Metta, Mett膩: 15 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)
: 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).: Dhamma Dana: Pali English GlossaryN (Love (empty of attachment, of desire, of passion and infatuation)). Fact to deeply wish happiness to others.
: Pali Kanon: Manual of Buddhist Terms and Doctrines'loving-kindness', is one of the 4 sublime abodes (brahma-vih膩ra).
: 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).
Therav膩da 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:鈥擫oving kindness
: Amaravati: Glossary(met tah) loving kindness, goodwill, friendliness.
: 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.
: 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 hatreds: 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 鈥渓ove鈥� or 鈥渓ovingkindness,鈥� is the first of the brahma-viharas, the 鈥渉eavenly abodes.鈥� The others鈥攃ompassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity鈥攇row 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
: BuddhaSasana: Concise Pali-English Dictionarymett膩 : (f.) amity; benevolence.
: Sutta: The Pali Text Society's Pali-English DictionaryMetta, (adj. nt.) (cp. Vedic maitra 鈥渂elonging to Mitra鈥�; Epic Sk. maitra 鈥渇riendly, 鈥� fr. mitra) friendly, benevolent, kind as adj. at D. III, 191 (mettena k膩ya-kammena etc.), 245 (掳峁� vac墨-kamma峁�); as nt. for mett膩 in cpds. of mett膩 (cp. metta峁僺a) and by itself at D. I, 227 (metta峁�+citta峁�), perhaps also at Sn. 507. (Page 540)
鈥� or 鈥�
Mett膩, (f.) (abstr. fr. mitra=mitta, cp. Vedic maitra峁�. According to Asl. 192 (cp. Expos. 258) derived fr. mid to love, to be fat: 鈥渕ejjati mett膩 siniyhat墨 ti attho鈥�) love, amity, sympathy, friendliness, active interest in others. There are var. definitions & explanations of mett膩: the stereotype 鈥渕etti mett膩yan膩 mett膩yitatta峁� mett膩 cetovimutti鈥� Vbh. 86=272; occurring as 鈥渕etti mett膩yan膩 mett膩yitatta峁� anud膩 anud膩yana anud膩yitatta峁� hitesit膩 anukamp膩 aby膩p膩do ... kusalam奴la峁冣�� at Nd1 488 & Dhs. 1056 (where T. metta峁� for metti, but see Dhs. trsl. 2 253). By Bdhgh at SnA 128 explained in distinction fr. karu峁嚹� (which is 鈥渁hita-dukkh-芒panayak膩mat膩鈥�) as 鈥渉ita-sukh-没panaya-k膩mat膩, 鈥� i.e. desire of bringing welfare & good to one鈥檚 fellow-men. Cp. definition of mett膩 at Vism. 317.鈥�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. 鈥�-鈥� Phrases occurring frequently: mett膩 ceto-vimutti D. I, 251; S. II, 265; A. IV, 150; It. 20; Vbh. 86 and passim. mett膩-sahagatena cetas膩 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. metta峁� karoti (Loc.) to be friendly or sympathize with Mhvs 12, 23.鈥擨n cpds. usually mett膩掳, but shortened to metta掳 in metta-citta峁� kindly thought, a heart full of love D. I, 167; III, 237; Sn. 507; Pv. II, 1317; J. VI, 71; and metta-jh膩na love-meditation, as explanation of m.鈥攃itta at SnA 417; PvA. 167. 鈥攁峁僺补 (metta峁僺a) sympathetic, showing love towards It. 22 (v. l. 掳膩sa); J. IV, 71 (=metta-ko峁弓h膩sa mettacitta C.). 鈥攌补尘尘补峁弓丑腻苍补 the k. of sympathy DhA. IV, 108. 鈥攂丑腻惫补苍腻 cultivation or development of friendliness (towards all living beings) J. I, 176; III, 45; Miln. 199; Vism. 295. 鈥搀颈丑腻谤颈苍 abiding in kindliness Dh. 368; DhA. IV, 108; Nett 25; Vism. 324; PvA. 230. (Page 540)
: Sutta: Pali Word Grammar from Pali Myanmar Dictionary1) metta (醼欋�贬�愥�贯��) [(na) (醼�)]鈥�
摆尘别迟迟腻+峁嘺闭
摆醼欋赌贬赌愥赌贯赌愥赌�+醼庐
2) mett膩 (醼欋�贬�愥�贯�愥��) [(th墨) (醼戓��)]鈥�
[mida+ta+膩锛巑itta+峁嘺+膩锛巑ijjati sinehat墨ti mett膩,ta,膩锛庯紟锛庯紟atha v膩 mitte bhav膩 mett膩锛�,峁紟161锛嶿
[醼欋���+醼�+醼♂�亱 醼欋��愥�贯��+醼�+醼♂�亱 醼欋��囜�贯�囜�愥�� 醼炨��斸�贬�熱�愥��愥�� 醼欋�贬�愥�贯�愥�亰 醼愥亰 醼♂�亱锛庯紟锛庒�♂�� 醼濁�� 醼欋��愥�贯�愥�� 醼樶�濁�� 醼欋�贬�愥�贯�愥�亱 醼撫��斸�横亰醼嬦�亱醽佱亞醽佱亱]
Pali is the language of the Tipi峁璦ka, which is the sacred canon of Therav膩da Buddhism and contains much of the Buddha鈥檚 speech. Closeley related to Sanskrit, both languages are used interchangeably between religions.
