Brahmavihāra Dhamma

Manner of developing Metta be free from unbeited misery

The next phrase is: ‘‘katthaci’’-at any place or anywhere whether in a town or a village or in a public place, kafci-any one person, nam-—as against another person, na atimaffietha~may not disregard or slight, nay, may be free from becoming discourteous to or ignoring the other. If the other person is slighted or ignored by one with egoism, it would be sinful to the person who slights or ignores. This kind of attitude will have’an adverse effect on him at one time or the other. A person who is slighted will fell bad and very much depressed, Some of the senior officers may ignores or slight an outsider or even a junior officer if that person calls on himonduty. Some of the Maha Theras are likely to neglect or ignore the junior monks. Those who are thus slighted or neglected may feel extremely unhappy. There is hardly any doubt that the person who slights the other has no loving-kindness towards the other for having failed to put himself in another’s shoes. That is probably the reason why Buddha has given instructions to develop metita whereby the occurrence of miserable feelings in both parties will be prevented. If cordial relationship were established between the two parties without slighting one another, the whole world would be a very congenial place for everybody to live in. Please follow the recitation in developing metta according to the given instructions.

‘‘May not one fail in courtesy or respect to any

other person.”’

‘May one be free from thoughts to slight the

other and be friendly. towards others:”’

The next expression is: Vydrosand—vydrosanaya—by causing bodily harm, and by threatening the other verbally and by ill-treating, patighasannda-patighasannaya— and with a. feeling of anger, anifamaffassa—rmutually towards each other, dukkham—misery, na iccheyya-may not occur and be desirable, nay, may not be longed for. .

Brahmavihara Dhamma

If one person physically assaults, the other or, abuses, or, incites the other to do harm and cause injury, or, is plotting to cruelly ill-treat the other, such a person will have committed a vice. In future, when citcumstances become uafavourable, he will meet with various kinds of suffering for that akusala, bad deeds, he has committed. The person who is subjected to ill-treatment, of course, pressatly suffers, [t has therefore been instructed to develop mettd towards others to be free from such miseries by avoidance of the said misdeeds. To develop metta according to that instruction, let us recite as follows:—

“‘May one be free from ill-will to cause misery

to the other by making an assault physieally.’”’

‘*May one be free from ill-will to cause misery

to the other by word of mouth.”’

“May one be free from ill-will to cause misery

to the other by evil thoughts.”

““May one be free from ill-will to cause misery

to the other by his physical action, speech

and thoughts.”’

When developing mettd in the aforesaid manner, it is not just to recite perfunctorily. One must be really serious and have profound loving-kindness towards the other wishing him happiness at the same time. This has been illustrated in the following example.

How genuine Metta should be developed — An illustration

7. Mata yatha niyom putta,

mdyusa ekaputta maaurakkhe.

Evampi sabbabhitesu,

manasam bhdvaye aparimanam,

Mata-the mother, niyam puttam-in respect of her own flesh and blood, ekaputtam—the only beloved éon, dyusd—at the sacrifice of her own life, anurakkhe )atha-

How genuine Metta should be developed— An illustration

will always be guarding or looking after him. Evampi-— In the same manner, sabbabhitesu-in regard to all kinds of beings, aparimdnam—boundless or immense, mdnasam-— Metta or loving-kindness, wishing them happiness, bhavaye-may be repeatedly developed.

In this Verse, the manner of relationship between mother and son has been particularly cited as an example Generally, mother’s affection and loving-care for sons and daughters far surpasses than that of the father. That is the reason why the mother has been cited as anexample. Loving-care and affection may not be bestowed upon adopted children by the parents as such as they would confer on their own children: Hence, an example of ‘‘the only beloved son”’ is cited. However, if there are many sons, the degree or strength of affectionate feeling and loving-care may not be great despite the fact that they are their own flesh and blood. Usually, boundless love is bestowed upon the only son in a family. That is why comparison has been made to ‘‘the only son’’. The degree of love for the only son is well-known to mothers who have sons of their own, This needs noelaboration. The mother will sacrifice her own life for her only son, the only child of her own, when occasion demands, Similarly, in developing mettd, it has been instructed that one should have utmost loving-kindness and compassionate feeling towards all beings regardless of his own Self. The example that has b3en illustrated is really deep and profound.

