Life sure has a way of feeling flat sometimes, what with missed deadlines, words unsaid, and conflicts you didn’t ask for.
But in moments when it all feels dim and the light seems far away, you can always count on the Metta Sutta to bring you back to center.
Many core Buddhist texts and practices came from the Buddha, and this sutta is no different. In fact, it’s one of his most important teachings on love as a universal force that connects us all.
Backed by centuries of wisdom, these simple lines orient your mind to normalize kindness… first for yourself, then for everyone else.
What is the Metta Sutta?
The Metta Sutta is a revered Buddhist text from the Pali Canon, specifically found in the Sutta Nipāta, Buddha’s early teachings. Its purpose: to help people develop unconditional love toward themselves and all beings.
Well, it’s all in the name. The Sanskrit word metta translates to “loving-kindness” or “benevolence,” while sutta (also referred to as sutra) means “thread.” Together, they form a phrase that refers to a thread of verbally transmitted sacred verses that depict how to live with an open heart, even and especially when it hurts.
The sutta holds particular weight in Theravāda Buddhism, which emphasizes early texts and direct teachings from the historical Buddha. But its message of love transcends schools. Whether you’re exploring Theravāda vs. Mahāyāna traditions, this practice remains the throughline—an unwavering call to compassion.
Compassion: The Metta Sutta’s core message
According to Gelong Thubten, a renowned mindfulness teacher and author of A Monk’s Guide to Happiness, compassion is a naturally unconditional act. Ultimately, it’s “there all the time, no matter what” for us to turn to.
His view fits with how Deborah King, a spiritual teacher, author of the New York Times best-selling book Be Your Own Shaman and Mindvalley trainer, sees compassion: a saving grace.
“When you understand loving-kindness, you realize it’s not just something you feel—it’s something you practice,” she says. “And that practice rewires the way you respond to the world.”
It’s easy to scoff at how simple this concept is, but the thing is, science is catching up on how it works in real life.
Research done by Stanford Medicine revealed that compassion-based meditation helps you regulate your emotions better, even in the thick of challenges. And that’s not all; regular loving-kindness practice has been linked to lower levels of cortisol and heart rate variability, both of which are known stress markers.
In a time when war headlines, division over artificial intelligence, and climate grief can easily overpower our feeds and heads, compassion seems like the best thing to keep us centered, and heck, even healthy.
We want to build compassion so that it becomes our default state, rather than just an emotional reaction.
— Gelong Thubten, Buddhist monk and trainer of Mindvalley’s Becoming More Loving program
And right about here, in this place between zen and self-regulation, is where the Metta Sutta really comes in handy.
“It’s subtle but radical work,” Deborah explains. “The moment you wish someone well—especially someone who hurt you—you’ve stepped into your power.”
Historical context and significance
According to Buddhist scholars like Bhikkhu Bodhi, the origin story behind the Metta Sutta is a poetic lesson on shielding against inner and outer hostility with compassion. It’s believed to have been first documented in the Sutta Nipāta around the 3rd to 1st century BCE.
Legend has it, a group of monks were sent into the forest to meditate but were soon overwhelmed by eerie visions and unsettling sounds caused by spirits around them. Shaken, they ran back to the Buddha for help. But instead of banishing the unseen beings, the Buddha gave them the sutta to chant.
The whole point of this is to get the monks to practice metta so they can radiate loving-kindness toward all beings, even ones they’re scared of. The moment they did, the spirits stopped their mischief, the forest became peaceful again, and the monks could breathe a sigh of relief.
Now, taken literally, you may think this story is about warding off supernatural monsters. But look closely, and you’ll see that the sutta is an elegy for transforming fear into compassion.
It’s why Thanissaro Bhikkhu, a respected Western Theravāda monk and translator of early Buddhist texts, describes it as “a weaponless protection” powered by a field of love so steady, even harm naturally backs off.
That kind of unshakable compassion? Gelong calls it a great life goal, seeing that so many of us are walking with ghosts of our own making, from self-doubt to decades-old resentment.
As he puts it in his Mindvalley program, Becoming More Loving, “We want to build compassion so that it becomes our default state, rather than just an emotional reaction.”
The Metta Sutta text in English
The official name for this sacred text is Karaniya Metta Sutta. Broken down, karaniya in Sanskrit means “what should be done.” In full context, the title can be translated to “a discourse on loving-kindness.”
