Buddhist Hour
Radio Broadcast 243 on Hillside Radio 88.0 FM
For Sunday 22
September 2002
This script is entitled: Understanding
the use of metta - loving-kindness
During last week’s broadcast titled ‘The
application of friendliness to change the script’ we talked
about caga (emotional maturity) and promised to extend this
discussion to metta in this week’s broadcast.
The Pali
word metta can be translated as loving kindness, amity, goodwill and
friendliness.
“Loving kindness should be developed for
the ‘purpose of abandoning ill-will...” “Non-hate
itself is loving-kindness, and specific neutrality itself is
equanimity”. (from the book ‘The Path of Purification -
Visuddhimagga’, by Venerable Bhikkhu Nanamoli).
Loving
kindness is part of Buddha Dhamma and many Teachers show this method.
Your motive should include a vow to learn the method at some
time if you have not practiced it to date.
To understand the
use of loving-kindness means to understand that its development makes
it a powerful "weapon" to protect the meditator under
various hazardous conditions that living may produce.
On
Buddha's advice, Monks must not carry weapons. Instead they practice
loving-kindness (metta) for protection from wild animals and enemies
in the forest. By sending strong metta to the surrounding beings when
sitting in meditation in a forest location, Monks can prevent harm
from coming to them from potentially dangerous animals, such as
snakes, and thus continue their meditation safely. Most Monks having
long past forest experience still display loving kindness as a potent
mental force.
Metta is also an effective means to overcome
anger as it is the opposite of these violent and destructive mental
states, to build up the required concentration base for the
development of insight, because with metta, our mind concentrates
rapidly, and for a healthy relationship with every living being –
so important for a happy family, society and the world (p.4).
How
can we practise metta?
Venerable Sujiva, a well-known Buddhist
Theravadin monk, writes in his book 'Divine Abodes – Meditation
on Loving Kindness and other sublime states':
Metta in
Buddhism is a state of mind. Its object is the lovable being. It is
the state of wishing to promote the welfare of the lovable
being.
When metta arises one enables and urges it on with the
use of 4 aspirations.
1 May he/she be free from
enmity/danger
2 May he/she be free from mental suffering
3 May
he/she be free from physical suffering
4 May he/she be take care
of himself/herself happily
If you are meditating in a
meditation hall, first of all you send metta to other meditators in
the hall, wishing these meditators to be well and happy. Then you go
beyond the hall, to the whole of Melbourne, the whole of Australia,
and then further, and further - as when you drop a pebble into the
water, creating small ripples that go out in circles. Let your metta
emanate out in circles like that.
We develop metta
progressively to all the levels of concentration to the persons in
the following order:
1 lovable person (puja puggala)
2
intimate person (atipiya puggala)
3 neutral person (majjhatta
puggala)
4 repulsive person (apiya puggala)
5 inimical person
(veri puggala)
The very intimate person is avoided at the
start because of the tendency of attachment. To send metta
successfully we have to ensure that there is no attachment. It is
like giving metta without personal involvement. If one has got the
feel of this then we can radiate and care for our very close ones
without getting into trouble that comes with attachment, such as
pride, jealousy, possessiveness and so forth. One can also know how
to give metta to the opposite sex. It is one more step towards
universal metta.
Having done much metta to the lovable person,
the momentum developed will naturally give such feeling to others.
Frequent practice will make the "neutral person" lovable as
well.
"Borrowing" from the momentum of the previous
metta should keep one on in the development of metta to an unpleasant
person. If anger arises in giving metta to such a person, return to
oneself or the lovable individual. Even if we may have some reason to
dislike a person we should not. With practice we will be quite adept
in overlooking people's faults and be very much less demanding.
To
be able to send metta to an enemy or hostile person, we must firstly
make sure that we are morally in the right. Secondly we should bear
in mind all the reasons to have metta for that person. If one is
unable to, one is advised to return to oneself and the lovable
person. It all boils down to the plain fact that hatred is never
justifiable or good. To be able to give metta to such a person means
your metta has advanced by a stride.
Traditionally in a
complete course of metta, one has to go through all the different
levels of absorptions and their masteries with all these other
individuals as described with respect to the practice of using the
lovable being as the object.
The mind is the forerunner of all
states. Metta is so powerful that it is able to turn enemies into
friends.
When one is able to do this, one may proceed on to
develop universal and boundless metta to all beings.
Metta is
one of the 4 brahma vihara. These are: loving kindness (metta),
compassion (karuna), sympathetic joy (mudita) and equanimity
(upekkha).
