Metta Sutra

 

Metta Sutta

translated by Gil Fronsdal

A Buddhist Sutra

To reach the state of peace
One skilled in the good
Should be
Capable and upright,
Straightforward and easy to speak to,
Gentle and not proud,
Contented and easily supported,
Living lightly and with few duties,
Wise and with senses calmed,
Not arrogant and without greed for supporters,
And should not do the least thing that the wise would criticize.

[One should reflect:]
“May all be happy and secure;
May all beings be happy at heart.
All living beings, whether weak or strong,
Tall, large, medium, or short,
Tiny or big,
Seen or unseen,
Near or distant,
Born or to be born,
May they all be happy.
Let no one deceive another
Or despise anyone anywhere;
Let no one through anger or aversion
Wish for others to suffer.”

As a mother would risk her own life
To protect her child, her only child,
So toward all beings should one
Cultivate a boundless heart.
With loving-kindness for the whole world should one
Cultivate a boundless heart,
Above, below, and all around
Without obstruction, without hate and without ill-will.
Standing or walking, sitting or lying down,
Whenever one is awake,
May one stay with this recollection.
This is called a sublime abiding, here and now.

One who is virtuous, endowed with vision,
Not taken by views,
And having overcome all greed for sensual pleasure
Will not be reborn again.

Dao De Jing Chapter 33 Tao Te Ching

 Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu

Chapter 33

"One who knows others is clever, but one who knows himself is enlightened. 
One who conquers others is powerful, but one who conquers himself is mighty. 
One who knows contentment is rich and one who pushes with vigor has will. 
One who loses not his place endures. 
One who may die but will not perish, has life everlasting."
-  Translated by Daisetsu Teitaro Suzuki and Paul Carus, 1913, Chapter 33 


"It is wisdom to know others;
It is enlightenment to know one's self.
The conqueror of men is powerful;
The master of himself is strong.
It is wealth to be content;
It is willful to force one's way on others.
Endurance is to keep one's place;
Long life it is to die and not perish."
-  Translated by R. B. Blakney, 1955, Chapter 33   


"He who knows others is wise;
He who knows himself is enlightened.
He who conquers others is strong;
He who conquers himself is mighty.
He who knows contentment is rich.
He who keeps on his course with energy has will.
He who does not deviate from his proper place will long endure.
He who may die but not perish has longevity."
-  Translated by Ch'u Ta-Kao, 1904, Chapter 33 

"Know others by knowing yourself.
Overcome others by overcoming yourself.
Understanding what is enough is enough.
Presence is perseverance.
Coming to stillness is forging ahead.
Find life by accepting death."
-  Translated by Starwell Crispin, Chapter 33 

知人者智.
自知者明. 
勝人者有力.
自勝者強. 
知足者富. 
強行者有志. 
不失其所者久. 
死而不亡者壽. 
-  Chinese characters, Tao Te Ching, Chapter 33 


zhi ren zhe zhi.
zi zhi zhe ming.
sheng ren zhe you li.
zi sheng zhe qiang.
zhi zu zhe fu.
qiang xing zhe you zhi.
bu shi qi suo zhe jiu.
si er bu wang zhe shou.
-  Pinyin Romanization, Daodejing, Chapter 33  



"He who knows others is intelligent;
he who understands himself is enlightened;
he who is able to conquer others has force,
but he who is able to control himself is mighty.
He who appreciates contentment is wealthy.
He who dares to act has nerve;
if he can maintain his position he will endure,
but he, who dying does not perish, is immortal."
-  Translated by Dwight Goddard, 1919, Chapter 33  



"Knowledge frequently results
from knowing others,
but the man who is awakened,
has seen the uncarved block.
Others might be mastered by force,
but to master one's self
requires the Tao.
He who has many material things,
may be described as rich,
but he who knows he has enough,
and is at one with the Tao,
might have enough of material things,
and have self-being as well.
Will-power may bring perseverance;
but to have tranquility is to endure,
being protected for all his days.
He whose ideas remain in the world,
is present for all time."
-  Translated by Stan Rosenthal, 1984, Chapter 33  



"Quien conoce a los demás es inteligente.
Quien se conoce a sí mismo tiene visión interna.
Quien conquista a los demás tiene fuerza; quien se conquista a sí mismo es realmente poderoso.
Quien sabe cuándo ha obtenido bastante es rico, y quien sigue asiduamente
     el sendero del Tao es alguien de propósito constante.
Quien permanece en el lugar en el que ha encontrado su verdadera casa vive mucho tiempo,
     y quien muere, pero no perece, goza de la auténtica longevidad."
-  Translation from Chinese to English by John C. H. Wu, translated into Spanish by Alfonso Colodrón, Capitulo 33 

"Knowing others makes you smart, but knowing yourself makes you wise.
To rule others, you must be powerful, but to rule yourself, you must be strong.
If you have only what you need, you have true wealth.
If you never give up, you will find a way.
If you stay true to yourself, you will never be lost.
If you live your entire life, you’ve really lived."
-  Translated by Ron Hogan, 1995, Chapter 33

