Cultivating Loving-kindness
Permeating the Ten Directions with Loving-kindness
(1) May I be free from danger and enmity. May I be always well and happy.
(2) May my parents and teachers be always well and happy.
(3) May all beings in my home be always well and happy.
(4) May all devas in my home be always well and happy.
(5) May all beings in my village be always well and happy.
(6) May all beings in my town be always well and happy.
(7) May all beings in my country be always well and happy.
(8) May all beings in the east be always well and happy.
(9) May all beings in the south be always well and happy.
(10) May all beings in the west be always well and happy.
(11) May all beings in the north be always well and happy.
(12) May all beings in the south-east be always well and happy.
(13) May all beings in the south-west be always well and happy.
(14) May all beings in the north-west be always well and happy.
(15) May all beings in the north-east be always well and happy.
(16) May all beings in the upper direction be always well and happy.
(17) May all beings in the lower direction be always well and happy.
(While reciting "my parents", concentrate your attention on your parents. So also, while reciting "all beings in the east" concentrate your mind on all sentient beings living in the east.)
Eleven Methods of Cultivating Loving-kindness according to Metta Sutta
Cultivating loving-kindness on all beings
(1) May all beings be always well and happy;
May they be free from danger and enmity;
May they live peacefully.
Cultivating Loving-kindness in pairs
(2) May all beings, who can be frightened and who are fearless, be always well and happy;
May they be free from danger and enmity;
May they live peacefully.
(3) May all beings, the visible and the invisible, be always well and happy;
May they be free from danger and enmity;
May they live peacefully.
(4) May all beings, who are afar and who are near, be always well and happy;
May they be free from danger and enmity;
(5) May all beings, Arahats and Non-arahats, be always well and happy;
May they be free from danger and enmity;
May they live peacefully.
Cultivating Loving-kindness in groups of three
(6) May all long, short and medium beings be always well and happy;
May they be free from danger and enmity;
May they live peacefully.
(7) May all large, small and medium beings be always well and happy;
May they be free from danger and enmity;
May they live peacefully.
(8) May all fat, thin and medium beings be always well and happy;
May they be free from danger and enmity;
May they live peacefully.
Cultivating Loving-kindness for the elimination of harmful thoughts
(1) May all human beings be free from deceiving one another.
(2) May all human beings be free from looking down one another.
(3) May all human beings be free from causing miseries to one another.
The Four Sublime States
(1) Metta=> Loving-kindness and benevolence for the welfare of all beings.
(2) Karuna=> compassion on seeing miserable beings and wishing them to be liberated from sufferings.
(3) Mudita=> sympathetic joy on seeing happy beings
(4) Upekkha=> equanimity or equilibrium of mind without love or hatred towards all sentient beings
Living in the practice of generating one of these four amounts to living in a sublime state. So these four kinds of living are called "The Four Sublime States" (Brahmavihara)".
The benefits of loving-kindness are greater than those attainable from the practices of charity and morality. The benefits produced by cultivating loving-kindness for just a short moment are greater than those obtained by offering one hundred pots of cooked rice three times a day.
A person who cultivates loving-kindness can enjoy eleven kinds of benefits according to the teachings of the Buddha.
(1) May all beings be always well and happy;
May they be free from danger and enmity;
May they live peacefully.
Cultivating Loving-kindness in pairs
(2) May all beings, who can be frightened and who are fearless, be always well and happy;
May they be free from danger and enmity;
May they live peacefully.
(3) May all beings, the visible and the invisible, be always well and happy;
May they be free from danger and enmity;
May they live peacefully.
(4) May all beings, who are afar and who are near, be always well and happy;
May they be free from danger and enmity;
(5) May all beings, Arahats and Non-arahats, be always well and happy;
May they be free from danger and enmity;
May they live peacefully.
Cultivating Loving-kindness in groups of three
(6) May all long, short and medium beings be always well and happy;
May they be free from danger and enmity;
May they live peacefully.
(7) May all large, small and medium beings be always well and happy;
May they be free from danger and enmity;
May they live peacefully.
(8) May all fat, thin and medium beings be always well and happy;
May they be free from danger and enmity;
May they live peacefully.
Cultivating Loving-kindness for the elimination of harmful thoughts
(1) May all human beings be free from deceiving one another.
(2) May all human beings be free from looking down one another.
(3) May all human beings be free from causing miseries to one another.
The Four Sublime States
(1) Metta=> Loving-kindness and benevolence for the welfare of all beings.
(2) Karuna=> compassion on seeing miserable beings and wishing them to be liberated from sufferings.
(3) Mudita=> sympathetic joy on seeing happy beings
(4) Upekkha=> equanimity or equilibrium of mind without love or hatred towards all sentient beings
Living in the practice of generating one of these four amounts to living in a sublime state. So these four kinds of living are called "The Four Sublime States" (Brahmavihara)".
The benefits of loving-kindness are greater than those attainable from the practices of charity and morality. The benefits produced by cultivating loving-kindness for just a short moment are greater than those obtained by offering one hundred pots of cooked rice three times a day.
A person who cultivates loving-kindness can enjoy eleven kinds of benefits according to the teachings of the Buddha.
- He enjoys a sound sleep.
- He wakes up peacefully.
- He does not have bad dreams.
- He is loved by human beings.
- He is loved by non-human beings.
- He is guarded by devas.
- He is unaffected by fire, poison and weapons.
- He can develop concentration quickly.
- His face is serene and cheerful.
- He never dies in bewilderment.
