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Protective Recitations

Karaṇīya-Metta-Sutta

[SNP 8]

Pāli POS Grammar English
karaṇīyam-attha-kusalena

yaṃ taṃ santaṃ padaṃ abhisamecca:

sakko ujū ca suhujū ca,
suvaco c'assa mudu, anatimānī

Pāli POS Grammar English
karaṇīyaṃ ptp nt.nom.sg should be done, must be done, ought to be made
attha- noun goal, profit, good, welfare, benefit
adj masc.ins.sg by skillful
yaṃ pron nt.acc.sg that which
taṃ pron nt.acc.sg that, he
santaṃ pp nt.acc.sg calmed, tranquil, peaceful
padaṃ noun nt.acc.sg place, position, state
abhisamecca: verb abs realizing, completely understanding

this is to be done by one skilled in benefit, who realizing that state which is peaceful

Pāli POS Grammar English
sakko adj masc.nom.sg able, capable
ujū adj masc.nom.sg straight; upright, honest
ca ind and
suhujū adj masc.nom.sg well, very straight, upright
suvaco adj masc.nom.sg obedient; meek
ca ind and
assa verb opt.3.sg he should be
mudu adj masc.nom.sg soft; mild, gentle
anatimānī adj masc.nom.sg not conceited, humble, without arrogance

he should be capable, straight, upright, obedient, gentle and not conceited

santussako ca subharo ca,
appakicco ca sallahuka-vutti,
sant-indriyo ca nipako ca,
appagabbho kulesu ananugiddho.

Pāli POS Grammar English
santussako adj masc.nom.sg content; glad
ca ind and
subharo adj masc.nom.sg easy to support
ca, ind and
appakicco adj masc.nom.sg unencumbered, with few obligations, with few duties
ca ind and
sallahuka-vutti adj masc.nom.sg with light, frugal conduct or character

(he should be) content and easy to support, with few duties, with frugal way of living,

Pāli POS Grammar English
sant-indriyo adj masc.nom.sg calm; at peace; lit. with calm faculties
ca ind and
nipako adj masc.nom.sg intelligent, clever, judicious, prudent
ca, ind and
appagabbho adj masc.nom.sg not cheeky, modest, respectful, courteous, not proud or impudent
kulesu noun nt.loc.pl in supporters; supporting families, lit. family
an-anugiddho pp masc.nom.sg not covetous; greedy

with calm faculties, prudent, not impudent, and without greed for supporters.

na ca khuddaṃ samācare kiñci,
yena viññū pare upavadeyyuṃ.
sukhino vā khemino hontu,
sabbe sattā bhavantu sukhit-attā

Pāli POS Grammar English
na ind neg not
ca ind and; as well as, but
khuddaṃ adj masc.acc.sg small; insignificant, slight
samācare verb opt.3.sg he should behave, act, conduct oneself
kiñci pron masc.acc.sg some, something, anything

he should not do anything (even) slight,

Pāli POS Grammar English
yena ind adv by which, because of which
viññū noun masc.nom.pl wise people
pare pron masc.acc.pl others
upavadeyyuṃ verb opt.3.pl they could, might blame, find fault with, criticize

because of which wise people might criticize others

Pāli POS Grammar English
sukhino adj masc.nom.pl (has ease) happy, at ease
ind or, and
khemino adj masc.nom.pl peaceful, safe, secure
hontu, verb imp.3.pl may they be

may they be happy and secure,

Pāli POS Grammar English
sabbe pron masc.nom.pl all, every
sattā noun masc.nom.pl a living being, creature
bhavantu verb imp.3.pl may they be
sukhita-attā adj nt.nom.pl happy; easygoing; (comm) with pleased mind; lit. pleased self

may all beings be easygoing

ye keci pāṇa-bhūt-atthi,
tasā vā thāvarā vā anavasesā,
dīghā vā ye mahantā vā,
majjhimā rassak-āṇuka-thūlā.

