I have combined 1, 2, & 3, and 4, 5, & 6, as they are similar, these eleven benefits can be found in AN 11.16 Metta (Mettanisamsa) Sutta.
1. One sleeps easily.
2. Wakes easily.
3. Dreams no evil dreams.
With Metta as I will say again later, and I have explained this a bit before in previous blog’s we hold onto nothing as Me, Mine, My, or I we see nothing as Personal so we don’t go around trying to prove we love so, and so, or trying to dictate what merits our love, we can simply be in the moment, concentrate and are relaxed, and it is far easier to sleep and wake up refreshed when relaxed than when tense, and I know when I am relaxed I don’t Have Nightmares or other uncomfortable dreams, so one benefit of metta is we are relaxed, we are what we are, we accept things as they arise, and don’t judge them to be other than that, so we are relaxed about it, we are calm about it, so we have a good nights sleep, and don’t have dreams of an evil nature, but what is meant by evil, Allot of the time I see the word reality, or the phrase Seeing the true nature of things, so if this is what in Buddhism is said to be good, the what is as it is then Evil dreams could be dreams which confuse our perception of reality, they may be sweet dreams or nightmares, but if they are based on delusions/that which is, but is not, then are the good, or evil? I think they all fall under Evil if they lead us into believing a delusional thing, or aren’t anther way of releasing our negative merit from our Kamma.
4. One is dear to human beings.
5. Dear to non-human beings.
6. The divas protect one.
I noticed once or twice when My cat was still alive that she Rarely say on my knees to sleep, but when I was in a bad mood (which was often for a while) she was never about, and when I was upset(which was often for a while) she tended to sit on my knees and sleep, and when I was in a calm and happy mood she on occasion sat on my knees (but I don’t think I was the comfy one plus I think she didn’t feel safe on people wearing trousers as she never sat on my mothers knees when she wore pants, although she would lie on her hack with her belly exposed on my knee) and the same is true of children, I have noticed this with children, when People are happy and loving people children want to be around them, but when people aren’t children stay away, but the same can be said of adults, when People are Loving we want to be closer to them, protect them, help them, but when they are horrible and nasty we aren’t as inclined to do so, so this is the same for any being, be they animal or diva.
Although this doesn’t stop those living in hate and delusion (greed, and so on, the hungry ghost, and Hell realms) from trying to hurt us. Which leads us to
7. Neither fire, poison, nor weapons can touch one.
Here says Fire, Poison and weapon, but lets face it if someone gives us poison, sets us on fire, or comes at us with a weapon they are going to at least cause us some damage physically, even if we are protected by divas, but I don’t think this is meant literally, in the fire sermon it says "The eye is burning, forms are burning, eye-consciousness is burning, eye-contact is burning, also whatever is felt as pleasant or painful or neither-painful-nor-pleasant that arises with eye-contact for its indispensable condition, that too is burning. Burning with what? Burning with the fire of lust, with the fire of hate, with the fire of delusion. I say it is burning with birth, aging and death, with sorrows, with lamentations, with pains, with grief’s, with despairs.” so I think Fire in this line is meant in the same way as in the fire sermon in regard to the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind. I have heard poisons been talk about in the Sutta’s as the delusions, and weapons could be things such as Praise, and Blame, Gain, and Loss, Fame, and Disrepute, this benefit could be about our attachments, our thirst for things.
8. One's mind gains concentration quickly.
When I talk of Metta I make a point of saying Metta not Love, and when writing I normally put Metta/Loving Kindness, one thing some people misunderstand about metta when it is called Loving Kindness is it is without Attachment to any object, it is not bias in any way, the Love I feel for one being is the same as I feel for another, it is not focusing randomly on reasons to love or not to, it just is, so when we try to concentrate on something we aren’t bogged down with thoughts of so, and so done this, or that, or the next thing, or I will prove my love this way, or that way, we just concentrate, we focus on the task at hand, no this, and that, just this, and this.
9. One's complexion is bright.
All I can say is, or more correctly ask is how can you frown when in love?
