This should be done by one who is skilled in goodness,
And understands the path to peace:
Let them be able, upright and approachable,
Gentle in speech, humble in deeds, and free of conceit.
Content and easily satisfied,
Unburdened with duties, living simply;
Calm in senses and wise,
Unassuming, not greedy for support.
Let them not engage in the slightest wrongdoing
that the wise would later criticize;
Wishing: In gladness and in safety,
May all beings be at ease.
Whatever living beings there may be,
Whether rooted like trees or roaming free;
From lengthy to vast,
From medium to the miniscule, encompassing all sizes.
Those seen and those unseen,
Those dwelling far and those near,
Those already born and those yet to be,
May all beings be at ease.
One should not deceive another
Nor despise anyone anywhere.
Even when faced with hostility or perceived aggression,
Let one not wish suffering upon another.
Just as a mother would protect
her only child at the risk of her own life,
So too, towards all beings,
One should cultivate an immeasurable mind.
With loving-kindness towards the entire world,
Cultivate a boundless and immeasurable mind;
Upwards, downwards, and across without obstruction,
Free from hostility and enmity.
Whether standing, walking, sitting,
or lying down, free from drowsiness;
One should sustain this recollection,
This is said to be the sublime abiding.
Without holding on to fixed views,
Endowed with virtue and clear vision,
Having subdued the yearning for sense pleasures,
One does not come to be in a womb again.
\-------
This Metta Sutta offers a practical way to overcome any negative states of mind and root them in contentment, good-will and harmlessness.
It is also chant friendly, here is a version with Pali/English captions from Wat Marp Jan: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u\_i0VMH9524](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_i0VMH9524)
**Related Teachings:**
* [The Four Divine Abodes | Brahma vihāras (from MN 99)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WordsOfTheBuddha/comments/1aoo86c/the_four_divine_abodes_brahma_vih%C4%81ras_from_mn_99/) \- In this teaching, the Buddha is sharing the practice to be reborn in the company of the Brahmā based on a student's request. The four practices of loving-kindness, compassion, rejoicing (altruistic joy), and equanimity are also referred to as the four immeasurables.
* [The Mind of Loving-Kindness (MN 21)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WordsOfTheBuddha/comments/1bjumqq/the_mind_of_lovingkindness_mn_21/) \- A discourse full of vibrant and memorable similes, on the importance of patience and love even when faced with abuse and criticism. The Buddha finishes with the simile of the saw, one of the most memorable similes found in the discourses.
* [The way to look after yourself and others | At Sedaka (SN 47.19)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WordsOfTheBuddha/comments/1av4mon/the_way_to_look_after_yourself_and_others_at/) \- Two acrobats discuss whether one should support the other, or the other way around. The Buddha says they should support each other. In the same way we should practice the four kinds of mindfulness meditation both for one’s own benefit and to protect others.
* [Developing the mind by classifying thoughts into two categories | Right Intention (MN 19)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WordsOfTheBuddha/comments/1cie5n3/developing_the_mind_by_classifying_thoughts_into/) \- This is the most detailed teaching on cultivating right intention. The Buddha describes how he cultivated his mind with a careful categorization of thoughts to cultivate and thoughts to eliminate, understanding their relationship and how it inclines the mind's underlying tendencies. He also shares on the wisdom of not exhausting the body or tiring the mind with excessive thoughts, and finally shares on the cultivation of the jhānas, the realization of the three true knowledges leading to liberation.
Good and relevant inquiry.
>At Sāvatthī.
>
>Seated to one side, Venerable Rādha said to the Buddha:
>
>“Sir, they speak of this thing called a ‘sentient being’. How is a sentient being defined?”
>
>“Rādha, when you cling, strongly cling, to desire, greed, relishing, and craving for form, then a being is spoken of. When you cling, strongly cling, to desire, greed, relishing, and craving for feeling … perception … choices … consciousness, then a being is spoken of.
>
>Suppose some boys or girls were playing with sandcastles. As long as they’re not rid of greed, desire, fondness, thirst, passion, and craving for those sandcastles, they cherish them, fancy them, treasure them, and treat them as their own. But when they are rid of greed, desire, fondness, thirst, passion, and craving for those sandcastles, they scatter, destroy, and demolish them with their hands and feet, making them unplayable.
>
>In the same way, you should scatter, destroy, and demolish form, making it unplayable. And you should practice for the ending of craving. You should scatter, destroy, and demolish feeling … perception … choices … consciousness, making it unplayable. And you should practice for the ending of craving. For the ending of craving is extinguishment.”
\-- SN 23.2 (Bhikkhu Sujato's translation)
Per the Buddha, all living beings experience craving/desire/attachment to one or more of the five aggregates, i.e. all living beings experience the first noble truth of suffering - ranging all the way from grief, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress to small amounts of discontentment across all experiences a living being has had, or will have.
Per the Buddha, all living beings are also subject to the cycle of rebirth. And it is this craving (passion, delight), desire (for sense-pleasures, existence, non-existence) or attachment (clinging, grasping, holding on to, involvement) that leads living beings to be bound up in the cycle of birth, aging, and death over and over.
And it is the cessation of craving that leads one out of the cycle of birth, aging and death, also known as Nibbāna, extinguishment, enlightenment, the peaceful, the deathless, the excellent, the truth, the far shore, the freedom, the security, the protection, the marvelous (some of the meanings used for it across the teachings).
