Karaniya Metta Sutta: The Buddha’s Words on Loving-kindness
Translated from the Pali by The Amaravati Sangha
This is what should be done
By one who is skilled in goodness,
And who knows the path of peace:
Let them be able and upright,
Straightforward and gentle in speech,
Humble and not conceited,
Contented and easily satisfied,
Not burdened with duties and frugal in their ways.
Peaceful and calm and wise and skillful,
Not proud and demanding in nature.
Let them not do the slightest thing
That the wise would later reprove.
Wishing: In gladness and in safety,
May all beings be happy.
Whatever living beings there may be;
Whether they are weak or strong, omitting none,
The great or the mighty, medium, short or small,
The seen and the unseen,
Those living near and far away,
Those born and to-be-born —
May all beings be happy!
Let none deceive another,
Or despise any being in any state.
Let none through anger or ill-will
Wish harm upon another.
Even as a mother protects with her life
Her child, her only child,
So with a boundless heart
Should one cherish all living beings;
Radiating kindness over the entire world:
Spreading upwards to the skies,
And downwards to the depths;
Outwards and unbounded,
Freed from hatred and ill-will.
Whether standing or walking, seated or lying down
Free from drowsiness,
One should sustain this recollection.
This is said to be the sublime abiding.
By not holding to false views,
The pure-hearted one, having clarity of vision,
Being freed from all sense desires,
Is not born again into this world.
About Bhikkhuni Upekkha
Born in Sri Lanka in 1974, Bhikkhuni Upekkha grew up in various parts of the world before her family settled down in Perth, Australia. If that wasn’t enough traveling, at 23 she quit her job in the financial industry in Singapore to go seeking in India for ‘the Truth’. Her journey took her through marriage and long retreats in Malaysia and Myanmar with her Irish husband (who later also ordained as a monk) before finally at the age of 35, she returned to Perth where her spiritual journey started. She joined Dhammasara Monastery, a Theravada monastery for Buddhist nuns under the auspices of Ajahn Brahm in 2009 and has been part of that community since then. Bhikkhuni Upekkha ordained in 2011 and took bhikkhuni ordination in 2014.
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The text of the Karaniya Metta Sutta and its English translation are licensed under the terms below.
“Karaniya Metta Sutta: The Buddha’s Words on Loving-kindness” (Khp 9), translated from the Pali by The Amaravati Sangha. Access to Insight (BCBS Edition), 2 November 2013, https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/khp/khp.9.amar.html
©1994 English Sangha Trust. You may copy, reformat, reprint, republish, and redistribute this work in any medium whatsoever, provided that: (1) you only make such copies, etc. available free of charge; (2) you clearly indicate that any derivatives of this work (including translations) are derived from this source document; and (3) you include the full text of this license in any copies or derivatives of this work. Otherwise, all rights reserved. Documents linked from this page may be subject to other restrictions. From Chanting Book: Morning and Evening Puja and Reflections (Hemel Hempstead: Amaravati Publications, 1994). Used with permission of the English Sangha Trust, Ltd. Last revised for Access to Insight on 2 November 2013.
