Updated 28 September 2024
Sublime States: Loving Kindness, Compassion, Sympathetic Joy, Equanimity
Brahmaviharas: Metta, Karuna, Mudita, Upekkha
Members of BGKT Buddhist Group of Kendal (Theravada) have chanted and read The Metta Sutta The Discourse on Loving Kindness at BGKT meetings and on invitation at several public occasions.
BGKT Buddhist Group of Kendal (Theravada) teaches metta (loving-kindness) meditation in its Open Meetings. BGKT Secretary Jacquetta Gomes taught metta (loving-kindness) meditation at Retreats at Ketumati Buddhist Vihara Manchester until 2020.
Publications by BGKT Buddhist Group of Kendal (Theravada)
BGKT Website
Metta Sutta Discourse on Loving Kindness
Introducing Buddhism
Introducing Buddhism is available on this BGKT Buddhist Group of Kendal (Theravada) website. The Chapter Buddhist Meditation includes the Sublime States Brahmaviharas.
Introducing Buddhism by Venerable Dr Balangoda Ananda Maitreya Mahanayaka Thera Abhidhaja Maharatthaguru Aggamaha Pandita DLitt DLitt (1896-1998) and Jacquetta Gomes Bodhicarini Upasika Jayasili. Introducing Buddhism was originally published by The Buddhist Society London in 1988, to accompany The Buddhist Society’s Introducing Buddhism Course, on which Jacquetta Gomes was one of the teachers.
Introducing Buddhism has subsequently been published by Buddhist organisations in England, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Taiwan, and the USA.
Introducing Buddhism is available on several websites including Access to Insight, TBE Tibetan Buddhist Encyclopedia and Google Books.
Introducing Buddhism was launched by the BCC Buddhist Cultural Centre in Sri Lanka with 24 other books under the patronage of Venerable Dr K. Sri Dhammananda Chief Sangha Nayaka of Malaysia and Singapore, in December 1997.
Balangoda Ananda Maitreya, Venerable, and Jayasili (Jacquetta Gomes). Introducing Buddhism. 2008 reprint of 2007. (Taipei Taiwan, The Corporate Body of the Buddha Educational Foundation) (Book code EN074) (This includes the booklet: Requirements and Ceremonies for the Five Precepts (Panca Sila), The Eight Precepts with Right Livelihood as the Eighth (Ajivatthamaka Sila), Dhamma Teachers Certificate, issued by the Buddhist Group of Kendal (Theravada) and Ketumati Buddhist Vihara at Wesak 2006 updated February 2010)
Available at https://www-old.budaedu.org/en/
https://www-old.budaedu.org/book-img/CoverL/EN074.jpg
http://ftp.budaedu.org/ebooks/pdf/EN074.pdf
https://archive.org/details/introducingbuddh03vene/mode/2up
https://archive.org/details/introducing-buddhism-bgkt-ven-balangodanandamaitreya-jayasili-jacquettagomes
https://archive.org/details/introducing-buddhism-bgkt-ven-balangodanandamaitreya-jayasili-jacquettagomes/page/n1/mode/2up
Available at https://books.google.com/
Articles by BGKT Buddhist Group of Kendal (Theravada)
Prayer and Meditation: Loving-Kindness”, Buddhist Group of Kendal (Theravada), Faith Initiative: Embracing Diversity, Issue 10 (Autumn 2003), page14.
https://faithinitiative.co.uk/
https://faithinitiative.co.uk/issues/
“Reflections on Meditation: Buddhist Meditation”, The Buddhist Group of Kendal, Interreligious Insight a Journal of Dialogue and Engagement [published by World Congress of Faiths Common Engagement Project], 6(4) (October, 2008) 56-59.
https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/view/35518084/reflections-on-meditation-interreligious-insight/4
Suttas
The 2 main Suttas about metta (loving-kindness) are The Karaniya Metta Sutta The Discourse on Loving-kindness and the Metta Nisamsa Sutta The Discourse on the Benefits of Loving Kindness
StNp 1.8 Sn 1.8 Karaniya Metta Sutta: The Discourse on Loving-kindness
The Sutta Nipata StNp/Sn (The Sutta Collection/The Discourse Group) is the fifth book of the Khuddaka Nikaya and consists of 71 short suttas divided into five vaggas (chapters). Chapter 1. Uragavagga The Snake Chapter includes The Karaniya Metta Sutta: The Discourse on Loving-kindness.
