Dk 18Maitrī cetaḥsamadhiḥ
Pāli / Sanskrit:Maitrī cetaḥsamadhiḥ
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Explanation of the Maitrī Cetaḥsamadhiḥ Discourse (Concentration of Loving-Kindness)
Background
The Maitrī Cetaḥsamadhiḥ discourse belongs to the Abhidhamma Piṭaka in the Pāli Canon, where the deepest analyses of mental dhammas and concentration (samadhi) are gathered. Unlike the discourses in the Sutta Piṭaka, which often use lofty language and stories, the Abhidhamma Piṭaka presents the teachings through psychological analysis, classification of mental states, and the conditions that bring them together.
Maitrī, or loving-kindness, is one of the four immeasurable states (brahmaviharas) that the Buddha encouraged practitioners to cultivate. Loving-kindness is not merely ordinary affection, but a noble spiritual state with the power to transform mind and body. When combined with concentration (cetaḥsamadhi, mental concentration, the stable collectedness of the mind), loving-kindness becomes an extremely effective instrument of practice.
Main Content
According to the Abhidhamma Piṭaka, concentration of loving-kindness is the state attained when the mind is completely focused and stabilized upon the object of unconditional active love for all beings. The basic difference between ordinary loving-kindness and concentration of loving-kindness is the depth of concentration and the foundation of wisdom.
Concentration of loving-kindness arises from the connection of four factors: (1) pure intention (cetanā) directed toward the welfare of all beings; (2) a mind from which greed, hatred, and delusion, the three mental faults, have been removed; (3) unwavering one-pointedness (ekaggatā) upon all sentient beings; and (4) wisdom (paññā) clearly recognizing the impermanent, suffering, and non-self nature of all phenomena.
The discourse indicates that in the state of concentration of loving-kindness, the mind is purified and the hindrances (nivaraṇa), sensual desire, ill will, sloth and torpor, restlessness, and doubt, are overcome. These hindrances are naturally removed when loving-kindness is fully developed.
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