The Practice of Loving Kindness (Metta) in The Theravada Buddhist Tradition

Speaker: Ven Dhammavaro
The Practice of
Loving Kindness
(Metta) in the
Theravada Buddhist
TrADITION
1
 The practice of loving kindness (metta) is
an important daily practice for a Buddhist
practitioner, in the Theravada buddhist
tradition, it is one out of four sublime states
known as Brahma-Vihara:
 Loving kindness (Metta)

 Compassion (karuna)
 Sympathetic joy (mudita)
 Equanimity (upekkha)
 These sublime states can be developed in

a systematic way over time.
 In metta practice, we need to recollect

two aspects, i.e; the dangers of anger, and
the merits of metta.
2
Intention, anger and
Sufferings
 All our activities can be divided into two
categories: mental and physical.
 It is the mind which directs all our

activities whether it expresses in physical
deeds, verbal deeds or mental deeds.
 Let us investigate our normal human

behaviors, in normal human tendency one
reacts to anger with anger, before one
reacts outwardly in deeds it FIRST GOES
THROUGH THE MIND. This is called
intention.
3
Sufferings
 Before we discuss about the practice of
loving kindness (metta), we need to have a
good understanding about suffering.
 The Arahant Brahmadatta said with

reference to the Buddha’s teaching: "If anger
arises, reflect on the saw simile."
(Theragatha 6.12)
In that simile Buddha urged us to be patient

when the anger arises within us, and to be
patient with the anger instigator as he/she
is the one who is suffering.
4
Sufferings
 In the extreme case when one is angry, it
develops into violence action against others,
and as a result inflicts harm on others.
 In the Sutta Nipāta (394) Buddha advised:
“Laying aside violence in respect of all

living beings in the world, both those which
are still and those which move, he should
not kill a living creature, not cause to kill,
nor allow others to kill.”
5
Sufferings
 Therefore the Buddhist understanding of
moral or immoral action, originates from the
mind.
 Buddha said: “It is intention that I call

action (kamma); having formed an intention
one acts.”(AN III 415)
 Therefore actions which carry moral

responsibility which will lead to pleasant or
unpleasant consequences in future lives, are
those which one does with clear intention
beforehand.
6
The remedy of anger
 The Buddha said categorically: “Hatred is

never quelled by hatred in this world. It is
quelled by love. This is an eternal truth!”
(Dhammapada 1.5)
7
The remedy of anger
 With defiled mind, human being naturally
resorts to retaliatory action against their
aggressor, and the ill feeling is ever reinforced
time and again, not minimizes.
 Therefore if one who is calm and cool and

contemplates about this, one would make a firm
resolve in not taking retaliatory action against
the aggressor, and replaces it with love and
understanding.
 This subtle quality of metta requires constant

mindfulness in nurturing it to fullness. Metta is
cultivated in one’s heart like a spring; it protects
one’s mind against ill-will, anger and many other
unwholesome thoughts.
8
The remedy of anger
 In Brahma-vihara sutta the Blessed one
advised us how to develop the qualities of
metta and karuna:
“There, O’ friends, the Bhikkhu with a mind full

of friendly loving kindness (metta) pervading
first one direction, then a second one, then a
third one then the fourth one, as below so
above, across and all around, everywhere
identifying himself with all sentient beings, he is
encompassing the whole world with a mind full
of friendly loving kindness, with a mind wide,
developed, unbounded, cleared, exalted, pure
and bright, free from hate and ill will...
9
The Arahant Brahmadatta said of his
attainment of the quality of metta:
"You make things worse

when you flare up
at someone who's angry.
Whoever doesn't flare up
at someone who's angry
wins a battle
hard to win.
You live for the good of both

— your own, the other's —
when, knowing the other's provoked,
you mindfully grow calm.
When you work the cure of both

— your own, the other's —
those who think you a fool
know nothing of Dhamma. " (Theragatha 6.12)
10
One is dearer to oneself
In Udana 5.1 the Blessed One said to the

King Pasenadi of Kosala:
"Searching all directions

with one's awareness,
one finds no one dearer
than oneself.
In the same way, others
are fiercely dear to themselves.
So one should not hurt others
if one loves oneself!"
11
the practice of metta
 The Buddha is comparing the practice of

metta to the infinite area of the earth,
whoever speaks with the words that is:
(1) timely or untimely,

(2) true or false,
(3) affectionate or harsh,
(4) beneficial or unbeneficial,
(5) with a mind of good-will or with inner
hate.
12
the practice of metta
 This boundless quality of metta has been

cultivated specifically to overcome our
mental hatred and jealously to the path so
that one can achieve states of highly refined
meditative concentration (jhanas).
This highly treasured pure mind is crucial in

cultivating right understanding and right
view.
13
How to Practise?
 In the famous text of Metta Sutta the
Blessed One taught:
"What should be done by one who’s skilled in

wholesomeness to gain the state of peacefulness
is this: He must be able, upright, straight, and
not proud, easy to speak to, mild and well
content.
Easily satisfied and not caught up in too much

bustle, and frugal in one’s ways, with senses
calmed, intelligent, not bold, not being covetous
when with other folk.
Not even doing little things that other wise ones

