:mindblown: a new reading of the Mettasutta that will change everything

[mikenz66]

Here are some relevant threads regarding the mother and child simile:

Mother and child simile, "mātā yathā niyaṃputta, māyusā ekaputtamanurakkhe"

I have a vague memory of reading somewhere that the simile of a mother protecting her own child found in the Karaniya Metta Sutta / Metta Sutta (Snp1.8 / Kp9) was often misinterpreted and mistranslated. In short, the idea of that more correct reading is that one should protect the cultivation of that quality of love and kindness the metta sutta point to as his/her only child. This would be instead of the usual translations which imply or equate metta to that motherly protection of her own ch…

How to understand a mother's love in the Metta Sutta

EDIT: Thank you @Gillian for splitting this thread and creating a new post. It’s much nicer for Bhante’s beautiful chanting and translation of the Metta Sutta to be free of too much off track discussion! So thank you! I wanted to add this little note to mention that the split has happened - in case things here seem vaguely out of context! I hope that’s ok. Also, I want to add, in case anyone knows my little Mum: she’s sweet, good and loves and supports me. So it’s …