Metta: (f.) [abstr. fr. mitra=mitta, cp. Vedic maitra¸. According to Asl. 192 (cp. Expos. 258) derived fr. mid to love, to be fat: "mejjati mett¤ siniyhat¨ ti attho"] love, amity, sympathy, friendliness, active interest in others. There are var. defns & explns of mett¤: the stereotype "metti mett¤yan¤ mett¤yitatta¸ mett¤ cetovimutti" Vbh 86=272; occurring as "metti mett¤yan¤ mett¤yitatta¸ anud¤ anud¤yana anud¤yitatta¸ hitesit¤ anukamp¤ aby¤p¤do . . . kusalam¬la¸" at Nd1 488 & Dhs 1056 (where T. mett¤¸ for metti, but see Dhs trsl.2 253). By Bdhgh at SnA 128 expld in distinction fr. karu¼¤ (which is "ahita-dukkh-¢panayak¤mat¤") as "hita-sukh-¬panaya-k¤mat¤," i. e. desire of bringing welfare & good to one's fellow-men. Cp. defn of mett¤ at Vism 317. - Sn 73 (see Nd2 p. 232), 967; D III.247 sq., 279; Vism 111, 321 sq.; SnA 54; PvA 66 (khanti, m., anudaya); Sdhp 484, 487. -- Phrases occurring frequently: mett¤ ceto-vimutti D I.251; S II.265; A IV.150; It 20; Vbh 86 and passim. mett¤-sahagatena cetas¤ with a heart full of love D I.250; II.186; III.49 sq., 78, 223 sq.; S V.115; A I.183; II.129; IV.390; V.299, 344; expld in detail at Vism 308. mett¤¸ karoti (loc.) to be friendly or sympathize with Mhvs 12, 23. - In cpds. usually mett¤^-, but shortened to mett¤^- in mett¤-citta¸ kindly thought, a heart full of love D I.167; III.237; Sn 507; Pv II.1317; J VI.71; and mett¤-jh¤na love-meditation, as expln of m.-citta at SnA 417; PvA 167.
-a¸sa (mett¤¸sa) sympathetic, showing love towards It 22 (v. l. ^-asa); J IV.71 (=mett¤-ko??hasa mett¤citta C.).
-kammaÂÂh¤na the k. of sympathy DhA IV.108.
-bh¤vana cultivation or development of friendliness (towards all living beings) J I.176; III.45; Miln 199; Vism 295.
-vih¤rin abiding in kindliness Dh 368; DhA IV.108; Nett 25; Vism 324; PvA 230.