May all beings in my back direction be well, happy, and peaceful x3
May all beings in my Right direction be well, happy, and peaceful x3
May all beings in my Left direction be well, happy, and peaceful x3
May all beings in my Above direction be well, happy, and peaceful x3
May all beings in my Below direction be well, happy, and peaceful x3
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"Exalted Release of Mind(Exalted Metta)"
Let us begin in our practice of Exalted Metta, as always we begin with ourselves. Your metta practice can be wordless, visual, or you may use the words of metta.
It is not the words or the visions that matter, but the feelings and mental state of abiding in metta.
Develop and abide in metta radiating within you. As always we begin with ourselves.
May I be calm and peaceful
May I be well, happy, and peaceful.
May I be free from Anger
May I be free from Hatred
May I be free from Jealousy
May I be free from Suffering
May i live long and joyfully.
now as we continue to abide in metta, imagine magnificent waves of Metta radiating from you in all directions, spreading, becoming ever larger
- Spread your metta out to envelope all beings in your building
May all beings in this building be well, happy and peaceful
- continue to release your metta and radiate it out in all directions to encompass your state or region
May all beings in this state or region be well, happy, and peaceful.
- now continuing to abide in metta, radiate your metta further to envelop all beings in your country
May all beings in this country be well, happy, and peaceful.
- Now picture the earth in your mind and spread your metta to envelop all of our home planet in your loving-friendliness
May all beings on this planet, in any state of existence, from the smallest to the largest, be well, happy, and peaceful.
- Now as we continue to abide in metta and envelop the planet, Radiate your Metta out into the universe to envelop the entirety of our home galaxy, the milky way, and all of it's billions of stars and planets.
May all beings in the Milky Way in any state of existence, be well, happy, and peaceful.
- Now as we continue to abide in metta, radiate our metta further to encompass the entirety of the known universe with it's billions of galaxies.
May all beings in this universe, in any state of existence, be well, happy, and peaceful.
- Now spread your metta out into the meta-verse, to encompass all the universes and planes of existence in existence.
May all beings in existence, in any state of existence, be well, happy, and peaceful.
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After the two forms of practice I end up with these words directly from the Anguttara Nikaya -
May those with no feet receive my love
May those with two feet receive my love
May those with four feet receive my love
May those with many feet receive my love
May those with no feet not hurt me
May those with two feet not hurt me
May those with four feet not hurt me
May those with many feet not hurt me
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http://tinybuddha.com/blog/the-world-is-a-kinder-place-when-youre-kind/