The Karaṇīya Mettā Sutta in Depth: Verses 2–5

Verses 2–3

Santussako ca subharo ca appakicco ca sallahukavutti
santindriyo ca nipako ca appagabbho kulesu ananugiddho
na ca khuddaṁ samācare kiñci yena viññū pare upavadeyyuṁ
sukhino vā khemino hontu sabbe sattā bhavantu sukhitattā

• santussaka: content; one who is satisfied with what is one’s own, with what one already has
• subhara: easy to support, patient
• appakicca: one who has few duties
• sallahukavutti: one who lives lightly, for example with few requisites, traveling like a bird that has only its wings
• santindriyo: one whose senses are calm, not scattered by the force of lust and the like
• nipako: one who is wise and clear-minded, with the wisdom that protects oneself, using wisdom to assess the four requisites and to know the seven kinds of suitability (sappāya), and so on
• appagabbha: one who is not brash in body, speech or mind, careful in speaking, standing, walking, sitting and lying down
• kulesu ananugiddho: whatever families a monk visits, he is not bound to them by wanting requisites or by improper familiarity with them
• khudda: base, low
• samācare: the kinds of conduct that the wise, people of understanding, criticize
• sukhino: one who is full of happiness
• khemino: one who is secure, free of danger, free of calamity
• sabbe: all, without exception
• sattā: living beings
• sukhitattā: one whose mind has reached happiness

In verses 1–3, the Karaṇīya Mettā Sutta sets out fifteen desirable qualities of a person who wishes to cultivate mettā meditation (mettā, loving-kindness):

1. sakko: courageous
2. ujū: upright, with good bodily and verbal conduct
3. suhujū: thoroughly upright, that is, with good mental conduct as well
4. suvaco: easy to advise and teach
5. mudu: gentle
6. anatimānī: not proud or conceited
7. santussako: content
8. subharo: easy to support
9. appakicco: not carrying many burdens, without many worries
10. sallahukavutti: light in body and light in mind
11. santindriyo: restrained in the senses
12. nipako: having the wisdom that protects oneself
13. appagabbho: not brash
14. kulesu ananugiddho: not attached to families
15. na ca khuddaṁ samācare kiñci yena viññū pare upavadeyyuṁ: not committing even the slightest wrong, anything at all, for which the wise, people of understanding, could criticize one

For a deeper understanding and correct practice, the details of each point are set out below, in order.

Sakko

It comes from the word sakka, meaning capable and courageous.

This is a name of Indra, king of the gods, and the name of the Buddha’s clan (the Sakyan clan). One who would bring a mind of mettā into being must be bold and courageous, not lazy, able to put in effort and help fellow practitioners of the holy life in every task. This quality belongs to virtue as good conduct (cāritta-sīla), and to the basis of merit (puññakiriyavatthu) called veyyāvaccamaya, which is putting effort into proper tasks.

The underlying factors of sakko:

1. Faith (saddhā): confidence
2. Energy (viriya): boldness and courage
3. Wieldiness of body and mind (kāyakammaññatā, cittakammaññatā): body and mind fit for wholesome work

Kāyakammaññatā, cittakammaññatā means being a person with confidence, bold and courageous, whose states of mind, or mental phenomena (nāmadhamma), are fit for wholesome work. Such a person puts effort into wholesome activities without giving up. Whenever any activity comes up for developing the wholesome, they put in full effort and devote body and mind to it, and they are not lazy, because they have faith, boldness, and wieldiness of body and mind.

Sakko emphasizes virtue.
Kāyakammaññatā, cittakammaññatā means wholesome states of mind that have arisen: being someone who can easily develop the wholesome, which is called being fit for wholesome work. One must first train the mind to be gentle and fit for work, so as to go on to cultivate mettā.

Ujū

Upright, willing to correct oneself, honest, not crooked like the zigzag trail a cow leaves when it urinates as it walks. Not deceitful, that is, not hiding one’s faults so that others will not know; not putting on a show of being virtuous; without sāṭheyya (craftiness), claiming qualities one does not have. One is honest in body and in speech.

An upright mind means having ārammaṇūpanijjhāna (close contemplation of the object), the training of the mind (cittasikkhā), upright through samatha (calm). It means being wholeheartedly set on the training of the mind, with the training in virtue as its foundation, until one gains gladness, rapture (pīti), happiness and joy, and the mind becomes firmly established, through mettā meditation and so on.

