Metta Sutta for the Dark of the Year This is the work for those who are skilled and peaceful and who seek the good.
May they be able and upright,
Straightforward of gentle speech and not proud.
May they be content and easily supported,
Unburdened,
With their senses calmed.
May they be wise,
Not arrogant and without desire for the possessions of others.
May they do nothing mean or that the wise would reprove.
May all beings be happy.
May they live in safety and joy.
All beings,
Whether weak or strong,
Tall,
Stout,
Medium or short,
Seen or unseen,
Near or distant,
Born or unborn,
May they be happy.
Let no one deceive another or despise any being in any state.
Let none by anger or hatred wish harm to another.
As a mother watches over her child,
Willing to risk her life to protect her only child,
So with a boundless heart should one cherish all living beings,
Suffusing the whole world with unobstructed loving-kindness.
Standing or walking,
Sitting or lying down during all one's waking hours,
May one remain ever mindful of this heart and this way of living which is the best in the world.
Unattached to speculations,
Views or sense desires,
With clear vision,
Such a person will never be reborn again in the cycles of suffering.
This is my favorite translation of the Metta Sutta,
Though I do not know who did the translation.
I've had this piece of paper that it's printed on for so long.
I have forgotten.
I have spent various amounts of time with this sutta over the years,
Not thinking about it,
Not reflecting on it,
Not pulling apart and worrying over every sentence,
Though there are many sentences I love,
Not thinking,
Just speaking it,
Reciting it aloud.
Prayers,
Poems,
Essays,
Short stories,
Any written words recited aloud,
Bring out the poignancy and the lyricism of the words.
The words become alive and suffuse us.
There is no need to think about them.
Speaking them is inhabiting them,
Having the words embed themselves in you,
Especially favorite lines.
I find myself repeating and savoring the lines I love in all sorts of written word.
And in this sutta for sure,
There are the opening lines.
This is the work of those who are skilled and peaceful and who seek the good.
And of course the refrain is,
May all beings be happy,
May they live in safety and joy.
And not certain beings,
All beings,
Whether weak or strong,
Tall,
Stout,
Medium,
Or short,
Seen or unseen,
Near or distant,
Born or unborn,
May they be happy.
And the stanza that uses the metaphor of a mother watching over her child,
Willing to risk her life to protect her only child,
Ends with,
And so with a boundless heart,
Should one cherish all living beings,
Suffusing the whole world with unobstructed loving-kindness.
Whoever cares or has cared for a child knows that unconditional love.
If you haven't,
Then perhaps an animal,
A plant,
A tree,
A place,
Connects you to a passionate love.
That asks you to risk everything.
And when should we act in this way?
The sutta says,
Standing or walking,
Sitting or lying down,
During all one's waking hours,
May one remain ever mindful of this heart and this way of living,
Which is the best in the world.
That last line,
This way of living,
Which is the best in the world,
Is an almost childlike statement,
But indeed it is also so sure of itself.
The whole sutta is so sure and confident in the benefits of loving-kindness.
It is full of the certitude that love and compassion are the best way to be in this world.
I used to think this sutta was Pollyanna to the max,
But over time,
Especially in this last year,
It is clear to me that if others want to suffuse the world with ill-will and cruelty and brutality,
Then this is the antidote.
And not only the antidote,
But our birthright.
Joy and love,
Compassion and care must exist next to sorrow and cruelty.
And we have to feel what it is that we want.
We can't just think it.
We can't just tweet about it,
Or quote,
Like it,
Or add a love it or prayer hands emoji.
We have to feel it.
We have to feel it in our bones,
In our muscles.
What is true?
What is right?
It is right and true that love makes us feel happy.
We do not feel happy when we are irritated and annoyed and bothered,
Angry and jealous and resentful.
And of course those things are going to happen,
But do we want to stay there?
Where do you want to put your attention?
Where do you want to be?
I grew up rooted in pessimism,
Sarcasm,
And fear in my family of origin.
But I want to be rooted in love.
As Shakespeare said in Sonnet 116,
Love is not love which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove.
Oh no,
It is an ever-fixed mark that looks on tempests and is never shaken.
So let's listen deeply to the Sutta one more time.
This is the work for those who are skilled and peaceful,
And who seek the good.
May they be able and upright,
Straightforward of gentle speech and not proud.
May they be content and easily supported,
Unburdened,
With their senses calmed.
May they be wise,
Not arrogant,
And without desire for the possessions of others.
May they do nothing mean,
Or that the wise would reprove.
May all beings be happy,
May they live in safety and joy.
All beings,
Whether weak or strong,
Tall,
Stout,
Medium or short,
Seen or unseen,
Near or distant,
Born or unborn,
May they be happy.
Let no one deceive another,
Or despise any being in any state.
Let none by anger or hatred wish harm to another.
As a mother watches over her child,
Willing to risk her life to protect her only child,
So with a boundless heart should one cherish all living beings,
Suffusing the whole world with unobstructed loving-kindness.
Standing or walking,
Sitting or lying down,
During all one's waking hours,
May one remain ever mindful of this heart and this way of living,
Which is the best in the world.
Unattached to speculations,
Views,
Or sense-desires,
With clear vision,
Such a person will never be reborn again in the cycles of suffering.
Thank you so much for listening.
Take care of your heart.
