1
00:00:01,398 --> 00:00:04,564
Okay, so what is the difference between metta and compassion?

2
00:00:06,567 --> 00:00:07,308
Simple question.

3
00:00:07,348 --> 00:00:09,092
It does have a simple answer.

4
00:00:09,112 --> 00:00:12,518
I think people are not so clear on the difference between these two.

5
00:00:15,322 --> 00:00:19,129
Not realizing that they are actually different sides of the same coin.

6
00:00:19,891 --> 00:00:24,739
And there is quite a bit of, there is some sense of overlap, but

7
00:00:24,719 --> 00:00:25,860
They are opposites.

8
00:00:26,260 --> 00:00:27,782
They are opposite sides of the same coin.

9
00:00:27,822 --> 00:00:32,086
So, Meta, which we translate as actually friendliness.

10
00:00:32,606 --> 00:00:34,068
Meta comes from the word Mita.

11
00:00:34,488 --> 00:00:38,151
Mita and then you strengthen the I and it becomes an E and so you get Meta.

12
00:00:39,673 --> 00:00:43,757
Mita means friend, Meta means friendliness.

13
00:00:44,237 --> 00:00:53,005
What it refers to is the intention, the mind state which is intent upon

14
00:00:53,288 --> 00:01:10,791
bringing happiness to other beings, or not exactly bringing happiness, intent upon a wish or a desire or an inclination, because it doesn't have anything to do with desire or attachment, not necessarily, but an inclination

15
00:01:10,771 --> 00:01:13,455
that beings should be happy.

16
00:01:14,116 --> 00:01:32,745
So you have a being who is in a neutral state, it is the wish, the volition, the mindset that that person or people or that all beings should be happy.

17
00:01:33,266 --> 00:01:34,888
So it's a positive one.

18
00:01:34,868 --> 00:01:42,081
Compassion, karuna, which we translate as compassion, is the opposite.

19
00:01:42,544 --> 00:01:43,950
You have a neutral person,

20
00:01:44,943 --> 00:01:48,948
and you wish for them not to fall into suffering.

21
00:01:50,149 --> 00:02:01,862
May this person be free from suffering or conversely you have a person who is in suffering and the wish for them to be free from suffering.

22
00:02:01,882 --> 00:02:06,748
The intention, the mindset that

23
00:02:08,416 --> 00:02:10,199
that beings should be free from suffering.

24
00:02:10,239 --> 00:02:13,024
So it doesn't actually require you to do anything.

25
00:02:13,084 --> 00:02:15,990
Neither one of these actually requires actions.

26
00:02:16,751 --> 00:02:21,039
It's these mindsets that will inform your actions.

27
00:02:21,199 --> 00:02:31,538
So as a result of a desire for beings to be happy, or a mindset that is good for beings, that you wish for beings to be happy, may beings be happy.

28
00:02:31,518 --> 00:02:35,831
As a result, you will then act in such... you'll act accordingly.

29
00:02:36,192 --> 00:02:42,171
So you'll do things to bring happiness and peace and freedom from... or happiness and peace to people.

30
00:02:42,191 --> 00:02:45,240
Now, compassion

31
00:02:46,587 --> 00:02:52,936
When you have this mindset, it will inform your actions in such a way that you work to relieve suffering.

32
00:02:56,742 --> 00:03:01,048
When someone is in pain, you will immediately act to try to free them from that.

33
00:03:01,089 --> 00:03:10,182
When they're in mental anguish or despair, you'll incline towards freeing them from that.

34
00:03:10,162 --> 00:03:16,487
The problem is that in the end it all comes down to the same thing, that true happiness is freedom from suffering.

35
00:03:16,507 --> 00:03:17,611
They're one and the same.

36
00:03:18,354 --> 00:03:19,800
But the

37
00:03:21,738 --> 00:03:25,524
the feeling in one's mind is different.

38
00:03:25,544 --> 00:03:31,113
So when one has love for beings, has friendliness, it's a wish, it's a positive wish.

39
00:03:31,193 --> 00:03:35,560
When one has compassion, it's a wish to take away, it's a wish to take away someone's suffering.

40
00:03:36,421 --> 00:03:39,606
But they're kind of two sides of the same coin.

41
00:03:40,067 --> 00:03:41,890
And so it's an interesting question.

42
00:03:41,870 --> 00:03:55,930
But I think it's a clear answer that compassion is desire to take away suffering, friendliness or metta is desire to bestow happiness.