Ārammaṇūpanijjhāna means focusing on an object so that concentration arises, attending to that object so that a mind of mettā, karuṇā (compassion), muditā (sympathetic joy) and upekkhā (equanimity) arises and concentration arises. It emphasizes ārammaṇūpanijjhāna.

It is kāyujukatā (uprightness of body) and ekaggatā (one-pointedness), meaning one conducts body, speech and mind in an upright way, with concentration firmly established as one. Ujū emphasizes calm.

Ujū emphasizes concentration.
Developing from sakko, one begins to go straight, gains gladness, gains freedom from remorse, begins to feel content and has rapture from one’s practice. Refining oneself in the various observances, one gains calm, gains happiness and joy, and gains the firm establishment of mind called ujū. When body and speech have been calmed, one rises to ārammaṇūpanijjhāna, the training of the mind, upright through calm.

Suhujū

Thoroughly upright in mind, without deceit. It is lakkhaṇūpanijjhāna (close contemplation of characteristics), the training in wisdom (paññāsikkhā), upright through insight knowledge (vipassanā-ñāṇa). It is also cittujukatā (uprightness of mind), the power of uprightness and the power of insight wisdom. Suhujū is a name for the training in wisdom, upright through insight knowledge, seeing the three characteristics: seeing impermanence, suffering and non-self.

Suhujū emphasizes wisdom.
Once the hindrance (nīvaraṇa) of sensual longing has vanished, the mind is firmly established in one-pointedness.
Ill will, tension and anger are driven out by mettā.
Sloth and torpor (thīnamiddha), dejection and discouragement, are taken in hand by energy, boldness and courage, which drive out the dejection and discouragement.
Restlessness and worry are removed by mindfulness and one-pointedness.
Doubt (vicikicchā) is dealt with by wisdom.
The mind merges into one and then develops toward wisdom, to know things as they really are.
This is called the training in wisdom, upright through insight knowledge.

Suvaco

Easy to advise: accepting what others say and acting on it, receiving instruction from a teacher and acting on it. Its underlying factor is adosa, non-anger. Without anger, one is close to attainment. Whoever has this quality is close to attaining virtue, mettā, karuṇā, muditā, upekkhā, jhāna (meditative absorption), the meditative attainments (samāpatti) and insight knowledge.

Because one has adosa, one is not angry.
Because one has patience (khanti) and mettā, one has a mind that is strong, cool and gentle.

Mudu

Gentle: not pliant in the affairs of householders, but gentle in the practices and observances, in the duties of the Saṅgha (the monastic community); that is, not bending toward sensual pleasures. When evil is about to arise, one refuses it, whether greed, anger or delusion. One is gentle toward the Triple Gem and gentle toward the teaching, with malleability of body and mind (kāyamudutā, cittamudutā) in wholesome work, not hardened by views and conceit.

Anatimānī

Not proud, not looking down on others on grounds for contempt such as birth, lineage, knowledge or appearance. Its underlying factor is cittamudutā, which is the power of malleability (mudutā-bala): a mind with a great power of gentleness, because one has trained the mind to be gentle in the wholesome, steady in the wholesome and pliant to the teaching, yet refusing evil and firmly blocking it.

The power of malleability can subdue arrogance, conceit and every kind of hardness, until the mind becomes humble and gentle, with faith, effort, mindfulness, concentration and wisdom coming in to guide it.

When faith arises, it destroys assaddhiya, lack of faith.
When effort arises, it destroys kosajja, laziness.
When mindfulness arises, it destroys muṭṭhassati, forgetfulness.
When concentration arises, it destroys vikkhepa, distraction.
When wisdom arises, it destroys sammoha, delusion and not knowing.

Gold is smelted to remove the other metals, lead, tin, silver and copper, so that it becomes real, pure gold that can be made into necklaces, earrings, rings, watches and golden garlands.

A person whose mind is gentle and soft with mettā can develop toward insight wisdom.

Santussako

Delighting in what is one’s own, in what one has, steadily; content. Its underlying factor is alobha, non-greed: not greedy, not attached to objects of sensual pleasure. A person in whom non-greed is strong keeps the mind even and does not go around delighting in and wanting what belongs to others. Delighting in what one has received and satisfied with what one has, this becomes a condition for developing the wholesome, and one develops mettā quickly. A person whose heart is eaten up by greed finds it hard to develop the wholesome. One must hold back greed if one wishes to grow in virtue, concentration and wisdom.

