Good-Will in the Metta Sutta - This is What Should be Done

Good-Will

Good-will cures ill-will. Simple. Most will agree with this, as it seems logical enough. So far so good.

Except what does that actually mean in lived experience, day to day, in ordinary life as we go about our business in a world ablaze with greed, anger, and delusion?

Sometimes such optimistic ideas sound fine and dandy in theory, but how do they actually stand to make a meaningful difference in the world?

Let’s try to break it down.

The Metta Sutta

First, how about we go to the source. Although but one of many means of implementing good-will, the Buddhist paradigm is the one most accessible to us as writers given first-hand experience in this area. We are by far most familiar with mettā or loving-kindness meditation but certainly invite your reflections in the comments section about complementary practices that invoke good-will.

Let’s take a look at the Buddha’s own words on good-will and loving-kindness from the “Metta Sutta” as featured in Sutta Nipāta 1.8 of the Pāli Canon.

We draw from the Amaravati Sangha’s English translation due to its prosody when chanted. As with any text, checking out multiple alternative translations can prove extremely helpful.

Recall that the backstory to the “Metta Sutta” entailed a simmering conflict in the woods between forest-dwelling monks and a group of tree spirits who called the wilderness home. Confronted with the wrath of these spirits, the monks were on edge and could not meditate. The Buddha instructs the monks to cultivate good-will in order to allay their fears. The spirits symbolically stand for these fears within the minds of the monks.

In instructing these meditators, the Buddha begins with an exhortation.

This is What Should be Done

Setting the stage for the entire discourse, the "Metta Sutta" begins with a call to action.

This is what should be done
By one who is skilled in goodness,
And who knows the path of peace:

This is what should be done. Got it. The Buddha is about to lay it all out. Yet the lines that follow may feel exclusive. While these instructions can initially seem restricted to those already good and peaceful, as if these were the only people in the intended audience, let’s extend the same invitation to anyone who aspires toward goodness and peace, even if these qualities are latent in the mind, even if such people may not even actively reflect on peace or goodness at all. Here we have practically the whole world being invited to bear witness. Everyone is capable of becoming skilled in goodness with practice and may know the path of peace if willing to venture along it. Why not give it a shot?

The next segment begins to flesh out good-will, bringing it to life.

Let them be able and upright,
Straightforward and gentle in speech,
Humble and not conceited,
Contented and easily satisfied,
Unburdened with duties and frugal in their ways.

Here we go. A list of qualities. We could even call them character traits. All of them paint a portrait of a renunciant of some form or another, one who renounces such fires, poisons, or unwholesome roots as greed, anger, and delusion. Rather than indulge these fiery, poisonous weeds, the contemplative cultivates virtues. In such a way, they are able and upright. Able and upright to do what? To walk the path.

Peaceful and calm and wise and skillful,
Not proud or demanding in nature.
Let them not do the slightest thing
That the wise would later reprove.

Who are the wise? Anyone who can clearly see cause and effect, knowing which actions lead to suffering and which actions lead to freedom.



This applies whether such wise people are religious or spiritual or not. So long as their conduct reflects an understanding of which courses of action cause suffering and which courses of action lead to freedom, they may be considered wise. Look to them as exemplars, but don’t feel obligated to mimic them in every way. This is a simple set of checks and balances. Exercise your own discernment, but don’t be arrogant in assuming you’re automatically right in every case, hands down, no exceptions. There’s a lot we may learn from others. Keep a discerning eye open to assess who may be taken as a role model, a mentor, or a source of inspiration.

May All Beings Be At Ease

So what next? The Buddha says:

Wishing: In gladness and in safety,
May all beings be at ease.

Here we are called to cultivate an attitude of good-will, wishing all beings wellness. Such an attitude can take shape as the aspiration to help others, something accessible to us all. Just as you wish not to suffer, so do others. This attitude may also take the forms of the wish to provide protection, to nurture, or a simple instance of respect. In supporting these qualities, good-will or loving-kindness can guide society towards well-being at both the individual and collective levels.



