Aṇguttara Nikāya
Catukka Nipāta
XIII: Bhaya Vagga
Sutta 126
Mettā Sutta
Goodwill (2)
Translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
Proofed against and modified in accordance with the revised edition at dhammatalks.org
For free distribution only.
[1][pts][nymo] "Monks, there are these four types of individuals to be found existing in the world.
Which four?
"There is the case where an individual keeps pervading the first direction [the east]
— as well as the second direction,
the third,
and the fourth —
with an awareness imbued with good will.
Thus he keeps pervading above,
below, and all around,
everywhere and in every respect
the all-encompassing cosmos
with an awareness imbued with good will:
abundant,
expansive,
immeasurable,
free from hostility,
free from ill will.
He regards whatever phenomena there
that are connected with form,
feeling,
perception,
fabrications,
and consciousness,
as inconstant,
stressful,
a disease,
a cancer,
an arrow,
painful,
an affliction,
alien,
a disintegration,
an emptiness,
not-self.
At the break-up of the body,
after death,
he reappears in conjunction with the Devas of the Pure Abodes.
This rebirth is not in common with run-of-the-mill people.
■
"Again, the case where an individual keeps pervading the first direction [the east]
— as well as the second direction,
the third,
and the fourth —
with an awareness imbued with compassion...
empathetic joy...
equanimity.
Thus he keeps pervading above,
below, and all around,
everywhere and in every respect
the all-encompassing cosmos
with an awareness imbued with equanimity:
abundant,
expansive,
immeasurable,
free from hostility,
free from ill will.
He regards whatever phenomena there that are connected with form,
feeling,
perception,
fabrications,
and consciousness,
as inconstant,
stressful,
a disease,
a cancer,
an arrow,
painful,
an affliction,
alien,
a disintegration,
an emptiness,
not-self.
At the break-up of the body, after death,
he reappears in conjunction with the Devas of the Pure Abodes.
This rebirth is not in common with run-of-the-mill people.
"These are four types of individuals to be found existing in the world."
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