Subharo

Easy to support: whether receiving poor things or fine ones, little or much, one’s face stays bright and one gets by. Non-greed is one’s strength, the power of non-greed (alobha-bala). Without craving attachment, one is not shaken even when receiving little or receiving what is not good. With wisdom, knowledge and understanding, one has the strength to truly train oneself and refine oneself to the full, one’s face bright and untroubled. Its underlying factor is alobha, non-greed.

Appakicco

Having few duties, not giving importance to other tasks apart from practicing virtue, concentration and wisdom. Its underlying factors are proficiency of body and mind (kāyapāguññatā, cittapāguññatā): being at ease in virtue, concentration, wisdom, mettā, karuṇā, muditā and upekkhā, like a fish when it enters the water. Mindfulness, concentration and wisdom move nimbly, and mettā arises quickly.

Paying little attention to other tasks but attending to the task of developing virtue, concentration and wisdom: when the mind becomes nimble in the wholesome, faith springs up, mindfulness, concentration and wisdom spring up, shame and fear of doing wrong spring up, and one becomes skilled in the wholesome.

Sallahukavutti

Living lightly, light in body and light in mind: lightness of body and mind (kāyalahutā, cittalahutā). Non-greed is light, not weighed down by sloth and torpor, dejection and discouragement.

A bird has only its wings and its tail, and it can fly anywhere.
A renunciant has robes like wings and a bowl like a belly, and must have few requisites.
Light in body and light in mind, one can go anywhere.

People who hope for a great deal and want much gain and honor are people who suffer, people who are heavy.

Money is a secondary goal; success at work is a secondary goal.
The Dhamma (the teaching and the truth it points to) is the main goal.

The Dhamma is confidence.
The Dhamma is boldness and courage.
The Dhamma is mindfulness.
The Dhamma is concentration.
The Dhamma is wisdom.
The Dhamma is mettā.
This is the main goal.

Not aiming at wealth, power, rank or fame, one does everything for the Dhamma.

Being truly light means having no defilements, with no sloth and torpor (dejection and discouragement) crowding in.

…light in body, light in mind

Santindriyo

One whose senses are calm, restrained in the senses and not scattered. This is the faculty of mindfulness (satindriya), the faculty that is mindfulness.

Seeing, one can shut out evil, not letting rāga (lust), dosa (anger) and moha (delusion) flow into the mind.
Hearing, one can shut out evil.
Smelling, one can shut out evil.
Tasting, one can shut out evil.
Touching, one can shut out evil.
The mind calm and not scattered, one can quiet evil.
Lust, anger and delusion do not flow into the mind, because mindfulness stands out.

Looking to indulge, or looking to learn?
Listening to indulge, or listening to learn?
Smelling to indulge, or smelling to learn?
Eating to indulge, or eating to learn?
Touching to indulge, or touching to learn?
Thinking to indulge, or thinking to learn?

Indulging brings only liking and disliking…
Learning brings a balanced mind…

Nipako

One with the wisdom that protects oneself, so as to gain the wholesome when dealing with all kinds of things: using wisdom to consider the four requisites, shelter, clothing, medicine and food, asking what is the main goal and what is secondary. Skilled in relating to all things, one does not let evil flow into the mind at all, because one has the wisdom to purify oneself.

Suitable dwelling (āvāsa-sappāya): where does one live so that wholesome states of mind arise easily?
Suitable climate (utu-sappāya): in what kind of climate do wholesome states of mind arise easily?
Suitable food (āhāra-sappāya): eating which kind of food do wholesome states of mind arise easily?
Suitable resort (gocara-sappāya): going where do wholesome states of mind arise easily?
Suitable posture (iriyāpatha-sappāya): in which posture do wholesome states of mind arise easily?
Suitable people (puggala-sappāya): in whose company do wholesome states of mind arise easily?
Suitable Dhamma (dhamma-sappāya): hearing which kind of Dhamma becomes a cause and condition for wholesome states of mind to arise easily?

