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Mettā Sutta
Bhikkhu Bodhi
I. The Practitioner and the Purpose of the Practice
1. The practitioner: one who is skilled in the good ( karanīyam
atthakusalena)
2. The purpose: to realize that state of peace (yan tam santam
padam abhisamecca)
II. Prerequisites to the Practice of Mettā (Fifteen Qualities)
1. Sakko: able, capable, in the spiritual life
2. Ujū: upright (not deceptive, not crooked)
3. Sūjū: honest (not hypocritical, not pretending to have
virtues one doesn’t possess)
4. Suvaco: easy to speak to, amenable to correction
5. Mudu: gentle, soft
6. Anatimānī: not arrogant, not proud
7. Santussako: contented
8. Subharo: easy to support
9. Appakicco: not involved with many duties
10. Sallahukavuttī: light in one’s activities
11. Santindriyo: with calm sense faculties
12. Nipako: discreet, possessing pragmatic wisdom
13. Appagabbho: not impudent
14. Kulesu ananugiddho: not greedy when among families
15. Na ca khuddam samācare kiñci yena viññū pare upavadeyyum:
and he should not do anything even slight because of which other
wise ones might reproach him.
(Note: Items 1-14 are morality as positive conduct (cāritta-sīla);
item 15 is morality as restraint (vāritta-sīla))
III. The Meditative Development of
Mettā
1. General statement: "May all beings be well (well
in body, physical health); safe and secure (free from
harm and danger). May all beings be happy!" (sukhino
vā khemino hontu, sabbe sattā bhavantu sukhitattā)
2. The classes of beings (ye keci pānā bhūt’atthi): dyads
and triads
(a) the frail and the strong (tasā vā thāvarā vā
anavasesā)
(b) long, middling, short (dīghā majjhimā rassakā)
(c) large, middling, small (mahantā majjhimā anukā)
(d) gross, middling, subtle (thūlā majjhimā anukā)
(e) the seen and unseen (ditthā vā ye vā aditthā)
(f) those dwelling far, those dwelling near (ye ca dure
vasanti avidure)
(g) those that have come to be and those about to come to be
(bhūta vā sambhavesī vā)
3. Repeat generalization: "May all beings be happy
(sabbe sattā bhavantu sukhitattā)!.
4. Mettā as the wish for peace and harmony among beings:
"Let there be no deceit, contempt, or ill will between beings!" (na
paro param nikubbetha nātimaññetha katthacinam kañci, byārosanā
patighasaññā nāññam aññassa dukkham iccheyya)
IV. The Intensification and Expansion of Mettā
1. Intensification of mettā: "As a mother would, with all
her life, protect her only child (mātā yathā niyam puttam āyusā
ekaputtam anurakkhe), so one should develop a measureless mind
towards all beings
(evam pi sabbabhūtesu mānasam
bhāvaye aparimānam."
2. Expansion: "Develop a measureless mind of mettā to all the
world" (mettañ ca sabbalokasmim mānasam bhāvaye aparimānam) –
"above, below, and across, unconfined, without enmity, without
hostility" (uddham adho ca tiriyam ca, asambādham averam
asapattam)
3. "As long as one isn’t asleep, maintain the mindfulness of
mettā in all postures (tittham caram nisinno vā sayāno vā
yāva tassa vigatamiddho, etam satim adhittheyya); this, they
say, is the abode of brahmā here (brahmam etam vihāram
idhamāhu)"
V. Turning Mettā towards Wisdom
1. Not approaching views (ditthim ca anupagamma)
2. Virtuous (sīlavā)
3. Endowed with vision (dassanena sampanno): (= three of
the streamenterer’s qualities)
4. Abandoning greed for sensual pleasures (kāmesu vineyya gedham)
5. One does not take rebirth in a womb (na hi jātu
gabbhaseyyam punar eti): (= attaining the stage of a
non-returner).
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