10. One dies unconfused.
It is said certainly in Tibetan Buddhism that the state of mind at death leads to the next rebirth, so if you die with a firm hold of Metta you die with Love in your heart so to speak, so you die not confused in a ordinary sense, but I think confused here means hate, anguish, Lust, enmity, and so on, the delusional states the ordinary states of mind, we die with a mind full of love and we are loving, it says in the Dhammapada Verse 3. "He abused me, he struck me, he overpowered me, and he robbed me." Those who harbour such thoughts do not still their hatred.
Verse 4. "He abused me, he struck me, he overpowered me, and he robbed me." Those who do not harbour such thoughts still their hatred.
This is what I think confused and unconfused is in this benefit. But the Dhammapada goes on to say in verse 6. There are those who do not realize that one day we all must die. But those who do realize this settle their quarrels.
And then the most important Verses in relation to this benefit although they are a further explanation of the earlier verses 7. Just as a storm throws down a weak tree, so does Mara overpower the man who lives for the pursuit of pleasures, who is uncontrolled in his senses, immoderate in eating, indolent, and dissipated. 8. Just as a storm cannot prevail against a rocky mountain, so Mara can never overpower the man who lives meditating on the impurities, who is controlled in his senses, moderate in eating, and filled with faith and earnest effort.
11. If penetrating no higher, is headed for the Brahma worlds.
Metta is one of the Brahma Vihara’s, or in English Devine Abiding, But this line says “If penetrating no higher” this refers to reaching Enlightenment obviously, an I think it is interesting this part is after the dying part, so I will talk some about this rebirth, every moment be it a big moment, such as an event, or a small moment, such as a split second, each moment we are not the same person, physically, or mentally, we may be similar, but we are not the same, so if we allow Metta to fully penetrate how we are, we can in the next moment be living in Brahma Vihara we can be Holy beings so to speak, all we have to do is let go of hate, and other delusions, and live with love. Sounds simple, but we also have to live with Patience, Understanding, Forgiveness, and Friendliness (See A P.U.F.F of Metta), Metta isn’t some blind love for one person, or group, it is a wise reaction to others, it is a wisdom of being, not with annoyance because someone keeps doing something, but with concern that someone keeps doing something which ultimately is harmful to them, and/or others.
1. One sleeps easily.
2. Wakes easily.
3. Dreams no evil dreams.
With Metta as I will say again later, and I have explained this a bit before in previous blog’s we hold onto nothing as Me, Mine, My, or I we see nothing as Personal so we don’t go around trying to prove we love so, and so, or trying to dictate what merits our love, we can simply be in the moment, concentrate and are relaxed, and it is far easier to sleep and wake up refreshed when relaxed than when tense, and I know when I am relaxed I don’t Have Nightmares or other uncomfortable dreams, so one benefit of metta is we are relaxed, we are what we are, we accept things as they arise, and don’t judge them to be other than that, so we are relaxed about it, we are calm about it, so we have a good nights sleep, and don’t have dreams of an evil nature, but what is meant by evil, Allot of the time I see the word reality, or the phrase Seeing the true nature of things, so if this is what in Buddhism is said to be good, the what is as it is then Evil dreams could be dreams which confuse our perception of reality, they may be sweet dreams or nightmares, but if they are based on delusions/that which is, but is not, then are the good, or evil? I think they all fall under Evil if they lead us into believing a delusional thing, or aren’t anther way of releasing our negative merit from our Kamma.
4. One is dear to human beings.
5. Dear to non-human beings.
6. The divas protect one.
I noticed once or twice when My cat was still alive that she Rarely say on my knees to sleep, but when I was in a bad mood (which was often for a while) she was never about, and when I was upset(which was often for a while) she tended to sit on my knees and sleep, and when I was in a calm and happy mood she on occasion sat on my knees (but I don’t think I was the comfy one plus I think she didn’t feel safe on people wearing trousers as she never sat on my mothers knees when she wore pants, although she would lie on her hack with her belly exposed on my knee) and the same is true of children, I have noticed this with children, when People are happy and loving people children want to be around them, but when people aren’t children stay away, but the same can be said of adults, when People are Loving we want to be closer to them, protect them, help them, but when they are horrible and nasty we aren’t as inclined to do so, so this is the same for any being, be they animal or diva.
