Vuttañhetaṁ bhagavatā vuttamarahatāti me sutaṁ:
This was said by the Blessed One, said by the Arahant, so I have heard:
“Yāni kānici, bhikkhave, opadhikāni puññakiriyavatthūni sabbāni tāni mettāya cetovimuttiyā kalaṁ nāgghanti soḷasiṁ. Mettāyeva tāni cetovimutti adhiggahetvā bhāsate ca tapate ca virocati ca.
“Bhikkhus, whatever grounds for making merits there are |associated with acquisitions::connected with material acquisitions and attachment [opadhika]|, all of them do not amount to a sixteenth part of the |liberation of mind::emancipated by mind/heart, samādhi obtained from fruition [cetovimutti]| by |loving-kindness::goodwill, friendliness, benevolence [metta]|. Surpassing them by far, the liberation of mind by loving-kindness shines forth, radiates, and is brilliant.
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, yā kāci tārakarūpānaṁ pabhā sabbā tā candiyā pabhāya kalaṁ nāgghanti soḷasiṁ, candapabhāyeva tā adhiggahetvā bhāsate ca tapate ca virocati ca; evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, yāni kānici opadhikāni puññakiriyavatthūni sabbāni tāni mettāya cetovimuttiyā kalaṁ nāgghanti soḷasiṁ, mettāyeva tāni cetovimutti adhiggahetvā bhāsate ca tapate ca virocati ca.
Just as bhikkhus, the twinkling of all the stars does not amount to a sixteenth part of the moonlight, and the moonlight surpasses them, shining forth, radiating, and illuminating brightly; so too, bhikkhus, whatever grounds for making merits there are associated with acquisitions, all of them do not amount to a sixteenth part of the liberation of mind by loving-kindness. Surpassing them by far, the liberation of mind by loving-kindness shines forth, radiates, and is brilliant.
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, vassānaṁ pacchime māse saradasamaye viddhe vigatavalāhake deve ādicco nabhaṁ abbhussakkamāno sabbaṁ ākāsagataṁ tamagataṁ abhivihacca bhāsate ca tapate ca virocati ca; evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, yāni kānici opadhikāni puññakiriyavatthūni sabbāni tāni mettāya cetovimuttiyā kalaṁ nāgghanti soḷasiṁ, mettāyeva tāni cetovimutti adhiggahetvā bhāsate ca tapate ca virocati ca.
Just as bhikkhus, in the last month of the rainy season, during the autumn time, when the sky is clear and free from clouds, the sun, ascending, dispelling all the |darkness::gloom [tamagata]| spread across the sky, shines forth, radiates heat, and illuminates brightly; so too, bhikkhus, whatever grounds for making merits there are associated with acquisitions, all of them do not amount to a sixteenth part of the liberation of mind by loving-kindness. Surpassing them by far, the liberation of mind by loving-kindness shines forth, radiates, and is brilliant.
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, rattiyā paccūsasamayaṁ osadhitārakā bhāsate ca tapate ca virocati ca; evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, yāni kānici opadhikāni puññakiriyavatthūni sabbāni tāni mettāya cetovimuttiyā kalaṁ nāgghanti soḷasiṁ, mettāyeva tāni cetovimutti adhiggahetvā bhāsate ca tapate ca virocati cā”ti.
Just as bhikkhus, during the last watch of the night, the |morning star::planet Venus [osadhitārakā]| shines forth, radiates heat, and illuminates brightly; so too, bhikkhus, whatever grounds for making merits there are associated with acquisitions, all of them do not amount to a sixteenth part of the liberation of mind by loving-kindness. Surpassing them by far, the liberation of mind by loving-kindness shines forth, radiates, and is brilliant.”
Etamatthaṁ bhagavā avoca. Tatthetaṁ iti vuccati:
The Blessed One spoke on this matter. In this regard, it is said:
“Yo ca mettaṁ bhāvayati,
appamāṇaṁ paṭissato;
Tanū saṁyojanā honti,
passato upadhikkhayaṁ.
“One who develops loving-kindness,
|boundless::limitless, immeasurable [appamāṇa]|, and cultivated |with mindfulness::remembering to be present with continuous effort, observing the body in and of itself, felt experience in and of itself, mind in and of itself, mental qualities in and of themselves [patissata]|;
Their fetters become weak,
and they see the |wearing away of attachment::exhaustion of appropriation, ending of identification [upadhikkhaya]|.
Ekampi ce pāṇamaduṭṭhacitto,
Mettāyati kusalo tena hoti;
Sabbe ca pāṇe manasānukampaṁ,
Pahūtamariyo pakaroti puññaṁ.
Even if one harbors no ill will towards a single being,
and develops loving-kindness, that is |wholesome::healthy, beneficial, useful [kusala]|;
|Intent on::inclining towards [manasā]| compassion towards all beings,
the noble one generates abundant merit.
Ye sattasaṇḍaṁ pathaviṁ vijitvā,
Rājisayo yajamānānupariyagā;
Assamedhaṁ purisamedhaṁ,
Sammāpāsaṁ vājapeyyaṁ niraggaḷaṁ.
Having conquered the land teeming with beings,
those royal seers who went on to perform sacrifices;
The horse sacrifice, the human sacrifice,
the sacrifices of the ‘good throw’, ‘soma sacrifice’, and the ‘unimpeded’.
Mettassa cittassa subhāvitassa,
Kalampi te nānubhavanti soḷasiṁ;
Candappabhā tāragaṇāva sabbe.
These do not amount to a sixteenth part,
of a mind well-developed in loving-kindness;
just as the moon outshines the entire starry host.
Yo na hanti na ghāteti,
na jināti na jāpaye;
Mettaṁso sabbabhūtesu,
veraṁ tassa na kenacī”ti.
One who does not |kill::beat, strike, thrash, stab, execute [hanati]| or cause others to kill,
one who does not conquer or cause others to conquer;
With benevolence towards all beings,
for such a one, there is no |hostility::hatred, ill will, animosity [vera]| towards anyone.”
Ayampi attho vutto bhagavatā, iti me sutanti.
This matter too was spoken by the Blessed One, as I have heard.