The Metta Sutta

- through Francois Leclercq

Published on

The Metta Sutta, or "Discourse on Benevolent Kindness", is a major text of the Pali canon. In Theravada, he bridges the personal quest for nirvana and the Mahayanist doctrine of altruistic achievement. This sutra advocates the practice of kindness and benevolence on a daily basis.

This is what the skillful man must do in the pursuit of happiness
And who wants to live in peace:
To be able, upright, perfectly upright
Conciliatory, gentle, and humble.
Satisfied with everything and easily bearing his fate
That he does not let himself be overwhelmed by the affairs of the world, and live in simplicity
Let his senses be mastered and he remain cautious
Neither arrogant nor greedy for the pleasures of this world.
Let him do nothing petty
And who might be frowned upon by the wise
May all beings live in joy and security
Let everyone be happy
That all beings, without exception
The weak as the strong
The big ones like the big ones
Medium, small, coarse
Whether visible or invisible
Whether near or far
Whether they are already born or yet to be born.
May all be happy.
To anyone and in any circumstance
Never deceive nor despise
In hate or anger
Never wish harm to others
As a mother loves her only child
Willing to make any sacrifice to protect him
So with boundless love
Should we cherish all sentient beings
We must cultivate unlimited goodness towards the whole world
Up and down as horizontally
Without obstacle without hatred and without enmity
Standing or walking, sitting or lying
And as long as the mind stays clear and awake
We must develop this right attention
Because it is the supreme way to live.
Do not stray into wrong views
Cultivate a virtuous life, have a deep inner vision
Tear off the appetites of the senses
So we won't be born again in this world

photo of author

Francois Leclercq

François Leclercq is the founder of Buddhist News, a website which aims to disseminate information and practical advice on Buddhism and spirituality. François Leclercq was born and raised in Paris. He studied Buddhism at the University of Paris-Sorbonne, where he graduated in social sciences and psychology. After graduating, he devoted himself to his passion for Buddhism and traveled the world to study and learn about different practices. He notably visited Tibet, Nepal, Thailand, Japan and China.

Leave comments