Has metta practice improved your sleep?

[Tomás ESP]

In the Discourse on the Benefits of Loving-Friendliness (Metta Nisamsa Sutta), the Buddha lists 11 benefits derived from practicing metta. The first three are:

1. You sleep well.
2. You wake up feeling well.
3. You’re not likely to have nightmares.

What has your experience been with metta practice and how has that reflected on your quality of sleep?

Gassho, Tomás
Sat&LaH

Sorry for running long

[Bion]

I feel what he means is you sleep peacefully with no guilt or remorse when your kindness extends to everyone and you wake up feeling good about serving others. Not necessarily sleeping better, though, arguably, one should be more at ease because of it and thus, sleep peacefully[emoji1]

[emoji1374] Sat Today

[Tokan]

I haven't read this but it is interesting that the benefits of metta are for the person practicing it. I know there are some groups out there that believe metta is akin to intercessory prayer, that there is some method of transferring merit by so doing. Does the sutta go on to say anything about this?

Gassho, Tokan (satlah)

[Tomás ESP]

I like your interpretation Bion Tokan, here are the other 7 benefits listed:

4. He is dear to human beings.
5. He is dear to non-human beings.
6. Devas (gods) protect him.
7. Fire, poison, and sword cannot touch him.
8. His mind can concentrate quickly.
9. His countenance is serene.
10. He dies without being confused in mind.
11. If he fails to attain arahantship (the highest sanctity) here and now, he will be reborn in the brahma-world.

I have read about transference of merit, especially within Tibetan practices. Maybe this is mentioned in another sutta, but apparently not in this one.

Gassho, Tomás
Sat&LaH

Sorry for running long

[Tokan]

Yes, sorry, didn't acknowledge Bion's response which was a good one!

I like the sound of this. One thing I recall with the Buddha's suttas is that they were usually for a specific audience. The benefits listed would likely come from many or all of the buddhist practices, but, in this case, he must have felt like his audience needed to do more metta practice. I also imagine that, in his time, he would have been viewed as a holy person with magical powers, so perhaps his audience were having difficulty with sleep and nightmares and thought that he could take them away - a bit like in the Dogen movie, where he helps the Shogun lay aside his demons.

Gassho, Tokan (satlah)

[Bion]

I like your interpretation Bion Tokan, here are the other 7 benefits listed:

4. He is dear to human beings.
5. He is dear to non-human beings.
6. Devas (gods) protect him.
7. Fire, poison, and sword cannot touch him.
8. His mind can concentrate quickly.
9. His countenance is serene.
10. He dies without being confused in mind.
11. If he fails to attain arahantship (the highest sanctity) here and now, he will be reborn in the brahma-world.

I have read about transference of merit, especially within Tibetan practices. Maybe this is mentioned in another sutta, but apparently not in this one.

Gassho, Tomás
Sat&LaH

Sorry for running long

We also practice “transference of merit” but we call it dedication of merit or eko. We recite it every ceremony, it’s the lovely part that goes : “Buddha nature pervades the whole universe…” [emoji3526]

[emoji1374] Sat Today

[Artien]

I say metta before Zazen. I have not noticed any of those mentioned mentioned benefits though.

I do it because I believe in the power of "saying something can help you to change your mind and behaviour". My main goal of saying metta is to increase my compasion for others and to wish them health and happines and by that making myself a better person. Especially when doing the metta for neutral and difficult people. I have always had very high emotional connection and compassion for those close to me, but very little to none for those who are not directly connected to me. That is what I want to change.

Sorry to run long.

Gassho,
Artien
Sat

[Chikyou]

I've been saying metta at the end of every Zazen session. Maybe I should be saying it before bed as well (you can never have too much metta, right? (I haven't noticed any improvement in sleep that I can link back to saying metta, though it IS a good reminder to have compassion for others and makes me feel, in some small way, like I'm doing something meaningful in situations where I'm otherwise powerless.)

Gassho,
SatLah
-Kelly

[Tai Do]

I also have the feeling of doing something good by reciting metta when I’m powerless to help others.
Also, sometimes I try to recite metta while lying on the bed and end up sleeping. So it has helped me sleep better in a sense.
Gassho,
Mateus
Sat

[Geika]

I also chant the metta verses when I am feeling helpless. I think it is from an urge to pray, since I grew up Catholic. Sometimes I still feel the urge to make the sign of the cross as well.

Gassho
Sat, lah