Dhamma Talks - Two Parts Of Metta :: Buddhapadipa Thai Temple

This ‘metta discourse’ delivered by the Buddha is divided into two parts. The first part sets out the preparatory moral conduct a meditation practitioner is requested to perfect himself, while the second thoroughly explains the lesson of practising the ‘true love’ or loving-kindness. This, of course, practice must be based upon correct moral conduct, which includes putting aside ill will, hatred, ignorance and all similarities of feeling i.e. jealousy, envy and malice or aversion. At the same time he/she should maintain honesty and integrity.

Furthermore there must be developing a purity of the mind, which communicates the others, failing to do thus “True love” as the essence of the friendliness can hardly grow, flower, bloom and flourish. As always when such a virtue fills the mind unhealthy thoughts and wicked feelings have no place to remain there and even do not arise. For these reasons the mind of the practitioner is really freed from defilements and impurities.

Such a mind is indeed able to push the heart of the others with the great spirit of true love so that its influence spreads far and wide however. If the would-be-meditator allows bad thoughts to cover or fill his mind he will have no success in cultivating the true love and nor will he convey it to the others since he himself doesn’t posses the true love. It’s impossible. Please look around the world and see many powerful leaders keep talking ‘peace’. Do you think there will be peace? Love is the main root of peace. If people do not have true love in their minds how on earth can they be at peace? Only to talk about peace, peace will not happen at all.

If one only talks about peace, it will never occur. Or if he only utters such words as “Way all living beings be free from unpleasant things and may all of them be peaceful and happy”, that might be somewhat meaningless or just a mere lip service. Practice makes it perfect. Another point to emphasize here is that “True love” does not aim at any object or a person in particular but it is unlimited love. Therefore the action of this true love is indeed called “Appamanna bhavana” which means the boundless love development.

In the discourse the Buddha likens metta to the pure love of a mother for her only child. You understand the pure and real love of a mother, do you not? Motherly love is absolutely the illustration of true love because she directs her love to an infant it thus makes no demand of anything in return. A mother almost always loves all her children. There might be exception for few mothers but it is very rare. Looking at the kingdom of animals you will see exactly that it is a mother who sacrifices her life for her newborn and the young without any thought of reward.

This obviously explains why the Buddha compares true love to the mother’s love. In order to practice true love you should make attempt to discipline yourself according to the manner as explained. But you must not think it is an imposed rule but it is pure determination to purify the mind and spread real love to all. In other words you need to train yourself without any sense of obligation. By checking unfriendly thoughts you then purely cultivate the friendly thoughts and feelings within yourself.

This atmosphere of the friendliness radiates the mind towards all living beings impartially. First of all spread the wish to oneself, and then through the universal manner of expression. This also manifests in one’s speech and actions, sometimes in a sense of humour and sympathy, for being unconditioned and not deliberately seeking response and reward from the other people, true love spells freedom of the mind. Whilst practising the true love you should say, “May I be happy, safe and sound, and be far from unpleasant things.” Then for the others, “May all living beings always be happy and far away from unpleasant things.” Nevertheless your wish is strictly impersonal and absolutely means, “Let there be happiness, bliss and peacefulness, safety and good health everywhere in the world”, or “May health and happiness extend to all beings regardless of race and nationalities.”

This is true love and friendliness or loving-kindness without wanting any reward from all living beings. Unless and until “True love” truly fills the mind, the object-forming processes continue uncontrolled, ceaselessly changing and becomes something else, so to spread our true love indefinitely the veils and mask of illusion and ignorance that always prevents us must be thrown off or rooted out.

Resulting in freedom of the mind true love brings about both mundane and supra mundane benefits. These, pointed out by the Buddha, include more results.

Sleeping well and peacefully,
Waking up well and happily,
Being loved by human beings,
Being protected or helped by deities,
Being unharmed by fire, poisons or weapons,

The tranquillity of the mind,
To have beautiful complexion,
A charming personality,
To have freedom from pain and fear at death,

If not yet be enlightened or awakened to the ultimate truth in this life, you will be born in a higher and peaceful realm.
Seeing that through the practice of metta or true love will bring about the spiritual and mental tranquillity, all of us are requested to practice true love either for the foundation of ‘insight meditation’ or for the peace of the human society. Last but not least the practice of true love will set us very well indeed on the middle path to the final goal of life; namely Nibbana as the state of no suffering.

Lastly this is my wholehearted sincerity and honest wish, “May all of you always be blessed with good health, live in the real friendliness and succeed in daily living.”