➥ mettā:

• for mettā:
  • [unlimited] goodwill
  • state of [unlimited] goodwill
• for metta:
  • loving
  • lovingly
• for mettacitta:
  • mind of [unlimited] goodwill

Four unlimited states

The practices of mettā, karuṇā, muditā and upekkhā are sometimes called the four divine abidings (cattāro brahmavihārā, DN ii 196) and sometimes the four unlimited states (catasso appamaññā, DN iii 223). Practising them together is called the ‘unlimited liberation [from perceptually obscuring states]’ (appamāṇā cetovimutti, SN iv 296).

The makers of limitation

The Mahāvedalla Sutta (MN i 298) and Godatta Sutta (SN iv 296) say the ‘makers of limitation’ (pamāṇakaraṇo) are rāgo, doso and moho (rāgo kho āvuso pamāṇakaraṇo doso pamāṇakaraṇo moho pamāṇakaraṇo). Therefore the four brahmavihāras should be practised unlimited by rāgo doso and moho.

Mettā overcomes resentment, hatred, and ill will

Mettā is for overcoming resentment, hatred, and ill will:

1) When resentment has arisen for someone, one can develop [unlimited] goodwill for him. Thus can one dispel aversion for that person.

Yasmiṁ bhikkhave puggale āghāto jāyetha mettā tasmiṁ puggale bhāvetabbā. Evaṁ tasmiṁ puggale āghāto paṭivinetabbo. (AN iii 185)

2) To abandon hatred, [unlimited] goodwill should be developed.

Dosassa pahānāya mettā bhāvetabbā. (AN iii 446)

3) I do not see any other single thing of such power to prevent the arising of ill will, if not already arisen, or, if arisen, to cause its abandonment, as the liberation [from perceptually obscuring states] through [unlimited] goodwill.

Nāhaṁ bhikkhave aññaṁ ekadhammampi samanupassāmi yena anuppanno vā vyāpādo nuppajjati uppanno vā vyāpādo pahīyati yathayidaṁ bhikkhave mettā cetovimutti. (AN i 4)

Benefits of mettā

Mettā leads 1) to ‘the Exquisite’ (i.e. fourth jhāna. See IGPT sv Subha), and 2) to non-returnership:

1) Bhikkhus, the liberation [from perceptually obscuring states] through [unlimited] goodwill has the Exquisite as its culmination, I declare, for a wise bhikkhu here who has not penetrated to a superior liberation.

Subhaparamāhaṁ bhikkhave mettā cetovimuttiṁ vadāmi idha paññassa bhikkhuno uttariṁ vimuttiṁ appaṭivijjhato. (SN v 119)

2) Thus developed, the liberation [from perceptually obscuring states] through [unlimited] goodwill leads to non-returnership for a wise bhikkhu here who has not penetrated to a more exalted liberation.

Evaṁ bhāvitā kho bhikkhave mettācetovimutti anāgāmitāya saṁvattati idha paññassa bhikkhuno uttariṁ vimuttiṁ appaṭivijjhato. (AN v 300)

Arousing faith with mettā

The Buddha suffused others with [unlimited] goodwill (mettena cittena pharati) to arouse faith in them. Two examples:

1) ‘It would not be hard, Ānanda, for the Perfect One to arouse faith in this teaching and training system in Roja the Malla.’ Then the Blessed One, having suffused Roja the Malla with a mind of [unlimited] goodwill rising from his seat, entered his dwelling. Then Roja the Malla, suffused by the Blessed One with a mind of [unlimited] goodwill, even as young calves follow their mothers, having approached dwelling after dwelling, compound after compound, asked the bhikkhus: ‘Where, bhante, is the Blessed One staying just now, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One? For I long to see the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One’.

