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Sutta Nipāta 1.8 Sutta Nipāta 1.8Anthology of Discourses 1.8
Mettasutta GoodwillThis sutta is identical with Khp 9.The Discourse on Love
“Karaṇīyamatthakusalena, What should be done by one skilled in goodness,“This is to be done by one skilled in aimsThose who are skilled in the meaning of scripture See AN 5.169:3.1 for this sense of atthakusala. | Kusala in the sense of “one who is skilled”, an “expert” is found occasionally in the canon, especially in the Aṭṭhakavagga. It appears also in early Sanskrit, for example, for those who are “skilled” in recitation (Chāndogya Upaniṣad 1.8.1), or for those who only think that they are skilled (Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa 11.4.2.1, 4, and 13).
Yanta santaṁ padaṁ abhisamecca; who has comprehended the state of peace:appreciating the state of peace:should practice as follows to realize the state of peace. Reading the absolutive in an infinitive sense, an alternative given in the commentary: abhisamecca viharitukāmena.
Sakko ujū ca suhujū ca, he ought to be able, straight, and upright,Be capable, upright, & straightforward,Let them be capable and upright, very upright,
Sūvaco cassa mudu anatimānī. easy to speak to, meek, without conceit,easy to instruct, gentle, & not conceited,easy to speak to, gentle and humble;
Santussako ca subharo ca, satisfied (with little), easy to support,content & easy to support,content and unburdensome,
Appakicco ca sallahukavutti; free from duties, and light in living,with few duties, living lightly,unbusied, living lightly,
Santindriyo ca nipako ca, with faculties at peace, prudent,with peaceful faculties, astute,alert, with senses calmed,
Appagabbho kulesvananugiddho. not forward, and greedless among the families,modest, & no greed for supporters.courteous, not fawning on families.
Na ca khuddamācare kiñci, he should not do the slightest thingDo not do the slightest thingLet them not do the slightest thing
Yena viññū pare upavadeyyuṁ; whereby others who are wise might find fault (with him).that the observant would later censure.that others who are wise would blame. Compare AN 4.121:3.3.
Sukhino va khemino hontu, (May all beings) be happy and secure,Think: Happy, at rest,May they be happy and safe!
Sabbasattā bhavantu sukhitattā. may all beings in their hearts be happy!may all beings be happy at heart.May all beings be happy!
Ye keci pāṇabhūtatthi, Whatsoever breathing beings there are -Whatever beings there may be,Whatever living creatures there are
Tasā vā thāvarā vanavasesā; trembling, firm, or any other (beings),weak or strong, without exception,with not a one left out—
Dīghā vā ye va mahantā, whether they be long or great,long, large,frail or firm, long or large, Creatures “firm and frail” (tasathāvare) is a common Jain idiom (eg. Uttarādhyayana 5.8: tasesu thāvaresu ya; Sūyagaḍa 3.4.20: je keī tasathāvarā; Dasaveyāliya 4.1.42: tasaṁ vā thāvaraṁ vā; Ācāraṅgasūtra 9.1.14: tasa-jīvā ya thāvarattāe).
Majjhimā rassakā aṇukathūlā. of middle (size), short, tiny, or of compact (body),middling, short, subtle, gross,medium, small, tiny or round,
Diṭṭhā vā ye va adiṭṭhā, those who are seen, and those who are unseen,seen & unseen,seen or unseen,
Ye va dūre vasanti avidūre; those who live far away, those who are near,living near & far away,living far or near,
Bhūtā va sambhavesī va, those who are born, and those who still seek birthborn or seeking birth:those who have been born and those about to be born—For “have become or will be” (bhūtā va sambhavesī va) I follow Norman and Bodhi in reading sambhavesī as a future active participle. Compare such Sanskrit constructions as Rig Veda 1.66.8, yamo ha jāto yamo janitvaṁ (“the twin that is born and the twin about to be born”) and Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa 2.3.1.24, bhūtaṁ caiva bhaviṣyacca jātaṁ ca janiṣyamāṇaṁ (“has become and will be, born and to be born”).
