Loving kindness 慈心 / 慈無量
Loving kindness (Skt. maitrī; Pali metta; Tib. བྱམས་པ་, jampa; Wyl. byams pa) — the wish that beings may have happiness and its causes. One of the four immeasurables.
Benefits
The King of Samādhi Sūtra says:
- Even an offering throughout billions of realms,
- Consisting of gifts infinite in number and variety,
- Presented to great beings every day for all eternity,
- Could not match the wonder of a mind of love.
Nagarjuna's Precious Garland (2:83–85) speaks of 'eight rewards of love':
- Offerings of three hundred pots of food
- Made three times each and every day,
- Could not match even a portion of the merit
- Gained from just a single moment’s loving kindness.
- Even if it does not bring you liberation,
- It will produce the eight rewards of love:
- Gods and humans will care for you,
- And they will offer you protection,
- You will be happy and know many joys,
- No poison or weapon will do you harm,
- Effortlessly, you will achieve your aims,
- And you will be born in Brahmā’s realm.