Difference between revisions of "Metta" - New World Encyclopedia
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"He abides, having suffused with a mind of loving-kindness <br>one direction of the world, <br>likewise the second, likewise the third, likewise the fourth, <br>and so above, below, around and <br>everywhere, and to all as to himself; <br>he abides suffusing the entire universe with loving-kindness, <br>with a mind grown great, lofty, boundless and <br>free from enmity and ill will."<ref>This particular English text is from the [http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.007.nypo.html#t-mn-007-12 Nyanaponika (1988)] translation of the ''Vatthūpama Sutta'' ("Simile of the Cloth," ''Majjhima Nikaya'' 7), v. 12.</ref> | "He abides, having suffused with a mind of loving-kindness <br>one direction of the world, <br>likewise the second, likewise the third, likewise the fourth, <br>and so above, below, around and <br>everywhere, and to all as to himself; <br>he abides suffusing the entire universe with loving-kindness, <br>with a mind grown great, lofty, boundless and <br>free from enmity and ill will."<ref>This particular English text is from the [http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.007.nypo.html#t-mn-007-12 Nyanaponika (1988)] translation of the ''Vatthūpama Sutta'' ("Simile of the Cloth," ''Majjhima Nikaya'' 7), v. 12.</ref> | ||
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In the Canon, this basic formula is expanded upon in a variety of ways. For instance, a couple of discourses<ref>See, for instance, the ''Subha Sutta'' ("To Subha," ''Majjhima Nikaya'' 99) ({{IAST|Ñāṇamoli}} & Bodhi, 2001, pp. 816-17); | In the Canon, this basic formula is expanded upon in a variety of ways. For instance, a couple of discourses<ref>See, for instance, the ''Subha Sutta'' ("To Subha," ''Majjhima Nikaya'' 99) ({{IAST|Ñāṇamoli}} & Bodhi, 2001, pp. 816-17); | ||
and, the ''Tevijja Sutta'' ("The Threefold Knowledge Discourse," ''Digha Nikaya'' 13), vv. 76-77 (Walshe, 1995, p. 194). | and, the ''Tevijja Sutta'' ("The Threefold Knowledge Discourse," ''Digha Nikaya'' 13), vv. 76-77 (Walshe, 1995, p. 194). |
Revision as of 00:07, 5 June 2008
Mettā (Pāli) or maitrī (Sanskrit) has been translated as "loving-kindness,"[1][2] "friendliness,"[3][4][5] "benevolence,"[4][2] "amity,"[3] "friendship,"[4] "good will,"[4] "kindness,"[6] "love,"[3] "sympathy,"[3] and "active interest in others."[3] It is one of the ten pāramitās of the Theravāda school of Buddhism, and the first of the four Brahmavihāras. The mettā bhāvanā ("cultivation of mettā") is a popular form of meditation in Buddhism.
The object of mettā meditation is loving kindness (love without attachment). Traditionally, the practice begins with the meditator cultivating loving kindness towards themselves,[7] then their loved ones, friends, teachers, strangers, enemies, and finally towards all sentient beings.
Buddhists believe that those who cultivate mettā will be at ease because they see no need to harbour ill will or hostility. Buddhist teachers may even recommend meditation on mettā as an antidote to insomnia and nightmares. It is generally felt that those around a mettā-ful person will feel more comfortable and happy too. Radiating mettā is thought to contribute to a world of love, peace and happiness.
Mettā meditation is considered a good way to calm down a distraught mind by people who consider it to be an antidote to anger. According to them, someone who has cultivated mettā will not be easily angered and can quickly subdue anger that arises, being more caring, more loving, and more likely to love unconditionally.
Mettā meditation: the practice of loving-kindness
Mettā signifies friendship and non-violence as well as a strong wish for the happiness of others, but also less obvious or direct qualities such as showing patience, receptivity, and appreciation. Though it refers to many seemingly disparate ideas, Mettā is in fact a very specific form of love – a caring for another independent of all self-interest – and thus is likened to one's love for one's child or parent. Understandably, this energy is often difficult to describe in words; however, in the practice of Mettā meditation, one recites specific words and phrases in order to evoke this boundless warm-hearted feeling. Metta is not limited to one's family, religion, or social class. Its cultivation allows one's generosity and kindness to be applied to all beings and, as a consequence, one finds true happiness in another person's happiness, no matter who the individual may be.
Visuddhimagga method: Six stages
Contemporary metta practice is often based on a method traditionally associated with the 5th century C.E. Pali exegetical text, the Visuddhimagga ("The path to purity").[8] The full instructions for the theory and practice of mettā bhāvanā are available in this text (Chapter IX).[9] Therein, the text describes six stages of mettā bhāvanā meditation, which are as follows:
- Cultivation of loving kindness to one's self[10]
- Cultivation of loving kindness to a good friend
- Cultivation of loving kindness to a 'neutral' person
- Cultivation of loving kindness to a difficult person
- Cultivation of loving kindness towards all four categories above.