blame, and this the thought that one should
always hold: may beings all live happily and safe
and may their hearts rejoice within themselves.”
14
What the Buddha taught in the text:
1. Cultivates virtues through the training of
Morality.
2. Cultivates compassion by first making their
hearts rejoice within themselves.
3. Generates boundless love to all beings like a
mother who risks her life to loves and protects
her only child.
4. Extending metta to all beings in all directions
free from hate and enmity. Pervading first one
direction, then a second one, then a third one
then the fourth one, as below so above, across
and all around, full of friendly loving kindness,
with a mind wide, developed, unbounded,
cleared, exalted, pure and bright, free from hate
and ill will.
5. Practice this mindfulness all the time.
15
 In our daily practice, metta should be
practised as such:
Comparing oneself with others, one should

practise loving kindness to all beings,
realising that all beings desire happiness.
(Attupamaya sabbesam, sattānam sukha
kamatam, passitva kamato mettam, sabba
sattesu bhāvaye )
16
KNOW YOURSELF
 Again in the text of Kakacupama Sutta
(MN21) the Buddha taught the monks how to
cultivate metta:
"You should train yourselves this way: 'Our minds

will be unaffected and we will say no evil words.
We will remain sympathetic to that person's
welfare, with a mind of good will, and with no
inner hate. We will keep pervading him with an
awareness imbued with good will and, beginning
with him, we will keep pervading the all-
encompassing world with an awareness imbued
with good will — abundant, expansive,
immeasurable, free from hostility, free from ill
will.' That's how you should train yourselves."
17
KNOW YOURSELF
 The cultivation of metta requires the

awareness of our states of the mind, this
awareness is called “sati” in Pali as
explained in detail by the Buddha, the
developing of sati leads to the discerning
mind which could discern affliction within
our mind, it promotes concentration which
again reinforces discernment.
18
KNOW YOURSELF
 There are hindrances that could hinder the
development of metta, these are five:
sensual craving, ill-will, sloth and torpor,
restlessness and worry, and skeptical doubts.
 For the sublime quality of metta its direct

enemy is ill-will or hatred, it obstructs the
development of metta in oneself, therefore
it is very important to understand ones heart,
recognise the arising of these defiled states
of mind, weigh the cost of these negative
thoughts by considering it from the point of
kammic retribution, samsaric existence,
dhamma practice, the doctrine of anatta,
then learn to cultivate metta and forgive
others.
19
The benefits of metta
practice
 In Anguttara Nikaya V.342 the Buddha
mentioned there are eleven benefits in
cultivating the boundless quality of metta:
"Friends! Eleven advantages are to be expected as
effect from the release of mind into friendliness,
by the practice of goodwill, by cultivating amity,
by making much of it frequently, by making
friendliness the vehicle, the tool, a basis, a
medium, a foundation, by persisting in it, by
making it a familiar habit, by being well
established in it.”
20
What are the eleven benefits ?
1. One sleeps happy!
2. One wakes happy!
3. One dreams no evil dreams!
4. One is liked and loved by all human beings!
5. One is liked and loved by all non-human beings
too!
6. One is guarded and protected by the divine devas!
7. One cannot be harmed by fire, poison or weapons!
8. One swiftly attains the concentration of
absorption!
9. Ones appearance becomes serene, calm and
composed!
10. One dies without confusion, bewilderment nor
panic!
11. One reappears after death on the Brahma level if
one has penetrated to no higher level in life!
21
Conclusion
 Human societies everywhere are plagued by
violence and great sufferings, this is due to the
absence of love and compassion, many victims
are trying to get even with their enemies, this
would only prolong the antagonistic situation,
human sufferings and tragedies only show a
deficiency in our love and compassion to all
beings.
 The love and compassion is a real human
possibility which can be cultivated gradually,
day by day, by everyone who aspires happiness,
and it does not confine to the Buddhists only,
all human beings who aspire happiness should
cultivate the boundless love and compassion.
22
Thank
You
23

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Speaker: Ven Dhammavaro

 Loving kindness (Metta)

 These sublime states can be developed in

 In metta practice, we need to recollect

 It is the mind which directs all our

 Let us investigate our normal human

 The Arahant Brahmadatta said with

In that simile Buddha urged us to be patient

 In the Sutta Nipāta (394) Buddha advised:

“Laying aside violence in respect of all

 Buddha said: “It is intention that I call

 Therefore actions which carry moral

 The Buddha said categorically: “Hatred is

 Therefore if one who is calm and cool and

 This subtle quality of metta requires constant

“There, O’ friends, the Bhikkhu with a mind full

"You make things worse

You live for the good of both

When you work the cure of both

In Udana 5.1 the Blessed One said to the

"Searching all directions

 The Buddha is comparing the practice of

(1) timely or untimely,

 This boundless quality of metta has been

This highly treasured pure mind is crucial in

"What should be done by one who’s skilled in

Easily satisfied and not caught up in too much

Not even doing little things that other wise ones

Comparing oneself with others, one should

"You should train yourselves this way: 'Our minds

 The cultivation of metta requires the

 For the sublime quality of metta its direct

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