When anger does possess a man;
He looks ugly; he lies in pain;
What benefit he may come by
He misconstrues as a mischance;
He loses property (through fines)
Because he has been working harm
Through acts of body and speech
By angry passion overwhelmed;
The wrath and rage that madden him
Gain him a name of ill-repute;
His fellows, relatives and kin
Will seek to shun him from afar;
And anger fathers misery:
This fury does so cloud the mind
Of man that he cannot discern
This fearful inner danger.
An angry man no meaning knows,
No angry man sees the Dhamma,
So wrapped in darkness, as if blind,
Is he whom anger dogs.
	
Someone a man in anger hurts;
But, when his anger is later spent
With difficulty or with ease,
He suffers as if seared by fire.
His look betrays the sulkiness
Of some dim smoky smoldering glow.
Whence may flare up an anger-blaze
That sets the world of men aflame.
He has no shame or conscience curb,
No kindly words come forth from him,
There is no island refuge for
The man whom anger dogs.
	
Such acts as will ensure remorse,
Such as are far from the true Dhamma:
It is of these that I would tell,
So harken to my words.
	
Anger makes man a parricide,
Anger makes him a matricide,
Anger can make him slay the saint
As he would kill the common man.
Nursed and reared by a mother’s care,
He comes to look upon the world,
Yet the common man in anger kills
The being who gave him life.
	
No being but seeks his own self’s good,
None dearer to him than himself,
Yet men in anger kill themselves,
Distraught for reasons manifold:
For crazed they stab themselves with daggers,
In desperation swallow poison,
Perish hanged by ropes, or fling
Themselves over a precipice.
Yet how their life-destroying acts
Bring death unto themselves as well,
That they cannot discern, and that
Is the ruin anger breeds.
	
This secret place, with anger’s aid,
Is where mortality sets the snare.
To blot it out with discipline,
With vision, strength, and understanding,
To blot each fault out one by one,
The wise man should apply himself,
Training likewise in the true Dhamma;
“Let smoldering be far from us.”
Then rid of wrath and free from anger,
And rid of lust and free from envy,
Tamed, and with anger left behind,
Taintless, they reach Nibbana.

“He abused me, he beat me,
He worsted me, he robbed me.”
Hate never is allayed in men
That cherish suchlike enmity.
“He abused me, he beat me,
He worsted me, he robbed me.”
Hate surely is allayed in men
Who cherish no such enmity.
For enmity by enmity
Is never in this world allayed;
It is allayed by amity —
That is an ancient principle.

Bhikkhus, there are these five ways of removing
annoyance, by which annoyance can be entirely removed by a bhikkhu when
it arises in him. What are the five?

Loving-kindness can be maintained in being towards a
person with whom you are annoyed: this is how annoyance with him can be
removed. Compassion can be maintained in being towards a person with
whom you are annoyed; this too is how annoyance with him can be removed.
Onlooking equanimity can be maintained in being towards a person with
whom you are annoyed; this too is how annoyance with him can be removed.
The forgetting and ignoring of a person with whom you are annoyed can
be practiced; this too is how annoyance with him can be removed.
Ownership of deeds in a person with whom you are annoyed can be
concentrated upon thus: “This good person is owner of his deeds, heir to
his deeds, his deeds are the womb from which he is born, his deeds are
his kin for whom he is responsible, his deeds are his refuge, he is heir
to his deeds, be they good or bad.” This too is how annoyance with him
can be removed. These are the five ways of removing annoyance, by which
annoyance can be entirely removed in a bhikkhu when it arises in him.

Bhikkhus, there are five modes of speech that
others may use when they address you. Their speech may be timely or
untimely, true or untrue, gentle or harsh, for good or harm, and may be
accompanied by thoughts of loving-kindness or by inner hate.

Suppose a man came with a hoe and a basket, and he
said, “I shall make this great earth to be without earth”; and he dug
here and there and strewed here and there, and spat here and there and
relieved himself here and there, saying “Be without earth, be without
earth.” What do you think, bhikkhus, would that man make this great
earth to be without earth? — No, venerable sir. Why is that? Because
this great earth is deep and measureless; it cannot possibly be made to
be without earth. So the man would reap weariness and disappointment.

Suppose a man came with lak or gamboge or indigo or
carmine, and he said, “I shall draw pictures, I shall make pictures
appear, on this empty space.” What do you think, bhikkhus, would that
man draw pictures, would he make pictures appear, on that empty space? —
No, venerable sir. Why is that? Because that empty space is formless
and invisible; he cannot possibly draw pictures, make pictures appear
there. So the man would reap weariness and disappointment.

So too, bhikkhus, there are these five modes of
speech that others may use when they address you. Their speech may be
timely or untimely, true or untrue, gentle or harsh, for good or for
harm, and may be accompanied by thoughts of loving-kindness or by inner
hate. Now this is how you should train yourselves here: “Our minds will
remain unaffected, we shall utter no bad words, we shall abide friendly
and compassionate, with thoughts of loving-kindness and no inner hate.
We shall abide with loving-kindness in our hearts extending to that
person, and we shall dwell extending it to the entire world as our
object, with our hearts abundant, exalted, measureless in
loving-kindness, without hostility or ill-will.” That is how you should
train yourselves.