You may wonder... How does this work? The act of wishing others happiness may not seem like much. However, this seemingly small act can have a wide impact in our social interactions. Given that metta means universal friendliness, the next time a person does something else we perceive as an offense, we can perhaps exercise the restraint to not curse them nor try to take revenge. At minimum, try to let go and move on. Even if we can’t extend good-will to them in the heat of the moment, at least avoid spreading ill-will, especially given that it poisons our own minds from the inside out.

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 at ease!

Not to sound trite, but it may seem like the Buddha here is acknowledging that we come in all shapes and sizes. Yes, but there’s more to it than that. Good-will includes everyone, no matter the external distinctions that seem to set us apart. No one is excluded. Whether the drunk elephant Nāḷāgiri or invisible tree spirits, a baby or an ant, one’s best friend or one’s worst enemy, may all beings at ease. Naturally, we form preferences and might choose to prioritize people we know and love, but eventually, all are included within metta’s scope.



In response to such optimistic inclusivity, the skeptic might pose a “so what?” He might further retort, “Are you comparing a baby to an ant? Why should I care about an ant? That’s not going to solve anything.” Perhaps not, but breaking down the boundaries between beings stands a chance.



Good-will breaks down the boundaries between categories and allows for the transcending of personal preferences. We’re not suggesting that everyone should give it all up and enter the forest as wandering recluses chanting, “May all beings be at ease” day in and day out. What we're proposing is actually far more immediately accessible than that.

Friends and Enemies

Sure, categories like “friend,” “enemy,” etc. are useful, practical, convenient - but only to an extent. They’re means toward various ends, not ends in themselves. When we reify categories (“friend,” “enemy,” etc.) we bestow them with power they did not have until we gave it to them. Living in society, such tendencies toward reification are reinforced at every turn. Again, they have their utility. Yet these categories are not as fixed as they may seem to be. Likewise with the supposed boundaries between self and other. Gradually dissolving those boundaries and softening their blunt edges can, at the very least, lead to a more easeful existence.

Let none deceive another,
Or despise any being in any state.
Let none through anger or ill-will
Wish harm upon another.

As we dissolve the boundaries, there’s no sense in deceiving or despising anyone. How could we indulge anger or ill-will? The Golden Rule comes to mind. Treat others as you wish to be treated. How could we wish them harm? Doing so 1.) doesn't work - we see them continue to have a good time which makes us even more resentful, and 2.) poisons our own minds. Let the fire fizzle out rather than fan its flames.

Even as a mother protects with her life
Her child, her only child,
So with a boundless heart
Should one cherish all living beings;

Good-will is the natural warmth a mother feels for her child. Such good-will should be extended to all.



However, this natural warmth is often obscured by the poisons of greed, anger, and delusion. Even some mothers neglect to care for their children, for various reasons. Hence the need to actively cultivate such qualities of care until we can wholeheartedly share good-will without restriction.

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.

Metta, good-will, or loving-kindness is without boundaries. This is conveyed by the image of a mother who loves her child unconditionally. So too an individual may cultivate good-will for the entire world. This limitless love towards all beings is something that we may train to extend universally.

You may wonder if this is realistic. There are some beings who resist love and might even view a person’s love with suspicion. In extreme cases, wishing good-will to others might even be perceived as weird or freakish and could provoke someone who is already upset. What would you do in this case?



Obviously, the Buddha did not advocate walking around with a giant grin on one’s face saying to each passerby, “May you be at ease.” That’s too coarse and might raise a few eyebrows. Rather, one may embody such a sentiment in subtler ways.

A skillful alternative is to wish all beings well inwardly without the need to create a show of it. Prodding them incessantly with metta is not going to help. A subtler approach would reduce discomfort for the other party. For instance, even refraining from adding fuel to the fire is an expression of good-will. When someone is upset, don't do further damage. If someone is yelling at you, don't yell back. If someone is insulting you, don't insult them back. Don't feed the cycle. This is among the simplest yet most underrated approaches.

