Bhāvanā (Meditation) > 5. Ariya Mettā Bhāvanā (Loving Kindness Meditation)

Revised February 11, 2020

The top 10 posts in this section describe the fundamentals of Buddhist meditation. The rest of the posts in this section are on possible meditation subjects. They can be used to clarify unresolved questions, and to get to samādhi. The first 11 posts should be followed in that order, at least initially.

Introduction

1. We all have acquired innumerable “bad kamma vipāka” in this cycle of rebirths (saṁsāra) that has no beginning. There is a very simple recipe for stopping many of such “bad kamma vipāka” from coming to fruition by “wearing out” and ultimately removing the “kamma seeds” (kamma bīja) associated with them.

▪We acquire a bad “kamma seed” when we do something wrong to a living being, and we become indebted to that being. Just like we can become “debt-free” by paying off debts, we can pay off that debt. The problem is that we have become indebted to innumerable beings in previous rebirths. In the Mettāsahagata Sutta (SN46.54) and other suttā, the Buddha has explained how much of this debt can be paid off by doing the Ariya metta bhāvanā and also by transferring merits to “all beings” when we do a good deed; see, “Transfer of Merits (Pattidana) – How Does it Happen?.”

▪Here we focus on the Ariya Mettā Bhāvanā. First some background material to clarify what this means. Also see, “Karaniya Mettā Sutts – Mettā Bhāvanā.”

Mundane Mettā Bhāvanā

2. The standard or mundane Mettā bhāvanā (loving kindness meditation) goes something like, “May myself and all beings be free of suffering, healthy, happy, and be free of all suffering”, or some similar (longer) passages.

▪Any type of such meditation is of course good. It makes your own mind calm down, and makes you think about the (mundane) welfare of the other beings.

Ariya Mettā Bhāvanā

3. However, the Ariya Mettā Bhāvanā has a much more deeper meaning. It is done with at least some idea of the complexity of “this world” with 31 realms and the status of the beings in those realms. In order to cultivate true compassion and loving-kindness one NEEDS TO FEEL the possible suffering in all those realms; see, “The Grand Unified Theory of Dhamma”:

▪The beings in the lowest four realms (apāyā) undergo unimaginable suffering, both physical and mental.

▪In the lowest five realms (the apāyā and the human realm), beings have physical bodies that are subject to sicknesses, body aches, and getting old before dying.

▪The sixth through eleventh realms are that of the devas. They have spontaneous births with fully formed (but less dense) bodies that are not subjected to sickness, aches and pains. There are no visible signs of old age until close to death. But they also have all five physical senses just like the lower five realms. But their physical bodies are much more dense, “Body Types in 31 Realms – Important of Manomaya Kāya.”

▪The higher 20 realms that include rūpa loka and arūpa loka have even less dense bodies than the devas, and do not have the physical sense faculties for taste, smell, and body touch. Thus any suffering they have is all mental, and not as intense as in the lower realms.

The Difference With the Sotāpanna stage

4. Therefore, no living being is free of FUTURE suffering in any of the 31 realms, because unless the Sotāpanna stage of Nibbāna has been attained, even the beings in the highest realm can end up even in the apāyā (lowest four realms) in future rebirths.

▪And the only way to attain the Sotāpanna stage of Nibbāna is by comprehending the Three Characteristics of this world of 31 realms: anicca, dukkha, anatta.

▪The first level of understanding of anicca, dukkha, anatta leads to the Sotāpanna stage; when one attains the Sotāpanna stage, one becomes free from the apāyā FOREVER. This happens via the inability of the mind of a Sotāpanna to generate certain cittā with “apāyagāmī” kammic power; see, “Akusala Citta – How a Sotāpanna avoids Apayagami Citta” and “Conditions for the Four Stages of Nibbāna”.

Higher Stages of Magga Phala

5. When the next stage of Nibbāna (Sakadāgāmī stage) is attained, one becomes free of births in the lower five realms where suffering due to physical ailments and diseases are possible. Thus one PERMANENTLY becomes “healthy” by attaining the Sakadāgāmī stage.

▪At the Anāgāmī stage, one removes more akusala citta (and other fulfill other conditions; see, “Conditions for the Four Stages of Nibbāna”), and will never be born again in kāma loka including the deva realm. Thus one becomes PERMANENTLY free of any physical suffering.

