 |
 |
Three Aspects of Metta
The Metta Sutta consists of 3 parts. The first part involves a thorough
application of loving-kindness in one's day-to-day conduct. The
second part expresses loving-kindness as a technique of meditation
or culture of mind leading to samadhi -- higher consciousness. And
the third part underlines a total commitment to the philosophy of
universal love and its personal, social and empirical extensions
-- loving-kindness through all bodily, verbal and mental activities.
The practice of metta can be likened to bringing into being a great
tree, from the time the seed is sown to the time the tree is heavily
laden with luscious fruits and sends forth its sweet odor far and
wide, attracting myriads of creatures to it to enjoy its tasty and
nutritious bounty. The sprouting of the seed and the growth of the
plant are, as it were, brought about by the first part of the sutta.
In the second part the tree, robust and developed, is fully covered
with fragrant and beautiful flowers, riveting all eyes upon it.
As a pattern of behavior, the first aspect of metta makes one's
life grow like a tree, useful, generous and noble. Metta, as meditation,
effects that spiritual efflorescence whereby one's entire life becomes
a source of joy for all. The third part envisages in this imagery
the fruition of that process of spiritual development whereby one
brings about an all-embracing application of spiritual love which
can powerfully condition society as a whole and lead one to the
heights of transcendental realization.
The human mind is like a mine holding an inexhaustible storehouse
of spiritual power and insight. This immense inner potential of
merit can be fully exploited only by the practice of metta, as is
clear from the description of metta as that "maturing force"
which ripens the dormant merits. In the Mangala Sutta it is said
that only after one has effected an elevating interpersonal relationship
(by resorting to good company, etc.) does one choose the right environment
for the merits of the past to find fruition. This finding of fruition
is exactly what metta does. Mere avoidance of wrong company and
living in a cultured environment is not enough; the mind must be
cultivated by metta. Hence the allusion to the fruition of past
merit.
Adapted from http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/bps/wheels/wheel365.html#ch3 |
|
|
news.bbc.co.uk/
democracynow.org
nyc.indymedia.org
sf.indymedia.org/
indybay.org/
And
if you get overwhelmed: Practice Metta!
|
