Metta



Metta Bhavna is a Pali term, meaning meditation of loving kindness. The Buddha taught this meditation in his Metta Sutta to 500 monks to cure them of their ailments and to protect them from evil spirits. (The recitation of this, in Pali, is available here.)

Metta Bhavna is practised to purify the mind of defilements like anger, jealousy, hatred and self-pity. One cannot stop the suffering of the world. One can only stop it in one's own mind, because we know our minds and we generate anger, hatred, and jealousy in our own mind. By practising Metta Bhavna, the mind can be stilled.

Metta is a Pali word, a Buddhist term, meaning loving-kindness (from the Sanskrit Maitreya). Metta chanting is the radiation of loving-kindness towards all beings: May they all be happy, peaceful and in harmony. Metta chanting is soothing, uplifting, joyful and a great healing for the world - pervading it with waves of love.

Here is Imee Ooi's melodic recitation of the Metta chant.

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This is available for download here.

aham avero homi

May I be free from enmity and danger

abyapajjho homi

May I be free from mental suffering

anigha homi

May I be free from physical suffering

sukhi - attanam pariharami

May I take care of myself happily

Mama matapitu

May my parents

acariya ca natimitta ca

teacher relatives and friends

sabrahma - carino ca

fellow Dhamma farers

avera hontu

be free from enmity and danger

abyapajjha hontu

be free from mental suffering

anigha hontu

be free from physical suffering

sukhi - attanam pariharantu

may they take care of themselves happily

Imasmim arame sabbe yogino

May all meditators in this compound

avera hontu

be free from enmity and danger

abyapajjha hontu

be free from mental suffering

anigha hontu

be free from physical suffering

sukhi - attanam pariharantu

May they take care of themselves happily

Imasmim arame sabbe bhikkhu

May all monks in this compound

samanera ca

novice monks

upasaka - upasikaya ca

laymen and laywomen disciples

avera hontu

be free from enmity and danger

abyapajjha hontu

be free from mental suffering

anigha hontu

be free from physical suffering

sukhi - attanam pariharantu

May they take care of themselves happily

Amhakam catupaccaya - dayaka

May our donors of the four supports: clothing, food, medicine and lodging

avera hontu

be free from enmity and danger

abyapajjha hontu

be free from mental suffering

anigha hontu

be free from physical suffering

sukhi - attanam pariharantu

May they take care of themselves happily

Amhakam arakkha devata

May our guardian devas

Ismasmim vihare

in this monastery

Ismasmim avase

in this dwelling

Ismasmim arame

in this compound

arakkha devata

May the guardian devas

avera hontu

be free from enmity and danger

abyapajjha hontu

be free from mental suffering

anigha hontu

be free from physical suffering

sukhi - attanam pariharantu

may they take care of themselves happily

Sabbe satta

May all beings

sabbe pana

all breathing things

sabbe bhutta

all creatures

sabbe puggala

all individuals (all beings)

sabbe attabhava - pariyapanna

all personalities (all beings with mind and body)

sabbe itthoyo

may all females

sabbe purisa

all males

sabbe ariya

all noble ones (saints)

sabbe anariya

all worldlings (those yet to attain sainthood)

sabbe deva

all devas (deities)

sabbe manussa

all humans

sabbe vinipatika

all those in the four woeful planes

avera hontu

be free from enmity and dangers

abyapajjha hontu

be free from mental suffering

anigha hontu

be free from physical suffering

sukhi - attanam pariharantu

may they take care of themselves happily

Dukkha muccantu

May all being be free from suffering

Yattha-laddha-sampattito mavigacchantu

May whatever they have gained not be lost

Kammassaka

All beings are owners of their own Karma

Purathimaya disaya

in the eastern direction

pacchimaya disaya

in the western direction

uttara disaya

in the northern direction

dakkhinaya disaya

in the southern direction

purathimaya anudisaya

in the southeast direction

pacchimaya anudisaya

in the northwest direction

uttara anudisaya

in the northeast direction

dakkhinaya anudisaya

in the southwest direction

hetthimaya disaya

in the direction below

uparimaya disaya

in the direction above

Sabbe satta

May all beings

sabbe pana

all breathing things

sabbe bhutta

all creatures

sabbe puggala

all individuals (all beings)

sabbe attabhava - pariyapanna

all personalities (all beings with mind and body)

sabbe itthoyo

may all females

sabbe purisa

all males

sabbe ariya

all noble ones (saints)

sabbe anariya

those yet to attain sainthood

sabbe deva

all devas (deities)

sabbe manussa

all humans

sabbe vinipatika

all those in the 4 woeful planes

avera hontu

be free from enmity and dangers

abyapajjha hontu

be free from mental suffering

anigha hontu

be free from physical suffering

sukhi - attanam pariharantu

may they take care of themselves happily

Dukkha muccantu

May all beings be free from suffering

Yattha-laddha-sampattito mavigacchantu

May whatever they have gained not be lost

Kammassaka

All beings are owners of their own kamma

Uddham yava bhavagga ca

As far as the highest plane of existence

adho yava aviccito

to as far down as the lowest plane

samanta cakkavalesu

in the entire universe

ye satta pathavicara

whatever beings that move on earth

abyapajjha nivera ca

may they are free of mental suffering and enmity

nidukkha ca nupaddava

and from physical suffering and danger

Uddham yava bhavagga ca

As far as the highest plane of existence

adho yava aviccito

to as far down as the lowest plane

samanta cakkavalesu

in the entire universe

ye satta udakecara

whatever beings that move on water

abyapajjha nivera ca

may they are free of mental suffering and enmity

nidukkha ca nupaddava

and from physical suffering and danger

Uddham yava bhavagga ca

As far as the highest plane of existence

adho yava aviccito

to as far down as the lowest plane

samanta cakkavalesu

in the entire universe

ye satta akasecara

whatever beings that move in air

abyapajjha nivera ca

may they are free of mental suffering and enmity

nidukkha ca nupaddava

and from physical suffering and danger.


Drawing: My Sweet Lord, by Helen Kottler.

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