Mettā

The Philosophy and Practice of Universal Love

By:  Acharya Buddharakkhita

The Pali word mettā is a multi-significant term meaning loving-kindness, friendliness, goodwill, etc. If these qualities of mettā are sufficiently cultivated through mettābhāvanā—the meditation on universal love—the result is the acquisition of a tremendous inner power which preserves, protects and heals both oneself and others.

The present booklet aims at exploring the various facets of mettā both in theory and in practice. The examination of the doctrinal and ethical side of mettā will proceed through a study of the popular Karaniyametta Sutta, the Buddha’s “Discourse of Universal Love” and several other short texts. The explanation of the meditation on universal love will give practical directions for developing this type of contemplation as set forth in the main meditation texts of the Theravada Buddhist tradition.