iti.27 Itivuttaka

The Development of Loving-kindness

This was said by the Lord…

“Bhikkhus, whatever grounds there are for making merit productive of a future birth, all these do not equal a sixteenth part of the mind-release of loving-kindness. The mind-release of loving-kindness surpasses them and shines forth, bright and brilliant.

“Just as the radiance of all the stars does not equal a sixteenth part of the moon’s radiance, but the moon’s radiance surpasses them and shines forth, bright and brilliant, even so, whatever grounds there are for making merit productive of a future birth, all these do not equal a sixteenth part of the mind-release of loving-kindness…

“Just as in the last month of the rainy season, in the autumn, when the sky is clear and free of clouds, the sun, on ascending, dispels the darkness of space and shines forth, bright and brilliant, even so, whatever grounds there are for making merit productive of a future birth, all these do not equal a sixteenth part of the mind-release of loving-kindness…

“And just as in the night, at the moment of dawn, the morning star shines forth, bright and brilliant, even so, whatever grounds there are for making merit productive of a future birth, all these do not equal a sixteenth part of the mind-release of loving-kindness. The mind-release of loving-kindness surpasses them and shines forth, bright and brilliant.”

For one who mindfully develops
Boundless loving-kindness
Seeing the destruction of clinging,
The fetters are worn away.

If with an uncorrupted mind
He pervades just one being
With loving kindly thoughts,
He makes some merit thereby.

But a noble one produces
An abundance of merit
By having a compassionate mind
Towards all living beings.

Those royal seers who conquered
The earth crowded with beings
Went about performing sacrifices:
The horse sacrifice, the man sacrifice,
The water rites, the soma sacrifice,
And that called “the Unobstructed.”

But these do not share even a sixteenth part
Of a well cultivated mind of love,
Just as the entire starry host
Is dimmed by the moon’s radiance.

One who does not kill
Nor cause others to kill,
Who does not conquer
Nor cause others to conquer,
Kindly towards all beings—
He has enmity for none.

This too is the meaning of what was said by the Lord, so I heard.

- Translator: John D. Ireland

- Editor: Bhikkhu Sujato

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The Meditation on Love

This was said by the Buddha, the Perfected One: that is what I heard.
“Mendicants, of all the grounds for making worldly merit, none are worth a sixteenth part of the heart’s release by love.
Surpassing them, the heart’s release by love shines and glows and radiates.
It’s like how the radiance of all the stars is not worth a sixteenth part of the moon’s radiance. Surpassing them, the moon’s radiance shines and glows and radiates.
In the same way, of all the grounds for making worldly merit, none are worth a sixteenth part of the heart’s release by love. Surpassing them, the heart’s release by love shines and glows and radiates.
It’s like the time after the rainy season when the sky is clear and cloudless. And when the sun rises, it dispels all the darkness from the sky as it shines and glows and radiates.
In the same way, of all the grounds for making worldly merit, none are worth a sixteenth part of the heart’s release by love. Surpassing them, the heart’s release by love shines and glows and radiates.
It’s like how after the rainy season the sky is clear and cloudless. At the crack of dawn, the Morning Star shines and glows and radiates.
In the same way, of all the grounds for making worldly merit, none are worth a sixteenth part of the heart’s release by love. Surpassing them, the heart’s release by love shines and glows and radiates.”
The Buddha spoke this matter.
On this it is said:
“A mindful one who develops
limitless love
weakens the fetters,
seeing the ending of attachments.
Loving just one creature with a hateless heart
makes you a good person.
Compassionate for all creatures,
a noble one creates abundant merit.
The royal potentates conquered this land
and traveled around sponsoring sacrifices—
horse sacrifice, human sacrifice,
the sacrifices of the ‘stick-casting’, the ‘royal soma drinking’, and the ‘unbarred’.
These are not worth a sixteenth part
of the mind developed with love,
as starlight cannot rival the moon.
Don’t kill or cause others to kill,
don’t conquer or encourage others to conquer,
with love for all living creatures—
you’ll have no enmity for anyone.”
This too is a matter that was spoken by the Blessed One: that is what I heard.