friendliness, goodwill, benevolence, fellowship, amity, concord, inoffensiveness
and non-violence. The Pali commentators define metta as the strong wish for the
welfare and happiness of others (parahita-parasukha-kamana). Essentially metta
is an altruistic attitude of love and friendliness as distinguished from mere
amiability based on self-interest. Through metta one refuses to be offensive and
renounces bitterness, resentment and animosity of every kind, developing
instead a mind of friendliness, accommodativeness and benevolence which seeks
the well-being and happiness of others.
To promote one's own interest is a primordial motivation of human nature. When
this urge is transformed into the desire to promote the interest and happiness of
others, not only is the basic urge of self-seeking overcome, but the mind becomes
universal by identifying its own interest with the interest of all.
Apart from its higher implications, today metta is a pragmatic necessity. In a world
menaced by all kinds of destructiveness, metta in deed, word and thought is a
constructive means to bring concord, peace and mutual understanding.
-From Acharya Buddharakkhita at www.accesstoinsight.org
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He or she who wants to attain peace should practice being upright, humble, and
capable of using loving speech. He or she will know how to live simply and
happily, with senses calmed, without being covetous and carried away by the
emotions of the majority. Let him or her not do anything that will be disapproved
of by the wise ones.
And this is what he or she contemplates:
May everyone be happy and safe, and may their hearts be filled with joy.
May all living beings live in security and peace- beings who are frail or strong, tall
or short, big or small, visible or not visible, near or far away, already born or yet
to be born. May all of them dwell in perfect tranquility.
Let no one do harm to anyone. Let no one put the life of anyone in danger. Let
no one, out of anger or ill will, wish anyone any harm.
Just as a mother loves and protects her only child at the risk of her own life, we
should cultivate boundless love to offer to all living beings in the entire cosmos.
We should let our boundless love pervade the whole universe, above, below and
across. Our love will know no obstacles; our heart will be absolutely free from
hatred and enmity. Whether standing or walking, sitting or lying, as long as we
are awake, we should maintain this mindfulness of love in our own heart.
This is the noblest way of living. Free from wrong views, greed and sensual
desires, living in beauty and realizing perfect understanding, those who practice
boundless love will certainly transcend birth and death.
-Adapted from a Theravadin Buddhist text and published in A Joyful Path by Thich
Nhat Hanh