Although this doesn’t stop those living in hate and delusion (greed, and so on, the hungry ghost, and Hell realms) from trying to hurt us. Which leads us to
7. Neither fire, poison, nor weapons can touch one.
Here says Fire, Poison and weapon, but lets face it if someone gives us poison, sets us on fire, or comes at us with a weapon they are going to at least cause us some damage physically, even if we are protected by divas, but I don’t think this is meant literally, in the fire sermon it says "The eye is burning, forms are burning, eye-consciousness is burning, eye-contact is burning, also whatever is felt as pleasant or painful or neither-painful-nor-pleasant that arises with eye-contact for its indispensable condition, that too is burning. Burning with what? Burning with the fire of lust, with the fire of hate, with the fire of delusion. I say it is burning with birth, aging and death, with sorrows, with lamentations, with pains, with grief’s, with despairs.” so I think Fire in this line is meant in the same way as in the fire sermon in regard to the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind. I have heard poisons been talk about in the Sutta’s as the delusions, and weapons could be things such as Praise, and Blame, Gain, and Loss, Fame, and Disrepute, this benefit could be about our attachments, our thirst for things.
8. One's mind gains concentration quickly.
When I talk of Metta I make a point of saying Metta not Love, and when writing I normally put Metta/Loving Kindness, one thing some people misunderstand about metta when it is called Loving Kindness is it is without Attachment to any object, it is not bias in any way, the Love I feel for one being is the same as I feel for another, it is not focusing randomly on reasons to love or not to, it just is, so when we try to concentrate on something we aren’t bogged down with thoughts of so, and so done this, or that, or the next thing, or I will prove my love this way, or that way, we just concentrate, we focus on the task at hand, no this, and that, just this, and this.
9. One's complexion is bright.
All I can say is, or more correctly ask is how can you frown when in love?
10. One dies unconfused.
It is said certainly in Tibetan Buddhism that the state of mind at death leads to the next rebirth, so if you die with a firm hold of Metta you die with Love in your heart so to speak, so you die not confused in a ordinary sense, but I think confused here means hate, anguish, Lust, enmity, and so on, the delusional states the ordinary states of mind, we die with a mind full of love and we are loving, it says in the Dhammapada Verse 3. "He abused me, he struck me, he overpowered me, and he robbed me." Those who harbour such thoughts do not still their hatred.
Verse 4. "He abused me, he struck me, he overpowered me, and he robbed me." Those who do not harbour such thoughts still their hatred.
This is what I think confused and unconfused is in this benefit. But the Dhammapada goes on to say in verse 6. There are those who do not realize that one day we all must die. But those who do realize this settle their quarrels.
And then the most important Verses in relation to this benefit although they are a further explanation of the earlier verses 7. Just as a storm throws down a weak tree, so does Mara overpower the man who lives for the pursuit of pleasures, who is uncontrolled in his senses, immoderate in eating, indolent, and dissipated. 8. Just as a storm cannot prevail against a rocky mountain, so Mara can never overpower the man who lives meditating on the impurities, who is controlled in his senses, moderate in eating, and filled with faith and earnest effort.
11. If penetrating no higher, is headed for the Brahma worlds.
Metta is one of the Brahma Vihara’s, or in English Devine Abiding, But this line says “If penetrating no higher” this refers to reaching Enlightenment obviously, an I think it is interesting this part is after the dying part, so I will talk some about this rebirth, every moment be it a big moment, such as an event, or a small moment, such as a split second, each moment we are not the same person, physically, or mentally, we may be similar, but we are not the same, so if we allow Metta to fully penetrate how we are, we can in the next moment be living in Brahma Vihara we can be Holy beings so to speak, all we have to do is let go of hate, and other delusions, and live with love. Sounds simple, but we also have to live with Patience, Understanding, Forgiveness, and Friendliness (See A P.U.F.F of Metta), Metta isn’t some blind love for one person, or group, it is a wise reaction to others, it is a wisdom of being, not with annoyance because someone keeps doing something, but with concern that someone keeps doing something which ultimately is harmful to them, and/or others.
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