I have mentioned about how ‘‘simdsambheda’’ takes place as explained in Visuddhimagga in the second part of this text of Dhamma. In this connection what has been stated is that while a psrson who is developing mettd is living, together with the person who is dear to him and person who is neutral, and also an enemy-a hostile person, he should mot accede to the wish of the villains who demanded any one of them

Brahmavihara Dhamma

to be handed over tothem for the purpose of offering him as a gift to propitiate a god in performing a ritual. Even if he surrendered himself as a victim, it will not yet amount to achievement of the quality of simdsambheda. On the other hand, according to this Metta Sutta, it would convey the sense that one who is developing mettd should radiate his loving-kindness wishing the other to gain happiness just as a mother would do with immense love for her only son which soars to the extent of her willingness to sacrifice her own life. If reference were made to what is stated in the Commentary comparing with the Pali Text, it will be found that the illustration is made with emphasis upon the deep feeling of metta which one should have towards beings just as a mother is lovingly taking care of her own son. It should be interpreted to mean that one must have a feeling of loving-kindness towards other beings to the extent as he would have for his own welfare. The instruction given in many Pali Texts indicate one to develop metta towards all other beings on an equal basis as he would have on his own self sabbathatadya), There are no instructions to the effect that one should have love for others more than he would love his ownself.

Fucthermore, yettabhavand means: one should not leave out any one of the living beings, that is, without exception and without limit in developing merida through meditation, if capable of doing so.

How to develop broadly without limit

8. Mettimca sabbalokasamim,

manasam bhavaye aparimdnam.,

Uddam adho ca tiriyifica,

asambhadham avera’masapattam.

To elaborate the manner of developing metid in an unlimited scope, uddham—in places higher-up or above, adho-in the lower region or places down below,

How to develop broadly without limit

tiriyam—in the oppsite eight regions round about the Earth, (lt is the meaning rendered in conformity with the expressions in the Pali Text as ‘‘Ekam disam pharitva iti uddhamadho tiriyam,’’? and im accordance with the exposition made in the Commentaries; and with the expression of the three words, the direction of the ten regions across the length and breadth of the universe, are pointed out. In the introductory portion of the Commentary of this Metta Sutta, the word “‘uddham’’ indicates the arapabhava (formless existence); the word ‘‘adho’’ indicates the kdmabhava (sensual existence); and the word ‘‘tiriyam’’ indicates rapabhava (Existence that has Form)). Sabbalokasamim-in all the Universe-in the whole world, aparimadnam—unlimited or boundless, mettam mdnasam, feeling Of metta—loving— kindnoss, bAdvaye—be developed, etc.

The gist of it is to develop unlimited lovingkindness(metid) towards all beings in all ten regions as mentioned earlier, wishing all of them happiness. In developing and radiating mettad as such, there is no limit in regard to the place or region and to the kinds of beings present in all those places. It covers a very wide range- Next, there being no angry feeling against all living beings, ome is free from internal dangers, and also, having no animosity or grudge against any kind of beings as an enemy, One is also free from external dangers. Let us again develop mettd according to the desand. Please follow the recitation, and while reciting be mindful and contemplate and note the rapas and ndmas.

(1) May all those beings in the region higher-up,

be happy. (Repeat thrice)

(2) May all those beings in tha lower region,

be happy. (Repeat thrice)

(3) May all those beings in the surrounding

eight regions, be happy. (Repeat thrice) od

Brahmavihira Dhamma

Uddham ydva bhavagga ca,

adho yaya avicito,

Samanta cakkavdlesu,

ye satta pathavicara.

