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#1700 - Friday, February 6, 2004 - Editor: Gloria Lee
METTA
"Be kind, for
everyone you meet is fighting a great battle".
- Philo of Alexandria, 20BC - 40 AD
Do not think lightly
of good, that nothing will come of it.
A whole water pot will fill up from dripping drops of
water.
- Dhammapada v 122
The Buddha taught lay people
the virtue of making the
"seven offerings that cost nothing":... a compassionate
eye,
a smiling face, loving words, physical service, a warm heart,
a seat, and lodging. — Jiko Kohno in Right View,
Right Life
To act courteously and
selflessly, to put the needs of others
before our own, is to live with the compassion that blooms from
true spiritual practice. — Philip Toshio Sudo in
Zen 24/7
The major block to compassion
is the judgment in our minds.
Judgment is the mind's primary tool of separation.
— Diane Berke in The Gentle Smile
Our lack of compassion stems
from our inability
to see deeply into the nature of things.
- Kenneth S. Leong in The Zen Teachings of Jesus
Kindness trumps greed: it
asks for sharing.
Kindness trumps fear: it calls forth gratefulness and love.
Kindness trumps even stupidity, for with sharing and love, one
learns.
- Marc Estrin quoted in Prayers for a Thousand Years
The kindnesses of others
fertilize our soul, they become a part of
who we are, and we carry them and their love. We feel this
when people die, how their gifts remain alive in us.
- Wayne Muller in How, Then, Shall We Live?
In the practice of
"contemplation,"
One contemplates that originally,
The mind of ignorance is
Identical with Dharma-nature.
As such at its base,
It is fundamentally empty.
The entire range of
Good and evil deeds that proceed
From deluded thinking
Is like empty space.
These two practices are
Utterly non-dual.
They are not distinct from one another.
- Zhiyi (538-597)
This hermitage was here first
Only then, the world.
When the world crumbles,
This hermitage will not be destroyed.
The host inside the hermitage
Is present everywhere.
The moon shines on the eternal void;
The wind whistles through
Ten thousand openings.
- Shiwu (1347)
All the holy ones have turned
within and sought the self, and by
this went beyond all doubt. To turn within means all the 24
hours and in every situation, to pierce one by one through
the
layers covering the self, deeper and deeper, to a place that
cannot be described. It is when thinking comes to an end
and
making distinctions ceases, when wrong views and ideas
disappear of themselves without having to be driven forth,
when
without being sought the true action and the true impulse
appear of themselves. It is when one can know the truth of
the
heart.
- Daikaku (1213-1279)
quotes from www.dailyzen.com
Bhikkhus, whatever kinds of worldly merit there are, all
are not worth one 16th part of the release of mind by
universal friendliness; in shining, glowing, beaming &
radiance the release of mind by universal friendliness
far excels & surpasses them all. - Itivuttaka 27As a mother even with own life protects her only child,
so should one cultivate immeasurable loving-kindness
towards all living beings. - The Metta SuttaHe who both day and night takes delight in
harmlessness sharing love with all that live, finds
enmity with none. - Samyutta Nikaya. I, 208http://www.wildmind.org/meditation/metta/intro_whatbuddhasaid.html
Cherishing and caring for others is the source of all happiness.
Cherishing ourselves over others, is the source of all suffering
and negative conditions. - Shantideva
See link for a list
of "organizations who are working diligently to
end the suffering of living beings and create a healthy, peaceful
world. This is an excellent way to Cherish Others! "
http://www.naljor.com/cherishing.htm
Daily Dharma
"Let your love flow outward through the universe,
To its height, its depth, its broad extent,
A limitless love, without hatred or enmity.
Then as you stand or walk,
Sit or lie down,
As long as you are awake,
Strive for this with a one-pointed mind;
Your life will bring heaven to earth."
~Buddha
From the website,
"http://buddhism.kalachakranet.org/resources/buddhistquotes.html"
Al Larus photo
Ben Hassine ~ Awakened Awareness
You may visit www.immmusic.com for a preview of Imee Ooi's Buddhist music collection.
| Metta is a Pali word meaning loving-kindness. Metta chanting is the radiation of loving-kindness towards all beings: May they all be happy and peaceful. Imee Ooi chants the Pali beautifully. Metta chanting is soothing, uplifting, joyful and a great healing for the world - pervading it with waves of love. Truly, may all beings be happy. May they live always in peace and harmony. |
The Chant of Metta Text
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