StNp 1.8 Sn 1.8Karaniya Metta Sutta: Loving-Kindness translated from the Pali by Nanamoli Thera
Available on Access to Insight website
https://accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.1.08.nymo.html
StNp 1.8 Sn 1.8Karaniya Metta Sutta: The Discourse on Loving-kindness translated from the Pali by Piyadassi Thera. available on Access to Insight website
Available on Access to Insight website
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.1.08.piya.html
Sutta Central
Mettasutta Amaravati Sangha
Karaniya Metta Sutta: The Buddha’s Words on Loving-Kindness
https://suttacentral.net/kp9/en/amaravati?reference=none&highlight=false
Mettasutta Nanamoli Thera Short Readings Loving-Kindness
https://suttacentral.net/kp9/en/nanamoli?reference=none&highlight=false
Mettasutta Short Readings The Discourse on Loving-Kindness Piyadassi Thera
https://suttacentral.net/kp9/en/piyadassi?reference=none&highlight=false
Anguttara Nikaya An 11.16 Karaniya Mettanisamsa Sutta Discourse on Advantages of Loving-kindness
Anguttara Nikaya AN 11.16 Mettanisamsa Sutta Discourse on Advantages of Loving-kindness translated from the Pali by Piyadassi Thera
Available on Access to Insight website
https://accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an11/an11.016.piya.html
Bhante Henepola Gunaratana Maha Thera (1927-)
Bhante Henepola Gunaratana was one of the Founder Spiritual Advisors to BGKT in 1991.
https://www.buddhistgroupofkendal.co.uk/spiritual-advisors-venerable-dr-balangoda-ananda-maitreya-and-venerable-henepola-gunaratana/
Teachings in Buddhist Group of Kendal (Theravada) BGKT’s Open Meetings are based on Mindfulness in Plain English, Loving-Kindness in Plain English, Start Here, Start Now: A Short Guide to Mindfulness Meditation and The In Plain English series by Buddhist Monk Bhante Henepola Gunaratana published by Wisdom Experience. His books include explanations of the Brahmaviharas especially metta.
Bhante Gunaratana
https://wisdomexperience.org/content-author/bhante-gunaratana/
Beyond Mindfulness in Plain English, Bhante Henepola Gunaratana
Wisdom Publications USA, 2009. (ISBN 9780861715299)
Chapter 4 Wishing the Best for Yourself and Others
https://wisdomexperience.org/product/beyond-mindfulness-plain-english/
Bhavana Vandana: Devotions for Meditation. 2008. compiled by Bhante H. Gunaratana Maha Thera (Revised edition). (High View West Virginia USA Bhavana Society).
Metta Bhavana Developing Loving-Friendliness pages 84-85
Karaniyametta Sutta Discourse on Loving-Friendliness pages 46-47
Khandhaparitta Sutta The Protection of Loving-Friendliness pages 88-89
Mettanisamsa Sutta Discourse on the Benefits of Loving-Friendliness pages 86-87
https://bhavanasociety.org/
https://bhavanasociety.org/resources/
Available at Internet Archive San Francisco California USA
https://archive.org/
https://archive.org/details/BhavanaVandanaDevotionsForMeditation
https://ia801605.us.archive.org/18/items/BhavanaVandanaDevotionsForMeditation/VandanaDeskV19.pdf
Bhavana Vandana: Book of Devotion, compiled by Bhante H. Gunaratana Maha Thera, Bhavana Society (1990)
Metta Bhavana Meditation on Loving-Kindness pages 166-171
Karaniyametta Sutta Meditation on Loving-Kindness Discourse pages 170-175
Khandha Paritta Discourse on the Protection of Loving-Kindness pages 176-177
Mettanisamsa Sutta The Profit of Loving-Kindness pages 176-179
Available on BuddhaNet website
https://www.buddhanet.net/
https://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/index.htm
https://www.buddhanet.net/ebooks_s.htm
https://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/index.htm
https://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhism/ebooks.htm
http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/vandana.pdf
Buddhist Suttas for Recitation: A Companion for Walking the Buddha’s Path. Bhante Henepola Gunaratana. 2019. (Boston USA Wisdom Publications). (ISBN 978-161429-489-4).
