27. The Development of Loving-kindness

Vuttañhetaṁ bhagavatā vuttamarahatāti me sutaṁ:

“Yāni kānici, bhikkhave, opadhikāni puññakiriyavatthūni sabbāni tāni mettāya cetovimuttiyā kalaṁ nāgghanti soḷasiṁ.

Mettāyeva tāni cetovimutti adhiggahetvā bhāsate ca tapate ca virocati ca.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, yā kāci tārakarūpānaṁ pabhā sabbā tā candiyā pabhāya kalaṁ nāgghanti soḷasiṁ, candapabhāyeva tā adhiggahetvā bhāsate ca tapate ca virocati ca;

evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, yāni kānici opadhikāni puññakiriyavatthūni sabbāni tāni mettāya cetovimuttiyā kalaṁ nāgghanti soḷasiṁ, mettāyeva tāni cetovimutti adhiggahetvā bhāsate ca tapate ca virocati ca.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, vassānaṁ pacchime māse saradasamaye viddhe vigatavalāhake deve ādicco nabhaṁ abbhussakkamāno sabbaṁ ākāsagataṁ tamagataṁ abhivihacca bhāsate ca tapate ca virocati ca;

evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, yāni kānici opadhikāni puññakiriyavatthūni sabbāni tāni mettāya cetovimuttiyā kalaṁ nāgghanti soḷasiṁ, mettāyeva tāni cetovimutti adhiggahetvā bhāsate ca tapate ca virocati ca.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, rattiyā paccūsasamayaṁ osadhitārakā bhāsate ca tapate ca virocati ca;

evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, yāni kānici opadhikāni puññakiriyavatthūni sabbāni tāni mettāya cetovimuttiyā kalaṁ nāgghanti soḷasiṁ, mettāyeva tāni cetovimutti adhiggahetvā bhāsate ca tapate ca virocati cā”ti.

Etamatthaṁ bhagavā avoca.

Tatthetaṁ iti vuccati:

“Yo ca mettaṁ bhāvayati,

appamāṇaṁ paṭissato;

Tanū saṁyojanā honti,

passato upadhikkhayaṁ.

Ekampi ce pāṇamaduṭṭhacitto,

Mettāyati kusalo tena hoti;

Sabbe ca pāṇe manasānukampaṁ,

Pahūtamariyo pakaroti puññaṁ.

Ye sattasaṇḍaṁ pathaviṁ vijitvā,

Rājisayo yajamānānupariyagā;

Assamedhaṁ purisamedhaṁ,

Sammāpāsaṁ vājapeyyaṁ niraggaḷaṁ.

Mettassa cittassa subhāvitassa,

Kalampi te nānubhavanti soḷasiṁ;

Candappabhā tāragaṇāva sabbe.

Yo na hanti na ghāteti,

na jināti na jāpaye;

Mettaṁso sabbabhūtesu,

veraṁ tassa na kenacī”ti.

Ayampi attho vutto bhagavatā, iti me sutanti.

Sattamaṁ.

Tatiyo vaggo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Cittaṁ mettaṁ ubho atthe,

puñjaṁ vepullapabbataṁ;

Sampajānamusāvādo,

dānañca mettabhāvanā.

Sattimāni ca suttāni,

purimāni ca vīsati;

Ekadhammesu suttantā,

sattavīsatisaṅgahāti.

Ekakanipāto niṭṭhito.

This was said by the Lord…

“Bhikkhus, whatever grounds there are for making merit productive of a future birth, all these do not equal a sixteenth part of the mind-release of loving-kindness. The mind-release of loving-kindness surpasses them and shines forth, bright and brilliant.

“Just as the radiance of all the stars does not equal a sixteenth part of the moon’s radiance, but the moon’s radiance surpasses them and shines forth, bright and brilliant, even so, whatever grounds there are for making merit productive of a future birth, all these do not equal a sixteenth part of the mind-release of loving-kindness…

“Just as in the last month of the rainy season, in the autumn, when the sky is clear and free of clouds, the sun, on ascending, dispels the darkness of space and shines forth, bright and brilliant, even so, whatever grounds there are for making merit productive of a future birth, all these do not equal a sixteenth part of the mind-release of loving-kindness…

“And just as in the night, at the moment of dawn, the morning star shines forth, bright and brilliant, even so, whatever grounds there are for making merit productive of a future birth, all these do not equal a sixteenth part of the mind-release of loving-kindness. The mind-release of loving-kindness surpasses them and shines forth, bright and brilliant.”

For one who mindfully develops
Boundless loving-kindness
Seeing the destruction of clinging,
The fetters are worn away.

If with an uncorrupted mind
He pervades just one being
With loving kindly thoughts,
He makes some merit thereby.

But a noble one produces
An abundance of merit
By having a compassionate mind
Towards all living beings.

Those royal seers who conquered
The earth crowded with beings
Went about performing sacrifices:
The horse sacrifice, the man sacrifice,
The water rites, the soma sacrifice,
And that called “the Unobstructed.”

But these do not share even a sixteenth part
Of a well cultivated mind of love,
Just as the entire starry host
Is dimmed by the moon’s radiance.

One who does not kill
Nor cause others to kill,
Who does not conquer
Nor cause others to conquer,
Kindly towards all beings—
He has enmity for none.

This too is the meaning of what was said by the Lord, so I heard.