Ekakanipāta

Itivuttaka 22

So It Was Said 22

Ekakanipāta

The Book of the Ones

Tatiyavagga

Chapter Three

Mettasutta

The Benefits of Love

Vuttañhetaṁ bhagavatā vuttamarahatāti me sutaṁ:

This was said by the Buddha, the Perfected One: that is what I heard.

“Mā, bhikkhave, puññānaṁ bhāyittha.

“Mendicants, don’t fear good deeds.

Sukhassetaṁ, bhikkhave, adhivacanaṁ iṭṭhassa kantassa piyassa manāpassa yadidaṁ puññāni.

For ‘good deeds’ is a term for happiness, for what is likable, desirable, and agreeable.

Abhijānāmi kho panāhaṁ, bhikkhave, dīgharattaṁ katānaṁ puññānaṁ iṭṭhaṁ kantaṁ piyaṁ manāpaṁ vipākaṁ paccanubhūtaṁ.

I recall undergoing for a long time the likable, desirable, and agreeable results of good deeds performed over a long time.

Satta vassāni mettacittaṁ bhāvetvā satta saṁvaṭṭavivaṭṭakappe nayimaṁ lokaṁ punarāgamāsiṁ.

Having developed a mind of love for seven years, for seven eons of the cosmos contracting and expanding I didn’t return to this world again.

Saṁvaṭṭamāne sudaṁ, bhikkhave, kappe ābhassarūpago homi;

As the eon contracted I went to the realm of streaming radiance.

vivaṭṭamāne kappe suññaṁ brahmavimānaṁ upapajjāmi.

As it expanded I was reborn in an empty mansion of divinity.

Tatra sudaṁ, bhikkhave, brahmā homi mahābrahmā abhibhū anabhibhūto aññadatthudaso vasavattī.

There I was the Divinity, the Great Divinity, the vanquisher, the unvanquished, the universal seer, the wielder of power.

Chattiṁsakkhattuṁ kho panāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sakko ahosiṁ devānamindo;

I was Sakka, lord of gods, thirty-six times.

anekasatakkhattuṁ rājā ahosiṁ cakkavattī dhammiko dhammarājā cāturanto vijitāvī janapadatthāvariyappatto sattaratanasamannāgato.

Many hundreds of times I was a king, a wheel-turning monarch, a just and principled king. My dominion extended to all four sides, I achieved stability in the country, and I possessed the seven treasures.

Ko pana vādo padesarajjassa.

Not to mention regional kingship!

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, etadahosi:

Then I thought,

‘kissa nu kho me idaṁ kammassa phalaṁ, kissa kammassa vipāko, yenāhaṁ etarahi evaṁmahiddhiko evaṁmahānubhāvo’ti?

‘Of what deed of mine is this the fruit and result, that I am now so mighty and powerful?’

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, etadahosi:

Then I thought,

‘tiṇṇaṁ kho me idaṁ kammānaṁ phalaṁ, tiṇṇaṁ kammānaṁ vipāko, yenāhaṁ etarahi evaṁmahiddhiko evaṁmahānubhāvoti, seyyathidaṁ—

‘It is the fruit and result of three kinds of deeds:

dānassa, damassa, saññamassā’”ti.

giving, self-control, and restraint.’”

Etamatthaṁ bhagavā avoca.

The Buddha spoke this matter.

Tatthetaṁ iti vuccati:

On this it is said:

“Puññameva so sikkheyya,

“One should practice only good deeds,

āyataggaṁ sukhudrayaṁ;

whose happy outcome stretches ahead.

Dānañca samacariyañca,

Giving and moral conduct,

mettacittañca bhāvaye.

developing a mind of love:

Ete dhamme bhāvayitvā,

having developed these

tayo sukhasamuddaye;

three things yielding happiness,

Abyāpajjaṁ sukhaṁ lokaṁ,

that astute one is reborn

paṇḍito upapajjatī”ti.

in a happy, pleasing world.”

Ayampi attho vutto bhagavatā, iti me sutanti.

This too is a matter that was spoken by the Blessed One: that is what I heard.

Dutiyaṁ.