A typical webpage created by Mike Garofalo for each one of the 81 Chapters (Verses, Sections) of the Tao Te Ching (Daodejing) by Lao Tzu (Laozi) includes over 25 different English language translations or interpolations for that Chapter, 5 Spanish language translations for that Chapter, the Chinese characters for that Chapter, the Wade-Giles and Hanyu Pinyin transliterations (Romanization) of the Mandarin Chinese words for that Chapter, and 2 German and 1 French translation of that Chapter.  Each webpage includes a Google Translate option menu for reading the entire webpage in many other languages.  Each webpage for each one of the 81 Chapters of the Tao Te Ching [246 CE Wang Bi version] includes extensive indexing by key words, phrases, and terms (concordance) for that Chapter in English, Spanish, and the Wade-Giles Romanization.  Each webpage on a Chapter of the Daodejing includes recommended reading in books and websites, a detailed bibliography, some commentary, links, research leads, translator sources, and other resources for that Chapter.  

     A Top Tier online free resource for English and Spanish readers, researchers, Daoist devotees, scholars, students, fans and fellow travelers on the Way. 

Chapter 33, Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu

Chapter and Thematic Index (Concordance) to the Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu

English Language Daodejing Translators' Source Index

Spanish Language Daodejing Translators' Source Index

Ripening Peaches: Taoist Studies and Practices

Taoism: A Selected Reading List

One Old Daoist Druid's Final Journey  

How to Live a Good Life: Advice from Wise Persons

Productive Relationships

"If I can create a relationship characterized on my part:
 by a genuineness and transparency, in which I am my real feelings;
 by a warm acceptance of and prizing of the other person as a separate individual;
 by a sensitive ability to see his world and himself as he sees them;
 Then the other individual in the relationship:
 will experience and understand aspects of himself which previously he as repressed;
 will find himself becoming better integrated, more able to function effectively;
 will become more similar to the person he would like to be;
 will be more self-directing and self-confident;
 will become more of a person, more unique and more self-expressive;
 will be more understanding, more acceptant of others;
 will be able to cope with the problems of life more adequately and more comfortably."

 On Becoming a Person: A Therapist's View of Psychotherapy, p. 37.  By Carl R. Rogers.  Written around 1955. 
  

How to Live a Good Life: Advice From Wise Persons

Virtue Ethics

Aging Well

A Healing Prayer

 

"We, who need help, pray for the healing of our physical, emotional, and spiritual pains and afflictions. 

Source of all blessings and power, heal us, empower us, and bless us. 

We realize that we can't do it alone, and we ask for blessings from all those who have the power to help, elevate, and heal.

We ask for help from the sacred above us.

We ask for the support of those around us, our friends, families, and communities. 

We pray for the wisdom to find ways to help ourselves.

We ask for guidance to help us ease our way and heal our hearts.

May we open ourselves to the mystery that is beyond us, the source from which we are never apart.

May we be happy and hole.

May energy pour through us for the benefit of one and all.

May we dance and lift up our hands and our hearts in praise and rejoicing."

- Lama Surya Das, Awakening to the the Sacred.  Prayers: pp. 254-291.

"Don't misunderstand me.  I don't believe in prayer.  I only do it.  Or perhaps it does me."
- Sam Keen

Productive Relationships

 "If I can create a relationship characterized on my part:

 by a genuineness and transparency, in which I am my real feelings;
 by a warm acceptance of and prizing of the other person as a separate individual;
 by a sensitive ability to see his world and himself as he sees them;
 Then the other individual in the relationship:
 will experience and understand aspects of himself which previously he as repressed;
 will find himself becoming better integrated, more able to function effectively;
 will become more similar to the person he would like to be;
 will be more self-directing and self-confident;
 will become more of a person, more unique and more self-expressive;
 will be more understanding, more acceptant of others;
 will be able to cope with the problems of life more adequately and more comfortably."

 On Becoming a Person: A Therapist's View of Psychotherapy, p. 37.  By Carl R. Rogers.  Written around 1955. 
  

How to Live a Good Life: Advice From Wise Persons

Virtue Ethics

Aging Well

Stairway to Failure

Ten Steps You Can Take to Guarantee Failure

"1. Make your goals vague.
2. Make your goals difficult to visualize.
3. Think and speak negatively about your goals.
4. Avoid planning incremental steps.
5. Don't Do - Talk.
6. Wait until you are motivated.
7. Don't set a date.
8. List why it's impossible.
9. Don't research your goal.
10. Think of anything except your goal."
-  Achieve It: Ten Steps You Can Take to Guarantee Failure


Will Power: Quotes, Sayings

How to Live a Good Life: Advice from Wise Persons

Post from 2016

How to Live a Better Life

12 Rules for Life by Jordan B. Peterson


Stand up straight with your shoulders back
Treat yourself like someone you are responsible for helping
Make friends with people who want the best for you
Compare yourself to who you were yesterday, not to who someone else is today
Do not let your children do anything that makes you dislike them
Set your house in perfect order before you criticize the world
Pursue what is meaningful (not what is expedient)
Tell the truth – or, at least, don't lie
Assume that the person you are listening to might know something you don't
Be precise in your speech
Do not bother children when they are skateboarding
Pet a cat when you encounter one on the street

12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos  
By Jordan B. Peterson
Random House, 2018, 409 pages.

