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Thread: Explaining "Metta"

  1. #1

    Explaining "Metta"

    Some folks write me from time to time asking about the meaning of all this "Metta" ("loving kindness") wishing. It is good to explain from time to time. We have a recommended daily "Metta Recitation" practice here at Treeleaf ...

    RECOMMENDED DAILY Metta PRACTICE
    https://www.treeleaf.org/forums/show...Metta-PRACTICE

    ... and sometimes when our friends and loved ones are sick or otherwise suffering, we ask folks here to offer "Metta" much like a prayer for their recovery.

    https://www.treeleaf.org/forums/show...064#post261064

    Here is my take.

    Some folks might think that there are hidden forces or energies that somehow travel to help other folks, or ears in the sky that hear our entreaties, not unlike prayer. Personally, I am rather skeptical of that, although I leave it in the "anything is possible" category. May it be so.

    However, I know that if I do a violent or angry act or say an angry word on the internet (or even if I just have a hateful attitude inside, which leaks out in my attitude to things), it has direct and indirect hurtful effects on those around me, my family and community, and (in this interconnected age of airplanes and media, as shown by that virus) even upon friends and strangers around the world. So, would not having a kind, loving, tolerant and peaceful attitude and behavior have like effects near and far?

    The practice actually is training our own heart to feel kind, loving, tolerant and peaceful by the practice, aside from the effects on anyone our attitude, words and actions might impact outside. As we wish well toward others we help cure ourselves of our inner anger and disquiet.

    If we offer Metta to a friend whose father or mother is sick, hoping for that person's healing, we certainly communicate the message that our friend can rely on us, express their fear to us, borrow our strength a little. Perhaps such comfort can truly prevent disease, at least the "dis-Ease" of feeling lonely, afraid and isolated, and the very real physical diseases that can result to someone who is too swept up in sadness and fear. I do not know if our feelings or words will have much effect on mom or dad directly, but it certainly will strengthen our friend. As well, when our friend is him/herself the one who is sick, the good feeling we transmit helps their peace of mind, which certainly is helpful in their battles. Yes, things like prayer and "Metta" do have scientifically measurable prophylactic and curative powers at least in those ways.

    The hard one for most folks is hoping for health and peace for people who do ugly actions in our life or world, e.g., an abusive parent, a dictator or a serial killer in the news. That takes some explaining. Basically, we wish them to be well with the attitude that, if they were truly peaceful and healthy in mind, they would not be abusive or violent (and we wish that we could travel back in time to wish them so before they became who they are now, or at least, we wish that others like them will not be so today and in the future). As well, we Buddhists tend to think that there are no "bad people," only people who do horrid acts because they are diseased inside by excess desire, anger and division. So, even the abusive parent or killer is a victim of the real culprit of inner poisons. That does not mean that we ignore their actions or our pain that they cause, and they need to be stopped or punished for the damage they do in society. It is just that we are also aware of some deeper causes, and in Metta, wish that those causes would be removed in them.

    So, that is why we offer hopes in "Metta," and how those words and feelings do have effects out in the world.

    Gassho, Jundo

    STLah
    Last edited by Jundo; 04-20-2020 at 03:29 AM.
    ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

  2. #2
    Member Yokai's Avatar
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    Jan 2020
    Location
    Havelock North, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand
    Thank you Jundo

    Metta & , Chris stlah

  3. #3
    Member Onka's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2019
    Location
    Rural Queensland, so-called Australia
    I'm a huge fan of reciting the Verse of Atonement before I offer Metta towards those who challenge me ethically, morally and politically. The Buddhist version of self flagellation haha.
    Gassho
    Onka
    St
    穏 On (Calm)
    火 Ka (Fires)
    They/She.

  4. #4
    Quote Originally Posted by Nikos View Post
    Thank you Jundo. I have a question though. Is anger always a bad feeling that needs to be cured?
    Gassho, Nikolas
    Sat/Lah
    Anger in excess or combined with hate, especially if it turns to violence, is harmful. I cannot think of a situation where it is justified. Even a policeman or soldier who sometimes must do violence in order to protect the innocent should generally avoid anger in doing so.

    Certain kinds of righteous anger, concerned indignation, "tough love" enacted when necessary (e.g., to help straighten out a family member who needs an "intervention" for a drug problem) or the like are generally useful sometimes. This is a kind of calm anger. Zen masters in temples often sound like yelling marine sergeants in scolding the young monks!

    Being a little angry, upset, disappointed, pissed off ... if it does not run to excess rage or violence ... is human and, while not to be encouraged, is also not a big problem.

    That is my personal feeling (you can ask my teenage son about life in our house with "Sergeant Jundo Dad" sometimes )

    I wrote about this in more detail here:

    Playing With Fire
    https://www.treeleaf.org/forums/show...ying-With-Fire

    Gassho, J

    STLah
    ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

  5. #5
    Reciting Metta provides a necessary pause for me to reflect on my own feelings, actions, interpretation of events around me. I don’t think reciting Metta has any particular power other than softening my own heart, cooling my own anger/frustration, and allowing me to look out beyond myself and consider other sentient beings. I do believe (hope) that by doing this I become a kinder, gentler, more caring individual

    I often recite Metta many times a day. It is a wonderful practice.


    Tairin
    Sat today and lah
    Last edited by Tairin; 04-20-2020 at 01:47 PM.

  6. #6
    I don't know if there is a power that listens to our metta recitation, but I think it doesn't change the fact that in the Bodhisatva path, we are asked to save all sentient beings, so we must really feel the desire that all beings, even the wrongful ones, be free from suffering. We and them are really not two. So, I recite metta as if there is a force that would really save all sentient beings. If there is or not, I leave it to emptiness as Jundo once said.
    Gassho,
    Mateus
    Sat/LAH
    怠努 (Tai Do) - Lazy Effort
    (also known as Mateus )

    禅戒一如 (Zen Kai Ichi Nyo) - Zazen and the Precepts are One!

  7. #7
    Thank you, Jundo.
    I once heard a teacher associated with Thich Nhat Hahn suggest that if we have trouble feeling compassion for ourselves or some other person, we should imagine them as a four year old child. This was really helpful to me. While four year olds have their moments that try us, they are vulnerable and innocent. Imagining that difficult person as a vulnerable child makes it easier to feel compassion and appreciate what they/we might have been through.
    Gassho,
    Krista
    st/lah

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