No incense or shrine is needed to get familiar with these sacred lines. You can sit with them, in the English version below (taken from Nalanda Buddhist Society), anywhere you are, at any time:
“He who is skilled in good, and wishes to
attain that state of Peace, should act thus:
he should be able, upright, perfectly upright,
amenable to corrections, gentle and humble.
He should be contented, easy to support,
unbusy, simple in livelihood,
with senses controlled, discreet,
not impudent, and not greedily attached to families.
He would not commit any slight misdeeds
that other wise men might find fault in him.
May all beings be well and safe,
may their hearts rejoice.
Whatever beings there are—
weak or strong, long or short,
big, medium-sized or small, subtle or gross,
Those visible or invisible,
residing near or far, those that have come to be
or have yet to come, (without exceptions)
may all beings be joyful.
Let one not deceive nor despise
another person, anywhere at all.
In anger and ill will,
let him not wish any harm to another.
Just as a mother would protect her
only child with her own life,
even so, let him cultivate boundless thoughts
of loving kindness towards all beings.
Let him cultivate boundless thoughts
of loving kindness towards the whole world—
above, below and all around,
unobstructed, free from hatred and enmity.
Whether standing, walking, seated,
or lying down, as long as he is awake,
he should develop this mindfulness.
This they say, is the divine abiding here.
Not erroneous with views,
endowed with virtues and insight,
with sensual desires abandoned,
he would come no more to be conceived in a womb.”
Key elements of the Metta Sutta
The Metta Sutta isn’t long, but every line carries weight. It’s less “instruction manual” and more “internal compass” that points you towards the kind of love that has you loving simply for the sake of loving.
Here are the essential teachings that thread through its verses:
1. Universal compassion
At the heart of the sutta is this one idea: every living being deserves your goodwill.
Not just the people who text you back, not just your family, but everyone. The ones you know and don’t know, from the easy to the dramatic characters. Again, everyone. Ultimately, the practice trains your mind to radiate loving-kindness in all directions.
As Bhikkhu Bodhi notes in his commentary, the Buddha often likens the practice to how a mother loves and protects her child with her life: fierce, steady, no questions asked.
P.S. It’s the same energy you’d tap into in a loving-kindness meditation session.
2. Self-cultivation
Before you send loving-kindness out into the world, the Metta Sutta asks you to turn inward. After all, how can you unconditionally love other people when you can’t love yourself first?
According to the sutta, this inner work begins when you show up to life being:
- Truthful in speech,
- Modest in ambition, yet
- Content in being.
Think Nelson Mandela. After 27 years in prison for challenging South Africa’s apartheid system, he stepped out without any bitterness, only a vision for a better world. That kind of grace truly is the deepest form of metta, built by his ability to choose love as the fuel for his personal growth instead of bitterness.
What his experience boils down to is spiritual transcendence powered by radical self-forgiveness at every step of the way. As Gelong explains, “You’re learning to forgive yourself… and that’s such an important part of compassion training.”
3. Benefit of loving-kindness
Normalizing metta doesn’t guarantee instant miracles, but it can quietly reshape your inner landscape. Over time, it can help ground your body in a default state of calmness.
According to a six-week study published by the National Library of Medicine, compassion meditation styles, including loving-kindness, have been linked to lower cortisol levels and improved heart rate variability. These two are key indicators of emotional self-regulation.
No wonder the Metta Sutta chant works wonders on the mind. The ancients sure didn’t have MRIs, but they knew you could heal yourself when anchored in steady goodwill.
4. Emphasis on nibbāna
The final lines of the Metta Sutta go deeper than peace or kindness. They hint at something bigger: freedom.
In Buddhist terms, that freedom is called nibbāna. It’s the art of having nothing left to prove, no fight to keep fighting, and no story to hold onto. Just stillness to sit with and savor when you keep practicing the sutta.
The longer you practice it, the more you’ll notice that things you thought were problematic no longer shake you the way they used to.
5 powerful passages from the Metta Sutta for meditation
The most quoted in Buddhist circles, these five iconic lines from the Metta Sutta help you center yourself, even amidst the most unexpected chaos:
1. “Let one not deceive nor despise another person, anywhere at all. In anger and ill-will, let him not wish any harm to another.”