How to Live a Good Life: Advice From Wise Persons
Compiled by Michael P. Garofalo

Coping with the Blues

I found the article "Coping with Depression" from Health Guide to be informative and useful.  One may just have "the blues," and need to apply some self-help suggestions to get back to feeling better.

1.  Reach out and stay connected.
2.  Do things that make you feel good.
3.  Get moving

4.  Eat a healthy, depression fighting diet.
5.  Get a daily dose of sunlight.
6.  Challenge negative thinking

The suggestions on ways to avoid negative thinking are staple recommendations from the Rational Emotive Behavorial Therapy (REBT) school popularized by Dr. Albert Ellis. 

"Come up with a list of things that you can do for a quick mood boost. The more “tools” for coping with depression, the better. Try and implement a few of these ideas each day, even if you’re feeling good. 

Spend some time in nature
List what you like about yourself
Read a good book
Watch a funny movie or TV show
Take a long, hot bath
Take care of a few small tasks
Play with a pet
Talk to friends or family face-to-face
Listen to music
Do something spontaneous"



Ways to Lift Your Spirits, by Mike Garofalo, 9/15/2011, 3 pages PDF format.

How to Live a Good Life: Advice from Wise Persons Compiled by Mike Garofalo.

A Path to Personal Growth

Twelve Gateways to Personal Growth

"1.  Preparation: Stairway to the Soul 
2.  Discover Your Worth: Opening to Life 
3.  Reclaim Your Will: The Power to Change 
4.  Energize Your Body: A Foundation for Life 
5.  Manage Your Money: Sufficiency and Spiritual Practice 
6.  Tame Your Mind: Inner Peace and Simple Reality 
7.  Trust Your Intuition: Accessing Inner Guidance 
8.  Accept Your Emotions: The Center of the Cyclone 
9.  Face Your Fears: Living as Peaceful Warriors 
10.  Illuminate Your Shadow: Cultivating Compassion and Authenticity 
11.  Embrace Your Sexuality: Celebrating Life 
12.  Awaken Your Heart: The Healing Power of Love 
13.  Serve Your World: Completing the Circle of Life"

-  Dan Millman
   Everyday Enlightenment: The Twelve Gateways to Personal Growth, 1999  


How to Live a Good Life: Advice from Wise Persons

Aging Well

Principles of Self-Esteem

Six Pillars of Self-Esteem

1.  Living Consciously: The practice of being aware of what one is doing while one is doing it; or, mindfulness. 

2.  Accept Yourself:  The practice of owning truths regarding one's thoughts, emotions, and behaviors; of being kind toward oneself with respect to them; and of being "for" oneself in a basic sense.

3.  Take Responsibility for Your Experiences: The practice of owning one's authorship of one's actions and of owning one's capacity to be the cause of the effects one desires.

4.  Assert Who You Are: the practice of treating one's needs and interests with respect and of expressing them in appropriate ways.

5.  Live Purposely: The practice of formulating goals and of formulating and implementing action plans to achieve them.

6.  Maintain Your Integrity: The practice of maintaining alignment between one’s behaviors and convictions.

-  Nathaniel Branden, Six Pillars of Self-Esteem, 1995


How to Live the Good Life:  Advice from Wise Persons

Paddle Your Own Canoe

"Know many, trust a few, and always paddle your own canoe."
-  An unknown Zen Master

Set your course and take constructive action to get to your goal.  You are the one that needs to work, to change, to become, to transform yourself.  Others may be a source for good advice, and a few people are great aids to our progress, but we must work ourselves to accomplish the tasks at hand.

Willpower

Optimal Living Rules

Twenty Rules for Optimal Living in the 21st Century

1.  Face Reality
2.  Take Action
3.  Create Yourself
4.  Accept Responsibility
5.  Do It Now
6.  You Can't Change the Past 
7.  Act Like a Scientist 
8.  Work, Work, Work and Practice, Practice, Practice 
9.  Push Yourself 
10.  Do and Feel 
11.  There's No Gain Without Pain 
12.  Accept and Forgive Yourself Unconditionally 
13.  Live for Now and for the Future 
14.  Commit Yourself 
15.  Take Risks 
16.  Be Interested in Yourself and in Others  
17.  Remain Flexible  
18.  Use It Or Lose It 
19.  Accept Uncertainty 
20.  Don't Expect Heaven on Earth 

Albert Ellis, Ph.D., and Emmett Verlten, Ph.D.  Optimal Aging: Get Over Getting Older  1998  Index, recommended reading, 288 pages.  VSCL. 

"The goal of all life is to have a ball."
-  Albert Ellis

Seven Strategies for Positive Aging.   By Robert D. Hill, Ph.D..  New York, W.W. Norton and Co., 2008.  Index, references, 63 pages.  ISBN: 978-0393705232.  VSCL.   

Making Aging Positive by Linda P. Fried 

Aging Well:  Recommended Readings, Quotes, and Resources

Living the Good Life: Principles, Recommendations, Wisdom

Virtues: Quotations, Sayings, Recommended Reading, Resources