Talk:Mettā
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[edit] Cut and Past
Please note that this page was improperly cut-and-pasted from Metta to Mettā on July 13, 2005. See here for full authorship history. - Nat Krause 09:31, 13 July 2005 (UTC)
[edit] In relation to the part added about insomnia, nightmares
I felt this was important to mention because so many people suffer from these things and lovingkindness meditation is indeed a particularly good 'treatment'. In respect to this the Buddha actaully said:
"Monks, for one who practises metta, eleven benefits can be expected. Which eleven? One sleeps easily ~ wakes easily ~ dreams no evil dreams ~ is dear to human beings ~ dear to non-human beings ~ the devas (forces of goodness) protect one ~ neither fire, poison, nor weapons can harm one ~ one's mind concentrates easily ~ one's complexion is bright ~ one dies unconfused and - if penetrating no higher ~ one is born in the Brahma worlds." - from the Metta Sutta [AN: XI.16]
In our intellectual age Metta meditation is sometimes seen as somehow not as important as the so-called 'insight' meditations. But experienced meditators will tell you that it is one of the most profound and useful meditations you can do, bringing you benefits in both your so-called 'worldly' life, but also leading to profound states of peace and relaxation that have a powerful clarifying effect on the mind, allowing it to see reality more clearly - and thereby leading to insight.
- This is a beautiful article and a beautiful set of comments and quotations. Congratulations to whomever wrote it. Yes, Buddhism is not just intellectual analysis (far, far from it!). The suffusing of the entire world - all beings, including animals and even demons and hell-dwellers! - with loving-kindness (metta/maitri) is profoundly Buddhist. Just one point: "metta" is not, as far as I am aware, one of the 6 or 10 "paramitas". So perhaps that statement can be removed. But I do want to thank the writer(s) for creating such an inspiring and uplifting article. Warm wishes to you in Dharma, from Tony TonyMPNS 16:30, 27 Apr 2005 (UTC)
- The paramitas of the Theravada and Mahayana schools differ, and I have made this clearer in the article. See e.g. Nyanatiloka's Buddhist Dictionary p.148 where he cites Visuddhimagga ix.24. Shantavira 18:51, 28 Apr 2005 (UTC)
- Hallo Shantavira. I stand corrected! Thank you for your information. I have learnt something today! Best wishes - Tony. TonyMPNS 18:57, 28 Apr 2005 (UTC)
[edit] Metta Not Specifically Taught as Self-Directed by the Buddha
- Hallo Andkaha. Thanks for your comment that, according to your understanding, the Buddha does actually instruct the metta-meditator to direct metta towards himself/ herself (at the beginning of the relevant sutta). I've just checked up on that, and I must say that I cannot see any specific statement to this effect by the Buddha. I know that the tradition has established itself of starting the brahma-vihara meditations by directing the four attitudes to oneself, but I can see no clear sutta-textual basis for this. It strikes me as clear (when one reads the sutta) that the Buddha is speaking about directing one's loving-kindness, etc., to other beings (the whole focus is "other", not "self") - otherwise he would have said (as was his custom at such times), "to oneself and other"; but he does not. I have always felt it extremely odd (and at variance with the doctrine of "anatta") to be directing loving-kindness to oneself - when that personal self is a bundle of skandhas! I think it is much more in harmony with the Buddha's teaching here simply to detach from the ego and direct one's love, etc., outward to other beings. Anyway, I'd be interested to know if you can find any passage in the suttas (or even the Mahayana sutras) where the Buddha specifically states that one should start this practice (or end it - or whatever) by directing the brahma-viharas towards oneself. I could well be wrong - but I have to-date never found any such passage. All best wishes to you. From Tony. TonyMPNS 14:23, 21 June 2006 (UTC)
- Sorry, I didn't see this message until I already done some other edits. Well, I could point to Ñanamoli's translation of the Metta Sutta (AN 4.125) which contains the words "to all as to himself", but also in the Sutta quoted in the article I read the eight first lines as an instruction to the practitioner to cultivate loving-kindness in the form of wishing for one's own goodness, knowledge of the path, "able-and-uprightness", etc. --- Andkaha(talk) 14:35, 21 June 2006 (UTC)
- Hi again Andkaha. Thanks for your ideas. I think Nanamoli's translation is a bit deviant from others I have read (we would need to check the original Pali). I myself would not see the first part of the sutta as being specifically concerned with directing any of the four brahma-viharas towards oneself; but you are right that advice is given there for one to cultivate various virtuous qualities, as you mention. But I would make a distinction and say that this is not specifically metta or the other brahma-viharas. I have to work now - but hopefully will check out the Pali at a later point (you and Nanamoli may well be right)! Best wishes to you, Andkaha. From Tony. TonyMPNS 14:40, 21 June 2006 (UTC)
