AN 4 The Book of the Fours – Catukkanipāta > AN 4.125 Love (1st)

Numbered Discourses 4.125 – Aṅguttara Nikāya 4.125

13. Fears – 13. Bhayavagga

AN 4.125 Love (1st) – Paṭhamamettāsutta

1.1

“Bhikkhū, these four people are found in the world.

“Cattārome, bhikkhave, puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ.

1.2

What four?

Katame cattāro?

1.3

Firstly, a person meditates spreading a heart full of love to one direction, and to the second, and to the third, and to the fourth. In the same way above, below, across, everywhere, all around, they spread a heart full of love to the whole world—abundant, expansive, limitless, free of enmity and ill will.

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo mettāsahagatena cetasā ekaṁ disaṁ pharitvā viharati, tathā dutiyaṁ tathā tatiyaṁ tathā catutthaṁ. Iti uddhamadho tiriyaṁ sabbadhi sabbattatāya sabbāvantaṁ lokaṁ mettāsahagatena cetasā vipulena mahaggatena appamāṇena averena abyāpajjena pharitvā viharati.

1.4

They enjoy this and like it and find it satisfying.

So tadassādeti, taṁ nikāmeti, tena ca vittiṁ āpajjati.

1.5

If they abide in that, are committed to it, and meditate on it often without losing it, when they die they’re reborn in the company of the gods of Brahmā’s Host.

Tattha ṭhito tadadhimutto tabbahulavihārī aparihīno kālaṁ kurumāno brahmakāyikānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati.

1.6

The lifespan of the gods of Brahma’s Host is one eon.

Brahmakāyikānaṁ, bhikkhave, devānaṁ kappo āyuppamāṇaṁ.

1.7

An ordinary person stays there until the lifespan of those gods is spent, then they go to hell or the animal realm or the ghost realm.

Tattha puthujjano yāvatāyukaṁ ṭhatvā yāvatakaṁ tesaṁ devānaṁ āyuppamāṇaṁ taṁ sabbaṁ khepetvā nirayampi gacchati tiracchānayonimpi gacchati pettivisayampi gacchati.

1.8

But a disciple of the Buddha stays there until the lifespan of those gods is spent, then they’re extinguished in that very life.

Bhagavato pana sāvako tattha yāvatāyukaṁ ṭhatvā yāvatakaṁ tesaṁ devānaṁ āyuppamāṇaṁ taṁ sabbaṁ khepetvā tasmiṁyeva bhave parinibbāyati.

1.9

This is the difference between an educated noble disciple and an uneducated ordinary person, that is, when there is a place of rebirth.

Ayaṁ kho, bhikkhave, viseso ayaṁ adhippayāso idaṁ nānākaraṇaṁ sutavato ariyasāvakassa assutavatā puthujjanena, yadidaṁ gatiyā upapattiyā sati.

2.1

Furthermore, a person meditates spreading a heart full of compassion …

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, idhekacco puggalo karuṇāsahagatena cetasā …pe…

2.2

rejoicing …

muditāsahagatena cetasā …pe…

2.3

equanimity to one direction, and to the second, and to the third, and to the fourth. In the same way above, below, across, everywhere, all around, they spread a heart full of equanimity to the whole world—abundant, expansive, limitless, free of enmity and ill will.

upekkhāsahagatena cetasā ekaṁ disaṁ pharitvā viharati, tathā dutiyaṁ tathā tatiyaṁ tathā catutthaṁ. Iti uddhamadho tiriyaṁ sabbadhi sabbattatāya sabbāvantaṁ lokaṁ upekkhāsahagatena cetasā vipulena mahaggatena appamāṇena averena abyāpajjena pharitvā viharati.

2.4

They enjoy this and like it and find it satisfying.

So tadassādeti, taṁ nikāmeti, tena ca vittiṁ āpajjati.

2.5

If they abide in that, are committed to it, and meditate on it often without losing it, when they die they’re reborn in the company of the gods of streaming radiance. The lifespan of the gods of streaming radiance is two eons.

Tattha ṭhito tadadhimutto tabbahulavihārī aparihīno kālaṁ kurumāno ābhassarānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati.

2.6

… they’re reborn in the company of the gods replete with glory. The lifespan of the gods replete with glory is four eons.

Ābhassarānaṁ, bhikkhave, devānaṁ dve kappā āyuppamāṇaṁ …pe… subhakiṇhānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati.

2.7

… they’re reborn in the company of the gods of abundant fruit.

Subhakiṇhānaṁ, bhikkhave, devānaṁ cattāro kappā āyuppamāṇaṁ …pe… vehapphalānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati.

2.8

The lifespan of the gods of abundant fruit is five hundred eons.

Vehapphalānaṁ, bhikkhave, devānaṁ pañca kappasatāni āyuppamāṇaṁ.

2.9

An ordinary person stays there until the lifespan of those gods is spent, then they go to hell or the animal realm or the ghost realm.

Tattha puthujjano yāvatāyukaṁ ṭhatvā yāvatakaṁ tesaṁ devānaṁ āyuppamāṇaṁ taṁ sabbaṁ khepetvā nirayampi gacchati tiracchānayonimpi gacchati pettivisayampi gacchati.

2.10

But a disciple of the Buddha stays there until the lifespan of those gods is spent, then they’re extinguished in that very life.

Bhagavato pana sāvako tattha yāvatāyukaṁ ṭhatvā yāvatakaṁ tesaṁ devānaṁ āyuppamāṇaṁ taṁ sabbaṁ khepetvā tasmiṁyeva bhave parinibbāyati.

2.11

This is the difference between an educated noble disciple and an uneducated ordinary person, that is, when there is a place of rebirth.

Ayaṁ kho, bhikkhave, viseso ayaṁ adhippayāso idaṁ nānākaraṇaṁ sutavato ariyasāvakassa assutavatā puthujjanena, yadidaṁ gatiyā upapattiyā sati.

2.12

These are the four people found in the world.”

Ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmin”ti.

2.13

Pañcamaṁ.