Metta Bhavana Developing Loving-Friendliness pages 114-117
Karaniyametta Sutta Discourse on Loving-Friendliness pages 62-65
Khandhaparitta Sutta The Protection of Loving-Friendliness pages 120-121
Mettanisamsa Sutta Discourse on the Benefits of Loving-Friendliness pages 118-119
https://wisdomexperience.org/product/buddhist-suttas-for-recitation/
https://wisdomexperience.org/bhante-g/
https://wisdomexperience.org/
Eight Mindful Steps to Happiness: walking the Path of The Buddha, Bhante Henepola Gunaratana, Wisdom Publications USA, 2001. (ISBN 9780861711765)
Step 2 Skillful Thinking: Loving-Friendliness pages 65-70.
https://wisdomexperience.org/product/eight-mindful-steps-happiness/
Loving-Kindness in Plain English: The Practice of Metta, Bhante Henepola Gunaratana
Wisdom Publications USA, 2017. (ISBN 9781614292494)
https://wisdomexperience.org/product/loving-kindness-plain-english/
Mindfulness in Plain English, Bhante Henepola Gunaratana
Wisdom Publications USA, 20th anniversary edition, 2011. (ISBN 9780861719068)
Afterword: The Power of Loving Friendliness
https://wisdomexperience.org/product/mindfulness-plain-english/
Available on Google Books
Articles by Bhante Henepola Gunaratana
“Meditation on Loving-Kindness”, Bhante Henepola Gunaratana, Buddhist Publication Society Newsletter, No. 69 (1st mailing 2013).
https://www.bps.lk/
https://www.bps.lk/library_newsletters.php
“Meditation on Loving-Kindness”, Bhante Henepola Gunaratana, The Middle Way: Journal of The Buddhist Society [London], 64(4), (February 1990), pages 232-238. (The Buddhist Society [London] (founded in 1924) started The Middle Way: Journal of The Buddhist Society [London]in 1926.) (ISSN 0026-3214)
https://www.thebuddhistsociety.org/page/the-middle-way-2
Audio and Video by Bhante Henepola Gunaratana
There are several audio and video recordings of Bhante Gunaratana explaining metta (loving kindness) meditation available on the web.
BPS Buddhist Publication Society Kandy Sri Lanka
Some BPS publications are available on the Access to Insight website
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/bpslist.html
BPS Books
http://www.bps.lk/library_books.php
The Book of Protection Paritta translated from the original Pali, with introductory essay and explanatory notes by Piyadassi Thera, BPS.
https://www.bps.lk/olib/bp/bp216s_Piyadassi_Book-of-Protection.pdf
4. Karanìyamettasutta (Discourse on Loving-kindness) Pali page 24 and English page 25 29
6. Karanìyamettasutta Mettanisamsasutta (Discourse on Advantages of Loving-kindness) (Pali pages 26 and 28 English pages 27 and 29.
The Buddha and His Teachings,by Venerable Narada Mahathera, Electronic edition, 2012 (ISBN 978-955-24-0025-4)
Chapter 42 The Sublime States
https://bps.lk/olib/bp/bp102s_Narada-Buddha_and_His_Teachings.pdf
Also available on BuddhaNet website
https://www.buddhanet.net/
https://www.buddhanet.net/ebooks_s.htm
http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/buddha-teachingsurw6.pdf
The Four Sublime States Contemplations on Love, Compassion, Sympathetic Joy, and Equanimity, by Nyanaponika Thera and The Practice of Loving Kindness (Metta) as Taught by the Buddha in the Pali Canon: Texts compiled and translated by Nanamoli Thera [The Four Sublime States First published in 1958 as Wheel Publication No. 6; The Practice of Loving Kindness First published in 1958 as Wheel Publication No. 7].
(ISBN: 978-955-24-0170-1)
https://www.bps.lk/olib/bp/bp225s_Nyanaponika_Four-Sublime-States.pdf
Several BPS publications include explanations of the Brahmaviharas.
BPS Wheel Publications (ISSN 0068-3345)
https://www.bps.lk/library_wheels.php
https://www.bps.lk/olib/wh/_whindex.html
Wheel 6 The Four Sublime States Brahmaviharas: Contemplations on Love, Compassion, Sympathetic Joy and Equanimity by Nyanaponika Thera
https://bps.lk/olib/wh/wh006_Nyanaponika_The-Four-Sublime-States.pdf
Also available on BuddhaNet website
http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/4sublime_states.pdf
Also available on Access to Insight website
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel006.html
Wheel 7The Practice of Loving-Kindness (Metta): As Taught by the Buddha in the Pali Canon, compiled and translated by Nanamoli Thera
https://bps.lk/olib/wh/wh006_Nyanaponika_The-Four-Sublime-States.pdf
Also available on Access to Insight website
https://accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/wheel007.html
Wheel 170The Buddha’s Teaching on Unselfish Joy: four essays, by Nyanaponika Thera, Natasha Jackson, C.F. Knight, and L.R. Oates
https://www.bps.lk/olib/wh/wh170_Nyanaponika-Etal_Mudita–Four-Essays.pdf
Also available on Access to Insight website
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/various/wheel170.html
Wheel 365/366 The Philosophy and Practice of Universal Love by Acharya Buddharakhkita
https://www.bps.lk/olib/wh/wh365_Buddharakkhita_Metta–Philosophy-Practice-of_Universal-Love.pdf
Also available on Access to Insight website
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/buddharakkhita/wheel365.html
Books
Brahmavihara Dhamma (Divine Abidings) Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw, Rangoon Burma/Myanmar,1985.
