Mettā Bhāvanā

Mettā is the genuine friendship one extends to oneself and to others. One who is friendly to oneself will not harm oneself. One who is friendly to others will not harm others. The friendship that benefits both oneself and others is mettā. According to the Anuruddha sutta of the Middle-length Discourses, the arahant Anuruddha explained two methods of developing loving kindness meditation: they are ‘appamāna ceto vimutti’ or infinite- mental-emancipation and ‘mahaggata ceto vimutti’ or great-mental-emancipation.

The spread of loving kindness to beings on the four main directions (North, East, South and West), four intermediate directions (Northeast, Southeast, Northwest and Southwest) and above and below, infinitely (appamāna) is known as appamana ceto vimutti. Thus, in this meditation one spreads loving kindness on ten directions. This is the way to practice appamana ceto vimutti, if one prefers spreading loving kindness to beings infinitely:

1. May all beings in the North be free from anger; be free from ill-will; be free from jealousy; be free from mental and physical suffering; may they live in peace; may they live happily.
2. May all beings in the Northeast be free from anger; be free from ill-will; be free from jealousy; be free from mental and physical suffering; may they live in peace; may they live happily.
3. May all beings in the East be free from anger; be free from ill-will; be free from jealousy; be free from mental and physical suffering; may they live in peace; may they live happily.
4. May all beings in the Southeast be free from anger; be free from ill-will; be free from jealousy; be free from mental and physical suffering; may they live in peace; may they live happily.
5. May all beings in the South be free from anger; be free from ill-will; be free from jealousy; be free from mental and physical suffering; may they live in peace; may they live happily.
6. May all beings in the Southwest be free from anger; be free from ill-will; be free from jealousy; be free from mental and physical suffering; may they live in peace; may they live happily.
7. May all beings in the West be free from anger; be free from ill-will; be free from jealousy; be free from mental and physical suffering; may they live in peace; may they live happily.
8. May all beings in the Northwest be free from anger; be free from ill-will; be free from jealousy; be free from mental and physical suffering; may they live in peace; may they live happily.
9. May all beings in the direction above be free from anger; be free from ill-will; be free from jealousy; be free from mental and physical suffering; may they live in peace; may they live happily.
10. May all beings in the direction below be free from anger; be free from ill-will; be free from jealousy; be free from mental and physical suffering; may they live in peace; may they live happily.

Mahaggata ceto vimutti is the spreading of loving kindness to beings, progressively expanding the land area covered. In this mediation, one first develops loving kindness to oneself. Then, expand the land area of spreading loving kindness to include the beings in the village where he or she resides; next include all beings in the city; then include the beings in the province; then include the beings in the country; next include beings in this world; and finally include all living beings. If one prefers spreading loving kindness to beings progressively based on land area covered, this is the way to practice mahaggata ceto vimutti.

1. May I be free from anger; be free from ill-will; be free from jealousy; be free from mental and physical suffering; may I live in peace; may I live happily.
2. As I wish for myself, may all beings in this village be free from anger; be free from ill-will; be free from jealousy; be free from mental and physical suffering; may they live in peace; may they live happily.
3. As I wish for myself, may all beings in this city be free from anger; be free from ill-will; be free from jealousy; be free from mental and physical suffering; may they live in peace; may they live happily.
4. As I wish for myself, may all beings in this province be free from anger; be free from ill-will; be free from jealousy; be free from mental and physical suffering; may they live in peace; may they live happily.
5. As I wish for myself, may all beings in this country be free from anger; be free from ill-will; be free from jealousy; be free from mental and physical suffering; may they live in peace; may they live happily.
6. As I wish for myself, may all beings in this world be free from anger; be free from ill-will; be free from jealousy; be free from mental and physical suffering; may they live in peace; may they live happily.
7. As I wish for myself, may all beings be free from anger; be free from ill-will; be free from jealousy; be free from mental and physical suffering; may they live in peace; may they live happily.

The Buddha said that loving-kindness meditation can be developed up to the third jhāna. One who wishes to develop jhāna through loving kindness meditation must practice as the Buddha had instructed. When one develops loving kindness meditation as instructed by the Buddha, the mind gets concentrated suppressing the five hindrances. By practicing loving kindness meditation in that concentrated mind, one develops the first jhāna experiencing vitakka (applied thought), vicāra (sustained thought), nirāmisa pīti (non-sensual rapture), sukha (gladness), and ekaggatha (one-pointedness- or unification-of-mind). Having developed the first jhāna, one may continue to practice loving kindness mediation in the same manner to develop up to the third jhāna.

The benefits of practicing loving kindness meditation are enormous. The Buddha taught the great benefits of the loving kindness meditation in the Mettānisaṁsa sutta. Accordingly, one who practices loving kindness meditation will experience the following benefits here in this very life.

1. One sleeps peacefully.
2. One wakes up peacefully.
3. One does not have nightmares.
4. One becomes dear to humans.
5. One becomes dear to non-humans.
6. Gods protect you.
7. One is unharmed by fire, poison and weapons.
8. One develops concentration easily.
9. One gets an attractive face.
10. One passes away mindfully.
11. One is born in a brahma world, if one does not attain higher stages of enlightenment.