THE DISCOURSE ON LOVING-KINDNESS
Karaṇīyam-attha-kusalena
yantaṃ santaṃ padaṃ abhisamecca,
Sakko ujū ca suhujū ca
suvaco cassa mudu anatimānī,
Santussako ca subharo ca
appakicco ca sallahuka-vutti,
Santindriyo ca nipako ca
appagabbho kulesu ananugiddho.
Na ca khuddaṃ samācare kiñci
yena viññū pare upavadeyyuṃ.
Sukhino vā khemino hontu
sabbe sattā bhavantu sukhitattā.
Ye keci pāṇa-bhūtatthi
tasā vā thāvarā vā anavasesā,
Dīghā vā ye mahantā vā
majjhimā rassakā aṇuka-thūlā,
Diṭṭhā vā ye ca adiṭṭhā
ye ca dūre vasanti avidūre,
Bhūtā vā sambhavesī vā
sabbe sattā bhavantu sukhitattā.
Na paro paraṃ nikubbetha
nātimaññetha katthaci naṃ kiñci,
Byārosanā paṭīgha-saññā
nāññam-aññassa dukkham-iccheyya.
Mātā yathā niyaṃ puttaṃ
āyusā eka-puttam-anurakkhe,
Evam-pi sabba-bhūtesu
māna-sambhāvaye aparimāṇaṃ.
Mettañca sabba-lokasmiṃ
māna-sambhāvaye aparimāṇaṃ,
Uddhaṃ adho ca tiriyañca
asambādhaṃ averaṃ asapattaṃ.
Tiṭṭhañ’caraṃ nisinno vā
sayāno vā yāvatassa vigatam-iddho,
Etaṃ satiṃ adhiṭṭheyya
brahmam-etaṃ vihāraṃ idham-āhu.
Diṭṭhiñca anupagamma
sīlavā dassanena sampanno,
Kāmesu vineyya gedhaṃ,
Na hi jātu gabbha-seyyaṃ punaretīti.
This is what should be done
By one who is skilled in goodness,
And who knows the path of peace:
Let them be able and upright,
Straightforward and gentle in speech.
Humble and not conceited,
Contented and easily satisfied.
Unburdened with duties and frugal in their ways.
Peaceful and calm, and wise and skilful,
Not proud and demanding in nature.
Let them not do the slightest thing
That the wise would later reprove.
Wishing: In gladness and in safety,
May all beings be at ease.
Whatever living beings there may be;
Whether they are weak or strong, omitting none,
The great or the mighty, medium, short or small,
The seen and the unseen,
Those living near and far away,
Those born and to-be-born
May all beings be at ease.
Let none deceive another,
Or despise any being in any state.
Let none through anger or ill-will
Wish harm upon another.
Even as a mother protects with her life
Her child, her only child,
So with a boundless heart
Should one cherish all living beings;
Radiating kindness over the entire world:
Spreading upwards to the skies,
And downwards to the depths;
Outwards and unbounded,
Freed from hatred and ill-will.
Whether standing or walking,
seated or lying down
Free from drowsiness,
One should sustain this recollection.
This is said to be the sublime abiding.
By not holding to fixed views,
The pure-hearted one, having clarity of vision,
Being freed from all sense desires,
Is not born again into this world.
Cattāri Brahmavihārā 