Available on Buddhist eLibrary website
https://www.buddhistelibrary.org/library/view.php?adpath=70
Also available on BuddhaNet website
https://www.buddhanet.net/
https://www.buddhanet.net/ebooks_s.htm
http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/brahmavihara.pdf
Love and Sympathy in Theravada Buddhism, Harvey B Aronson, MLBD Motilal Banarsidass Publishers, Delhi India. (1980) (ISBN 81-209-1403-7)
Available on Google Books
Love in Buddhism. Bhante Walpola Piyananda, Dharma Vijaya Publications, Los Angeles USA (2013). Reprinted by The Corporate Body of the Buddha Educational Foundation, Taipei, Taiwan. (2016 reprint) (Book code EN382).
https://archive.org/details/love-in-buddhism-bhante-walpola-piyananda
https://ia804501.us.archive.org/2/items/love-in-buddhism-bhante-walpola-piyananda/Love%20in%20Buddhism%20-%20Bhante%20Walpola%20Piyananda_text.pdf
https://buddhistuniversity.net/content/booklets/love-in-buddhism_piyananda
http://www-old.budaedu.org/book-img/CoverL/EN382.jpg
http://ftp.budaedu.org/ebooks/pdf/EN382.pdf
Loving-kindness Meditation, Venerable Sujiva.
Available on BuddhaNet website
https://www.buddhanet.net/
https://www.buddhanet.net/ebooks_s.htm
http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/allmetta.pdf
Sharon Salzberg Loving-Kindness: The Revolutionary Art of Happiness Shambala Classics, (2002) Shambala Publications, Boston Massachusetts USA (2002). (ISBN 1-57062-903-X)
https://www.sharonsalzberg.com/lovingkindness/
Dictionaries
Buddhist Dictionary: Manual of Buddhist Terms and Doctrines. Nyanatiloka, Venerable. 2004. (5th revised edition) (Kandy, Sri Lanka, BPS Buddhist Publication Society (ISBN 955-24-0019-8) (Current ISBN 978-974-9511-30-5).
https://www.bps.lk/olib/bp/bp601s_Nyanatiloka_Buddhist-Dictonary.pdf
The Pali Text Society’s Pali-English Dictionary. Edited by T. W. Rhys Davids and William Stede (London, Luzac for the PTS Pali Text Society). (ISBN: 978-0-86013-503-6).
1921-1925 edition available online via the Pali Text Society website
https://palitextsociety.org/product/pali-english-dictionary/
Forest Sangha
Booklets by Ajahn Amaro. Available on the Forest Sangha website.
https://forestsangha.org/
https://forestsangha.org/teachings/books?language=English
Don’t Push – Just Use The Weight Of Your Own Body: Compassion
https://forestsangha.org/teachings/books/don-t-push?commit=Go%21&language=English&utf8=%E2%9C%93
I’m right, You’re: Loving-kindness
https://forestsangha.org/teachings/books/i-m-right-you-re-wrong?language=English
Just One More Appreciative joy
https://forestsangha.org/teachings/books/just-one-more?commit=Go%21&language=English&utf8=%E2%9C%93
Who is pulling the strings: Equanimity
https://forestsangha.org/teachings/books/who-is-pulling-the-strings?commit=Go%21&language=English&utf8=%E2%9C%93
Suttas and Translations
Suttas and translations are available on the Access to Insight, dhammatalks.org and Sutta Central websites.
Access to Insight https://www.accesstoinsight.org/
dhammatalks.org https://www.dhammatalks.org/ https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/
Sutta Central https://suttacentral.net/?lang=en
Websites
aimwell.org
http://www.aimwell.org/
Books by Bhikkhu Pesala
http://www.aimwell.org/pesala.html
An Exposition of the Metta Sutta, Bhikkhu Pesala
http://www.aimwell.org/expositionofmetta.html