Metta Sutta
This was said by the Exalted One,
spoken by the Arahant,
As I have heard:
“Do not be afraid of merit monks!” [1]
Merit is an expression
for what is desirable,
lovely,
delightful,
beneficial
and blissful.
For a long time monks,
I have directly experienced desirable,
lovely,
delightful,
beneficial
and blissful results
of often performing deeds of merit. [2]
[Because of] seven years spent
cultivating a heart of Boundless Love;
For seven aeons of contraction and expansion,
I was not led back [down] into this world. [3]
When the Aeon collapsed,
I reached the plane of streaming radiance. [4]
When the Aeon revolved open again,
I appeared in an empty Brahmic plane. [5]
There I was Brāhma,
the Majestic Brāhma,
Legendary,
Unequaled,
Omniscient,
and Almighty. [6]
Thirty-six times I became Sakka,
Also known as Indra,
the king of the Devas.
Countless hundreds of lives
I was a wheel-turning,
vision-wielding,
righteous king of Dhamma
Ruling [by goodness] over the 4 continents.
I established stability over the land,
And I was graced by the seven treasures. [7]
What to say then
of mere leadership over regional kingdoms.
It occurred to me to ponder:
“To what action of mine is this the fruit?
To what action of mine is this the result?
That I have become so powerful,
of such significant influence?”
And it occurred to me:
“It is the fruit of three things,
It results from three things, that is:
Giving,
Self-mastery,
And thoughtfulness. [8]
Then he further said this:
“One should train in bright actions,
Which yield enduring happiness; [9]
Philanthropy, calmness
and developing a loving mind. [10]
Developed in these qualities,
The three sources of happiness, [11]
The sage steadily walks forth,
In an untroubled and happy world. [12]
This is what the Buddha said,
As I have heard it.
[1] “Mā, bhikkhave, puññānaṃ bhāyittha.
[2] Abhijānāmi kho panāhaṃ dīgharattaṃ katānaṃ puññānaṃ…
[3] Satta vassāni mettacittaṃ bhāvetvā satta saṃvaṭṭavivaṭṭakappe nayimaṃ lokaṃ punarāgamāsiṃ.
[4] Saṃvaṭṭamāne sudaṃ, bhikkhave, kappe ābhassarūpago homi;
[5] vivaṭṭamāne kappe suññaṃ brahmavimānaṃ upapajjāmi.
[6] mahābrahmā abhibhū anabhibhūto aññadatthudaso vasavattī.
[7] anekasatakkhattuṃ rājā ahosiṃ cakkavattī dhammiko dhammarājā cāturanto vijitāvī janapadatthāvariyappatto sattaratanasamannāgato.
[8] seyyathidaṃ dānassa, damassa, saññamassā ’”ti.
[9] “Puññameva so sikkheyya, āyataggaṃ sukhudrayaṃ;
[10] Beautiful parallel between dama and samacariya, saññama and mettacitta bhavaya. I choose to draw on the meaning of this meaningful parallel for my translation here, rather than the classical meaning attributed to these words in the PED. Dānañca samacariyañca,
mettacittañca bhāvaye.
[11] Ete dhamme bhāvayitvā, tayo sukhasamuddaye;
[12] This translation is slightly adapted to fit a more ‘western audience.’ Here, the original meaning is in regard to rebirth in a blissful existence. Abyāpajjaṃ sukhaṃlokaṃ, paṇḍitoupapajjatī”ti.