Mettā Mettā (f.) [abstr. fr. mitra=mitta, cp. Vedic maitraŋ. According to Asl. 192 (cp. Expos. 258) derived fr. mid to love, to be fat: "mejjati mettā siniyhatī ti attho"] love, amity, sympathy, friendliness, active interest in others. There are var. defns & explns of mettā: the stereotype "metti mettāyanā mettāyitattaŋ mettā cetovimutti" Vbh 86=272; occurring as "metti mettāyanā mettāyitattaŋ anudā anudāyana anudāyitattaŋ hitesitā anukampā abyāpādo . . . kusalamūlaŋ" at Nd1 488 & Dhs 1056 (where T. mettaŋ for metti, but see Dhs trsl.2 253). By Bdhgh at SnA 128 expld in distinction fr. karuṇā (which is "ahita -- dukkh -- âpanayakāmatā") as "hita -- sukh -- ûpanaya -- kāmatā," i. e. desire of bringing welfare & good to one's fellow -- men. Cp. defn of mettā 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: mettā ceto -- vimutti D i.251; S ii.265; A iv.150; It 20; Vbh 86 and passim. mettā -- sahagatena cetasā 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. mettaŋ karoti (loc.) to be friendly or sympathize with Mhvs 12, 23. — In cpds. usually mettā˚, but shortened to metta˚ in metta -- cittaŋ kindly thought, a heart full of love D i.167; iii.237; Sn 507; Pv ii.1317; J vi.71; and metta -- jhāna love -- meditation, as expln of m.-citta at SnA 417; PvA 167.
  -aŋsa (mettaŋsa) sympathetic, showing love towards It 22 (v. l. ˚āsa); J iv.71 (=metta -- koṭṭhāsa mettacitta C.). -kammaṭṭhāna the k. of sympathy DhA iv.108. -bhāvanā cultivation or development of friendliness (towards all living beings) J i.176; iii.45; Miln 199; Vism 295. -vihārin abiding in kindliness Dh 368; DhA iv.108; Nett 25; Vism 324; PvA 230.