Mettā and Patience, the Bases of Social Harmony, and the Near Cause of Mettā

Mettā and Patience

Mettā (loving-kindness) arises when the mind takes living beings and people as its object. Khanti (patience), on the other hand, is endurance of all kinds of things with knowledge and understanding, with wisdom. Mettā and khanti share the same essential factor: “adosa, non-anger”.

Mettā and khanti are a meeting hall of the higher virtues, the root of virtue (sīla), the root of concentration (samādhi), the root of wisdom and insight. Wholesome virtue is destroyed by dosa (aversion); dosa cuts the root of wholesome virtue. When virtue does not grow, concentration and wisdom cannot arise.

Mettā Flows Outward as Saṅgahavatthu

Giving with mettā that flows outward into action is called “saṅgahavatthu” (the bases of social harmony). They are:

1. Dāna: giving
2. Piyavācā: speaking gentle, kind words
3. Atthacariyā: acting for others’ benefit
4. Samānattatā: being even… even in happiness, even in suffering, the same from beginning to end, not favoring those we like, not pushing away those we dislike

In ordinary times, give with mettā.
When you see someone meeting with suffering and want to help, give with karuṇā (compassion).
When you want to encourage and support, give with muditā (sympathetic joy).
When you keep the heart neutral, knowing that beings are the owners of their kamma (actions), give with upekkhā (equanimity).

Practice Is Measured by Saṅgahavatthu

1. Paññābala: the power of knowledge and understanding, being clever, knowing all around, knowing clearly, knowing deeply, knowing thoroughly
2. Viriyabala: the power of courage and boldness, pressing forward with knowledge and understanding
3. Anavajjabala: the power of clean body, speech and mind
4. Saṅgahabala: the power of helping others and bringing people together

Give with mettā, with love and goodwill in the giving, driven by right view, sammādiṭṭhi (wisdom), and right intention, sammāsaṅkappa (thought).

In living our lives, with confidence unshaken by anything, wisdom, effort, blamelessness and helpfulness (paññā, viriya, anavajja, saṅgaha) drive mettā to become more powerful. All of us must reach this…

The Four Defining Aspects of Mettā

• The characteristic of mettā: love, goodwill and care
• The function of mettā: destroying paṭigha (anger), destroying ill will, destroying every kind of stress
• The manifestation of mettā: a soft, gentle heart, with no grudge or ill will lodged in it
• The near cause of mettā: seeing how lovable beings are

When we radiate mettā to one another, it is a powerful condition, supporting one another so that a mind of mettā arises more quickly.

When we are together, we should radiate mettā to one another first of all. Once mettā is strong, it becomes a cause for supporting and encouraging one another, so that the mind easily becomes bold and courageous, cheerful and joyful.

What Is the Near Cause of Mettā?

Yoniso manasikāra, wise attention, knowing how to think and reflect wisely, is what gives rise to mettā: readily bringing to mind the good points of beings. Whoever we deal with, we quickly see that person’s good points. For example, if they behave well in body, we can see it; if their speech is good, we can see that good point too. Or even if we cannot find any good bodily or verbal action in that person, we can still look deeper, into their good states of mind: that they are grateful and repay kindness, that they do useful things. We can see their mind reaching toward goodness.

…The near cause of mettā is seeing goodness, seeing the good points in all beings.

For Mettā Practice to Bear Fruit, Have the Seven Kinds of Respect

1. Buddhagāravatā: respect for the Buddha
2. Dhammagāravatā: respect for the Dhamma
3. Saṅghagāravatā: respect for the Saṅgha (the community of monks)
4. Sikkhāgāravatā: respect for the threefold training
5. Samādhigāravatā: respect for concentration
6. Appamādagāravatā: respect for heedfulness
7. Paṭisanthāragāravatā: respect for courteous welcome