sutta » an » an4 » Aṅguttara Nikāya 4.126

Translators: sujato

Numbered Discourses 4.126

13. Bhayavagga
13. Fears

Dutiyamettāsutta

Love (2nd)

“Cattārome, bhikkhave, puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ.
“Mendicants, these four people are found in the world.

Katame cattāro?
What four?

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo mettāsahagatena cetasā ekaṁ disaṁ pharitvā viharati, tathā dutiyaṁ tathā tatiyaṁ tathā catutthaṁ. Iti uddhamadho tiriyaṁ sabbadhi sabbattatāya sabbāvantaṁ lokaṁ mettāsahagatena cetasā vipulena mahaggatena appamāṇena averena abyāpajjena pharitvā viharati.
Firstly, a person meditates spreading a heart full of love to one direction, and to the second, and to the third, and to the fourth. In the same way above, below, across, everywhere, all around, they spread a heart full of love to the whole world—abundant, expansive, limitless, free of enmity and ill will.

So yadeva tattha hoti rūpagataṁ vedanāgataṁ saññāgataṁ saṅkhāragataṁ viññāṇagataṁ te dhamme aniccato dukkhato rogato gaṇḍato sallato aghato ābādhato parato palokato suññato anattato samanupassati.
They contemplate the phenomena there—included in form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness—as impermanent, as suffering, as diseased, as a boil, as a dart, as misery, as an affliction, as alien, as falling apart, as empty, as not-self.

So kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā suddhāvāsānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati.
When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in the company of the gods of the pure abodes.

Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, upapatti asādhāraṇā puthujjanehi.
This rebirth is not shared with ordinary people.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, idhekacco puggalo karuṇā …pe…
Furthermore, a person meditates spreading a heart full of compassion …

muditā …pe…
rejoicing …

upekkhāsahagatena cetasā ekaṁ disaṁ pharitvā viharati, tathā dutiyaṁ tathā tatiyaṁ tathā catutthaṁ. Iti uddhamadho tiriyaṁ sabbadhi sabbattatāya sabbāvantaṁ lokaṁ upekkhāsahagatena cetasā vipulena mahaggatena appamāṇena averena abyāpajjena pharitvā viharati.
equanimity to one direction, and to the second, and to the third, and to the fourth. In the same way above, below, across, everywhere, all around, they spread a heart full of equanimity to the whole world—abundant, expansive, limitless, free of enmity and ill will.

So yadeva tattha hoti rūpagataṁ vedanāgataṁ saññāgataṁ saṅkhāragataṁ viññāṇagataṁ te dhamme aniccato dukkhato rogato gaṇḍato sallato aghato ābādhato parato palokato suññato anattato samanupassati.
They contemplate the phenomena there—included in form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness—as impermanent, as suffering, as diseased, as a boil, as a dart, as misery, as an affliction, as alien, as falling apart, as empty, as not-self.

So kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā suddhāvāsānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati.
When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in the company of the gods of the pure abodes.

Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, upapatti asādhāraṇā puthujjanehi.
This rebirth is not shared with ordinary people.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasminti.
These are the four people found in the world.”

Chaṭṭhaṁ.