Mettā (मेत्ता in Devanagari) is a Pāli word meaning unconditional and unattached loving-kindness. The Sanskrit is maitrī (मैत्री). It is one of the ten pāramitās of the Theravada school of Buddhism. The mettā bhāvanā (cultivation of mettā) is a popular form of meditation in Buddhism, practiced with mindfulness of breath, which provides concentration, so as to prevent the loss of compassion.

The object of mettā meditation is to cultivate goodwill and compassion towards all sentient beings. The practice usually begins with the meditator cultivating compassion and love towards themselves, then their loved ones, friends, teachers, strangers and finally their enemies. It is a good way to calm down a distraught mind because it is an antidote to anger. Someone who has cultivated mettā will not be easily angered and can quickly subdue anger that arises. They will be more caring, more loving, and more likely to love unconditionally.

Buddhists believe

Metta meditation: the practice of loving-kindness

Metta signifies friendship and non-violence as well as "a strong wish for the happiness of others." Though it refers to many seemingly disparate ideas, Metta is in fact a very specific form of love—a caring for another independent of all self-interest—and thus is likened to one's love for one's child or parent. Understandably, this energy is often difficult to describe in words; however, in the practice of Metta meditation, one recites specific words and phrases in order to evoke this "boundless warm-hearted feeling." The strength of this feeling is not limited to or by

Six stages

The six stages of mettā bhāvanā are cultivating loving-kindness towards:

1. Yourself
2. A good friend
3. A 'neutral' person
4. A difficult person
5. All four
6. and then gradually the entire universe

(Kamalashila 1996, p.25-26)

For #2 avoid choosing someone that you feel sexually attracted to, or that is much younger or much older than yourself, or who is dead. For #3 choose someone that you might come in contact with every day, but who does not give rise to strong positive nor strong negative emotions. For #4 traditionally choose "an enemy", but avoid choosing the person that just wrecked your life, unless you are very well grounded in awareness. For #5 treat them as equals, equally deserving of loving-kindness.

The Metta Meditation is attributed as words of the Buddha.

"Wishing: In gladness and in safety,

May all beings be at ease.

Whatever living beings there may be;

Whether they are weak or strong, omitting none,

The great or the mighty, medium, short or small,

The seen and the unseen,

Those living near and far away,

Those born and to-be-born,

May all beings be at ease!

Let none deceive another,

Or despise any being in any state.

Let none through anger or ill-will

Wish harm upon another.

Even as a mother protects with her life

Her child, her only child,

So with a boundless heart

Should one cherish all living beings:

Radiating kindness over the entire world

Spreading upwards to the skies,

And downwards to the depths;

Outwards and unbounded,

Freed from hatred and ill-will.

Whether standing or walking, seated or lying down

Free from drowsiness,

One should sustain this recollection.

This is said to be the sublime abiding."

See also

• Ahimsa
• Brahma-viharas
• Love
• Happiness
• Kammatthana

Source

• Kamalashila (1996). Meditation: The Buddhist Art of Tranquility and Insight. Birmingham: Windhorse Publications. ISBN 1899579052.

Metta Maitrī Metta