Pāli POS Grammar English
ye pron masc.nom.pl that which, whatever
keci pron masc.nom.pl whoever, whatever, someone, whichever
pāṇa- adj breathing
bhūta- noun being, living being
atthi verb pr.3.pl there are

whatever living beings there are

Pāli POS Grammar English
tasā adj masc.nom.pl movable or trembling
ind or
thāvarā adj masc.nom.pl immobile or firm, strong
ind or
anavasesā, adj masc.nom.pl without exception, without remainder

whether movable or immobile (trembling or strong), without exception,

Pāli POS Grammar English
dīghā adj masc.nom.pl long, tall
ind or
ye pron masc.nom.pl what which, that are, whatever
mahantā adj masc.nom.pl great, extensive, big
ind or

those that are long or those that are large

Pāli POS Grammar English
majjhimā adj masc.nom.pl middle; medium, middling
rassaka- adj short
āṇuka- adj subtle, tiny, minute, atomic
thūlā adj masc.nom.pl massive, large, gross

middling, short, tiny, or gross

diṭṭhā vā ye ca adiṭṭhā,
ye сa dūre vasanti avidūre
bhūtā vā sambhavesī vā,
sabbe sattā bhavantu sukhit-attā.

Pāli POS Grammar English
diṭṭhā pp masc.nom.pl that which is seen
ind or
ye ca pron masc.nom.pl and that which, whatever
adiṭṭhā pp masc.nom.pl not seen

whether they are seen or unseen,

Pāli POS Grammar English
ye pron masc.nom.pl whatever, whoever , that which
сa ind and
dūre ind far distant, remote, far away
vasanti verb pr.3.pl they live, dwell
avidūre ind not far, near

whether they dwell far or near,

Pāli POS Grammar English
bhūtā pp masc.nom.pl become; born, produced; existed
ind or
sambhavesī adj masc.nom.pl seeking birth
vā, ind or

whether they born or seeking birth

sabbe sattā bhavantu sukhitattā

may all beings be easygoing
whether they are seen or unseen, whether they dwell far or near, whether they have come to be or will come to be, may all beings be easygoing!

na paro paraṃ nikubbetha,
n'ātimaññetha katthaci naṃ kañci
byārosanā, paṭigha-saññā,
nāññam-aññassa dukkham-iccheyya.

Pāli POS Grammar English
na ind not
paro noun masc.nom.sg other, another (person)
paraṃ noun masc.acc.sg other, another (person)
nikubbetha verb opt.3.sg refl should cheat; should deceive; should defrauds; lit. should make down

one another should not deceive

Pāli POS Grammar English
na-atimaññetha verb opt.3.sg refl should not despise, scorn, look down (on), have contempt (for), condescending (about); lit. should not think too much
katthaci adv somewhere, anywhere
naṃ pron masc.acc.sg that, hiṃ
kañci pron masc.acc.sg someone, anyone

one should not look down on anyone anywhere

Pāli POS Grammar English
byārosanā noun fem.nom.sg making angry, causing anger, being angry
paṭigha- noun anger; repulsion; collision, conflict
saññā, noun fem.nom.sg label, concept, idea, notion, perception

(throught) causing anger (or) idea of repulsion

Pāli POS Grammar English
na- ind not
aññaṃ-aññassa adj masc.dat.sg lit. one to another
dukkhaṃ- noun discomfort, suffering, pain, unease, probleṃ trouble
iccheyya verb opt.3.sg could wishes; should desires

one to anothershould not wish suffering

mātā yathā niyaṃ puttaṃ
āyusā eka-puttam-anurakkhe,
evam'pi sabba-bhūtesu,
mānasam-bhāvaye aparimāṇaṃ.

Pāli POS Grammar English
mātā noun fem.nom.sg mother
yathā ind adv just like a
niyaṃ adj masc.acc.sg one's own
puttaṃ noun masc.acc.sg child, son
āyusā noun nt.ins.sg with vitality, with duration of life, with life
eka- adj only
puttam- noun masc.acc.sg child, son
anurakkhe, verb opt.3.sg could protect, should guard

just like a mother with (her) life could protect her son, her only son

Pāli POS Grammar English
evam- ind thus, this, like this, just as, such
pi ind even, just so, also
sabba- adj all
bhūtesu pp masc.loc.sg in born; nature as the result of becoming living beings

just like this toward all living beings

Pāli POS Grammar English
mānasaṃ- noun nt.acc.sg mind; intention, mental action
bhāvaye verb opt.3.sg could cultivate, should develop
aparimāṇaṃ adj nt.acc.sg limitless; immeasurable, without boundaries

one should develop mind without limits

mettañ'ca sabba-lokasmiṃ,
mānasam-bhāvaye aparimāṇaṃ;
uddhaṃ adho ca tiriyañ'ca,
asambādhaṃ, averaṃ, asapattaṃ.

