[91] Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī, in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's park. There the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus: "Bhikkhus." "Venerable sir," those bhikkhus replied to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this:
"Bhikkhus, when the liberation of mind by loving-kindness (mettā-cetovimutti) has been pursued, developed, made much of, made a vehicle, made a basis, carried out, consolidated, and properly undertaken, eight benefits are to be expected. What eight? One sleeps happily; one wakes happily; one sees no bad dreams; one is dear to human beings; one is dear to non-human beings; deities protect one; neither fire nor poison nor weapon can harm one; and if one penetrates no higher, one goes to the Brahmā world. Bhikkhus, when the liberation of mind by loving-kindness has been pursued, developed, made much of, made a vehicle, made a basis, carried out, consolidated, and properly undertaken, these eight benefits are to be expected.
One who develops loving-kindness,
measureless, ever mindful—
for him the fetters are worn thin,
as he sees the destruction of acquisitions (upadhi).
If, with a mind free of hate, one extends loving-kindness
toward even a single living being, one thereby becomes wholesome;
but compassionate in heart toward all living beings,
the noble one makes abundant merit.
Those royal seers who, having conquered
the earth teeming with beings,
went about performing sacrifices—
the sassamedha, the purisamedha,
the sammāpāsa, the vājapeyya, the niraggaḷa—
all these do not amount to a sixteenth part
of a mind of loving-kindness well developed,
just as all the hosts of stars
[do not rival] the radiance of the moon. …
One who neither kills nor causes to kill,
who neither conquers nor causes others to conquer,
with loving-kindness toward all beings—
he has enmity with none."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.