Yesterday I was listening to a Dhamma talk by Ajahn Kaccana and he mentioned Ajahn Thanissaro’s take on the metta sutta. Specifically, that Ven. Thanissaro interprets the well-known verse to mean that one should guard one’s loving-kindness as a mother would protect her only child. For years I preferred the alternate explanation and took the verse to mean we ought to view all beings as a mother does her child but, lately, I’ve been seeing the wisdom in the Ven Thanissaro’s translation.
In a world so obviously corrupt and sunk in suffering it may not always be possible forba worldling like me to view every betting with the eyes of a mother. What is possible, however, is to guard my heart and protect the loving-kindness that lives therein.
May all difficult and deluded beings find their way out if suffering. May they know peace and may their defilements be cooled by the Dhamma. May those who would harm others be guided away from the path to perdition and may we all live in safety and peace.
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