Ultimately, the Buddha says that we will all have to resolve our own problems and cannot depend on others to do the work for us. We may offer assistance, but there’s no use in forcing it if it only makes matters worse. In extending good-will to others, there’s no need to get up in everyone’s face and make it so obvious. If it’s genuine, then it will make an impact, even from afar.

Sublime Abiding

As we near the conclusion of Metta Sutta's description of the practice, let's reflect on the mode in which such cultivation of good-will can be undertaken.

Whether standing or walking, seated or lying down
Free from drowsiness,
One should sustain this recollection.
This is said to be the sublime abiding.

Every mode, not merely sitting in meditation, is fair game.

When cultivating metta, the Buddha suggests that we should be present and attentive. Only when we are free from drowsiness are we then able to sustain the practice. This is crucial. With such presence and attentiveness, we will keep in mind our reasons for cultivating good-will or loving-kindness. The chances of losing track of our purpose or intention drop precipitously.



Our cultivation of good-will is not for personal gain or advantage but for the sake of genuinely extending it to all beings without any expectation of reward in return. Thus, this is said to be sublime abiding. Instead of remaining short-sighted in our practice, we broaden our scope to an all-inclusive awareness.

By not holding to fixed views,
The pure-hearted one, having clarity of vision,
Being freed from all sense desires,
Is not born again into this world.

Again, is this even realistic? Can any of us actually claim to know someone like this, much less embody this ourselves? And wait, what’s this about not being born again into this world?

Let’s try to broaden the scope. While this teaching was spoken in the presence of a specific audience with a particular understanding of the world we may not all share, the wider meaning can be drawn out as follows.



“By not holding to fixed views” refers to freedom from stubborn attachment to one’s own version of “the way things are.” Try to see from more than one angle, or at least be open to hearing out other perspectives. Perhaps there's unity to be found in plurality, common ground amidst diversity.

“The pure-hearted one, having clarity of vision” refers to virtue and wisdom. One whose heart is pure is a person of virtuous character, who does what they can to avoid causing harm to others, instead supporting their well-being. One whose vision is clear can see things as they are, without distortion. Such seeing is unobscured by greed, anger, and delusion. When we’re angry, for instance, this colors the way we see the world. Instead, we can choose to train in seeing the world unfiltered.

“Being freed from all sense desires” refers to the capacity to exercise restraint. We don’t have to gouge our eyes out or cut off our tongue to do so. Simply examine desires as they arise and try not to act on impulse. The spaciousness that comes out of this ability to pause and reflect naturally lends itself to ease in body and mind.

“Is not born again into this world,” broadly interpreted, can be taken to mean one is no longer subject to this cycle of ups and downs. Ordinarily, we are thrown about by this cycle, lacking a foothold. We are like a shipwreck at sea blown about by gusts, with no say where we'll wash ashore, battered and bruised. There's no need to remain stuck here. Instead, we may access an unblemished evenness of mind, equanimity amidst the raging storm. Perhaps our good-will may even provide shelter to other sea-farers stranded in the churning ocean.

This equanimity is the real meaning of ease.

Good-Will and Purging Poison - Metta for Taming the Wild Elephant Within

Good-Will and Purging Poison

Reflecting further on recent events across the globe, we are reminded again of the Buddha's teachings regarding the three poisons and the importance of treating them medicinally. We have chosen good-will (as antidote) and ill-will (as poison) as our first topic, but we promise to address the others as well. This post deals with how to go about taming the wild elephant within.

As a reminder, mettā (loving-kindness or good-will) is an antidote to the poisonous effects of anger, hatred, and aversion, summed up by the Pāli term dosa, one of the three poisons or unwholesome roots. All these descriptors characterize the burning fervor of ill-will, which courses through the veins of the poisoned.

Interestingly, the Pāli dosa comes from the Sanskrit dveṣa, which looks and sounds an awful lot like division. While that may be mere coincidence, it nonetheless captures the feeling of division caused by ill-will, the effects of which we can unfortunately witness all around us.



Countless cases document the effectiveness of good-will as a medicinal treatment, as water to douse the fires of ill-will and support the flourishing of the garden we cultivate inwardly as we transform our own consciousness from a battleground to a refuge. We may rest assured that good-will is a timeless antidote with no expiration date for purging poison from the mind. This particular poison is ill-will in all is divisiveness. Our task is to weed it out by its roots.

