Comments on: The Metta Prayer http://www.wildmind.org Explore Meditation Online Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:56:44 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Bodhipaksa http://www.wildmind.org/metta/introduction/metta-prayer/comment-page-1#comment-155428 Bodhipaksa Wed, 18 Jan 2012 20:58:50 +0000 http://test.wildmind.org/metta/introduction/metta-prayer/#comment-155428 Hi, Dom. I corrected the text by adding the missing quotation mark, and also indented the entire passage for clarity. The prayer begins with "In order that I may be skilled..." and ends with "...the divine life right here." There is a prayer within the prayer, so that there's an aspiration to bear the thought "May all beings be well ... in anger or in hate" in mind at all times. Hi, Dom.

I corrected the text by adding the missing quotation mark, and also indented the entire passage for clarity.

The prayer begins with “In order that I may be skilled…” and ends with “…the divine life right here.”

There is a prayer within the prayer, so that there’s an aspiration to bear the thought “May all beings be well … in anger or in hate” in mind at all times.

]]> By: dom http://www.wildmind.org/metta/introduction/metta-prayer/comment-page-1#comment-155411 dom Wed, 18 Jan 2012 19:38:10 +0000 http://test.wildmind.org/metta/introduction/metta-prayer/#comment-155411 There's an end-quotation mark but no beginning-quotation mark. Does the prayer begin with "In order that I may..." or "May all beings..."? And is the end of the prayer "...anger or in hate." or "...the divine life right here."? Thanks! There’s an end-quotation mark but no beginning-quotation mark. Does the prayer begin with “In order that I may…” or “May all beings…”? And is the end of the prayer “…anger or in hate.” or “…the divine life right here.”?
Thanks!

]]> By: Bliss Cannabis http://www.wildmind.org/metta/introduction/metta-prayer/comment-page-1#comment-152781 Bliss Cannabis Fri, 06 Jan 2012 18:55:28 +0000 http://test.wildmind.org/metta/introduction/metta-prayer/#comment-152781 Thank you for sharing your translated version of your prayer! It is quite beautiful with it's intention. Thank you for sharing your translated version of your prayer! It is quite beautiful with it’s intention.

]]> By: tom Barnhart http://www.wildmind.org/metta/introduction/metta-prayer/comment-page-1#comment-124477 tom Barnhart Fri, 22 Jul 2011 02:26:26 +0000 http://test.wildmind.org/metta/introduction/metta-prayer/#comment-124477 The Metta Prayer (Buddhist prayer of Loving Kindness) May you be safe from harm May you be happy and peaceful May you be strong and healthy May you be free from suffering The Metta Prayer (Buddhist prayer of Loving Kindness)

May you be safe from harm
May you be happy and peaceful
May you be strong and healthy
May you be free from suffering

]]> By: Bodhipaksa http://www.wildmind.org/metta/introduction/metta-prayer/comment-page-1#comment-112743 Bodhipaksa Wed, 06 Apr 2011 15:52:34 +0000 http://test.wildmind.org/metta/introduction/metta-prayer/#comment-112743 No offense taken, Jerry. The verbs used in this passage, hontu and bhavantu, are in the third person imperative: "may/let them be..." It would be inaccurate to translate those as "let us be..." In my own practice I tend to use the phrases "may all beings be well (etc)" or "may we be well (etc)". I assume you're pointing to the problem of excluding ourselves from the scope of our own well-wishing, and I agree that's a valid concern. But I don't think there's anything wrong with the translation in this regard. That's just what the Pali says. No offense taken, Jerry. The verbs used in this passage, hontu and bhavantu, are in the third person imperative: “may/let them be…” It would be inaccurate to translate those as “let us be…”

In my own practice I tend to use the phrases “may all beings be well (etc)” or “may we be well (etc)”. I assume you’re pointing to the problem of excluding ourselves from the scope of our own well-wishing, and I agree that’s a valid concern. But I don’t think there’s anything wrong with the translation in this regard. That’s just what the Pali says.

]]> By: Jerry Segers, Jr. http://www.wildmind.org/metta/introduction/metta-prayer/comment-page-1#comment-112742 Jerry Segers, Jr. Wed, 06 Apr 2011 15:25:34 +0000 http://test.wildmind.org/metta/introduction/metta-prayer/#comment-112742 I'd like to take exception to your translation... In particular, you translated it as "May all beings be well and safe, may they be at ease" I don't speak/read pali or sanscrit or whatever, but simple logic demands that it be translated "May all beings be well and safe, may _we_ be at ease" If I've offended you with this, I do apologize. I just thought it needed to be said. (a similar error on my part gave me difficulties in my practice, hopefully others will not follow suit.) I’d like to take exception to your translation… In particular, you translated it as “May all beings be well and safe, may they be at ease” I don’t speak/read pali or sanscrit or whatever, but simple logic demands that it be translated “May all beings be well and safe, may _we_ be at ease” If I’ve offended you with this, I do apologize. I just thought it needed to be said. (a similar error on my part gave me difficulties in my practice, hopefully others will not follow suit.)

]]> By: Rodger Ricketts http://www.wildmind.org/metta/introduction/metta-prayer/comment-page-1#comment-81653 Rodger Ricketts Sun, 20 Sep 2009 16:35:08 +0000 http://test.wildmind.org/metta/introduction/metta-prayer/#comment-81653 Yes, It is not magic even though would say that there is a benefical positive energy generated by such thoughts but more importantly is the personal transformation of our emotions and thinking when we recite the metta "prayer". Yes, It is not magic even though would say that there is a benefical positive energy generated by such thoughts but more importantly is the personal transformation of our emotions and thinking when we recite the metta “prayer”.

]]> By: Bodhipaksa http://www.wildmind.org/metta/introduction/metta-prayer/comment-page-1#comment-80181 Bodhipaksa Tue, 25 Aug 2009 01:17:43 +0000 http://test.wildmind.org/metta/introduction/metta-prayer/#comment-80181 Hi Hopeless, I'd imagine that's not going to happen, but the point is to transform our own emotional life by cultivating the wish that other beings be well. All the best, Bodhipaksa Hi Hopeless,

I’d imagine that’s not going to happen, but the point is to transform our own emotional life by cultivating the wish that other beings be well.

All the best,
Bodhipaksa

]]> By: Hopeless http://www.wildmind.org/metta/introduction/metta-prayer/comment-page-1#comment-80167 Hopeless Mon, 24 Aug 2009 23:29:13 +0000 http://test.wildmind.org/metta/introduction/metta-prayer/#comment-80167 Beautiful prayer, but still, I cant help but wonders: Will all beings be well and safe, will they be at ease? Whatever living beings there may be, whether moving or standing still, without exception, whether large, great, middling, or small, whether tiny or substantial, Whether seen or unseen, whether living near or far, Born or unborn; will all beings be happy? Will none deceive or despise another anywhere? Will none wish harm to another, in anger or in hate? Beautiful prayer, but still, I cant help but wonders:

Will all beings be well and safe, will they be at ease?

Whatever living beings there may be, whether moving or standing still, without exception, whether large, great, middling, or small, whether tiny or substantial,

Whether seen or unseen, whether living near or far,

Born or unborn; will all beings be happy?

Will none deceive or despise another anywhere? Will none wish harm to another, in anger or in hate?

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