Karaṇīya Mettā Sutta
“The Discourse on Love”
The Metta Sutta describes the qualities of someone who wants to reach peace, then gives the wish at its heart: “May all beings be happy!” It asks for a boundless heart toward every creature, “even as a mother would protect with her life her child, her only child,” kept in mind whether standing, walking, sitting or lying down.
How the discourse is built
- Stanzas 1–2: the kind of person who practises it: capable, upright, easy to speak to, gentle, content, living lightly.
- Stanza 3: the wish itself: “May they be happy and safe! May all beings be happy!”
- Stanzas 4–5: who is included: frail or firm, large or tiny, seen or unseen, near or far, born or about to be born.
- Stanza 6: what goodwill rules out: deceiving, looking down on anyone, wishing pain on each other even when provoked.
- Stanzas 7–8: the image of a mother and her only child, and love for the whole world, “above, below, all round.”
- Stanzas 9–10: keeping this in mind in every posture, called “a divine meditation in this life.”
Practising with it
The discourse does not give a set of phrases. The phrases many people use today (‘may you be safe, may you be well…’) are modern teachers’ formulations built on its wish. A simple start: sit for a few minutes, bring one person to mind, and silently offer the text’s own line, “May they be happy and safe.” Then widen it, the way stanzas 4 and 5 do.
About this text
The same poem as Kp 9, in the Anthology of Discourses. It describes the qualities of someone who wants to realise peace: capable, upright, easy to speak to, gentle, humble, content, unburdensome, alert, with senses calmed, and doing nothing the wise would blame. It then wishes happiness for all living creatures without exception, whatever their size, seen or unseen, near or far, born or about to be born. Let none deceive or despise another, or wish pain on anyone. As a mother protects her only child, one should unfold a boundless heart of love to the whole world, above, below, and all around.
A note on this text. The last verse says those who practise this “never return to a womb again,” a reference to rebirth.
The full text
Anthology of Discourses 1.8 · The Discourse on Love · translated by Bhikkhu Sujato · public domain (CC0) · about 1 min · on SuttaCentral
Those who are skilled in the meaning of scriptureshould practice as followsto realize the state of peace.Let them be capable and upright, very upright,easy to speak to, gentle and humble;
content and unburdensome,unbusied, living lightly,alert, with senses calmed,courteous, not fawning on families.
Let them not do the slightest thingthat others who are wise would blame.May they be happy and safe!May all beings be happy!Explained: Wishing all beings well
Whatever living creatures there arewith not a one left out—frail or firm, long or large,medium, small, tiny or round,Explained: A wish for every being
seen or unseen,living far or near,those who have been bornand those about to be born—may all beings be happy!
Let none deceive another,nor look down on anyone anywhere.Though provoked or aggrieved,let them not wish pain on each other.
Even as a mother would protect with her lifeher child, her only child,so too for all creaturesunfold a boundless heart.
With love for the whole world,unfold a boundless heart:above, below, all round,unconstricted, without enmity or foe.
When standing, walking, sitting,or lying down while yet unweary,keep this ever in mind;for this, they say, is a divine meditationin this life.
Avoiding harmful views,virtuous, accomplished in insight,with desire for sensual pleasures dispelled,they never return to a womb again.
Questions
Where is the Metta Sutta found?
The same text appears twice in the Pali canon: as Snp 1.8 in the Anthology of Discourses and as Kp 9 in the Basic Passages (Khuddakapāṭha). This site publishes it once, from Snp 1.8.
What does mettā mean?
Mettā is usually translated as loving-kindness. Sujato translates it as love, meaning goodwill: the wish for others to be happy and safe, with no ill will. See the glossary entry for love (mettā).