Today’s post will not seem much different in nature from the others that precede it but it will be completely different from my end. Rather than simply copying and pasting the sutta for today I’ve decided to copy it by hand (well, not quite by hand but you get the picture) so that I actually engage with the text. Some time ago I actually compiled and had printed a booklet containing as many suttas as I could find that took up the them of metta. It’s been my idea that I would somehow memorize all of these suttas in order to draw inspiration from them and use them to energize my practice. So far, sadly, I haven’t been successful. Today, I will begin with the second sutta in my collection, the Discourse on the Advantages of Loving-Kindness.
Thus have I heard:
One one occasion the Blessed One was living near Savatthi at Jetavana at Anathapindika’s monastery. Then he addressed the monks saying, “Monks.” -“Veneravle Sir,” said the monks by way of reply. The Blessed One then spoke as follows:
“Monks, eleven advantages are to be expected from the release of heart by familiarizing oneself with thoughts of loving-kindness, by the cultivation of loving-kindness, by constantly increasing these thoughts, by regarding loving-kindness as a vehicle and also as something to be treasured, by living in conformity with these thoughts, by putting these ideas into practice, and by establishing them. What are these eleven?
1. “He sleeps in comfort.”
2. “He awakes in comfort.”
3. “He sees no evil dreams.”
4. “He is dear to human beings.”
5. “He is dear to non-human beings.”
6. “Devas protect him.”
7. “Fire, poison and sword cannot touch him.”
8. “His mind can concentrate quickly.”
9. “His countenance is serene.”
10. “He dies without being confused in mind.”
11. ” If he fails to attain arahantship here and now, he will be reborn in the brahma-world.”
“These eleven advantages, monks, are to be expected from the release of heart by familiarizing oneself with thoughts of loving-kindness, by cultivation of loving-kindness, by constantly increasing these thoughts, by regarding loving-kindness as a vehicle and also as something to be treasured, by living in conformity with these thoughts, by putting these ideas into practice and by establishing them.”
So said the Blessed One. Those monks rejoiced at the words of the Blessed One.
-Anguttara Nikaya 11.16
Cattāri Brahmavihārā 
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