Na kho taṁ ānanda dukkaraṁ tathāgatena yathā rojo mallo imasmiṁ dhammavinaye pasīdeyyā ti. Atha kho bhagavā rojaṁ mallaṁ mettena cittena pharitvā uṭṭhāyāsanā vihāraṁ pāvisi. Atha kho rojo mallo bhagavatā mettena cittena phuṭṭho seyyathā pi nāma gāvī taruṇavacchā, evameva vihārena vihāraṁ pariveṇena pariveṇaṁ upasaṅkamitvā bhikkhū pucchati: kahannu kho bhante etarahi so bhagavā viharati arahaṁ sammā sambuddho? Dassanakāmā hi mayaṁ taṁ bhagavantaṁ arahantaṁ sammāsambuddhan ti. (Vin.1.247)

2) ‘Bhante, this elephant Nālāgiri approaching on this carriage road is an uncontrollable mankiller. Bhante, may the Blessed One turn back, may the Sublime One turn back.’… Then the Blessed One suffused the elephant Nālāgiri with a mind of [unlimited] goodwill. Then the elephant Nālāgiri, suffused by the Blessed One with a mind of [unlimited] goodwill, lowered his trunk, approached the Blessed One, and stood in front of him…And so it was in this way that the elephant Nālāgiri became tamed.

ayaṁ bhante nālāgiri hatthi caṇḍo manussaghātako imaṁ racchaṁ paṭipanno. Paṭikkamatu bhante bhagavā paṭikkamatu sugato ti… Atha kho bhagavā nālāgiriṁ hatthiṁ mettena cittena phari. Atha kho bhagavā nālāgiriṁ hatthiṁ mettena cittena eri. Atha kho nālāgiri hatthi bhagavatā mettena cittena phuṭo soṇḍaṁ oropetvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami. Upasaṅkamitvā bhagavato purato aṭṭhāsi… Tathā danto ca pana nālāgiri hatthi ahosi. (Vin.2.195)

Mettā and unlimitedness

The unlimitedness of mettā (i.e. mettā unlimited by rāgo doso and moho) is seen in this quote:

• Bhikkhus, even if thugs should sever your limbs one by one with a two-handled saw, he whose mind was thereby filled with hatred would not on that account be a practiser of my training system.

Ubhatodaṇḍakena pi ce bhikkhave kakacena corā ocarakā aṅgamaṅgāni okanteyyuṁ tatrāpi yo mano padūseyya na me so tena sāsanakaro.

… In this regard, you should train yourselves thus: ‘Neither shall our minds be troubled by this, nor shall we utter unvirtuous words, but we shall abide tenderly concerned for their welfare, with a mind of [unlimited] goodwill, without inner hatred.’

Tatrāpi vo bhikkhave evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: na ceva no cittaṁ vipariṇataṁ bhavissati. Na ca pāpakaṁ vācaṁ nicchāressāma. Hitānukampī ca viharissāma mettacittā na dosantarā. (MN i 129)

Sabbatthatāya not sabbattatāya

Sabbatthatāya is a long-standing issue in the scriptures because of its alternative spelling, sabbattatāya, which Bodhi renders as ‘to all as to himself,’ as follows:

• … everywhere, and to all as to himself, he abides pervading the all-encompassing world with a mind imbued with loving-kindness

sabbadhi sabbatthatāya sabbāvantaṁ lokaṁ mettāsahagatena cetasā… pharitvā viharati. (Bodhi, MN i 38)

Horner translates it as ‘in every way’:

• he dwells having suffused the whole world everywhere, in every way, with a mind of friendliness. (Horner, MN i 38)

The phrase sabbadhi sabbatthatāya also occurs at Uda 33 where the phrase ‘to all as to himself’ (sabbattatāya) is clearly inappropriate:

• Whatever states of individual existence there are in any way, anywhere (‘to all as to himself’), all these states of individual existence are unlasting

ye hi keci bhavā sabbadhi sabbatthatāya sabbe te bhavā aniccā. (Uda 33)

The Vipassana Research Institute consistently favours sabbattatāya over sabbatthatāya, except at one place, the just quoted Uda 33, where they take sabbatthatāya, thereby acknowledging the decisiveness of the quote.

