Karaniya Metta Sutta: The Buddha's Words on Loving-Kindness

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  • Kokuu
    Treeleaf Priest
    • Nov 2012
    • 6841

    Karaniya Metta Sutta: The Buddha's Words on Loving-Kindness

    I was reading this tonight as a reminder to myself and, while many people will doubtless know it, thought it would be worthwhile to post here.

    This translation is by The Amaravati Community and is taken from Access to Insight.

    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    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 or demanding in nature.
    Let them not do the slightest thing
    That the wise would later reprove.
    Wishing: In gladness and in safety,
    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.
  • Risho
    Member
    • May 2010
    • 3179

    #2
    That's going in my chant book.

    Gassho,

    Risho
    -sattoday
    Email: risho.treeleaf@gmail.com

    Comment

    • Byokan
      Treeleaf Unsui
      • Apr 2014
      • 4288

      #3
      And my heart!
      This is a lovely translation, thank you for posting it, Kokuu!

      Gassho
      Lisa
      sat today
      展道 渺寛 Tendō Byōkan
      Please take my words with a big grain of salt. I know nothing. Wisdom is only found in our whole-hearted practice together.

      Comment

      • Kyonin
        Treeleaf Priest / Engineer
        • Oct 2010
        • 6746

        #4
        Thank you Kokuu.


        Gassho,

        Kyonin
        #SatToday
        Hondō Kyōnin
        奔道 協忍

        Comment

        • Myosha
          Member
          • Mar 2013
          • 2974

          #5
          Thank you.


          Gassho,
          Myosha sat today
          "Recognize suffering, remove suffering." - Shakyamuni Buddha when asked, "Uhm . . .what?"

          Comment

          • Mp

            #6
            Thank you Kokuu. =)

            Gassho
            Shingen

            SatToday

            Comment

            • Tai Shi
              Member
              • Oct 2014
              • 3414

              #7
              Insightful.

              Gassho
              Elgwyn
              sat today
              Peaceful, Tai Shi. Ubasoku; calm, supportive, for positive poetry 優婆塞 台 婆

              Comment

              • elle
                Member
                • Dec 2014
                • 34

                #8
                That is so beautiful!
                Thank you for sharing it Kokuu.

                sat today

                Comment

                • Jundo
                  Treeleaf Founder and Priest
                  • Apr 2006
                  • 40263

                  #9
                  Lovely!

                  Gassho, J


                  SatToday
                  ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

                  Comment

                  • RichardH
                    Member
                    • Nov 2011
                    • 2800

                    #10
                    Hi Kokuu. I have been reciting this alone and with others for 25 years, ... It is not so much a chant as a gentle sing-song. The last time with others was on retreat with Viradhammo and the Toronto group last spring. That sangha remains a dear old friend.

                    Even as mother protects with her life, her child, her only child.


                    Gassho
                    Daizan

                    sat today

                    Comment

                    • Jika
                      Member
                      • Jun 2014
                      • 1337

                      #11
                      Andy, do you happen to have an MP3 link?
                      I stumbled across this as a lovely chant when looking up metta practice.
                      So I have the sutta printed out, because this chant was so easy and impressive.
                      Gregorian-style.
                      Can look it up at home, I still got the file somewhere.

                      Gassho,
                      Danny
                      #sattoday

                      Yes, Daizan, the one I heard was like our Sandokai in song form. You mean that?
                      Last edited by Jika; 01-30-2015, 06:01 AM.
                      治 Ji
                      花 Ka

                      Comment

                      • Kokuu
                        Treeleaf Priest
                        • Nov 2012
                        • 6841

                        #12
                        Hi Danny

                        The mp3 file can be downloaded through iTunes from the Amaravati chant feed: http://www.amaravati.org/audio-and-books/ It is #28.

                        Gassho
                        Kokuu
                        #sattoday
                        Last edited by Kokuu; 01-30-2015, 06:19 AM.

                        Comment

                        • KellyRok
                          Member
                          • Jul 2008
                          • 1374

                          #13
                          This is wonderful Kokuu, thank you for sharing!

                          Gassho,
                          Kelly/Jinmei
                          sattoday

                          Comment

                          • Nindo

                            #14
                            Originally posted by Daizan
                            , ... It is not so much a chant as a gentle sing-song.
                            Yes, a lovely way to end a day.

                            Gassho
                            Nindo
                            sattoday

                            Comment

                            • Meishin
                              Member
                              • May 2014
                              • 814

                              #15
                              Thank you for this post, Kokuu

                              Gassho
                              Meishin
                              Sat today

                              Comment

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