Sources and development of Metta and Compassion.

[Jones]

Dear friends

To spread loving kindness is the purpose of this post,
And compassion on course as well,
To cite any source of link from or to the Pali Canon, and commentary, or great Venerable teachers,
In the hope to uplift those who need universal friendliness,
Which includes every being, in every way, and you of course,
I am sure this has been done before in this light,
As gathered from the excellent people who post on this site,
But we can never have too much of Metta developed skillfully,
In a world that needs compassion in these times,
That is above, below, across and everywhere, as to all, as to one's self,
Spread throughout the world and cosmos, minds positively charged and uplifted,
By all embracing, with sincere effort, maintained universally compassionate friendliness,
May all who read this be uplifted by universal friendliness,

Thank you Dhamma wheel!!!!

Namo Tassa Bhagavato Arahato Samma Sam Buddhassa.

Maybe a moderator might move this to the meditation section,

[Jones]

Venerables as friends.

Sutta nipata 143-152

Sn 1.8 PTS: Sn 143-152
Karaniya Metta Sutta: Good Will
translated from the Pali by
Thanissaro Bhikkhu
© 2004
Alternate translations: Ñanamoli | Amaravati | Buddharakkhita | Piyadassi
This sutta also appears at Khp 9
Alternate format: [SuttaReadings.net icon]

This is to be done by one skilled in aims
who wants to break through to the state of peace:
Be capable, upright, & straightforward,
easy to instruct, gentle, & not conceited,
content & easy to support,
with few duties, living lightly,
with peaceful faculties, masterful,
modest, & no greed for supporters.

Do not do the slightest thing
that the wise would later censure.

Think: Happy, at rest,
may all beings be happy at heart.
Whatever beings there may be,
weak or strong, without exception,
long, large,
middling, short,
subtle, blatant,
seen & unseen,
near & far,
born & seeking birth:
May all beings be happy at heart.

Let no one deceive another
or despise anyone anywhere,
or through anger or irritation
wish for another to suffer.

As a mother would risk her life
to protect her child, her only child,
even so should one cultivate a limitless heart
with regard to all beings.
With good will for the entire cosmos,
cultivate a limitless heart:
Above, below, & all around,
unobstructed, without enmity or hate.
Whether standing, walking,
sitting, or lying down,
as long as one is alert,
one should be resolved on this mindfulness.
This is called a sublime abiding
here & now.

Not taken with views,
but virtuous & consummate in vision,
having subdued desire for sensual pleasures,
one never again
will lie in the womb.


http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .nymo.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Jones]

Fom Metta: The Philosophy And Practice Of Universal Love by Most Venerable Acharya Buddharakkhita

Introduction

The Pali word metta is a multi-significant term meaning loving-kindness, friendliness, goodwill, benevolence, fellowship, amity, concord, inoffensiveness and non-violence. The Pali commentators define metta as the strong wish for the welfare and happiness of others (parahita-parasukha-kamana). Essentially metta is an altruistic attitude of love and friendliness as distinguished from mere amiability based on self-interest. Through metta one refuses to be offensive and renounces bitterness, resentment and animosity of every kind, developing instead a mind of friendliness, accommodativeness and benevolence which seeks the well-being and happiness of others. True metta is devoid of self-interest. It evokes within a warm-hearted feeling of fellowship, sympathy and love, which grows boundless with practice and overcomes all social, religious, racial, political and economic barriers. Metta is indeed a universal, unselfish and all-embracing love.

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/auth ... el365.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[JohnK]

Link to IMS audio resources where (if you scroll down) you will find a guided metta meditation by Sharon Salzberg to download or stream.
'http://www.dharma.org/resources/audio

[Jones]

Metta makes one a pure font of well-being and safety for others. Just as a mother gives her own life to protect her child, so metta only gives and never wants anything in return. To promote one's own interest is a primordial motivation of human nature. When this urge is transformed into the desire to promote the interest and happiness of others, not only is the basic urge of self-seeking overcome, but the mind becomes universal by identifying its own interest with the interest of all. By making this change one also promotes one's own well-being in the best possible manner.

Metta is the protective and immensely patient attitude of a mother who forbears all difficulties for the sake of her child and ever protects it despite its misbehavior. Metta is also the attitude of a friend who wants to give one the best to further one's well-being. If these qualities of metta are sufficiently cultivated through metta-bhavana — the meditation on universal love — the result is the acquisition of a tremendous inner power which preserves, protects and heals both oneself and others.

Apart from its higher implications, today metta is a pragmatic necessity. In a world menaced by all kinds of destructiveness, metta in deed, word and thought is the only constructive means to bring concord, peace and mutual understanding. Indeed, metta is the supreme means, for it forms the fundamental tenet of all the higher religions as well as the basis for all benevolent activities intended to promote human well-being.

