Metta Sutta
   
       
 

The hart of Buddhist teachings can be caught with the terms: annica, annata and dukkha (roughly translated as: impermanence, non-identity and imperfection). For us it is difficult to reconstruct the meaning of this terms (the terms were invented a long time ago).

For example Europeans of 1800 translated "Dukkha" as "Suffering". This translation distorts the Buddhist world view almost beyond recognition

 

Three marks of existence

 

 

vanity

 

Metta is another Buddhist term that is close to the core of Buddhist teaching. "Metta" is usually translated as "loving kindness". Goodwill or compassion are probably closer to the intended meaning of the term.

See what meaning you can give to the term after listening to the metta sutta.

 

metta

 

           
     

This is what should be done
By one who is skilled in goodness,

And who seeks the path of peace:
Let them be able and upright,
Straightforward and gentle in speech.
Humble and not conceited,

Contented and easily satisfied.
Unburdened with duties and frugal in their ways.
Peaceful and calm, and wise and skillful,
Not proud and demanding in nature.

Let them not do the slightest thing
That the wise would later reprove.
Wishing: In gladness and in saftey,
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.

By not holding to fixed views,
The pure-hearted one, having clarity of vision,
Being freed from all sense desires,
Is not born again into this world.


   
     

The LFN translation of the metta sutta you find below is from the LFN website. .

   
     


La Metta Sutta

El ci vole sabe pas,
e ci persegui se bon eser,
el debe es capas e justa,
franca e jentil,
umil e sin vania.

El deve es satisfada
en la vive simple,
no cargada con cosas,
mestre de se sentis,
saja e sin orgulia,
e no aderinte a familia.

El deve no fa la plu poca ata
ce la sajas va condena,
e el espera ce,
en joia e securia,
tota viventes es felis.

El espera ce tota la viventes,
la debil e la forte
la larga e la grande,
la media, corta, e poca,
la vidable e la invidable,
la prosima e la distante,
los ci ia nase e los ci va nase,
omete no un, es felis.

El espera ce no un
engana o depresa
un otra, en alga stato,
ce no un desira,
con colera o malvole,
ce un otra sufri.

Un madre proteje se enfante,
se sola enfante,
con se vive propre:
in esta modo,
con un cor grande,
el deve valua tota vivente.

Radia amar supra tota tera,
supra a la sielo,
e su a la profonda,
a distante inlimitada,
sin odi o malvole.

Stante o paseante,
sedente o reposante,
libre de invelia,
el deve recorda esta.
Esta es la condui suprema.

Per no teni creadas falsa,
con cor pura e envide clara,
librida da tota aderis sental,
el no va nase ance ves en esta mundo.
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  Click the Buddha to hear the metta sutta.