Bharat Devotion
Embroidered artwork for The Discourse on Loving-Kindness (Mettā Sutta): Embroidered Buddha seated in meditation on a pink lotus, with a golden dharma wheel and a white stupa in the mountains

The Discourse on Loving-Kindness (Mettā Sutta)

SuttasTheravadaBuddha

The Discourse on Loving-Kindness (Mettā Sutta)

The Karaniya Metta Sutta (Sn 1.8): the Buddha's discourse on boundless loving-kindness toward all beings, chanted for protection.

Verses

Karaniyam atthakusalena Yan tan santan padan abhisamecca Sakko uju ca suhuju ca Suvaco cassa mudu anatimaani

Verse 1

Santussako ca subharo ca Appakicco ca sallahukavutti Santindriyo ca nipako ca Appagabbho kulesu ananugiddho

Verse 2

Na ca khuddan samaacare kinchi Yena vinnyoo pare upavadeyyun Sukhino vaa khemino hontu Sabbe sattaa bhavantu sukhitattaa

Verse 3

Ye keci paanabhootatthi Tasaa vaa thaavaraa vaa anavasesaa Deeghaa vaa ye mahantaa vaa Majjhimaa rassakaa anukathoolaa

Verse 4

Ditthaa vaa yeva aditthaa Ye ca doore vasanti avidoore Bhootaa vaa sambhavesee vaa Sabbe sattaa bhavantu sukhitattaa

Verse 5

Na paro paran nikubbetha Naatimannyetha katthaci nan kanchi Byaarosanaa patighasannyaa Naannyamannyassa dukkham iccheyya

Verse 6

Maataa yathaa niyan puttan Aayusaa ekaputtamanurakkhe Evan pi sabbabhootesu Maanasan bhaavaye aparimaanan

Verse 7

Mettan ca sabbalokasmin Maanasan bhaavaye aparimaanan Uddhan adho ca tiriyan ca Asambaadhan averan asapattan

Verse 8

Titthan caran nisinno vaa Sayaano vaa yaavatassa vigatamiddho Etan satin adhittheyya Brahmametan vihaaran idhamaahu

Verse 9

Ditthin ca anupagamma seelavaa Dassanena sampanno Kaamesu vineyya gedhan Na hi jaatu gabbhaseyyan punar eteeti

Verse 10

Worship Guidelines & Chanting Benefits (Phalashruti)

Auspicious Day

Daily or auspicious lunar days (Ekadashi, Purnima, Pradosham)

Best Time (Muhurta)

Brahma Muhurta (4:00 AM – 6:00 AM) or Evening Dusk (Sandhya)

Sacred Offerings

Ghee lamp (Deepa), Incense (Dhoopa), Fresh flowers & Water offering

Spiritual Benefits (Phalashruti)
  • Peace of mind, spiritual upliftment, and harmonious energy in the home

Background

The Mettā Sutta is part of the Sutta Nipata, an early collection within the Pali Canon of Theravada Buddhism. It is traditionally recited as a blessing and a meditation guide, often chanted by monks and laypeople to foster compassion, protect against harm, and develop a mind of unconditional love. The sutta emphasizes virtues like humility, contentment, and non-harm, and describes the fruits of such practice, including rebirth in higher realms. It appears as Sutta Nipata 1.8 and also as Khuddakapatha 9.

Story & Significance

The Buddha's teaching on metta, boundless loving-kindness, given to monks frightened by forest spirits and chanted across Theravada countries ever since.

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About this Text

Composed by: Gautama Buddha · Founder of Buddhism · c. 5th–6th century BCE, Northern India/Nepal

Born Siddhartha Gautama in Lumbini, he attained enlightenment and spent the rest of his life teaching the Dhamma across northern India. His discourses (Suttas), preserved orally for generations before being written down in the Pali Canon, form the doctrinal foundation of Buddhism.

Did You Know?

Origin

The Karaniya Metta Sutta, or Discourse on Loving-Kindness, is attributed to the Buddha and is part of the Sutta Nipata (a collection of early Buddhist discourses). It is one of the most recited and chanted texts in Theravada Buddhism, often used for daily meditation and protection.

Structure

The sutta is in Pali verse and has a clear three-part flow: (1) how a virtuous person should prepare the mind (verses 1–4), (2) the practice of radiating boundless good will to all beings (verses 5–8), and (3) the fruit of such practice—freedom from rebirth (verse 9).

Key analogy

Verse 6 uses the unforgettable image of a mother protecting her only child—even risking her life—as the model for the all‑embracing, unconditional love one should cultivate toward every living being.

Practical meditation

The sutta is the foundational text for metta bhavana (loving‑kindness meditation). Practitioners systematically extend goodwill to beings in all directions (up, down, across) and to all categories (short, tall, seen, unseen) as described in verses 3–5 and 7.

Result

The final verse declares that by cultivating this boundless loving‑kindness, free from wrong views and sensual craving, one attains a state called 'brahma‑vihara' (divine abode) and does not return to a womb—meaning the practice leads to liberation (nirvana).