Lovingkindness chant
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Here’s a beautiful lovingkindness chant from the Theravadin tradition that I first came across while on retreat at the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts.
This kind of chant can be a meditation in its own right. As you learn the meaning it becomes a series of reflections and aspirations which help retrain the mind. Even when you don’t understand the meaning fully it can be a mindfulness practice which helps us develop calm and focus. And also, as long as you’re chanting these Pali words you won’t be doing so much of that tiresome thinking that causes worry, stress, anger, etc.
It comes with a very pleasant lilting tune, and here is a version of the traditional Pali chant, by the Venerable Ariya Ñana.
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And as an added bonus, here’s a modern setting of the metta chant by Imee Ooi, a self-taught composer and arranger who is classically trained in piano and has done numerous musical works for television networks in and out of Malaysia.
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Aham avero homi May I be free from enmity and danger
abyapajjho homi May I be free from mental suffering
anigha homi May I be free from physical suffering
sukhi attanam pariharami May I take care of my own happiness
Mama matapitu May my parents
acariya ca natimitta ca teacher, family, and friends
sabrahmacarino ca fellow Dhamma farers
avera hontu be free from enmity and danger
abyapajjha hontu be free from mental suffering
anigha hontu be free from physical suffering
sukhi attanam pariharant may they take care of their own happiness
Imasmim arame sabbe yogino May all meditators in this place
avera hontu be free from enmity and danger
abyapajjha hontu be free from mental suffering
anigha hontu be free from physical suffering
sukhi attanam pariharantu May they take care of their own happiness
Imasmim arame sabbe bhikkhu May all monks in this place
samanera ca and novice monks
upasaka – upasikaya ca laymen and laywomen disciples
avera hontu be free from enmity and danger
abyapajjha hontu be free from mental suffering
anigha hontu be free from physical suffering
sukhi – attanam pariharantu May they take care of their own happiness
Amhakam catupaccaya – dayaka May our donors of the four supports: clothing, food, medicine and lodging
avera hontu be free from enmity and danger
abyapajjha hontu be free from mental suffering
anigha hontu be free from physical suffering
sukhi – attanam pariharantu May they take care of their own happiness
Amhakam arakkha devata May our guardian devas
Ismasmim vihare in this monastery
Ismasmim avase in this dwelling
Ismasmim arame in this compound
arakkha devata May the guardian devas
avera hontu be free from enmity and danger
abyapajjha hontu be free from mental suffering
anigha hontu be free from physical suffering
sukhi – attanam pariharantu may they take care of their own happiness
Sabbe satta May all beings
sabbe pana all breathing things
sabbe bhutta all creatures
sabbe puggala all individuals (all beings)
sabbe attabhava – pariyapanna all personalities (all beings with mind and body)
sabbe itthoyo may all females
sabbe purisa all males
sabbe ariya all noble ones (awakened beings)
sabbe anariya all worldlings (those yet to attain awakening)
sabbe deva all devas (deities)
sabbe manussa all humans
sabbe vinipatika all those in the woeful planes
avera hontu be free from enmity and dangers
abyapajjha hontu be free from mental suffering
anigha hontu be free from physical suffering
sukhi attanam pariharantu may they take care of their own happiness
Dukkha muccantu May all being be free from suffering
Yattha-laddha-sampattito mavigacchantu May whatever they have gained not be lost
Kammassaka All beings are owners of their own Kamma
Purathimaya disaya in the eastern direction
pacchimaya disaya in the western direction
uttara disaya in the northern direction
dakkhinaya disaya in the southern direction
purathimaya anudisaya in the southeast direction
pacchimaya anudisaya in the northwest direction
uttara anudisaya in the northeast direction
dakkhinaya anudisaya in the southwest direction
hetthimaya disaya in the direction below
uparimaya disaya in the direction above
Sabbe satta May all beings
sabbe pana all breathing things
sabbe bhutta all creatures
sabbe puggala all individuals (all beings)
sabbe attabhava – pariyapanna all personalities (all beings with mind and body)
sabbe itthoyo may all females
sabbe purisa all males
sabbe ariya all noble ones (awakened beings)
sabbe anariya (those yet to attain awakening)
sabbe deva all devas (deities)
sabbe manussa all humans
sabbe vinipatika all those in the woeful planes
avera hontu be free from enmity and dangers
abyapajjha hontu be free from mental suffering
anigha hontu be free from physical suffering
sukhi attanam pariharantu may they take care of their own happiness
Dukkha muccantu May all beings be free from suffering
Yattha-laddha-sampattito mavigacchantu May whatever they have gained not be lost
Kammassaka All beings are owners of their own kamma
Uddham yava bhavagga ca As far as the highest plane of existence
adho yava aviccito to as far down as the lowest plane
samanta cakkavalesu in the entire universe
ye satta pathavicara whatever beings that move on earth
abyapajjha nivera ca may they be free of mental suffering and enmity
nidukkha ca nupaddava and from physical suffering and danger
Uddham yava bhavagga ca As far as the highest plane of existence
adho yava aviccito to as far down as the lowest plane
samanta cakkavalesu in the entire universe
ye satta udakecara whatever beings that move on water
abyapajjha nivera ca may they be free of mental suffering and enmity
nidukkha ca nupaddava and from physical suffering and danger
Uddham yava bhavagga ca As far as the highest plane of existence
adho yava aviccito to as far down as the lowest plane
samanta cakkavalesu in the entire universe
ye satta akasecara whatever beings that move in air
abyapajjha nivera ca may they be free of mental suffering and enmity
nidukkha ca nupaddava and from physical suffering and danger.