Brahma in this case has been translated as divine
or noble; vihara means abiding and living.
The 4 brahma vihara
act as a soothing balm to those still within the cycle of birth and
death. (p.4). These 4 divine abidings are the immediate answer to
ease conflicts caused by pride, jealousy, stinginess, suspicions,
greed, anger and so on.
The Dhammapada says:
Hatred is
not overcome by hatred
It is overcome by Love
This is the
eternal Law. (DHPD. 5)
Metta was an earlier Christian
meditation practice. It is not prayer. The Christian method is the
same form of loving kindness taught by the Buddha, around 500 years
B.C. Christians in many countries today agree on the need for more
metta meditation in the world, rather than less.
At our
Centre, using metta meditation and undertaking the precept of no
killing causing no harm to sentient beings, Members have removed
silver fish from the John D. Hughes Collection library shelves, and
gently placed these little creatures outside in the garden. When
digging in the garden, great care is taken not to kill any of the
beings living in the earth.
Metta is the antidote to hate.
It should be everyone's effort to encourage metta meditation
as taught by Gautama Buddha twenty-five centuries ago, for hatred
ceases not by hatred, but by love alone.
In disseminating
thoughts of metta (loving-kindness) towards all beings, something can
be done for peace and goodwill among all nations, irrespective of
race, caste, creed or colour.
Look inside yourself now, this
very minute. What can you see? Can you see a mind filled with peace?
Or do you encounter conflict, turmoil and confusion? Many questions
arise when doubt also arises. Allow yourself to reflect on the beauty
of a flower. Absorb the softness, colour and aroma of the flower. You
see the beauty. You feel the beauty. You smell the beauty. You sense
the beauty. You, like the flower, are a creation of beauty.
Do
you notice how peaceful you feel now? You sense a perception of
loving-kindness toward yourself. How much easier is it now to radiate
that out to others around you? Now they have their own flowers to
share. See how simple it is? You have provided yourself and others
around you with an ultimate truth that is as much infused with metta
as the flower is infused with gentle beauty.
The action of no
lying is one necessary step towards the development of perfect metta.
The truth leading to your understanding of beneficial and effective
actions for world peace will be understood within the hearts and
minds of ordinary human beings throughout the human realm if the
action of no lying is undertaken by ordinary human
beings.
Fundamentally, to perfect metta it is required to hold
at least the Five Precepts:
panatipata veramani sikkhapadam
samadiyami:
to abstain from killing;
adinnadana veramani
sikkhapadam samadiyami:
to abstain from stealing;
kamesu
micchachara veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami:
to abstain from
sexual misconduct;
musavada veramani sikkhapadam
samadiyami:
to abstain from lying;
and
suramaerayamajjapamadatthana veramani sikkhapadam
samadiyami:
to abstain from fermented liquor that clouds the
mind.
Metta is a dyad: it requires a sender and a
receiver.
Metta meditation is a very "user friendly"
meditation. But a word of caution: it is advisable to be well skilled
in metta meditation before attempting light kasina meditation
otherwise you may become physically ill.
The Karaniyametta
Sutta explains how metta is to be practised:
Professor L. G.
Hewage writes that the Metta Sutta sets out the methods of developing
Loving Kindness in an all-pervading, multi-dimensional approach of
such extensive scale and minute detail that no living creature ever
conceivable in the cognitive field of any person in any part of the
world can ever be excluded from the ambit of the meditation. That is
perhaps why even some of those who do not call themselves Buddhist
choose to follow the instructions contained therein, when they need
effective guidance for developing metta.
There are two types
of pervasion: unspecified pervasion (anodhiso pharana), and specified
pervasion (odhiso pharana).
Unspecified pervasion of metta is
metta given to beings not of any specified types. They are:
sabbe
satta – all beings (beings with feelings)
sabba pana –
all living things (beings that breathe and live)
sabbe bhuta –
all creatures (beings that arise owing to their kamma)
sabbe
puggala – all individuals (beings seen as individuals)
sabbe
attabhavapariyapanna – all personalities (beings with
personalities)
These five types actually convey the same
meaning: beings. However, to use different words helps to break the
monotony, increase perception and hence concentration.
When we
say "all" we really mean to include the hostile ones,
otherwise deep inside we may mean "all except"...
Definitely one cannot visualise all beings. One has only to bear in
mind just what it means.