By purging poison, good-will serves a protective function. Protection against what? Protection against the spread of poison throughout the system, like medicine that fights off disease. Good-will also prevents the spread of fires in the wilderness of the mind by stopping the flames in their tracks. Fire is consumed by water. Ill-will is completely transformed into good-will, similar to how the raging fire of saṃsāra may be transformed into the cool peace of nirvāṇa. Relief at last.

The Wild Elephant

Similar to the story of the tree spirits serving as background for the “Metta Sutta,” the protection provided by loving-kindness or good-will is further supported by the story of Nāḷāgiri the wild elephant. In a plot to kill the Buddha out of jealous competition, the Buddha’s cousin and rival Devadatta set Nāḷāgiri loose on a rampage.

Note that Nāḷāgiri was no ordinary elephant. In addition to her formidable power and gargantuan stature, Nāḷāgiri had a proclivity toward intoxication. Perhaps she was drunk on ill-will. Poison, after all, can seriously distort the consumer’s perceptions and behavior. In this case, it made Nāḷāgiri the wild elephant especially uncontrollable. Not only that, but the Buddha’s cousin Devadatta repeatedly beat Nāḷāgiri in order to further provoke her, hoping she would then be enraged enough to do total damage. At that point, her potential to wreak havoc was at its peak.



How would you approach a drunk elephant intent on killing you? Is that even wise? Shouldn't you run for your life?

Painting a vivid picture of the Buddha’s confrontation with Nāḷāgiri the wild elephant, Ācariya Buddharakkhita recounts this case in detail, again illustrating the functioning of mettā, loving-kindness or good-will, as a form of protection.

As the intoxicated elephant rushed towards the Buddha trumpeting fearfully, the Buddha projected powerful thoughts of metta towards it. Venerable Ānanda, the Buddha's attendant, was so deeply concerned about the Buddha's safety that he ran in front of the Buddha to shield him, but the Buddha asked him to stand aside since the projection of love itself was quite sufficient. The impact of the Buddha’s metta-radiation was so immediate and overwhelming that by the time the animal neared the Buddha it was completely tamed as though a drunken wretch had suddenly become sober by the magical power of a spell. (Buddharakkhita, Mettā: The Philosophy and Practice of Universal Love, p.45)

Imagine a wild elephant full of rage chasing you down. This is definitely a nightmarish situation to be in. Even the Buddha’s loyal attendant Ānanda was ready to risk his life to save the Buddha, but nothing could stand in the elephant’s way.



Except something did stand in her way. The Buddha applied good-will as an antidote to ill-will. Miraculously, the Buddha’s good-will completely pacified and transformed Nāḷāgiri’s ill-will in a mere instant. The Buddha survived unharmed, relieving onlookers and leaving us with a happy ending, almost too good to be true.

Taming the Wild Elephant Within

Could all this about the wild elephant really have happened? It may seem rather far-fetched, but at least not completely outside the realm of possibility. How could one person’s good-will transform a wild beast’s ill-will? And what about Devadatta, the one responsible for the whole mess? We need not necessarily take this story literally in order to appreciate its symbolic value.

As illustrated by the story, one may cultivate good-will in order to avert the catastrophic effects of ill-will, in this case taming a wild elephant on a rampage and thus avoiding death. Whether taken literally or metaphorically, the message loses no strength of meaning.



Perhaps the story actually documents an event witnessed by others. Maybe the Buddha was literally chased down by a crazed elephant but he remained calm and did not provoke her any further. It could be the case that the elephant felt no sense of threat in the Buddha’s presence and lost her will to attack.

Perhaps the elephant is a symbol for the wild beast within each of us. Metaphorically, have you ever felt as if a wild elephant was running a rampage through your mind? Have there ever been times that ill-will has gotten the better of you? The next time you feel ill-will taking over, try to train the elephant-like mind with good-will instead. Good-will is a means of metaphorically taming the elephant within, quelling the fires within before they get out of hand and erupt volcanically. This simple strategy, while easier said than done, could save us from a lot of stress.