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/auth ... el365.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Jones]

Anguttara Nikaya 6.13
translated from the Pali by
Thanissaro Bhikkhu

Nissaraniya Sutta: Means of Escape

"There is the case where a monk might say, 'Although good will has been developed, pursued, handed the reins and taken as a basis, given a grounding, steadied, consolidated, and well-undertaken by me as my awareness-release, still ill will keeps overpowering my mind.' He should be told, 'Don't say that. You shouldn't speak in that way. Don't misrepresent the Blessed One, for it's not right to misrepresent the Blessed One, and the Blessed One wouldn't say that. It's impossible, there is no way that — when good will has been developed, pursued, handed the reins and taken as a basis, given a grounding, steadied, consolidated, and well-undertaken as an awareness-release — ill will would still keep overpowering the mind. That possibility doesn't exist, for this is the escape from ill will: good will as an awareness-release.'

"Furthermore, there is the case where a monk might say, 'Although compassion has been developed, pursued, handed the reins and taken as a basis, given a grounding, steadied, consolidated, and well-undertaken by me as my awareness-release, still viciousness keeps overpowering my mind.' He should be told, 'Don't say that. You shouldn't speak in that way. Don't misrepresent the Blessed One, for it's not right to misrepresent the Blessed One, and the Blessed One wouldn't say that. It's impossible, there is no way that — when compassion has been developed, pursued, handed the reins and taken as a basis, given a grounding, steadied, consolidated, and well-undertaken as an awareness-release — viciousness would still keep overpowering the mind. That possibility doesn't exist, for this is the escape from viciousness: compassion as an awareness-release.'

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[JohnK]

Perhaps not exactly metta, but in the ballpark,and maybe helpful in inspiring metta.
From Peter Russell (The White Hole in Time,1992,p.128):

Love is not something you do,
It is not how you behave.
There's nothing you can do that constitutes loving another,
No action that is of itself loving.
Love is a way of being.
And more than that.
It is simply being,
Being with another person, however they may be.
Holding no judgements, having no agendas,
No need to have them experience your love,
No desire to demonstrate love,
No intrusion upon their soul.
Nothing but a total acceptance of their being,
Born of your acceptance of yours.

[Jones]

Thanks Johnk !!!!!!!!

[Jones]

Protection Through Sattipatthana By The Most Venerable Nyanaponika Maha Thera

"And how does one, in protecting oneself, protect others? By the repeated and frequent practice of meditation (asevanaya bhavanaya bahulikammena).

"And how does one, in protecting others, protect oneself? By patience and forbearance, by a non-violent and harmless life, by loving kindness and compassion."

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/auth ... bl034.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[The Thinker]

Just read this article, worth a read for those who struggle with their practice, Bhikkhu Analayo on alternative metta methods: https://goo.gl/ihpous" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[The Thinker]

Random acts of kindness inspired by the author Danny Wallace, is a practical exercise that alongside the passive practice, can create good will and leave the random beneficiary with a lesson in community, and in very much a happier state(hopefully).

plenty of links on google for varied random acts of kindness here is one: http://goo.gl/I1eFj5" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Cormac Brown]

4 minute guided Metta meditation from Thanissaro Bhikkhu, abbot of Wat Metta:

http://www.dhammatalks.org/Archive/guid ... (4min).mp3

[Cormac Brown]

"Goodwill as Restraint", a talk by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.

http://www.dhammatalks.org/Archive/y201 ... traint.mp3

[Jones]

AN 4.95 PTS: A ii 95
Chavalata Sutta: Wood from a Pyre
translated from the Pali by
The Most Venerable Acharya Buddharakkhita
© 2006

"Monks, these four kinds of persons are to be found existing in the world. Which four? One who is engaged in promoting neither his own good nor in promoting the good of another; one who is engaged in promoting another's good but not in promoting his own good; one who is engaged in promoting his own good but not in promoting the good of another; and one who is engaged in promoting his own good and also in promoting the good of another.

"Just as, monks, a piece of wood from a pyre, burnt at both ends and in the middle fouled with dung, serves neither for fuel in the village nor for timber in the forest, so in the same way, monks, is such a person, I say, who is engaged in promoting neither his own good nor in promoting the good of another.

"Monks, there is the person who is engaged in promoting the good of another but not in promoting his own good. Of these two individuals the latter is superior. Monks, there is the person who is engaged in promoting his own good but not in promoting the good of another. Of these three individuals he is superior. Monks, there is the person who is engaged in promoting his own good and also in promoting another's good. Of these four individuals he is the foremost, the chief, the principal, the best and the supreme.

"Just as, monks, from a cow comes milk; from milk, curd; from curd, butter; from butter, ghee; from ghee, the skimmings of ghee, and that is reckoned the best; even so, monks, among these four individuals the person who is engaged in promoting his own good and also the good of another is the foremost, the chief, the principal, the best and the supreme. Monks, these are the four individuals who are to be found existing in the world."

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .budd.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[The Thinker]

This is an excellent talk on MN 20: Vitakkasanthana Sutta — The Removal of Distracting Thoughts: https://goo.gl/5eMESj" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


So when having distracting thoughts or unwholesome thoughts, break that state and take action, what random act of kindness can you perform right now.