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Karaniya Metta Sutta: The Buddha's Words on Loving-Kindness

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Re: Karaniya Metta Sutta: The Buddha's Words on Loving-Kindness

#2

Post by wirrbel »

https://suttacentral.net/snp1.8/en/sujato?lang=en&layout=pla... Sutta central offers various translations (multiple translators, multiple languages).

Thich nhat hanh had a good introductory article I believe it’s this one https://tricycle.org/magazine/cultivating-compassion/

Re: Karaniya Metta Sutta: The Buddha's Words on Loving-Kindness

#3

Post by korginator »

As with many Pāli words (e.g., dhamma, samkhāra, etc.), it's hard to provide a simplistic one-dimensional translation of the phrase "mettā", often crudely translated as loving-kindness. When you read through the Sutta Nipata and the early texts, it comes across more as unconditional or unconstrained friendliness which is far easier to practice in real life, even when you can't make yourself feel loving-kindness.

There are several other passages from the oldest strata of Pāli texts, e.g., the SNP (Sutta Nipata) and some of the connected discourses (Samyutta Nikāya) that talk more about metta, a rich and complex tapestry that paints a picture of the actual and original intent behind the word or phrase.

This talk by Prof. John Peacock has some good insights into the phrase mettā, and provides a good overall context.

https://www.audiodharma.org/talks/2600

Mettā is part of the four brahmavihārās or practises to cultivate wholesome states of mind, the others being karuṇā (compassion & kindness for oneself and for others), muditā (simplistically translated as "empathetic joy") and upekkhā (equanimity).

Re: Karaniya Metta Sutta: The Buddha's Words on Loving-Kindness

#4

Post by denton-scratch »

Like nearly all Buddhist teachings, there are practices you can do to develop these faculties. For example, you can reflect that all beings have at one time or another been your mother, or your child; realizing this, how can you feel hatred towards any other being?

It doesn't work for me, of course; I don't believe in rebirth.

Re: Karaniya Metta Sutta: The Buddha's Words on Loving-Kindness

#6

Post by krzat »

Interesting to see this here, without any context attached. I've been practicing loving kindness meditation for a few months now and the results have been incredible.

I'm atheist, pretty sure reincarnation is bullshit, but the method described in this sutta works. In mundane terms, you can train your brain to be happier and more joyful by those simple visualizations.

I'm not quite sure what is the role of spreading kindness in all directions, perhaps it somehow ties our perception of space and time, which is always present, with good feelings - what fires together, wires together - making them more likely to appear in future.

Re: Karaniya Metta Sutta: The Buddha's Words on Loving-Kindness

#8

Post by cracoucax »

denton-scratch wrote: post #4

Like nearly all Buddhist teachings, there are practices you can do to develop these faculties. For example, you can reflect that all beings have at one time or another been your mother, or your child; realizing this, how can you feel hatred towards any other being? It doesn't work for me, of course; I don't believe in rebirth.

Imo the belief in rebirth is not needed to practice metta, you just need to realize that every being wants to be happy, just like you.

Yet all of them are mired in delusion and most of the time do things which go the opposite way of generating real happiness, we all do.

Everyone is mired in delusion and most of the time react to feelings of anger and craving (vedana), which are generated based on their history, social norms and whatnot. They are just being manipulated by those all the time, unless they're very mindful of what's happening in their mind temporarily. Realizing this you can't really hate anybody, and in fact you realize they are 100% like you.

Re: Karaniya Metta Sutta: The Buddha's Words on Loving-Kindness

#9

Post by robobro »

People here interested in Buddhist theory / psychology may be interested in this book: https://americanmonk.org/abhidhamma-lessons/

Abhidhamma Lessons: A Top-Down Approach Using Computer Science

Author is a former programmer who uses computer science methods to discuss Buddhism's approach to understanding the mind and reality. I found it interesting!

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