Prakrit-English dictionary
: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionaryMetta (啶啶む啶�) in the Prakrit language is related to the Sanskrit word: 惭腻迟谤补.
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
: DDSA: University of Madras: Tamil LexiconMetta (喈瘑喈む瘝喈�) adverb < 喈瘑喈む瘝喈む瘉-. [methu-.] Much, abundantly, greatly; 喈喈曕喁佮喁�. 喈瘑喈む瘝喈� 喈ㄠ瘒喈喈┼瘓 [migavum. metha neyavanai] (喈む瘒喈掂喈班喁� [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)
Partial matches: A, Mita, Metta, Na, Dhavala.
Starts with (+16): Metta Sutta, Metta Theri, Metta Vagga, Metta-tamara, Mettabhavana, Mettacitta, Mettadhika, Mettadi, Mettadu, Mettage, Mettagu, Mettagu Puccha, Mettaisu, Mettaji, Mettakammatthana, Mettakatha, Mettakayika, Mettakki, Mettali, Mettalige.
Full-text (+135): Mettayati, Mettakammatthana, Metta Sutta, Mettayana, Mettabhesajja, Mettattha, Mettaguna, Mettapariggahita, Mettasadisi, Mettasamangi, Mettadesana, Mettasineha, Mettacyana, Mettapadatthana, Mettasneha, Mettayutta, Mettavacikamma, Mettamsa, Mettayitabba, Mettayanta.
Relevant text
Search found 90 books and stories containing Metta, Mett膩, M膿tta, Metha, Metta-na, Mett膩-峁嘺, Mida-ta-a, Mida-ta-膩; (plurals include: Mettas, Mett膩s, M膿ttas, Methas, nas, 峁嘺s, as, 膩s). 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 360-361 - The Story of Five Monks in S膩vatthi < [Chapter 25 - Bhikkhu Vagga (The Monk)]
Verse 130 - The Story of a Group of Six Monks (continued) < [Chapter 10 - Da峁囜笉a Vagga (Punishment鈥�)]
Maha Buddhavamsa鈥擳he Great Chronicle of Buddhas (by Ven. Mingun Sayadaw)
(9) Ninth P膩ram墨: The Perfection of Loving-kindness (mett膩-p膩ram墨) < [Chapter 6 - On P膩ramit膩]
(10) Tenth P膩ram墨: The Perfection of Equanimity (upekkh膩-p膩ram墨) < [Chapter 6 - On P膩ramit膩]
Part 11 - Classification of the P膩ram墨s < [Chapter 7 - On Miscellany]
The role of Animals in Buddhism (by Nguyen Thi Kieu Diem)
1.1. The meaning of loving-kindness < [Chapter 5 - The Spirit of Kindness to Animals]
1.2. The application of Loving kindness in Buddhism < [Chapter 5 - The Spirit of Kindness to Animals]
The Buddha and His Teachings (by Narada Thera)
Chapter XLII - Brahmavih膩ra 鈥� The Sublime States
Chapter XLI - P膩ram墨 鈥� Perfections
Mindfulness Meditation Made Easy (by Dhammasami)
Chapter 2 - The Practice Of Metta Meditation
Chapter 11 - Why Meditation Retreat
The Catu-Bhanavara-Pali (critical study) (by Moumita Dutta Banik)
(8) The Karaniya-Metta Sutta < [Chapter 2 - Subject Matter of the First Bhanavara]
The first Bhanavara (Introduction) < [Chapter 2 - Subject Matter of the First Bhanavara]
(10) Khandhaparitta Sutta < [Chapter 2 - Subject Matter of the First Bhanavara]
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