Metta, Mettā: 12 definitions
Introduction:
Metta means something in Buddhism, Pali, Jainism, Prakrit, Tamil. If you want to know the exact meaning, history, etymology or English translation of this term then check out the descriptions on this page. Add your comment or reference to a book if you want to contribute to this summary article.
In Buddhism
Theravada (major branch of Buddhism)
Source: Access to Insight: A Glossary of Pali and Buddhist TermsLoving kindness; goodwill. One of the ten perfections (paramis) and one of the four "sublime abodes" (brahma vihara).Source: Dhamma Dana: Pali English GlossaryN (Love (empty of attachment, of desire, of passion and infatuation)). Fact to deeply wish happiness to others.
Source: Pali Kanon: Manual of Buddhist Terms and Doctrines'loving-kindness', is one of the 4 sublime abodes (brahma-vihāra).
Source: Dhamma Study: CetasikasLoving kindness, metta, is a form of adosa which is directed towards living beings. Its function is to prefer welfare. It is manifested as the removal of annoyance.
Loving kindness (metta) is among the four meditation subjects which are called the "divine abidings" (brahma-viharas).
Theravāda is a major branch of Buddhism having the the Pali canon (tipitaka) as their canonical literature, which includes the vinaya-pitaka (monastic rules), the sutta-pitaka (Buddhist sermons) and the abhidhamma-pitaka (philosophy and psychology).
General definition (in Buddhism)
Source: Wisdom Library: BuddhismMetta:—Loving kindness
Source: Amaravati: Glossary(met tah) loving kindness, goodwill, friendliness.
Source: Buddhist Information: MettaThe Pali word metta is a multi significant term meaning loving kindness, friendliness, goodwill, benevolence, fellowship, amity, concord, inoffensiveness and non violence. The Pali commentators define metta as the strong wish for the welfare and happiness of others (parahita parasukha kamana). Essentially metta is an altruistic attitude of love and friendliness as distinguished from mere amiability based on self interest.
Through metta one refuses to be offensive and renounces bitterness, resentment and animosity of every kind, developing instead a mind of friendliness, accommodativeness and benevolence which seeks the well being and happiness of others. True metta is devoid of self interest. It evokes within a warm hearted feeling of fellowship, sympathy and love, which grows boundless with practice and overcomes all social, religious, racial, political and economic barriers. Metta is indeed a universal, unselfish and all embracing love.
Source: Buddhist Information: A Simple Guide to LifeMetta is goodwill, loving kindness, universal love, a feeling of friendliness and heartfelt concern for all living beings, human or non human, in all situations. The chief mark of metta is a benevolent attitude: a keen desire to promote the welfare of others. Metta subdues the vice of hatred in all its varied shades: anger, ill will, aversion, and resentment. The Buddha said:
Hatreds do not cease through hatredsSource: Shambala Publications: General
Anywhere at anytime.
Through love alone do they cease:
This is an eternal law.
(Dhp. v. 5)
Metta, which can be translated from Pali as “love” or “lovingkindness,” is the first of the brahma-viharas, the “heavenly abodes.” The others—compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity—grow out of metta, which supports and extends these states.
Metta is the ability to embrace all parts of ourselves, as well as all parts of the world. Practicing metta illuminates our inner integrity because it relieves us of the need to deny different aspects of ourselves. We can open to everything with the healing force of love. When we feel love, our mind is expansive and open enough to include the entirety of life in full awareness, both its pleasures and its pains.
We feel neither betrayed by pain nor overcome by it, and thus we can contact that which is undamaged within us regardless of the situation. Metta sees truly that our integrity is inviolate, no matter what our life situation may be. We do not need to fear anything. We are whole: our deepest happiness is intrinsic to the nature of our minds, and it is not damaged through uncertainty and change.
Languages of India and abroad
Pali-English dictionary
Source: BuddhaSasana: Concise Pali-English Dictionarymettā : (f.) amity; benevolence.