Why it matters: This line reminds you that holding onto anger doesn’t protect you. Rather, it poisons the space where healing could grow. And if there’s anything to remember about loving-kindness, it’s that it starts the moment you stop rehearsing harm.
2. “Just as a mother would protect her only child with her own life, even so, let him cultivate boundless thoughts of loving kindness towards all beings.”
Why it matters: This line beckons you to care fiercely, not selectively. After all, metta goes beyond merit; it’s, above all, a commitment to love so steady, it holds, even when it’s hard.
3. “Whether standing, walking, seated, or lying down, as long as he is awake, he should develop this mindfulness. This they say is the divine abiding here.”
Why it matters: This line teaches that you can travel anywhere with loving-kindness inside you… on your feet, in your breath, through every mundane moment that’s easily overlook.
4. “Let him cultivate boundless thoughts of loving kindness towards the whole world—above, below, and all around, unobstructed, free from hatred and enmity.”
Why it matters: This is metta as a global force to reckon with. With practice, you start to release the illusion of social division and start to sense your place in the whole.
5. “May all beings be well and safe, may their hearts rejoice.”
Why it matters: If there’s one line that encapsulates the entire sutta, it’s this one. Think of it as a quiet blessing that you can bestow upon strangers, loved ones, or even your past self.
6 practical applications of the Metta Sutta teachings in daily life
Forget hilltop retreats or scenic temples. You can access the Metta Sutta’s heart-clearing benefits anywhere you want. It’s made for the everyday mess.
Here are some scenarios where the sacred lines hit best:
- Your morning routine. Before the headlines, before the to-dos, say one phrase aloud, on repeat. This helps you set the tone for your day.
- Mundane moments where your mind drifts. Brushing your teeth, standing in line, walking between meetings… any of these normal moments are your entry points. “That’s compassion training,” Gelong points out, “because you’re not rejecting the moment. You’re choosing to stay.”
- When you’re about to lose your sh*t. Don’t let that nasty email or blame game at work stop you from choosing the higher ground. Keep calm and repeat “Let him not wish any harm to another” until peace washes over you.
- In transits. Elevator rides. Red lights. Staring into the microwave. These pockets of stillness are where loving-kindness should linger.
- During one-off encounters. When you catch yourself sondering (a.k.a. moments you realize the strangers around you have inner worlds of their own, too), just whisper the sutta line, “May they be well.”
- Right before bedtime. Before sleep, chant, “May all beings be well and safe.” Let them be your younger self, the people you’ve encountered throughout the day, and even your pets. Remember, no one’s exempt from being on the list.
Recounting the Metta Sutta isn’t a cop-out from dealing with your emotions; on the contrary, it teaches you to sit in the middle of it, unflinchingly.
“You’re not trying to block discomfort,” Gelong explains. And yes, it’s easy to tense up when things feel raw. “But here, we’re softening. And that’s real strength.
Awaken your spiritual superpower
With due diligence, incorporating the Metta Sutta daily will shape the course of your life, anchoring it in compassion and care.
And when you’re ready to move from reciting verses to embodying them, Mindvalley’s free soul-searching resources can be your next call. Inside, you’ll find various personal growth tools that tug at the heart, including:
- The Manifestation Journal to get you started on owning your truths;
- Soul-Searching Questions, which get you to understand your soul’s deepest needs, desires, and hidden purposes;
- Free spiritual masterclasses taught by world-class spiritual guides like Gelong himself, Deborah King, Jeffrey Allen, and more. Each program tackles different entry points into your radically compassionate self that’s always been there, all along.
These resources are a glimpse of the full spiritual journey you’re about to uncover on the Mindvalley app. From bite-sized compassion-based meditations to transformative programs and live teachings, it’s a place where ancient practices seamlessly meet modern seekers, no matter your path, pace, or past.
And millions have felt the shift.
Just ask Sana, a Mindvalley member based in Toronto, who turned to Buddhist sutras at her rock bottom.
Before this, I felt lost, miserable, and angry with life. Now I don’t know what life is without my morning meditation and sutra practice. Even when things aren’t going right, I feel at peace… I love the version of me that’s emerging.
Like her, you too can tune into a rhythm that steadies you until compassion becomes instinct and life starts unfolding with a quiet kind of power. And that’s the power of having Mindvalley in your corner, always here and ready to hold space for your inevitable blossoming.
Welcome in.