Although the Buddha Jayanti Version consistently favours sabbattatāya, including at Uda 33, it consistently notes that sabbatthatāya is a variant reading.

The PED does not recognise sabbattatāya as a word, only sabbatthatāya whose meaning is ‘the state of being everywhere.’ The PED says that atthata is the past participle of attharati, meaning ‘spread, covered, spread over with.’ Likewise, DOP recognises atthata but not attata.

Therefore we take atthata (everywhere) as the correct spelling, and translate as follows:

• in all directions, everywhere, he abides pervading the whole world [of beings] with a mind of [unlimited] goodwill.

sabbadhi sabbatthatāya sabbāvantaṁ lokaṁ mettāsahagatena cetasā… viharati. (SN iv 323)

Pervading [unlimited] goodwill: world [of beings]

When one abides pervading the whole world with a mind of [unlimited] goodwill (sabbāvantaṁ lokaṁ mettāsahagatena cetasā… pharitvā), what does ‘world’ mean? Other suttas, and clues in the sutta itself show that mettā should be pervaded to the ‘world [of beings],’ a practice which would therefore include devas.

Metta: adjective and adverb

For the adjective, we render metta as ‘loving.’ In one case below we say ‘lovingly.’

➥ mettaṁ: (main article see: mettā)

Illustration: mettaṁ, loving

A bhikkhu maintains loving conduct of body, both openly and privately to those bhikkhus who are senior, long gone forth [into the ascetic life] who are fathers of the community of bhikkhus, leaders of the community of bhikkhus.

Idha bhikkhave bhikkhu ye te bhikkhu therā rattaññū cirapabbajitā saṅghapitaro saṅghaparināyakā tesu mettaṁ kāyakammaṁ paccupaṭṭhāpeti āvī ceva raho ca. (AN v 353)

➥ mettena: (main article see: mettā)

Illustration: mettena, loving

For a long time, Ānanda, you have offered the Perfect One loving conduct of body, beneficent, pleasant, unselfish, beyond measure.

Dīgharattaṁ kho te ānanda tathāgato paccupaṭṭhito mettena kāyakammena hitena sukhena advayena appamāṇena. (DN ii 144)

Illustration: mettena, loving

For twenty-five years I served the Blessed One with loving conduct of body, like a shadow never leaving him.

Paṇṇavīsati vassāni bhagavantaṁ upaṭṭhahiṁ
Mettena kāyakammena chāyā va anapāyinī. (Tha 1041)

➥ metta: (main article see: mettā)

Illustration: metta, loving

King Pasenadi of Kosala prostrated his head to the Blessed One’s feet, covered them with kisses and caressed them with his hands, pronouncing his name:

• ‘Bhante, I am King Pasenadi of Kosala! Bhante, I am King Pasenadi of Kosala!’

• ’But, great king, considering what good reason do you show such profound humility and pay such loving homage to this [wretched human] body of mine?’

Kaṁ pana tvaṁ mahārāja atthavasaṁ sampassamāno imasmiṁ sarīre evarūpaṁ paramanipaccākāraṁ karosi mettupahāraṁ upadaṁsesī ti?

• Out of gratitude and thankfulness I show such profound humility and pay such loving homage to the Blessed One.

Kataññutaṁ kho ahaṁ bhante kataveditaṁ sampassamāno bhagavati evarūpaṁ paramanipaccākāraṁ karomi mettupahārāṁ upadaṁsemi. (AN v 65)

Illustration: mettā, lovingly

The Teacher will be lovingly venerated by me through my practice [in accordance with the teaching]

Satthā ca me pariciṇṇo bhavissati mettāvatāyā tī. (AN iii 443)

Comment:

Pariciṇṇo mayā satthā: the Teacher has been [lovingly] venerated by me [through my practice in accordance with the teaching]. See Glossary sv Pariciṇṇo mayā satthā.