Source: Sutta: The Pali Text Society's Pali-English DictionaryMetta, (adj. nt.) (cp. Vedic maitra “belonging to Mitra”; Epic Sk. maitra “friendly, ” fr. mitra) friendly, benevolent, kind as adj. at D. III, 191 (mettena kāya-kammena etc.), 245 (°ṃ vacī-kammaṃ); as nt. for mettā in cpds. of mettā (cp. mettaṃsa) and by itself at D. I, 227 (mettaṃ+cittaṃ), perhaps also at Sn. 507. (Page 540)
— or —
Mettā, (f.) (abstr. fr. mitra=mitta, cp. Vedic maitraṃ. According to Asl. 192 (cp. Expos. 258) derived fr. mid to love, to be fat: “mejjati mettā siniyhatī ti attho”) love, amity, sympathy, friendliness, active interest in others. There are var. definitions & explanations of mettā: the stereotype “metti mettāyanā mettāyitattaṃ mettā cetovimutti” Vbh. 86=272; occurring as “metti mettāyanā mettāyitattaṃ anudā anudāyana anudāyitattaṃ hitesitā anukampā abyāpādo ... kusalamūlaṃ” at Nd1 488 & Dhs. 1056 (where T. mettaṃ for metti, but see Dhs. trsl. 2 253). By Bdhgh at SnA 128 explained in distinction fr. karuṇā (which is “ahita-dukkh-âpanayakāmatā”) as “hita-sukh-ûpanaya-kāmatā, ” i.e. desire of bringing welfare & good to one’s fellow-men. Cp. definition of mettā at Vism. 317.—Sn. 73 (see Nd2 p. 232), 967; D. III, 247 sq. , 279; Vism. 111, 321 sq.; SnA 54; PvA. 66 (khanti, m. , anudaya); Sdhp. 484, 487. ‹-› Phrases occurring frequently: mettā ceto-vimutti D. I, 251; S. II, 265; A. IV, 150; It. 20; Vbh. 86 and passim. mettā-sahagatena cetasā with a heart full of love D. I, 250; II, 186; III, 49 sq. , 78, 223 sq.; S. V, 115; A. I, 183; II, 129; IV, 390; V, 299, 344; explained in detail at Vism. 308. mettaṃ karoti (Loc.) to be friendly or sympathize with Mhvs 12, 23.—In cpds. usually mettā°, but shortened to metta° in metta-cittaṃ kindly thought, a heart full of love D. I, 167; III, 237; Sn. 507; Pv. II, 1317; J. VI, 71; and metta-jhāna love-meditation, as explanation of m.—citta at SnA 417; PvA. 167. —aṃsa (mettaṃsa) sympathetic, showing love towards It. 22 (v. l. °āsa); J. IV, 71 (=metta-koṭṭhāsa mettacitta C.). —kammaṭṭhāna the k. of sympathy DhA. IV, 108. —bhāvanā cultivation or development of friendliness (towards all living beings) J. I, 176; III, 45; Miln. 199; Vism. 295. —vihārin abiding in kindliness Dh. 368; DhA. IV, 108; Nett 25; Vism. 324; PvA. 230. (Page 540)
Pali is the language of the Tipiṭaka, which is the sacred canon of Theravāda Buddhism and contains much of the Buddha’s speech. Closeley related to Sanskrit, both languages are used interchangeably between religions.
Prakrit-English dictionary
Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionaryMetta (मेत्त) in the Prakrit language is related to the Sanskrit word: Mātra.
Prakrit is an ancient language closely associated with both Pali and Sanskrit. Jain literature is often composed in this language or sub-dialects, such as the Agamas and their commentaries which are written in Ardhamagadhi and Maharashtri Prakrit. The earliest extant texts can be dated to as early as the 4th century BCE although core portions might be older.
Tamil dictionary
Source: DDSA: University of Madras: Tamil LexiconMetta (மெத்த) adverb < மெத்து-. [methu-.] Much, abundantly, greatly; மிகவும். மெத்த நேயவனை [migavum. metha neyavanai] (தேவாரம் [thevaram] 758, 7).
Tamil is an ancient language of India from the Dravidian family spoken by roughly 250 million people mainly in southern India and Sri Lanka.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Starts with (+21): Metta Sutta, Metta Theri, Metta Vagga, Metta-tamara, Mettabhavana, Mettacitta, Mettadi, Mettage, Mettagu, Mettagu Puccha, Mettai, Mettaipparai, Mettaippay, Mettaisu, Mettaji, Mettakammatthana, Mettakatha, Mettakayika, Mettakki, Mettali.
Ends with: Khantimetta, Mahametta, Naaga metta, Urumetta.
Full-text (+49): Brahmavihara, Metha, Mettayati, Metta Sutta, Mettayana, Karaniyametta Sutta, Loving Kindness, Naaga metta, Matra, Metti, Metta-tamara, Pamanna, Viharin, Appamanna, Metan, Parami, Paramita, Karuna, Khantimetta, Bandhuma.
Relevant text
Search found 79 books and stories containing Metta, Metha, Mettā, Mētta; (plurals include: Mettas, Methas, Mettās, Mēttas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Dhammapada (Illustrated) (by Ven. Weagoda Sarada Maha Thero)
Verse 368-376 - The Story of a Devout Lady and the Thieves < [Chapter 25 - Bhikkhu Vagga (The Monk)]
Verse 130 - The Story of a Group of Six Monks (continued) < [Chapter 10 - Daṇḍa Vagga (Punishment)]
Verse 360-361 - The Story of Five Monks in Sāvatthi < [Chapter 25 - Bhikkhu Vagga (The Monk)]
The Great Chronicle of Buddhas (by Ven. Mingun Sayadaw)
(9) Ninth Pāramī: The Perfection of Loving-kindness (mettā-pāramī) < [Chapter 6 - On Pāramitā]
(10) Tenth Pāramī: The Perfection of Equanimity (upekkhā-pāramī) < [Chapter 6 - On Pāramitā]
Part 11 - Classification of the Pāramīs < [Chapter 7 - On Miscellany]
Metta (by Ācariya Buddharakkhita)
Part 2 - Method 2 < [Chapter 6 - Meditation On Metta]
Mindfulness Meditation Made Easy (by Dhammasami)
Chapter 2 - The Practice Of Metta Meditation
Chapter 11 - Why Meditation Retreat
The Book of Protection (by Piyadassi Thera)
Discourse 5 - Protection Of The Aggregates < [Discourses]
Discourse 4 - Discourse On Loving-kindness < [Discourses]
The Buddha and His Teachings (by Narada Thera)
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