Nipako… skilled in relating to all things

Appagabbho

Not brash in body and not brash in speech. Being brash means using bodily action to kill living beings and steal, and using verbal action for lying, divisive speech, harsh speech and idle chatter. Its underlying factors are tranquility of body and mind (kāyapassaddhi, cittapassaddhi): the body calm, the mind calm. A person whose body and mind are not calm will not be at peace wherever they are and cannot live happily; wherever they are, they are not still and not at peace in the wholesome.

Kulesu ananugiddho

Not entangled with families. Entanglement here means clinging to one’s group, clinging to parents, children and relatives, clinging to one’s phone, clinging to games; the mind does not get coated onto and stuck to these things. Not grieving, not elated, not sharing in their happiness and suffering. Its underlying factor is tatramajjhattatā (neutrality of mind), which adjusts the balance between faith and wisdom, and between effort and concentration, so that the mind can rest in balance.

Na ca khuddaṁ samācare kiñci yena viññū pare upavadeyyuṁ

Not committing even the smallest wrong for which the wise, people of understanding, could reproach one. Khudda means evil: not committing even small wrongs of body or speech. The person who can give up even the smallest evil is one with the power of shame (hiri-bala) and the power of moral dread (ottappa-bala), that is, a strong sense of shame and fear of doing wrong.

Sukhino vā khemino hontu sabbe sattā bhavantu sukhitattā

One should spread friendliness to all beings, thinking:
may all beings, every one of them, be happy… happy in body, happy in mind, and safe;
spreading a mind of mettā, karuṇā, muditā and upekkhā to all beings.

The meditation phrase we use, “happy in body, happy in mind, safe” (Thai suk kai, suk jai, plot phai), comes from this very verse of the Karaṇīya Mettā Sutta.

Verses 4–5

Ye keci pāṇabhūtatthi tasā vā thāvarā vā anavasesā
dīghā vā ye mahantā vā majjhimā rassakā aṇukathūlā
diṭṭhā vā ye ca adiṭṭhā ye ca dūre vasanti avidūre
bhūtā vā sambhavesī vā sabbe sattā bhavantu sukhitattā

• ye keci: whatever beings there are
• pāṇa: beings with breath, that is, beings in the planes of five aggregates (pañcavokāra-bhūmi), who have all five aggregates (khandha): humans, deities and beings in the lower realms
• bhūta: beings with one aggregate, the non-percipient Brahmās (asaññasatta), and beings with four aggregates, the formless Brahmās
• tasā: trembling, meaning people who still have defilements, those who still tremble
• thāvarā: a name for the arahants (the fully awakened), who have abandoned craving and fear
• anavasesā: with no remainder of those beings left out
• dīghā: beings with long bodies, such as fish and nāgas
• mahantā: beings with large bodies, such as the great elephants
• majjhimā: beings with medium-sized bodies, such as horses, cattle, buffaloes and pigs
• rassakā: beings of low stature, long in the middle or stout in the middle, such as dwarfs
• aṇukā: beings with subtle or tiny bodies, within range of the divine eye and so on
• thūlā: beings with round bodies, such as fish, turtles, clams and snails
• diṭṭhā: beings one has seen, who have appeared before one’s own eyes
• adiṭṭhā: beings in other oceans, on other mountains and in other world systems that one has never seen
• avidūre: beings living not far away, the beings living within one’s own body
• dūre: beings living far away, the beings living outside the body
• bhūtā: beings already born, meaning the arahants
• sambhavesī: beings seeking birth, meaning the learners on the path (sekha) and all ordinary people

In verses 4 and 5, the Blessed One, having taught mettā meditation in brief, from access concentration (upacāra) up to absorption (appanā), then taught mettā meditation in detail.

He taught a set of twos: four pairs of beings.

• Pair 1: beings who tremble and those who are steady
• Pair 2: beings one has seen and those one has not yet seen
• Pair 3: beings who live far away and those who live near
• Pair 4: beings already born and those seeking birth

He taught a set of threes: three groups of beings.

• Group 1: beings with long, short and medium bodies
• Group 2: beings with large, small and medium bodies
• Group 3: beings with stout, thin and medium bodies

It is the spreading of mettā without borders and without measure,
spreading mettā to arahants and ordinary people alike,
spreading mettā to beings of every kind, in every direction, with none left out:
may all beings, even all of these, come to happiness…

Steady beings means the arahants, because they are free of fear.
Beings already born means the arahants.
Beings seeking birth means people like us.