Comments
Comment from Jeano
Time: July 6, 2007, 12:10 pm
THANK YOU for posting the lovingkindness chant. I’m listening to it now and it has taken the tense feeling in my heart and “the tiresome thinking” batting around inside my head and is reminding my spirit of its true preference for harmony. I’ll be back. What a saving grace this morning!
Jeano
Comment from ralph
Time: July 25, 2007, 7:49 pm
hi i have decided to name my baby disaya and i think its great to have a web site with all this helpful info
Comment from Bodhipaksa
Time: July 25, 2007, 8:25 pm
“Disaya” makes a beautiful-sounding name. If you’re interested, the Pali dictionary entry for the root word, disa, is here. The -aya ending makes the word locative (i.e. “in the direction”).
Comment from jenny
Time: August 8, 2007, 1:51 am
thank you for posting this beautiful chant – it has many many layers and levels of compassion
there is also a simple version I was introduced to by my yoga teacher – I don’t think it is here on this site, but I could be wrong. it is as follows (repeated with strong visualisation using ‘you’ ‘we’ etc)
‘may I be blessed with loving kindness
may I be well
may I be peaceful and at ease
may I be happy’
which is easy to remember when you are washing the dishes or driving the car!
love
jenny
Comment from Tejas
Time: November 8, 2007, 4:43 pm
For anybody who has suffered from suicidal thinking and/or serious anxiety, have these chants or any other type of meditation helped you deal?
Thanks!
Comment from Andy
Time: December 20, 2007, 7:58 am
(In repy to tejas)
Hi Tejas
I used to have both anxiety and suicidal thoughts pretty much as the background to my daily experience, with the occasional bout of hopelessnes taking me over and seemingly affecting everyone around me as well.
There were many reasons for this, which were all to do with the way i veiwed myself and the world. it seems somewhere along the way i picked up the notion that i was unworthy and that everyone else deserved to be happy but me.
personally I discovered this by simply practicing the four foundations of mindfullness of which mindfullness of breathing is one.
I still do this practice today as it (as you might discover) has the power to end all a persons pointless struggles with the way things are and just enjoy being in the flow.
Most of what caused anxiouty and stress in the mind and body comes about because of the so called five hinderences, so i reccomend mindfullness of the five hinderences over any thing else as a way to find joy and ease in your life
Take care and hope you find what works for you
Comment from Beckie
Time: March 22, 2008, 9:09 pm
Beautiful! Thank-you.
Comment from rebellemichelle
Time: August 7, 2008, 9:42 am
This was so beautiful and helped me actually start a meditation practice. I have been dabbling in Buddhism for years and only have really become serious about it. My belief has always been that loving kindness has the power to change the world and I try and practice loving kindness above all else.
this chant put everything into the most beautiful words. I will keep it in my heart always
Metta
Comment from Cathy
Time: November 23, 2008, 3:34 pm
Absolutely beautiful! This, I think, encapsulates what lovingkindness means. It brought tears to my eyes.
Comment from Cathy
Time: November 23, 2008, 4:00 pm
I’ve been looking on Wildmind’s website for this chant. Where is it available for purchase, either CD or mp3?
Comment from Bodhipaksa
Time: November 23, 2008, 5:15 pm
Hi Cathy,
I’m afraid I don’t know of any recorded version of this chant apart from the Imee Ooi one above. I don’t think the CD is available but it’s widely available as an MP3 online. But alas, I’ve been unable to find a recording of the traditional version.
Comment from Aleeze
Time: April 22, 2009, 3:16 pm
Thank you so much for sharing this. I’ve been visiting your website for a number of years now
and this beautiful loving kindness chant finally moved me to post a comment.
Gratefully,
Aleeze
Comment from Deborah
Time: June 18, 2009, 8:34 am
This chant is absolutely beautiful. I just happened to stumble on it and I love it. Has it been recorded yet? If not do you have some idea when it will be recorded?
Comment from Bodhipaksa
Time: June 18, 2009, 9:43 am
Hi Deborah,
I’m not sure if I understand your question. Do you mean has it been released as a CD? If so, I believe the Imee Ooi chant is available on a CD called “The Chant of Metta.” It’s available on Amazon (currently at an extortionate price) and also from Malaysian retailers, such as this one. Update: it’s also available from this US retailer.
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