15 Skillful Habits and the Unlimited Practice of Metta (Karaṇīya Metta Sutta, Snp. 1.8)| Bhante Dr. G. Chandima @Buddhist Gem Fellowship, PJ, Malaysia (August 31, 2023)

 

15 Skillful Habits

1. Sakko (talented/capability)
2. Ujū (straight)
3. Sūjū (more straight)
4. Sūvaco (being open to good advice/well-spoken)
5. Mudu (soft-hearted)
6. Anatimānī (humble)
7. Santussako (content)
8. Subharo (easily supportable)
9. Appakicco (create time for the necessary)
10. Sallahukavutti (simple life)
11. Santindriyo (calmed senses) 
12. Nipako (rise to an occasion) 
13. Appagabbho (non-aggresive)
14. Kulesu ananugiddho (not seizing to individuals of groups of people)
15. Na ca khuddamācare kiñci,Yena viññū pare upavadeyyuṁ (not get blamed by wise people)

Unlimited Practice of Metta

1. Strength and Size |Verse 4 

Ye keci pāṇa bhūtatthi tasā vā thāvarā vā anavasesā
Dīghā vā ye mahantā vā majjhamā rassakāṇukathūlā

Ye keci pāṇabhūtatthi,
Whatever living creatures there are

Tasā vā thāvarā vanavasesā;

with not a one left out—frail or firm

Dīghā vā ye va mahantā, 

long or large, 

Majjhimā rassakā aṇukathūlā.

medium, small, tiny or round,

2. Other Manifestations (visibility, distance, Rebirth seeking) | Verse 5

Diṭṭhā vā yeva addiṭṭhā ye ca dūre vasanti avidūre
Bhūtā vā sambhavesī vā sabbe sattā bhavantu sukhitattā

Diṭṭhā vā ye va adiṭṭhā,
seen or unseen,

Ye va dūre vasanti avidūre;
living far or near,

Bhūtā va sambhavesī va, 
those who have been born and those about to be born

Sabbasattā bhavantu sukhitattā.
may all beings be happy!

3. Deception, Ill-will, anger, and harm (metta practice in those evil events) | Verse 6

Na paro paraṃ nikubbetha nātimaññetha katthaci naṃ kañci
Byārosanā paṭighasaññā nāññamaññassa dukkhamiccheyya

Na paro paraṁ nikubbetha,
Let none deceive another,

Nātimaññetha katthaci na kañci; 
nor look down on anyone anywhere.

Byārosanā paṭighasañña,
Through physical and/or mental discrimination,

Nāññamaññassa dukkhamiccheyya.
let them not wish pain on each other.

4. Nature of Metta | Verse 7

Mātā yathā niyaṃ puttaṃ āyusā ekaputtamanurakkhe
Evampi sabbabhūtesū mānasaṃ bhāvaye aparimānaṃ

Mātā yathā niyaṁ puttam
Even as a mother would protect with her life

Āyusā ekaputtamanurakkhe;
her child, her only child,

Evampi sabbabhūtesu,
so too for all creatures

Mānasaṁ bhāvaye aparimāṇaṁ.
unfold a boundless heart.

5. Direction of Metta Practice  | Verse 8

Mettaṃ ca sabbalokasmiṃ mānasaṃ bhāvaye aparimānaṃ
Uddhaṃ adho ca tiriyañca asambādhaṃ averaṃ asapattaṃ

Mettaṃ ca sabbalokasmiṃ
With Mettā for the whole world,

mānasaṃ bhāvaye aparimānaṃ
unfold a boundless heart:

Uddhaṃ adho ca tiriyañca
above, below, all round,

asambādhaṃ averaṃ asapattaṃ
unconstricted, without enemy or foe.

6. Metta as the best attitude/mood in daily life  | Verse 9

Tiṭṭhaṃ caraṃ nisinno vā sayāno vā yāvatassa vigatamiddho
Etaṃ satiṃ adhiṭṭheyya brahmametaṃ vihāraṃ idhamāhu

7. The final goal of Metta practice  | Verse 10

Diṭṭhiñca anupagamma sīlavā dassanena sampanno
Kāmesu vineyya gedhaṃ nahi jātu gabbhaseyyaṃ punaretīti.

Additional Notes

1. Appakicco (create time for the necessary)

kammā rāmatā - having an obsession to work
bhassā rāmatā- delight in useless talk.
saṅgaṇikā rāmatā : delight in company

    2. Santindriyo (calmed senses) 

iṭṭhārammaṇādīsu rāgādivasena anuddhatindriyoti- greedy in the objects of sensual pleasures as lust, hatred, and delusion.

    3. Nipako (rise to an occasion) 

Nipakoti viññū vibhāvī paññavā, sīlānurakkhaṇapaññāya -  The wise individual who knows how to rise to an occasion in terms of everything.

   4. Appagabbho (non-aggresive)

pagabbha- aggression 

• kāya pagabbha (physical aggression)
• vacī pagabbha (verbal aggression)
• mano pagabbha (mental aggression)