Good-will transforms us from the inside out. Again shedding valuable light on the situation, Ācariya Buddharakkhita references Buddhaghosa’s Path of Purification, reflecting, “According to the Visuddhimagga, metta is a ‘solvent’ that ‘melts’ not only one’s own psychic pollutants of anger, resentment and offensiveness, but also those of others. Since it takes the approach of friendship, even the hostile one turns into a friend.” Thus the elephant is tamed. The wild beast is pacified. One’s own mind is brought to peace.

Such images, whether the elephant or fire, characterize the worldly mind when it is plagued with unhealthy tendencies. When we cultivate good-will, we restore order to the wilderness within. The forest, where tame elephants dwell at ease, may then flourish.

To be continued.

Good-Will and Social Harmony - Metta for Taming Inner Tree Spirits

Taming the Mind

With so many fires raging in the world, there has to be some means for dousing the flames and taming the fuming mind that gave rise to them. Among other afflictive states, anger and hatred are major factors contributing to the eruption of chaos in the human psyche and across the globe. They certainly have a fiery reputation, sparking violence, war, and myriad other types of conflict.



Sages have long ventured to address the damaging effects of anger, often likening it to fire, embers, coal, flames, and anything else that simmers and burns. Seething and scathing, these sparks can ignite disaster. When indulging hatred and anger in our own minds, not only do we set fires in the world as a whole, but we burn ourselves from within. Who in their right mind would hurt themselves on purpose?

In response to such reflections, taming the mind seems to be in order.

Rather than merely talk about the effects of these burning afflictions, such sages have ventured to come up with practical solutions to douse the flames. Many propose taming the very mind from which fires erupt. The Buddha, for instance, proposed various antidotes as a means of overcoming the afflictions that burn in our minds. Rather than let those flames rage unattended, leading to the spread of fires in the form of interpersonal conflict and other societal challenges, Buddhism (and others) offer a way to put out the fire.

Metta as Antidote

In the Buddhist framework, mettā, or loving-kindness, is the go-to antidote for countering the poison of anger, hatred, and aversion. These poisons boil in the cauldron of the mind, producing a nasty concoction. Mettā is the water that douses the flames.

For the sake of parsimony, we’ll call mettā “good-will” and its opposites “ill-will,” which captures the contrast far better than the alternatives.

We definitely should note that mettā as antidote for poisonous mind states is not just for Buddhists or unique to Buddhism. Parallel practices exists across various religions, secular contexts, philosophies, and so forth, all of which aim to cultivate good-will. Anyone can benefit from this type of practice, which could even be considered a universal antidote. Here we focus on mettā as an antidote specifically in order to provide a glimpse into one way of dousing the flames.

Metta Means Good-Will

“Mettā means good-will,” according to the title of a piece by Thanissaro Bhikkhu, Western Thai Forest monk and abbot of the aptly named southern California temple “Wat Metta.” As a term from the Pāli language, a dialect native to India of bygone days, mettā has quite the history. It derives from the earlier Sanskrit forms maitra and maitrī, which similarly connote friendliness, benevolence, and kindness. In fact, the related Pāli form mitta and the Sanskrit form mitra are featured in the compounds kalyāṇa-mitta and kalyāṇa-mitra which mean “spiritual friend.” Indeed, “universal metta [is] friendliness for all,” writes Thanissaro Bhikkhu.



First we should note that mettā (good-will or loving-kindness) is counted among the four brahmavihārās or sublime abodes, which also include compassion, appreciative joy, and equanimity. Each of these will be covered in due time. Mettā is by far the biggest of the brahmavihārās in terms of the emphasis it receives.