- Gradually cultivate loving kindness towards the entire universe[11]
It is recommended that one avoid choosing someone to whom one feels sexually attracted, or that is much younger or much older than one's self, or whom is dead. In addition, when choosing "an enemy", one is to avoid choosing a person who has just wrecked one's life, unless one is very well grounded in awareness. In the fifth stage, one is to treat all four categories as equals, equally deserving of loving-kindness.
Pali Canon texts
In the Pali Canon, statements regarding the use of metta traditionally employ one or more of the following devices, often using a stock formula:
- mental purification
- a verse for wishing others well
- pervading all directions and all beings with loving-kindness.
The well-known Kakacupama Sutta and Karaniya Metta Sutta use striking metaphors to give these traditional devices vitality. Other canonical material, such as in the Paṭisambhidāmagga, elaborate on these basic devices in a manner that is perpetuated by the later traditional commentaries. Other canonical sources, such as the Abhidhamma, underline the key role of metta in the development of wholesome karma.
In the Pali canon, a classic example of extending loving-kindness and compassion (Pali: karuna) to "difficult persons" can be found in the "Parable of the Saw" sutta (Majjhima Nikaya 21), where the Buddha provides the following instruction:
- 'Monks, even if bandits were to sever you savagely limb by limb with a two-handled saw, he who gave rise to a mind of hate toward them would not be carrying out my teaching. Herein, monks, you should train thus: "Our minds will remain unaffected, and we shall utter no bitter words; we shall abide compassionate for their welfare, with a mind of loving-kindness, never in a mood of hate. We shall abide pervading them with a mind imbued with loving-kindness; and starting with them, we shall abide pervading the all-encompassing world with a mind imbued with loving-kindness, abundant, exalted, immeasurable, without hostility, and without ill will." This is how you should train, monks.'[12]
Basic intention and verse
In Cunda Kammaraputta Sutta ("To Cunda the Silversmith," Anguttara Nikaya 10.176), the Buddha explains that mental or intentional purity (manasā soceyyaṃ) is threefold: non-greed, non-ill-will and non-delusion. Regarding the manifestation of non-ill-will the discourse describes a virtuous person in the following manner (in English and Pali):
He bears no ill will and is not corrupt in the resolves of his heart. |
Avyāpannacitto hoti appaduṭṭhamanasaṃkappo, |
This basic statement of intention and verse can also be found in several other canonical discourses.[15]
Basic radiating formula
In over a dozen discourses, the following description (in English and Pali) is provided for radiating metta in six directions:[16]
"He abides, having suffused with a mind of loving-kindness In the Canon, this basic formula is expanded upon in a variety of ways. For instance, a couple of discourses[18] provide the following description of "the path to the company of Brahmā" (brahmānaṃ sahavyatāya maggo) along with a memorable metaphor:
Kakacupama Sutta (MN 21)Incorporating facets of the above textual methods in a series of increasingly vivid similes, the Kakacupama Sutta ("Parable of the Saw Discourse," Majjhima Nikaya 21) provides the following culminating scenario:
Karaniya Metta SuttaThe Karaniya Metta Sutta (Suttanipata 1.8) combines both the interpersonal and radiant aspects of canonical expressions of metta. This is what should be done Whatever living beings there may be; The seen and the unseen, Let none deceive another, Even as a mother protects with her life Radiating kindness over the entire world Whether standing or walking, seated or lying down |
According to the Pali commentaries, the Buddha originally gave this instruction (of Loving-Kindness meditation) to Monks who were being harassed by the Tree Spirits of a forest in which the Monks were trying to meditate. After doing this meditation in the forest it is said that the Spirits were so affected by the power of Loving-Kindness that they allowed the Monks to stay in the forest for the duration of the rainy season. Patisambhidamagga MettakathaIn the Khuddaka Nikaya's Paṭisambhidāmagga, traditionally ascribed to Ven. Sariputta, is a section entitled Mettākathā (Patisambhidamagga. 2.4, "Metta Instruction").[22] In this instruction, a general formula (below, in English and Pali), essentially identical to the aforementioned Cunda Kammaraputta Sutta verse (especially evident in the Pali), is provided for radiating metta:
In addition, this instruction categorizes twenty-two ways in which "the mind-deliverence of lovingkindness" (mettācetovimutti) can be radiated as follows:
Moreover, the directional pervasions can then be applied to each of the unspecific and specific pervasions. For instance, after radiating metta to all beings in the east (Sabbe puratthimāya disāya sattā ...), one radiates metta to all beings in the west and then north and then south, etc.; then, one radiates metta to all breathing things in this fashion (Sabbe puratthimāya disāya pāṇā ...), then all creatures, persons, and so forth until such is extended for all those born in the lower realms. Abhidhammic descriptorIn the Abhidhamma's Dhammasangani, the causes of "good" or "wholesome" (kusala) and "bad" or "unwholesome" (akusala) karmic states (dhammā) are described (Dhammasangani 188ff). The three causes of wholesome karma are stated to be the non-greed, non-hate and non-delusion (alobho adoso amoho). Non-hate is then defined in the following manner:
Notes
References
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