Pāli POS Grammar English
mettaṃ- adj nt.acc.sg friendly; benevolent; kind
ca ind and
sabba- adj all
lokasmiṃ, noun masc.loc.sg in the world

mānasaṃ bhāvaye aparimāṇaṃ

one should develop mind without limits and friendly toward the whole world

Pāli POS Grammar English
uddhaṃ ind adv above, up, on top
adho ind adv below, under
ca ind and
tiriyaṃ- ind adv across; transversely
ca ind and

above, below, and across

Pāli POS Grammar English
asambādhaṃ, adj nt.nom.sg unobstructed, unhindered, unconfined
averaṃ adj nt.nom.sg peaceable, mild, friendly, without enmity
asapattaṃ adj nt.nom.sg without enmity, peaceful, without hostility without adversary

unconfined, without enmity, without hostility

tiṭṭhañ-caraṃ, nisinno vā,
sayāno vā, yāvat-assa vigata-middho,
etaṃ satiṃ adhiṭṭheyya,
brahmam'etaṃ vihāraṃ idha'm'āhu.

Pāli POS Grammar English
tiṭṭhaṃ- prp masc.nom.sg standing
caraṃ prp masc.nom.sg walking
nisinno pp masc.nom.sg seated
ind or
sayāno prp masc.nom.sg lying down
ind or
yāvatā- ind as long as, as far as, of all, to the extent that
assa pron masc.dat.sg to hiṃ
vigata-middho adj masc.nom.sg without drowsiness

standing, walking, seated or lying down as long as he is without drowsiness

Pāli POS Grammar English
etaṃ pron fem.acc.sg this
satiṃ noun fem.acc.sg memory, mindfulness, presence, recollection awareness
adhiṭṭheyya, verb opt.3.sg could stand firmly; would determine, resolve

one should resolve on this mindfulness:

Pāli POS Grammar English
brahmaṃ adj masc.acc.sg holy, divine, sublime, highest
etaṃ pron masc.acc.sg this
vihāraṃ noun masc.acc.sg a dwelling place; an abode
idha- ind adv here in this place, in this regard, in this case
āhu verb pref.p.3.pl they said, they call

here they call this a sublime dwelling.

diṭṭhiñ'ca anupaggamma,
sīlavā dassanena sampanno,
kāmesu vineyya gedhaṃ,
na hi jātu gabbha-seyyaṃ punar-etī'ti.

Pāli POS Grammar English
diṭṭhiṃ- noun fem.acc.sg view, belief, opinion, concept, theory, attitude
ca ind and, but, although
anupaggamma, verb abs avoiding, not going near, lit. not approaching
sīlavā adj masc.nom.sg virtuous; observing the moral practices
dassanena noun nt.ins.sg with vision, seeing, looking; sight of
sampanno, adj masc.nom.sg accomplished, fulfilled; successful, completed perfected, endowed

avoiding (clinging to) view, possessing good behavior, endowed with vision,

Pāli POS Grammar English
kāmesu noun masc.loc.pl in lust, desire, on sensual pleasures
vineyya verb abs removing
gedhaṃ noun masc.acc.sg greed

removing greed for sensual pleasures,

Pāli POS Grammar English
na ind not
hi ind indeed, surely, definitely!
jātu ind surely; undoubtedly
gabbha- noun womb
seyyaṃ noun fem.acc.sg sleeping, sleeping posture
puna- ind again
eti verb pr.3.sg goes, comes, comes back, returns
ti ind '

one definitely and undoubtedly never again comes back to lying in a womb.

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