Illustration: mettā, state of [unlimited] goodwill

The Blessed One, bhante, abides in a state of [unlimited] goodwill.

bhagavā hi bhante mettāvihārī ti. (MN i 369-371)

➥ mettacitto: (main article see: mettā)

Illustration: mettacitto, mind of [unlimited] goodwill

He nurses the patient for worldly benefits not with a mind of [unlimited] goodwill.

āmisantaro gilānaṁ upaṭṭhahati no mettacitto. (AN iii 144)

➥ mettaṁ cittaṁ: (main article see: mettā)

Illustration: mettaṁ cittaṁ, mind of [unlimited] goodwill

• Being not tenderly concerned for their welfare, would he have a mind of [unlimited] goodwill or of enmity?

ahitānukampissa mettaṁ vā tesu cittaṁ paccupaṭṭhitaṁ hoti sapattakaṁ vā ti

• Enmity, Master Gotama.

Sapattakaṁ bho gotama. (DN i 228)

Illustration: mettacitto, mind of [unlimited] goodwill

I am one with a mind of [unlimited] goodwill.

mettacitto’hamasmi. (MN i 18)

➥ mettacitta: (main article see: mettā)

Illustration: mettacitta, a mind of [unlimited] goodwill

In what way in protecting others does one protect oneself? By developing patience, compassion, a mind of [unlimited] goodwill, and sympathy.

Kathañca bhikkhave paraṁ rakkhanto attānaṁ rakkhati: khantiyā avihiṁsāya mettacittatāya anuddayatāya. (SN v 169)

➥ mettena cittena: (main article see: mettā)

Illustration: mettena cittena, mind of [unlimited] goodwill

Surely that bhikkhu did not pervade the four royal families of snakes with a mind of [unlimited] goodwill. For if that bhikkhu had done so, then that bhikkhu when bitten by a snake, would certainly not have died.

Nahanūna so bhikkhave bhikkhu cattāri ahirājakulāni mettena cittena phari. Sace hi so bhikkhave bhikkhu cattāri ahirājakulāni mettena cittena phareyya na hi so bhikkhave bhikkhu ahinā daṭṭho kālaṁ kareyya. (AN ii 72; Vin.2.110)

Illustration: mettena cittena, mind of [unlimited] goodwill

Bhikkhus, some might speak to you with speech that is: timely or untimely; true or untrue; gentle or harsh; conducive or unconducive to your spiritual well-being; spoken with a mind of [unlimited] goodwill or with inner hatred.

Kālena vā bhikkhave pare vadamānā vadeyyuṁ akālena vā. Bhūtena vā… abhūtena vā. Saṇhena vā… pharusena vā. Atthasaṁhitena vā… anatthasaṁhitena vā. Mettacittā vā… dosantarā vā. (MN i 126)

On all occasions you should train yourselves thus: ‘Neither shall our minds be troubled by this, nor shall we utter unvirtuous words, but we shall abide tenderly concerned for their welfare, with a mind of [unlimited] goodwill, without inner hatred.’

na ceva no cittaṁ vipariṇataṁ bhavissati na ca pāpakaṁ vācaṁ nicchāressāma. Hitānukampī ca viharissāma mettacittā na dosantarā.

We shall abide pervading that person with a mind of [unlimited] goodwill,

tañca puggalaṁ mettāsahagatena cetasā pharitvā viharissāma.

With this as our basis [for spiritual development]

Tadārammaṇañca

we shall abide pervading the whole world [of beings] with a mind of [unlimited] goodwill, vast, exalted, unlimited, free of unfriendliness and hostility.

sabbāvantaṁ lokaṁ mettāsahagatena cetasā vipulena mahaggatena appamāṇena averena avyāpajjhena pharitvā viharissāmāti.

Thus bhikkhus should you train yourselves. (MN i 126)