Maitrī facts for kids

Mettā is a word from the ancient Pali language (and Maitrī in Sanskrit). It means kindness, friendliness, goodwill, and caring about others. It's like having a warm, friendly feeling towards everyone.

In Buddhism, Mettā is one of the four "sublime states" or "divine abodes" (called Brahmaviharas). It's also one of the ten special qualities (pāramīs) that people try to develop in the Theravada school of Buddhism.

Practicing Mettā, often called "loving-kindness meditation," is a popular way to meditate in Buddhism. It helps people grow their kindness towards all beings. This idea of kindness and universal love is talked about in Buddhist texts like the Metta Sutta. You can also find similar ideas in ancient texts from Hinduism and Jainism.

Some small studies suggest that loving-kindness meditation might help people feel better. But more research is needed to be sure about these benefits.

What Mettā Means

The word Mettā comes from the Pali word maitrī, which means "friendly, kind, and good-willed." This word has been used for a long time in ancient Indian writings.

In Buddhism, Mettā is seen as a "divine abode." It helps people overcome bad feelings like anger or ill-will. By practicing Mettā, you learn to let go of negative thoughts and grow kindness towards everyone.

The opposite of Mettā is hate or ill-will. A "near enemy" of Mettā is greed or attachment. This means liking the feeling of being kind for the wrong reasons, like wanting something in return. True Mettā is about pure, selfless kindness.

Mettā Meditation Practice

Mettā meditation, also known as loving-kindness meditation, is a way to practice being kind and friendly. During this meditation, people often silently repeat phrases. These phrases might be like "may you be happy" or "may you be free from suffering."

You can direct these kind thoughts to different people. First, you might focus on yourself. Then, you move to people you love, then neutral people (like someone you don't know well). After that, you focus on people you find difficult. Finally, you extend your kindness to all beings everywhere.

There are two main ways to practice this meditation. One focuses on compassion, which is wishing to relieve someone's suffering. The other focuses on loving-kindness, which is wishing someone happiness. Both are important parts of Mettā.

Studies show that practicing loving-kindness meditation can increase positive emotions. It can make you feel happier in your daily life. The good news is that even short periods of meditation can have a positive effect.

Where Mettā Comes From

The idea of Mettā, along with compassion, joy, and calmness, existed in ancient India even before the Gautama Buddha was born. These ideas were part of traditions like Brahma-loka, which involved meditating on these virtues.

Early Buddhist texts say that wise people before the Buddha taught these virtues. After the Buddha, these same virtues appeared in Hindu texts, like the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. In these texts, the word Maitri means the same as Mettā.

Loving-kindness (maitri) and compassion are also found in early Hindu texts called the Upanishads. And in Jainism, metta is mentioned alongside compassion, joy, and calmness. The Buddhist scriptures even say that the Buddha didn't invent these "four immeasurables" or the Mettā meditation.

For example, the ancient Chandogya Upanishad teaches Mettā and ahimsa (not harming others). It says that practicing these leads to a divine realm. It's interesting to see how these ancient Indian traditions shared and influenced each other's ideas about kindness and meditation.

Mettā in Buddhist Texts

In Buddhist scriptures, Mettā is mentioned in many places. It's seen as a key practice. These texts explain how developing Mettā helps you create good karma for future lives.

Karaniya Metta Sutta (Sn 1.8)

The Metta Sutta is a famous Buddhist text about Mettā. It teaches how to develop boundless loving-kindness. Here's a part of what it says:

This text says that Mettā is a deep wish for everyone's happiness. It's more than just not having ill-will. It's a way to overcome anger with kindness.

Radiating Loving-Kindness

Many Buddhist teachings describe how to spread loving-kindness in all directions. Imagine your kindness reaching out everywhere:

One fills every direction of the world with a mind full of kindness. This includes the second, third, and fourth directions. And also above, below, and all around. One fills the entire universe with kindness. With a mind that is vast, noble, limitless, and free from anger and ill-will.

This practice helps you develop a mind that is truly boundless and kind. It's said to be a path to a higher, more peaceful state of being.

Benefits of Mettā

The Buddhist texts list many good things that happen when you practice Mettā meditation:

• You sleep easily and wake easily.
• You don't have bad dreams.
• People and even non-human beings like you.
• Spiritual beings (devas) protect you.
• You are safe from fire, poison, and weapons.
• Your mind becomes focused quickly.
• Your appearance becomes bright.
• You die peacefully and are reborn in good places.

Mettā is also seen as the best way to get rid of ill-will. The texts say that nothing else can stop ill-will from arising or make it disappear as much as developing a heart full of kindness.

It's also said that all other good deeds don't compare to the power of Mettā. The liberation of mind through Mettā shines brighter than anything else.

Maitrī and Mettā in Other Traditions

The word Mettā comes from the ancient Sanskrit word Maitrī. This word and similar ones are found in very old Hindu texts like the Rigveda and Upanishads. They all come from an ancient root meaning "love."

For example, the Yajurveda talks about enjoying loving-kindness. The Atharvaveda and various Upanishads also mention this idea. A major Hindu text called the Maitri Upanishad discusses universal kindness and friendship. It teaches that "what one thinks, that one becomes." This means your thoughts can shape your life. It also says that peace starts in your own mind.

The Isha Upanishad also talks about universal friendship and kindness, even without using the word metta. These teachings of universal Maitri even influenced famous leaders like Mahatma Gandhi.

In Jainism, an ancient text called Yogabindu uses the Sanskrit word Maitri. It means loving-kindness towards all living beings. This shows how similar ideas of kindness and compassion are found across different ancient Indian philosophies.

Research on Mettā Meditation

Scientists are studying Mettā meditation to see its effects. Some early studies suggest that practicing Mettā can increase positive emotions. People might feel happier right after meditating and even in the long term.

Help for Mental Well-being

Researchers are looking into whether Mettā meditation can help with psychological problems. Some studies show promising results for issues like depression and anxiety. However, more strong research is needed to confirm these benefits.

For example, a study in 2005 found that loving-kindness meditation reduced pain and anger in people with long-term lower back pain. Other research suggests that compassion meditation might help reduce stress and inflammation in the body. Mettā meditation is also a key part of mindfulness-based pain management, which has shown good results in studies.

Important Notes on Research

It's important to be careful about big claims. Some reviews of Mettā meditation research suggest that while there's promise, many studies have had problems. These problems include small sample sizes or not enough control groups.

So, while Mettā meditation seems to have positive effects on well-being and social interaction, scientists still need to do more high-quality research to fully understand its benefits.

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