Metta Meditation Technique Questions

General discussion of issues related to Theravada Meditation, e.g. meditation postures, developing a regular sitting practice, skillfully relating to difficulties and hindrances, etc.
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Jhana4
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Metta Meditation Technique Questions

Post by Jhana4 »

Hi,

I have a few miscellaneous metta meditation technique questions. Thanks in advance for your time in answering any of them.

1. In some Vihara's I've been in they have used verses that have started with "May I be well, happy and peaceful, May I always meet with success, ...".
  • is there a full copy of those verses online?
    are those verses from a sutta? which one? is there a copy online?
2. I remember someone saying that when he does metta, he combines it with awareness of breath. He might day something breathing in or out. Is there a description of that particular metta technique online?

3. It seems like a good standard amount for an anapansati sitting is one hour. Is there such an optimal/decent/minimal amount of time for a metta meditation sitting?

Thanks in advance for your time in providing answers to any of these questions

Steve
In reading the scriptures, there are two kinds of mistakes:
One mistake is to cling to the literal text and miss the inner principles.
The second mistake is to recognize the principles but not apply them to your own mind, so that you waste time and just make them into causes of entanglement.
befriend
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Re: Metta Meditation Technique Questions

Post by befriend »

i know of a metta technique where you breathe in metta coming into you and breathe metta out, check out dharmaseed.org look for a metta talk by Chas Dicapua.
Take care of mindfulness and mindfulness will take care of you.
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mikenz66
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Re: Metta Meditation Technique Questions

Post by mikenz66 »

Hi Jhana4,
Jhana4 wrote: I have a few miscellaneous metta meditation technique questions. Thanks in advance for your time in answering any of them.

1. In some Vihara's I've been in they have used verses that have started with "May I be well, happy and peaceful, May I always meet with success, ...".
  • is there a full copy of those verses online?
    are those verses from a sutta? which one? is there a copy online?
Do you mean this?
The Sublime Attitudes

Ahaṃ sukhito homi
May I be happy.
Niddukkho homi
May I be free from stress & pain.
Avero homi
May I be free from animosity.
Abyāpajjho homi
May I be free from oppression.
Anīgho homi
May I be free from trouble.
Sukhī attānaṃ pariharāmi
May I look after myself with ease.
...
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/auth ... ml#sublime" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Some is from Suttas. For example, the section on equanimity:
(UPEKKHĀ — EQUANIMITY)

Sabbe sattā kammassakā kamma-dāyādā kamma-yonī kamma-bandhū kamma-paṭisaraṇā.

All living beings are the owners of their actions, heir to their actions, born of their actions, related through their actions, and live dependent on their actions.
Is in suttas such as this one: http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

:anjali:
Mike
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Cittasanto
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Re: Metta Meditation Technique Questions

Post by Cittasanto »

Jhana4 wrote:
3. It seems like a good standard amount for an anapansati sitting is one hour. Is there such an optimal/decent/minimal amount of time for a metta meditation sitting?

Thanks in advance for your time in providing answers to any of these questions

Steve
Hi Steve,
there is no optimal/decent/minimal amount of time for any practice. there is what you can do so best make the most of it!
Blog, Suttas, Aj Chah, Facebook.

He who knows only his own side of the case knows little of that. His reasons may be good, and no one may have been able to refute them.
But if he is equally unable to refute the reasons on the opposite side, if he does not so much as know what they are, he has no ground for preferring either opinion …
...
He must be able to hear them from persons who actually believe them … he must know them in their most plausible and persuasive form.
John Stuart Mill
Maarten
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Re: Metta Meditation Technique Questions

Post by Maarten »

Hi Steve,

1. I know these from a book I read, but I think you can be creative with the verses: “May I be happy”, “May I be healthy”, “May I be free from danger.”, “May I take care of myself happily.”
Just try to find some verses that generate some feelings of metta in you.
2. Maybe he does five minutes of metta before his breath meditation. He could also be watching the breath with metta. You can have metta towards anything in your experience, not just people.
'Suppose there were a beetle, a dung-eater, full of dung, gorged with dung, with a huge pile of dung in front of him. He, because of that, would look down on other beetles: 'Yes, sirree! I am a dung-eater, full of dung, gorged with dung, with a huge pile of dung in front of me!' - SN 17.5
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Re: Metta Meditation Technique Questions

Post by theY »

Jhana4 wrote: 1. In some Vihara's I've been in they have used verses that have started with "May I be well, happy and peaceful, May I always meet with success, ...".
  • is there a full copy of those verses online?
    are those verses from a sutta? which one? is there a copy online?
-Number 8 is the translated origin: http://books.google.co.th/books?id=B_UW ... &q&f=false" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

-Those verses aren't suttas, only a trick by Buddhaghosaacariya. However, it is very useful trick for mettaavihaarii.

That verse just a parikamma-words to let you observe your mettaa-kaayakamma, mettaa-vaciikamma, and mettaa-manokamma that you do to yourself by your mettaa-mind. Then you should develop that mind into the other--same mind, same feeling, but may be difference mettaa-kaayakamma, mettaa-vaciikamma, and mettaa-manokamma up to environment.
Jhana4 wrote: 2. I remember someone saying that when he does metta, he combines it with awareness of breath. He might day something breathing in or out. Is there a description of that particular metta technique online?
That isn't a good idea for samatha.
Jhana4 wrote: 3. It seems like a good standard amount for an anapansati sitting is one hour. Is there such an optimal/decent/minimal amount of time for a metta meditation sitting?
Pa-Auk sitting more than 2 hour, for twice and another kammatthaanna, to take a clearly effect.
Above message maybe out of date. Latest update will be in massage's link.
--------------------------------------------------
Tipitaka memorization is a rule of monks. It isn't just a choice. They must done it.
bahussuto nāma tividho hoti – nissayamuccanako, parisupaṭṭhāpako, bhikkhunovādakoti.
http://UnmixedTheravada.blogspot.com/20 ... monks.html
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