Metta Sutra: What Buddha Taught About Loving Kindness

The Metta Sutra, Buddha’s teaching on Loving Kindness, is offered as part of the Summer of Lovingkindness Invitational.  #SOLI. I’ve used the alternate spelling, loving kindness, to help more people discover this beautiful sutra via the search engines

radiating loving kindness © 2010 Mahala Mazerov

Loving Kindness

This is what should be done

By one who is skilled in goodness,
And who knows the path of peace:

Let them be able and upright,
Straightforward and gentle in speech.

Humble and not conceited,
Contented and easily satisfied.

Unburdened with duties and frugal in their ways.

Peaceful and calm, and wise and skillful,
Not proud and demanding in nature.

Let them not do the slightest thing
That the wise would later reprove.

Wishing: In gladness and in saftey,
May all beings be at ease.

Whatever living beings there may be;
Whether they are weak or strong, omitting none,
The great or the mighty, medium, short or small,
The seen and the unseen,
Those living near and far away,
Those born and to-be-born,
May all beings be at ease!

Let none deceive another,
Or despise any being in any state.

Let none through anger or ill-will
Wish harm upon another.

Even as a mother protects with her life
Her child, her only child,
So with a boundless heart
Should one cherish all living beings:
Radiating kindness over the entire world
Spreading upwards to the skies,
And downwards to the depths;
Outwards and unbounded,
Freed from hatred and ill-will.

Whether standing or walking, seated or lying down
Free from drowsiness,
One should sustain this recollection.

This is said to be the sublime abiding.

By not holding to fixed views,
The pure-hearted one, having clarity of vision,
Being freed from all sense desires,
Is not born again into this world.

Buddha, Metta Sutra

The Buddha’s discourse on Loving Kindness

Take a moment to recite the Metta Sutra out loud and you’ll experience the beauty of this most well known gatha (verse.)

You can also listen to the Metta Sutra, chanted in the original Pali language by Venerable Indaratana Maha Thera.

It’s hard to believe we’re entering our second month of #SOLI! There’s still plenty of time to leap into the love. You’ll find writing prompts here. Use the #SOLI link or check out the #SOLI hashtag on Twitter for the work of other inspiring writers.

Thanks to all of you who are sharing and spreading Metta, lovingkindness in the world!