Even were bandits savagely to sever you limb from
limb with a two-handled saw, he who entertaineth hate on that account in
his heart would not be one who carried out my teaching.

Bhikkhus, you should keep this instruction on the Simile of the Saw constantly in mind.

Bhikkhus, whatever kinds of worldly merit there
are, all are not worth one sixteenth part of the heart-deliverance of
loving-kindness; in shining and beaming and radiance the
heart-deliverance of loving-kindness far excels them.

Just as whatever light there is of stars, all is
not worth one sixteenth part of the moon’s; in shining and beaming and
radiance the moon’s light far excels it; and just as in the last month
of the Rains, in the Autumn when the heavens are clear, the sun as it
climbs the heavens drives all darkness from the sky with its shining and
beaming and radiance; and just as, when night is turning to dawn, the
morning star is shining and beaming and radiating; so too, whatever
kinds of worldly merit there are, all are not worth one sixteenth part
of the heart-deliverance of loving-kindness; in shining and beaming and
radiance the heart-deliverance of loving-kindness far excels them.

Bhikkhus, when the heart-deliverance of
loving-kindness is maintained in being, made much of, used as one’s
vehicle, used as one’s foundation, established, consolidated, and
properly managed, then eleven blessings can be expected. What are the
eleven?

A man sleeps in comfort; he wakes in comfort; he
dreams no evil dreams; he is dear to human beings; he is dear to
non-human beings; the gods guard him; no fire or poison or weapon harms
him; his mind can be quickly concentrated; the expression of his face is
serene; he dies without falling into confusion; and, even if he fails
to penetrate any further, he will pass on to the world of High Divinity,
to the Brahma world.

Bhikkhus, just as clans with many women and few men
are readily ruined by robbers and bandits, so too any bhikkhu who has
not maintained in being and made much of the heart-deliverance of
loving-kindness is readily ruined by non-human beings. And just as clans
with few women and many men are not readily ruined by robbers and
bandits; so too any bhikkhu who maintains in being and makes much of the
heart-deliverance of loving-kindness is not readily ruined by non-human
beings. So, bhikkhus, you should train in this way: The
heart-deliverance of loving-kindness will be maintained in being and
made much of by us, used as our vehicle, used as our foundation,
established, consolidated, and properly managed. That is how you should
train.

Bhikkhus, if a bhikkhu cultivates loving-kindness for as long as a fingersnap, he is called a bhikkhu. He is not destitute of jhana
meditation, he carries out the Master’s teaching, he responds to
advice, and he does not eat the country’s alms food in vain. So what
should be said of those who make much of it?

Here, friends, a bhikkhu might say: “When the
heart-deliverance of loving-kindness is maintained in being and made
much of by me, used as my vehicle, used as my foundation, established,
consolidated, and properly managed, ill-will nevertheless still invades
my heart and remains.” He should be told: “Not so. Let the worthy one
not say so. Let him not misrepresent the Blessed One. It is not good to
misrepresent the Blessed One. The Blessed One would not express it
thus.” Friends, it is impossible, it cannot happen, that when the
heart-deliverance of loving-kindness is maintained in being and made
much of, used as one’s vehicle, used as one’s foundation, established,
consolidated, and properly managed, ill-will can invade the heart and
remain; for this, that is to say, the heart-deliverance of
loving-kindness, is the escape from ill-will.

What should be done by one skillful in good
So as to gain the State of Peace is this:
	
Let him be able, and upright and straight,
Easy to speak to, gentle, and not proud,
Contented too, supported easily,
With few tasks, and living very lightly;
His faculties serene, prudent, and modest,
Unswayed by the emotions of the clans;
And let him never do the slightest thing
That other wise men might hold blamable.
	
(And let him think:) “In safety and in bliss
May creatures all be of a blissful mind.
Whatever breathing beings there may be.
No matter whether they are frail or firm,
With none excepted, be they long or big
Or middle-sized, or be they short or small
Or thick, as well as those seen or unseen,
Or whether they are dwelling far or near,
Existing or yet seeking to exist.
May creatures all be of a blissful mind.
Let no one work another one’s undoing
Or even slight him at all anywhere:
And never let them wish each other ill
Through provocation or resentful thought.”
And just as might a mother with her life
Protect the son that was her only child,
So let him then for every living thing
Maintain unbounded consciousness in being;
	
And let him too with love for all the world
Maintain unbounded consciousness in being
Above, below, and all round in between,
Untroubled, with no enemy or foe.
And while he stands or walks or while he sits
Or while he lies down, free from drowsiness,
Let him resolve upon this mindfulness:
This is Divine Abiding here, they say.
	
But when he has no trafficking with views,
Is virtuous, and has perfected seeing,
And purges greed for sensual desires,
He surely comes no more to any womb.