Avyydpajjha niverd ca, niddhukkha ca nupaddava. _. This Verse which conveys metta, appears to have been composed based on the phrase-—‘‘Uddhami adho ca tiriyafica’, as contained in this Metta Sutta. The meaning of it is:-

Uddham-in the region above or higher up, ydva bhavaggd ca-up to the abode of nevasaffid-ndsaiiidyatana(the Abode where there is neither consciousness nor uncomscicusness called ‘‘hhavagga’’, the highest of the Arapa Worlds), adho-in the lower region, java avicite— down to Avici Hell, (the terms ‘highest bhaygga’ and the lowest ‘Avici’ are probably used on the presumption that the earth is a flat surface.) (Since the present day scientists have held the view that the Earth, the World we live in, is round in shape and is revolving and that it rotates round the axis, the highest point and the lowest point which would coincite with the position where the two terminal points are, at the time mettd is being developed, may be targeted.j} Samanta cakkavdlesu ca-in the surrounding universes including heavenly abodes and all that exists, pathayicard—those who live and wanders on the surface of the earth, (according to the other verse, udéakecara— those who live in water; and then again, according to another verse — 4kdsecarad—those who live and travel through the air in the open air-space or sky; }esatd such beings—santi, do exist.) Te satta—these beings, avydpajjha—having a tendency to give trouble, be free from mental suffering called grief, nivera ca-be free from danger, nidukkha ca-be. free from bodily suffering, anupaddava ca-be free from(upaddaio) - accident or misfortune which can bring about injury, hontu-may all be got rid of these sufferings and dangers.

Time and posture prescribed for developing Metta

In the said Pali verse stated above and in its definition, the term: ‘‘upaddava—upaddavo’’ means all kinds of accidents, mishap and dangers that may befall or happen unexpectedly and all of a sudden. These are, Of course, the unexpected dangers which may be caused by wicked persons, bad-hats, villians, or by carnivorous types of animals and by serious illness or diseases.

Time and posture prescribed for developing Metta

Furthermore, the manner of taking a posture and the time for the purpose of developing mietrd has been prescribed as follows:—

9. Tittham caram nissinno va,

saydno yavata’ssa vitamiddho.

Etam satim adhittheyya,

brahma mettain vihara’midha mahu,

Titthan—while standing, or, caram—while walking, or, nissinno va-while sitting i.e. seating, Or, saydno va— ‘while lying, ya@vatd~as far as possible, vitamiddho-assa— should be free from torpor, i.e. free from sleepiness, or rather, free from the spell of dozing. Tdvata—for so long as one becomes sleepy and has not yet fallen asleep, efum-—satim-this mildfulness, the precursor of metia, adhittheyya=should be developed by way of observing and dwelling upon it, or rather, contemplation.

Mettd should, in fact, be developed not only while Sitting but also while standing. It must also be developed while taking a walking exercise along the corridor to relax the limbs after prolonged sitting; while lying in bed before falling asleep, and for so long as one is awake, ,it must be continually developed, This is to say that an interval for respite shou This is to say that an interval for respite should be only for the period when one is fast asleep. The moment a person is roused from sleep when full consciousness revives, one should carry on developing

Brahmavihara Dhamma

metta beginning from the time he becomes alert and Mentally alive to the occasion. In this regard, Mindfulness along with metid should be contemplated and incessantly developed. If he is a person who has achieved jhdna, mettd-jhana combined with Mindfulness should be developed always. This is to let oneself plunged in a trance of mettd-jhana. Developing mettabhavand as stated, is to abide in a noble and perfect state. it has been preached that all Buddhas had extolled this mettd as being the Dhamma which, if developed, amounts to abiding in this Sasana in a holy and perfect state (Brahmavihira). Living in the exercise of four noble postures called Vihara

Pali Commentaries have distinguished Vihdra,—“the Abiding” in four different kinds of the position of the body, viz: (1) /riydpathavihadra, (2) Dibbavihara, (3) Ariyavihdra, and (4) Brahmavihara.

Number (1 ) /riydpathavihdra means walking, standing, sitting and lying down at times in turn as may be considered appropriate in accordance with the four characteristics of postures. This manner of deportment is adopted by every Bhikkhu, or individual or being, and is not strange at all.

(2) Dibbavihdra-This means lofty mahaggata jhanas, such as kasina jhana, etc., by which one may become or lead to be reborn an outstanding celestial being called Brahma, after his demise. Plunging in a profound trance in such jhdnas or religious exercises productive of the highest spiritual advantages is called ‘dibbavihara’.

(3) Ariyavihadra-that is, the four ariya—phalas or Fruitions. Tobe mentally absorbed in the four Fruitions which are the attainments of the results of the four Paths-the manner of abiding in the Fruition of the Paths by the Noble Ones (Ariyds) may be called ‘Ariyavihara’.