II. GOODWILL
II. GOODWILL
Declare your purity, taking the Buddha, Dhamma, and Saṅgha as witness once more, repeating this Pali passage:
Parisuddho ahaṁ bhante. Parisuddhoti maṁ buddho dhammo saṅgho dhāretu. (I now declare my purity to the Triple Gem. May the Triple Gem recognize me as pure at present.)
Now develop thoughts of goodwill, saying:
Sabbe sattā – May all living beings
Averā hontu – be free from animosity,
Abyāpajjhā hontu – free from oppression,
Anīghā hontu – free from trouble.
Sukhī attānaṁ pariharantu – May they look after themselves with ease.
Sabbe sattā sadā hontu averā sukha-jīvino: May all beings always live happily, free from animosity.
Kataṁ puñña-phalaṁ mayhaṁ sabbe bhāgī bhavantu te: May all share in the blessings springing from the good I have done.
(This is the abbreviated version. If your time is limited, simply say this much and then get into position to meditate.)
1. The eastern quarter: ‘Puratthimasmiṁ disā-bhāge sabbe sattā (May all living beings in the eastern quarter…) averā hontu, abyāpajjhā hontu, anīghā hontu, sukhī attānaṁ pariharantu. Sabbe sattā sadā hontu averā sukhajīvino. Kataṁ puññaphalaṁ mayhaṁ sabbe bhāgī bhavantu te.
(For translations, see above.)
2. The western quarter: ‘Pacchimasmiṁ disā-bhāge…’
3. The northern quarter: ‘Uttarasmiṁ disā-bhāge…’
4. The southern quarter: ‘Dakkhiṇasmiṁ disā-bhāge…’
5. The lower regions: ‘Heṭṭhimasmiṁ disā-bhāge…’
6. The upper regions: ‘Uparimasmiṁ disā-bhāge sabbe sattā averā hontu, abyāpajjhā hontu, anīghā hontu, sukhī attānaṁ pariharantu. Sabbe sattā sadā hontu averā sukhajīvino. Kataṁ puññaphalaṁ mayhaṁ sabbe bhāgī bhavantu te.
(Bow down three times.)
When you have finished spreading thoughts of goodwill to all six directions, cleanse your heart of thoughts of animosity and apprehension. Make your heart completely clear and at ease. Goodwill acts as a support for purity of virtue and so is an appropriate way of preparing the heart for the practice of tranquility and insight meditation.
