Once a year I’m invited to the Center for Spiritual Living’s Christmas Eve Interfaith Service in Boca Raton, Florida, and I lead a meditation on peace for them. We have a beautiful reading attributed to Shakyamuni Buddha entitled “Metta (Loving-Kindness) Sutra.” I have copied it below for you to use, meditate upon, and share with others that want to live a more peaceful and compassionate life.
Metta (Loving-Kindness) Sutra
May all beings be happy.
May they be joyous and live in safety.
All living beings, whether weak or
Strong, in high or middle, or low
Realms of existence, small or great,
Visible or invisible,
Near or far, born or to be born,
May all beings be happy.
Let none deceive another nor despise
Any being in any state; let none
By anger or hatred wish harm to another.
Even as a mother at the risk of her life
Watches over and protects her only child,
So with a boundless mind should
One cherish all living things,
Suffusing love over the entire
World, above, below, and all around
Without limit
So let each cultivate an
Infinite good will toward the whole
World.
This is my mantra for living. Each day I am given many opportunities to use it and many challenges are presented in which I must decide which world I want to live in. For me I want to live in a world “without limits” on love! I hope you’ll join me.
Namaste, Shokai
This is a beautiful passage, and is a worthy intention with which to take each breathy. Synchronistically, I began reading a beautiful book about practices based on Kuan Yin’s teachings and the great six syllable mantra today. I love it when the universe speaks so clearly. With metta, WG