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Introduction

Among the sublime discourses of the Supreme Buddha, the Karaniya Metta Sutta holds a preeminent place. It is a profound teaching that meticulously outlines the path for mental cultivation, the development of a serene personality, and ultimately, the steps leading to the Noble Path. In this sutta, the Buddha elaborates on the correct methodology for cultivating Metta (loving-kindness), the prerequisite character traits one must develop, and the supreme results yielded by this practice.


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The Prerequisite Character Traits for Cultivating Metta

Before one is truly fit to practice Metta, the Buddha explicitly outlines several fundamental virtues that must be cultivated within an individual.

·         Sakko (Capable): One must be wise, possessing the intelligence to understand how one's loving-kindness can be beneficial to others.

·         Uju (Straightforward): One should be upright, honest, and free from deceit.

·         Suvaco (Gentle in Speech): One should be amenable to advice, speaking words that are gentle, pleasant, and beneficial.

·         Suhujū (Gentle in Nature): One should be mild and patient, both in speech and bodily action.

·         Vinayyagadhṃ (Easy to Correct): One should be humble and trainable, able to accept instruction and correct one's faults.

·         Mudu (Soft): The mind should be pliable and sensitive.

·         Anatimānī (Free from Arrogance): One should be free from conceit and pride, exhibiting humility.

·         Santussako (Contented): One should be easily contented with what one receives.

·         Subharo (Easy to Support): Living lightly, having few duties and being unburdensome.

·         Appakicco (Having Few Duties): Having a simple livelihood, not entangled in numerous affairs.

·         Sallahukavutti (Light in Living): Having restrained senses, moderate in eating, and devoted to higher consciousness.

An individual endowed with these qualities becomes a worthy vessel for the practice of Metta.

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The Methodology of Cultivating Metta

The sutta proceeds to describe the actual practice. One should radiate a mind of love, imbued with the wish for the welfare and happiness of all beings, without exception. One should fervently wish for them to be secure, free from affliction, and to live happily. The sutta uses powerful similes, such as a mother's love for her only child, to illustrate the boundless and impartial nature of the Metta that must be extended towards all living beings across the cosmos.


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The Spiritual Progression of One Steeped in Metta

Possessing these cultivated virtues, the individual becomes qualified for higher spiritual advancement. The latter part of the sutta describes this progression.

·         Diṭṭhiñca anupagamma (Not Following Wrong Views): Not adhering to various speculative views and dogmas.

·         Sīlavā ca sampanno (Endowed with Virtue): Being accomplished in moral discipline (Sīla).

·         Dassanena sampanno (Endowed with Vision): Being accomplished in true vision or insight—seeing the Dhamma and the true nature of reality.

·         Kāmesu vineyya gedhaṃ (Having Removed Craving for Sensual Pleasures): Restraining desire and attachment towards sensual pleasures.

A person who is thus established—free from wrong views, endowed with virtue, spiritual insight, and restraint regarding sensual pleasures—will, as the sutta triumphantly declares, "not come again to lie in a womb" (Nahi jātu gabba-seyyaṃ punaretī'ti). That is, they are no longer subject to the cycle of rebirth and have attained a state beyond this world.

Conclusion

The Karaniya Metta Sutta is not merely a discourse on a friendly attitude; it is presented as a complete path to spiritual liberation. It maps the entire journey from the taming of one's mind to the attainment of Nibbāna. Anyone who lives according to the instructions in this sutta will not only become a beloved member of society but will also ascend to the highest spiritual planes.

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Sources: Majjhima Nikāya, Mūlapariyāya Sutta (for context on views); Sutta Nipāta, Pārāyanavagga - Karaniya Metta Sutta.