While some steer away from commentaries, they nonetheless lend insight into how others have understood mettā and other practices, and thus they deserve at least some consideration. A fifth century commentator from the South Asian Buddhist tradition, Buddhaghosa shares wise reflections on mettā in a piece called the Atthasālinī, namely by reflecting that mettā has the mode of beneficence (the quality of benefiting others) and the function of bringing about goodness. According to Buddhaghosa, mettā manifests specifically to eliminate hatred. Its proximate cause is seeing the friendliness within all beings, its consummation is in subduing ill-will, and its failure is the production or generation of lust. Good-will douses the flames of ill-will. It is an antidote used to fight poison. No further flames emerge from good-will, which instead puts the conflagration out on the spot.

Metta as Protection

When we look at the context in which it was first taught by the Buddha, we often find mettā serving as a form of protection, supporting the well-being of both the individual and the community. Importantly, mettā dispels danger, misfortune, and disaster by sowing the seeds of harmony in the inner and outer worlds. According to Ācariya Buddharakkhita, mettā entails the giving of fearlessness (abhayadāna) and security (khemadāna) for the well-being of all beings. No one is excluded for any reason. All are equal recipients of and participants in good-will.

Note that mettā holds the potential to bestow beings with courage. How does that work when society seems to consider good-will such a feeble quality? Perhaps mettā is much stronger than meets the eye.

On this topic, it may be helpful to consider the commentarial backstory for the origins of the “Metta Sutta” (Sn 1.8), a discourse that we will cover in detail in the future. In this case, the Buddha prescribes mettā as a protective formula (paritta) for forest-dwelling monks who felt harassed and frightened by a group of tree-spirits.



A bit more context is necessary here. These spirits felt their homes had been invaded by the monks, who meditated beneath the trees, sitting on their roots for the day's abiding. The monks, in turn, felt threatened when the displaced spirits began to lash out at them. Thus we can see the first sparks of conflict begin to shimmer, like embers waiting to burst into full flame.

However, when the Buddha prescribed mettā as an antidote, the spirits did not cause any further trouble. In fact, the monks were able to continue their meditation in the forest. Water douses fire. Antidote overcomes poison. Here, mettā functioned precisely as a means to provide security and protection. The spirits and monks no longer quarreled with each other and everyone was able to go back to their lives as usual. All could finally coexist in harmony, the spirits guarding the trees and the monks meditating at ease.



How does mettā provide protection and what does mettā protect us from, exactly? According to Ācariya Buddharakkhita, the enemies of the mind (greed, hatred, lust, and jealousy) are the source of afflictive and destructive states of beings. The tree spirits in the story behind the “Mettā Sutta” can be likened to enemies of our mind that come to disturb our peace. Ācariya Buddharakkhita notes, “Transformed by metta, the mind is no longer haunted by greed, hatred, lust, jealousy and those other mind-polluting factors which are one’s real enemy and source of misfortune.” As such, our own pollutants of the mind are transformed into good-will and other wholesome mental factors that lead to happiness and liberation, a life devoid of suffering. Hence, we are protected by the practice of mettā, which transforms the mind and culminates in freedom.

Good-Will and Social Harmony

How is mettā relevant to the fires that burn within and without?

We propose that good-will is key to social harmony. When individuals cultivate harmony within themselves, that sense of harmony and ease naturally extends to the surrounding world, pervading it slowly but surely. Social harmony is the inevitable byproduct of good-will.

Fear of the other is a major source of disharmony. Recall the monks and tree spirits. Each side feared the other, causing disharmony and conflict. In the dark forest of the mind, sometimes fires break out. Under such conditions, we become fearsome of anything perceived as different from us. Constantly on guard, we tend to act on impulse. When we fan the flames of this fear, disharmony spreads and the forest burns.

When we perceive another being as threatening, we attribute our experience of fear to them, as coming from them as some object of fear. In actuality, such fear comes from us and our own perceptions. When we experience fear, even if such fear is triggered by an external cue, the actual experience is an internal response to that cue based on a projection that we layer on top of that other being. Such projections often take the form of stereotypes. They usually dehumanize the other, making them out to be less than human. If we can pacify those projections, then we will no longer experience that fear. While this is no easy task, the social harmony it guarantees is well-worth the effort, even transforming ill-will into good-will for others. In taming the mind in such a way, social harmony is sure to grow in place of fire.



More on this and other topics soon!