Unspecified pervasion of metta
enables us to develop a universal type of metta. "Happy is the
one who bears no ill-will to any living creature."
The
groups in specified pervasion of metta are:
sabbe itthiya –
all female kind
sabba purisa – all male kind
sabbe ariya –
all nobles
sabbe anariya – all the beings outside the
previous group (worldlings)
sabbe deva – all deities
sabbe
manussa – all humankind
sabbe vinipatika – all unhappy
states (those of the woeful realms of animals, petas asuras, and hell
beings)
The first step for effectiveness is the recognition
that there are such worlds and beings.
The second step is
metta and not fear, for as the saying goes – what they fear,
they hate.
The third step is to see the blessings of metta and
disadvantages of anger.
The motivation should drive us on to
practise metta to deep concentration using the method as described
for the others.
One may then practise metta in the following
ways:
unspecified pervasion in the 10 directions
specified
pervasion in the 10 directions
both unspecified and specified in
the 10 directions
Radiating in the directions brings in the
spatial concept often associated with beings. It also brings about
mental expansion.
One final combination of these makes up 528
aspirations in all, each capable of going into the 4
absorptions.
There are a number of recitations which are
specifically involved with metta blessing. One is the well-known
karaniya metta sutta.
We will now read for you an English
translation of the karaniya metta sutta.
May these words
spoken emit loving kindness
in the eastern direction
in the
western direction
in the northern direction
in the southern
direction
in the south-eastern direction
in the north-western
direction
in the north-eastern direction
in the south-western
direction
in the direction below
in the direction above
The
Discourse on Loving-Kindness which should be done
The karaniya
metta sutta was delivered to a group of 500 Monks who were disturbed
by some invisible beings who had prevented them from doing their
forest meditation. The Buddha advised them to recite this sutta by
cultivating loving kindness towards all sentient beings. Subsequently
they attained arahantship after winning the affection of the same
beings who disturbed them. One who chants this sutta by himself or
asks another person, preferably a monk, to recite this sutta, will be
able to win the kindness, good-will and love of others and gain
protection, happiness and good health.
This is what should be
done by one skilled in good,
Would attain that state of peace:
He
should be able upright truly straight,
And meek and gentle and not
proud,
Contented, easy to support,
With few duties and frugal
habits,
Calm in faculties and discrete,
Not puffed up, not
greedy among lay supporters.
And let him not do even the slightest
thing
That later on the wise may blame.
(He should
contemplate;) may they be happy hearted.
Whatever living beings
there are -
Weak or strong, omitting none,
Those which are long
or great,
Middle sized, short, subtle or gross,
And those which
are seen, or the unseen,
And those which dwell far or near,
Beings
and those who wish to be -
All beings may they be
happy-hearted!
Let none another deceive,
Or with anger or
thoughts of hate,
Wish dukkha for each other.
Thus as a mother
with her son,
Might guard with her life her only child,
in the
same way with all beings
Unlimited one’s mind should be
developed.
Loving kindness for all the world -
Unlimited one’s
mind should be developed -
Above, below, and all around,
Uncramped
without malice or enmity.
Standing or walking, seated too,
And
lying while free from drowsiness,
He should stand firm in this
mindfulness,
This is divine abiding they say.
And not going to
views,
Virtuous and possessed of insight,
Having removed greed
for sensual pleasures,
He will surely come no more to any
womb.
May I be well and happy! May all beings be well and
happy!
May you practice metta (loving kindness) for the
benefit of all sentient beings.
May the merit of this good
practice help all beings come to the Middle Path.
May you be
well and happy.
Sadhu, Sadhu, Sadhu.
Today’s
script was written and edited by Julian Bamford, Sharon Carlton,
Leanne Eames, Evelin Halls and Pennie White.
Words
2675
References
Files on our LAN1, found with the ISYS
text retrieval system
Venerable Ajarn Chanhphy Manivong, 1996,
The Emptiness You Are Looking For - A Manual of Insight
Meditation.
Hewage, Professor L. G. (1997, 1988) Metta: Loving
Kindness The Buddhist Approach, Siri Jayanti Youth Section, Kuala
Lumpa, p. 67.
Venerable Bhikkhu Nanamoli, (no date), The Path
of Purification - Visuddhimagga’, Singapore Buddhist Meditation
Centre, Singapore, pp. 118, 528.
Venerable Sujiva, (1998),
'Divine Abodes – Meditation of Loving Kindness and other Sublime
States', Buddhist Wisdom Centre, PJ. , Selangor.
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