The heart-deliverance of loving-kindness is
practiced with unspecified extension, with specified extension, and with
directional extension.

That with unspecified extension is practiced in
five ways as follows: May all beings be freed from enmity, distress and
anxiety, and may they guide themselves to bliss.

May all breathing things… all creatures… all
persons… May all those who are embodied be freed from enmity, distress
and anxiety, and may they guide themselves to bliss.

That with specified extension is practiced in seven
ways as follows: May all women be freed from enmity, distress and
anxiety, and may they guide themselves to bliss. May all men… all
Noble Ones… all who are not Noble Ones… all deities… all human
beings… may all those in the states of deprivation be freed from
enmity, distress and anxiety, and may they guide themselves to bliss.

That with directional extension is practiced in ten ways as follows:

May all beings in the eastern direction be freed
from enmity, distress and anxiety, and may they guide themselves to
bliss. May all beings in the western direction… in the northern
direction… in the southern direction… in the eastern intermediate
direction… in the western intermediate direction… in the northern
intermediate direction… in the southern intermediate direction… in
the downward direction… May all those in the upward direction be freed
from enmity, distress and anxiety, and may they guide themselves to
bliss.

May all breathing things…

May all creatures…

May all persons…

May all who are embodied…

May all women…

May all men…

May all Noble Ones…

May all who are not Noble Ones…

May all deities…

May all human beings…

May all those in the states of deprivation in the
eastern direction be freed from enmity, distress and anxiety, and may
they guide themselves to bliss… May all those in states of deprivation
in the upward direction be freed from enmity, distress, anxiety, and
may they guide themselves to bliss.

And how does a bhikkhu abide with his heart imbued
with loving-kindness extending over one direction? Just as he would feel
friendliness on seeing a dearly beloved person, so he extends
loving-kindness to all creatures.

“Master Gotama, I have heard it said that the Monk
Gotama teaches the path to the retinue of the High Divinity. It would be
good if Master Gotama would teach me that.”

“Then listen and attend carefully to what I shall say.”

“Even so, sir,” the student Subha Todeyyaputta replied. The Blessed One said this.

“And what is the path to the retinue of the High
Divinity? Here a bhikkhu abides with his heart imbued with
loving-kindness extending over one quarter, likewise the second quarter,
likewise the third quarter, likewise the fourth quarter, and so above,
below, around, and everywhere and to all as to himself; he abides with
his heart abundant, exalted, measureless in loving-kindness, without
hostility or ill-will, extending over the all-encompassing world. While
this heart-deliverance of loving-kindness is maintained in being in this
way, no action restricted by limited measurement is found there, none
persists there. Just as a vigorous trumpeter could easily make himself
heard in the four directions, so too when the heart-deliverance of
loving-kindness is maintained in being in this way no action restricted
by limited measurement is found there, none persists there. This is a
path to the retinue of the High Divinity.”

Here, bhikkhus, a certain person abides with his
heart imbued with loving-kindness extending over one quarter, likewise
the second quarter, likewise the third quarter, likewise the fourth
quarter, and so above, below, around, and everywhere, and to all as to
himself; he abides with his heart abundant, exalted, measureless in
loving-kindness, without hostility or ill-will, extending over the
all-encompassing world.

He finds gratification in that, finds it desirable
and looks to it for his well-being; steady and resolute thereon, he
abides much in it, and if he dies without losing it, he reappears among
the gods of a High Divinity’s retinue.

Now the gods of a High Divinity’s retinue have a
life-span of one aeon. An ordinary person (who has not attained the
Noble Eightfold Path) stays there for his life-span; but after he has
used up the whole life-span enjoyed by those gods, he leaves it all, and
(according to what his past deeds may have been) he may go down even to
hell, or to an animal womb, or to the ghost realm. But one who has
given ear to the Perfect One stays there (in that heaven) for his
life-span, and after he has used up the whole life-span enjoyed by those
gods, he eventually attains complete extinction of lust, hate and
delusion in that same kind of heavenly existence.

It is this that distinguishes, that differentiates,
the wise hearer who is ennobled (by attainment of the Noble Path) from
the unwise ordinary man, when, that is to say, there is a destination
for reappearance (after death, but an arahant has made an end of birth).

Here, bhikkhus, a certain person abides with his heart imbued with loving-kindness extending… over the all-encompassing world.

Now whatever therein (during that state of
contemplation) exists classifiable as form, classifiable as a feeling
(of pleasure, pain, or neutrality), classifiable as perception,
classifiable as determinative acts, or classifiable as consciousness,
such ideas he sees as impermanent, as liable to suffering, as a disease,
as a cancer, as a barb, as a calamity, as an affliction, as alien, as
being worn away, as void, as not-self. On the dissolution of the body,
after death, he reappears (as a non-returner) in the retinue of the Gods
of the Pure Abodes (where there are only those who have reached the
Noble Path and where extinction of greed, hate and delusion is reached
in less than seven lives without return to this world). And this kind of
reappearance is not shared by ordinary men (who have not reached the
Noble Eightfold Path).