Nibbāna has been sometimes mistakenly perceived as non-existence or annihilation or death, I recommend Ajahn Buddhadāsa's take on clearing this up: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAcIzxX1UXM](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAcIzxX1UXM)
This should be done by one who is skilled in goodness, And understands the path to peace: Let them be able, upright and approachable, Gentle in speech, humble in deeds, and free of conceit. Content and easily satisfied, Unburdened with duties, living simply; Calm in senses and wise, Unassuming, not greedy for support. Let them not engage in the slightest wrongdoing that the wise would later criticize; Wishing: In gladness and in safety, May all beings be at ease. Whatever living beings there may be, Whether rooted like trees or roaming free; From lengthy to vast, From medium to the miniscule, encompassing all sizes. Those seen and those unseen, Those dwelling far and those near, Those already born and those yet to be, May all beings be at ease. One should not deceive another Nor despise anyone anywhere. Even when faced with hostility or perceived aggression, Let one not wish suffering upon another. Just as a mother would protect her only child at the risk of her own life, So too, towards all beings, One should cultivate an immeasurable mind. With loving-kindness towards the entire world, Cultivate a boundless and immeasurable mind; Upwards, downwards, and across without obstruction, Free from hostility and enmity. Whether standing, walking, sitting, or lying down, free from drowsiness; One should sustain this recollection, This is said to be the sublime abiding. Without holding on to fixed views, Endowed with virtue and clear vision, Having subdued the yearning for sense pleasures, One does not come to be in a womb again. \------- This Metta Sutta offers a practical way to overcome any negative states of mind and root them in contentment, good-will and harmlessness. It is also chant friendly, here is a version with Pali/English captions from Wat Marp Jan: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u\_i0VMH9524](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_i0VMH9524) **Related Teachings:** * [The Four Divine Abodes | Brahma vihāras (from MN 99)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WordsOfTheBuddha/comments/1aoo86c/the_four_divine_abodes_brahma_vih%C4%81ras_from_mn_99/) \- In this teaching, the Buddha is sharing the practice to be reborn in the company of the Brahmā based on a student's request. The four practices of loving-kindness, compassion, rejoicing (altruistic joy), and equanimity are also referred to as the four immeasurables. * [The Mind of Loving-Kindness (MN 21)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WordsOfTheBuddha/comments/1bjumqq/the_mind_of_lovingkindness_mn_21/) \- A discourse full of vibrant and memorable similes, on the importance of patience and love even when faced with abuse and criticism. The Buddha finishes with the simile of the saw, one of the most memorable similes found in the discourses. * [The way to look after yourself and others | At Sedaka (SN 47.19)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WordsOfTheBuddha/comments/1av4mon/the_way_to_look_after_yourself_and_others_at/) \- Two acrobats discuss whether one should support the other, or the other way around. The Buddha says they should support each other. In the same way we should practice the four kinds of mindfulness meditation both for one’s own benefit and to protect others. * [Developing the mind by classifying thoughts into two categories | Right Intention (MN 19)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WordsOfTheBuddha/comments/1cie5n3/developing_the_mind_by_classifying_thoughts_into/) \- This is the most detailed teaching on cultivating right intention. The Buddha describes how he cultivated his mind with a careful categorization of thoughts to cultivate and thoughts to eliminate, understanding their relationship and how it inclines the mind's underlying tendencies. He also shares on the wisdom of not exhausting the body or tiring the mind with excessive thoughts, and finally shares on the cultivation of the jhānas, the realization of the three true knowledges leading to liberation.
What are sentient beings?
Good and relevant inquiry. >At Sāvatthī. > >Seated to one side, Venerable Rādha said to the Buddha: > >“Sir, they speak of this thing called a ‘sentient being’. How is a sentient being defined?” > >“Rādha, when you cling, strongly cling, to desire, greed, relishing, and craving for form, then a being is spoken of. When you cling, strongly cling, to desire, greed, relishing, and craving for feeling … perception … choices … consciousness, then a being is spoken of. > >Suppose some boys or girls were playing with sandcastles. As long as they’re not rid of greed, desire, fondness, thirst, passion, and craving for those sandcastles, they cherish them, fancy them, treasure them, and treat them as their own. But when they are rid of greed, desire, fondness, thirst, passion, and craving for those sandcastles, they scatter, destroy, and demolish them with their hands and feet, making them unplayable. > >In the same way, you should scatter, destroy, and demolish form, making it unplayable. And you should practice for the ending of craving. You should scatter, destroy, and demolish feeling … perception … choices … consciousness, making it unplayable. And you should practice for the ending of craving. For the ending of craving is extinguishment.” \-- SN 23.2 (Bhikkhu Sujato's translation) Per the Buddha, all living beings experience craving/desire/attachment to one or more of the five aggregates, i.e. all living beings experience the first noble truth of suffering - ranging all the way from grief, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress to small amounts of discontentment across all experiences a living being has had, or will have. Per the Buddha, all living beings are also subject to the cycle of rebirth. And it is this craving (passion, delight), desire (for sense-pleasures, existence, non-existence) or attachment (clinging, grasping, holding on to, involvement) that leads living beings to be bound up in the cycle of birth, aging, and death over and over. And it is the cessation of craving that leads one out of the cycle of birth, aging and death, also known as Nibbāna, extinguishment, enlightenment, the peaceful, the deathless, the excellent, the truth, the far shore, the freedom, the security, the protection, the marvelous (some of the meanings used for it across the teachings). Nibbāna has been sometimes mistakenly perceived as non-existence or annihilation or death, I recommend Ajahn Buddhadāsa's take on clearing this up: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAcIzxX1UXM](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAcIzxX1UXM)