▪Then at the Arahant stage, all defilements are removed from the mind, and one will never be reborn in any of the 31 realms. The mind truly becomes free and one attains permanent nirāmisa sukha; see, “Three Kinds of Happiness – What is nirāmisa sukha?” and other posts on nirāmisa sukha.

▪As you can see, the Ariya Mettā Bhāvanā is similar in structure to the conventional one, but the words have deeper meanings. For example, by saying “be healthy” now it is meant to be healthy forever. That means not to be born ever with a body that is subject to diseases and old age.

Elements of the Ariya Mettā Bhāvanā

6. Now we can see how the Ariya Mettā Bhāvanā is formulated:

▪“May myself and all living beings attain the Sotāpanna stage and be free from suffering in the apāyā forever”
“May myself and all living beings attain the Sakadāgāmī stage and be healthy forever”.
“May myself and all living beings attain the Anāgāmī stage and be content (attain peaceful happiness) forever”.
“May myself and all living beings attain the Arahant stage and be free from all suffering and attain the full Nibbānic bliss”.

▪All four Brahma Vihāra (mettā, karuṇā, muditā, upekkhā) cultivate with this bhāvanā.

▪Off course, the Bhāvanā becomes increasingly effective as one starts to comprehend Tilakkhaṇa better.

Just Chanting Is Not Enough

7. What matters is not the particular set of word used, but what is felt in one’s heart. In order to do that one needs to truly comprehend that there is REAL SUFFERING in this world, not only at the human or animal realms but in many other realms.

▪The impact of the Mettā Bhāvanā increases gradually with an increased understanding of anicca, dukkha, anatta, because then one realizes the dangers and suffering that all living beings face in future lives.

▪The potential of the Mettā Bhāvanā is enormous. The Buddha said one could attain the Anāgāmī stage by correctly doing the Mettā Bhāvanā. But that entails understanding anicca, dukkha, anatta, i.e., attaining the Sotāpanna stage or at least embark on the path to Sotāpanna stage.

▪However, even before attaining the Sotāpanna stage, one could reap many benefits by doing this correct Ariya Mettā Bhāvanā; see, “Kamma, Debt, and Meditation.”

Essential of Meditation

8. It is best to do Ariya Mettā Bhāvanā and Vipassanā Bhāvanā (meditation on anicca, dukkha, anatta and other dhamma concepts) in a sitting meditation session every day; see, “4. What do all these Different Meditation Techniques Mean?.”

▪Initially, 10-15 minutes would be good for formal meditation. That time will automatically increase as the nirāmisa sukha sets in one starts seeing the benefits. Later on, one could stay in meditation for hours.

▪Of course, Ānāpānasati needs to be practiced the whole day. Ānāpānasati means being aware of what is “taken in” (āna) and what is “discarded” (āpāna.) See, “7. What is Ānāpāna?” and other related posts in the meditation section.

▪Listening to discourses and reading about Dhamma are also forms of meditation. That should be done during quiet times so the key concepts can be absorbed.

Results Will Grow With Better Understanding

9. The Ariya Mettā Bhāvanā is one of the most POTENT tools that we have. It is a simple concept, but the main difficulty is with the “Ariya” part. One needs to comprehend anicca, dukkha, anatta for the bhāvanā to be fully effective.

▪Still, even the mundane version stated in #2 above is a good start. As one follows the Path and understands the concepts better (not the book knowledge), the javana power in one’s thoughts become strong, and the bhāvanā becomes stronger and more effective.

▪In the Abhidhamma language, the most potent kusala citta is the “somanassa sahagata ñāṇa sampayutta asaṅkhārika citta,” i.e., the “thought that arises with joy and wisdom automatically”. This thought also gets stronger with increasing wisdom and gets stronger as one gets to Sotāpanna magga, Sotāpanna phala, etc and optimum only at the Arahant stage.

▪Yet even when one is following the mundane eightfold path, this citta is there, at a lower strength. One needs to be cultivate it. See, “Buddha Dhamma – In a Chart,” and “What is Unique in Buddha Dhamma.”

Next, “6. Ānāpānasati Bhāvanā (Introduction)”, ……..