Sabbasattā bhavantu sukhitattā. may all beings in their hearts be happy!May all beings be happy at heart.may all beings be happy!
Na paro paraṁ nikubbetha, No one should cheat another,Let no one deceive anotherLet none deceive another,
Nātimaññetha katthaci na kañci; nor should he despise anyone wherever he is,or despise anyone anywhere,nor look down on anyone anywhere.
Byārosanā paṭighasañña, because of anger or resentment,or, through anger or resistance-perception,Though provoked or aggrieved,
Nāññamaññassa dukkhamiccheyya. he should not long for suffering for another.wish for another to suffer.let them not wish pain on each other.
Mātā yathā niyaṁ puttam In the same way as a mother would protect her child, her only child,As a mother would risk her life to protect her child,Even as a mother would protect with her life
Āyusā ekaputtamanurakkhe; with her life,her only child,her child, her only child,
Evampi sabbabhūtesu, so too towards all beingseven so, with regard to all beings,so too for all creatures
Mānasaṁ bhāvaye aparimāṇaṁ. one should develop the measureless thought (of friendliness).should one cultivate the heart limitlessly.1The mother-and-child image is sometimes misread as saying one should protect all beings the way a mother protects her only child. Actually the comparison is between the child and one’s own cultivation of goodwill: one should guard one’s goodwill toward all beings the way a mother guards her only child. See MN 21.unfold a boundless heart.
Mettañca sabbalokasmi, Towards the entire worldWith goodwill for the entire cosmos,With love for the whole world,
Mānasaṁ bhāvaye aparimāṇaṁ; he should develop the measureless thought of friendliness,cultivate the heart limitlessly:unfold a boundless heart:
Uddhaṁ adho ca tiriyañca, above, below, and across (the middle),above, below, & all around,above, below, all round,
Asambādhaṁ averamasapattaṁ. without barriers, hate, or enmity.unobstructed, without hostility or hate.unconstricted, without enmity or foe.
Tiṭṭhaṁ caraṁ nisinno va, Standing, walking, sitting,Whether standing, walking, sitting,When standing, walking, sitting,
Sayāno yāvatāssa vitamiddho; lying, for as long as he is without torpor,or lying down, as long as one has banished torpor,or lying down while yet unweary,
Etaṁ satiṁ adhiṭṭheyya, he should be resolved on this mindfulness,one should be determined on this mindfulness.2This line should be read together with the Buddha’s own definition of mindfulness as the ability to keep something in mind. See SN 48:10.keep this ever in mind;
Brahmametaṁ vihāramidhamāhu. for this, they say here, is the (true) spiritual life.This is called a Brahmā abiding here.for this, they say, is a divine meditation in this life.
Diṭṭhiñca anupaggamma, Without going near a (wrong) view,Not taken with views,Avoiding harmful views, The final verse is set in a different meter, and given that the preceding verse already brings the poem to a satisfying conclusion, must be a later addition. Apparently the original poem was not Buddhist enough, and at some point more doctrinal material was felt to be needed.
Sīlavā dassanena sampanno; virtuous, and endowed with (true) insight,but virtuous & consummate in vision,virtuous, accomplished in insight,
Kāmesu vinaya gedhaṁ, having removed greed towards sense pleasures,having subdued greed for sensuality,with desire for sensual pleasures dispelled,
Na hi jātuggabbhaseyya punaretī”ti. he does not come to lie in a womb again.one never again will lie in the womb.”they never return to a womb again. Note that jātu here is not connected to jāti “birth”. Rather, na hi jātu is an idiom meaning “never”. Commentary: ekaṁseneva.
Mettasuttaṁ aṭṭhamaṁ. The Discourse on Goodwill, the eighth.See also: MN 52; MN 97; MN 135; SN 42:8; SN 46:54; SN 55:7; AN 3:66; AN 4:67; AN 4:96; AN 4:125-126; AN 4:178; AN 4:200; AN 5:20; AN 5:27; AN 6:12-13; AN 8:70; AN 10:176; AN 10:196; AN 11:16; Ud 5:1; Iti 22; Iti 27.