- Numbered Discourses 4.126 Aṅguttara Nikāya 4.126
- 13. Fears 13. Bhayavagga
Love (2nd) Dutiyamettāsutta
“Mendicants, these four individuals are found in the world. “Cattārome, bhikkhave, puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ. What four? Katame cattāro?
Firstly, an individual meditates spreading a heart full of love to one direction, and to the second, and to the third, and to the fourth. In the same way above, below, across, everywhere, all around, they spread a heart full of love to the whole world—abundant, expansive, limitless, free of enmity and ill will. Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo mettāsahagatena cetasā ekaṁ disaṁ pharitvā viharati, tathā dutiyaṁ tathā tatiyaṁ tathā catutthaṁ. Iti uddhamadho tiriyaṁ sabbadhi sabbattatāya sabbāvantaṁ lokaṁ mettāsahagatena cetasā vipulena mahaggatena appamāṇena averena abyāpajjena pharitvā viharati. They contemplate the phenomena there—included in form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness—as impermanent, as suffering, as diseased, as a boil, as a dart, as gloom, as an affliction, as alien, as breaking apart, as empty, as not-self. So yadeva tattha hoti rūpagataṁ vedanāgataṁ saññāgataṁ saṅkhāragataṁ viññāṇagataṁ te dhamme aniccato dukkhato rogato gaṇḍato sallato aghato ābādhato parato palokato suññato anattato samanupassati. When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in the company of the gods of the pure abodes. So kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā suddhāvāsānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati. This rebirth is distinct from that of ordinary people. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, upapatti asādhāraṇā puthujjanehi.
Furthermore, an individual meditates spreading a heart full of compassion … Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, idhekacco puggalo karuṇā …pe… rejoicing … muditā …pe… equanimity to one direction, and to the second, and to the third, and to the fourth. In the same way above, below, across, everywhere, all around, they spread a heart full of equanimity to the whole world—abundant, expansive, limitless, free of enmity and ill will. upekkhāsahagatena cetasā ekaṁ disaṁ pharitvā viharati, tathā dutiyaṁ tathā tatiyaṁ tathā catutthaṁ. Iti uddhamadho tiriyaṁ sabbadhi sabbattatāya sabbāvantaṁ lokaṁ upekkhāsahagatena cetasā vipulena mahaggatena appamāṇena averena abyāpajjena pharitvā viharati. They contemplate the phenomena there—included in form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness—as impermanent, as suffering, as diseased, as a boil, as a dart, as gloom, as an affliction, as alien, as breaking apart, as empty, as not-self. So yadeva tattha hoti rūpagataṁ vedanāgataṁ saññāgataṁ saṅkhāragataṁ viññāṇagataṁ te dhamme aniccato dukkhato rogato gaṇḍato sallato aghato ābādhato parato palokato suññato anattato samanupassati. When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in the company of the gods of the pure abodes. So kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā suddhāvāsānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati. This rebirth is distinct from that of ordinary people. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, upapatti asādhāraṇā puthujjanehi.
These are the four individuals found in the world.” Ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasminti.
Chaṭṭhaṁ.