Aṇguttara Nikāya
VIII. Aṭṭhaka Nipāta
I: Mettā Vagga
The Book of the Gradual Sayings
VIII. The Book of the Eights
I. On Amity
Sutta 1
Mettā-Nisaṃsa Suttaṃ
Amity
Translated from the Pali by E.M. Hare.
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Once the Exalted One was dwelling near Sāvatthī,
at Jeta Grove,
in Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.
There the Exalted One addressed the monks, saying:
"Monks."
"Yes, lord," they replied, and the Exalted One said:
"Monks, by the release of the heart through amity,
practised,
made become,
made much of,
made a vehicle
and a basis,
exercised,
augmented
and set going,[1]
eight advantages are to be expected.
■
What eight?
Happy one sleeps;
happy one awakes;
one sees no bad dreams;
one is dear to humans;
one is dear to non-humans;[2]
devas guard one;
neither fire, nor poison, nor sword affects one;
and though one penetrate not the beyond,
one reaches the Brahmā-world.[3]
■
Monks, by the release of the heart through amity,
practised,
made become,
made much of,
made a vehicle[4]
and a basis,
exercised,
augmented
and set going,
these eight advantages are to be expected.
[5]Who makes unbounded amity become,
Mindful, he sees th'attachments all destroyed,
The fetters wear away. If, pure in heart,
[104] He but one being love[6] good[7] follows thence.
The Ariyan, with heart compassionate
For all mankind, abounding merit makes.
Those royal sages, having overcome
The teeming earth, made ample sacrifice[8];
But, like the starry host beside the moon,[9]
The sacrifice of Horse,[10] of Man, the Drink
Of Victory, the Throwing of the Peg,
The Bolts Withdrawn - are not a sixteenth part
The worth of heart by amity enriched.[11]
Who kills not, nor aught causes to be killed,
Who robs not, nor makes others rob, for all
Within his heart hath share,[12] he hateth none.'
[1] This stock phrase recurs at D. ii, 103; M. iii, 97; S. i, 116; below, p. 206, and passim.
[2] Amanussānaṃ.
[3] Eleven advantages are given at A. v, 342; see Vism. 311 (trsl. 358); cf. also J. ii, 61; Mil. 198. Comy. here refers to A., loc. cit.
[4] Yānikatāya. Comy. Yuttayānasadisāya katāya.
[5] These verses recur at It. 21. On the sacrifices see Mrs. Rhys Davids at K.S. i, 102; see also Q. of M. ii, 16. The list recurs at A. ii, 42 and Sn. 303.
[6] Lit. befriend.
[7] Kusalī; this form is not noticed by P.E.D., but see Childers. It is a reading at It. and S. i, 35 (S.e.); see S.A. i, 91. Here our Comy. kusalo.
[8] See v.l. at It. Comy. here reads anupariyagā-ti vicariṇsu.
[9] For the simile see A. iii, 34, 365; v, 22; J. v, 63.
[10] Cf. K.S. i, 102.
[11] Subhāvita.
[12] The last two lines of thr text recur at J. iv, 71. On mettaṃso, the Comy. observes mettā-yamāna-citta-koṭṭhāso hutvā; ad J. metta-koṭṭhāso, metta-citto.
