Sunday, October 05, 2008

The Chant of Metta by Imee Ooi

I found this peaceful chant some time ago but only today I think of finding it at YouTube. If you listen to it, you will feel very peaceful. There is subtitle too so that you know the meaning of the chant.



Description: The Chant of Metta from Imee Ooi, a Malaysian Buddhist composer from Kuala Lumpur. Her name in Chinese is Huang Huiyin (黃慧音). This is a version of the Metta Gatha or "The Chant Of Metta", a Buddhist chant on the quality ofmetta which is usually translated as "goodwill" or "loving kindness."

The language is Pali, the language of the Theravada Tipitaka (canonical scriptures), with subtitles in English. You may recognize some of the words in this song if you regularly attend Theravada temples as the monks there chant many of the same things but without instrumental music.

Lyrics in Pali

Aham avero homi abyapajjho homi anigho homi sukhi-attanam pariharami Mama matapitu acariya ca natimitta ca sabrahma-carino ca avera hontu abyapajjha hontu anigha hontu sukhi-attanam pariharantu Imasmim arame sabbe yogina avera hontu abyapajjha hontu anigha hontu sukhi-attanam pariharantu Imasmim arame sabbe bhikkhu samanera ca upasaka-upasikayo ca avera hontu abyapajjha hontu anigha hontu sukhi-attanam pariharantu Amhakam catupaccaya-dayaka avera hontu abyapajjha hontu anigha hontu sukhi-attanam pariharantu Amhakam arakkha devata imasmim vihare imasmim avase imasmim arame arakkha devata avera hontu abyapajjha hontu anigha hontu sukhi-attanam pariharantu Sabbe satta sabbe pana sabbe bhuta sabbe puggala sabbe attabhava-pariyapanna sabba itthiyo sabbe purisa sabbe ariya sabbe anariya sabbe deva sabbe manussa sabbe vinipatika avera hontu abyapajjha hontu anigha hontu sukhi-attanam pariharantu Dukkha mucantu Yatha-laddha-sampattito mavigacchantu Kammassaka Puratthimaya disaya pacchimaya disaya uttaraya disaya dakkhinaya disaya puratthimaya anudisaya pacchimaya anudisaya uttaraya anudisaya dakkhinaya anudisaya hetthimaya disaya uparimaya disaya sabbe satta sabbe pana sabbe bhuta sabbe puggala sabbe attabhava-pariyapanna sabba itthiyo sabbe purisa sabbe ariya sabbe anariya sabbe deva sabbe manussa sabbe vinipatika avera hontu abyapajjha hontu anigha hontu sukhi-attanam pariharantu Dukkha muccantu Yatha-laddha-sampattito mavigacchantu Kammassaka Uddham yava bhavagga ca adho yava aviccito samanta cakkavalesu ye satta pathavicara abyapajjha nivera ca nidukha ca nupaddava Uddham yava bhavagga ca adho yava aviccito samanta cakkavalesu ye satta udakecara abyapajjha nivera ca nidukha ca nupaddava Uddham yava bhavagga ca adho yava aviccito samanta cakkavalesu ye satta akasecara abyapajjha nivera ca nidukha ca nupaddava

Lyrics in English

May I be free from enmity and danger 

May I be free from mental suffering 
May I be free from physical suffering 
May I take care of myself happily 
May my parents teachers, relatives and friends fellow Dhammafarers be free from enimity and danger be free from mental suffering be free from physical suffering 
May they take care of themselves happily 
May all yogis in this compound be free from enmity and danger be free from mental suffering be free from physical suffering 
May they take care of themselves happily 
May all monks in this compound novice monks laymen and laywomen disciples be free from enmity and danger be free from mental suffering be free from physical suffering 
May they take care of themselves happily 
May our donors of the four supports be free from enmity and danger be free from mental suffering be free from physical suffering 
May they take care of themselves happily 
May our guardian devas in this monastery in this dwelling in this compound may the guardian devas be free from enmity and danger be free from mental suffering be free from physical suffering 
May they take care of themselves happily 
May all beings all breathing things all creatures all individuals all personalities 
May all females all males all noble one all worldlings all deities all humans all those in the four woeful planes be free from enmity and danger be free from mental suffering be free from physical suffering 
May they take care of themselves happily 
May all beings be free from suffering 
May whatever they have gained not be lost 
All beings are owners of their karma 
 In the eastern direction in the western direction in the northern direction in the southern direction in the southeast direction in the northwest direction in the northeast direction in the southwest direction in the direction below in the direction above 
May all beings all breathing things all creatures all individuals all personalities 
May all females all males all noble one all worldlings all deities all humans all those in the four woeful planes be free from enmity and danger be free from mental suffering be free from physical suffering 
May they take care of themselves happily 
May all beings be free from suffering 
May whatever they have gained not be lost 
All beings are owners of their karma 
 As far as the highest plane of existence to as far down as the lowest plane in the entire universe whatever beings that move on earth may they be free from mental suffering and enmity and from physical suffering and danger 
As far as the highest plane of existence to as far down as the lowest plane in the entire universe whatever beings that move on water may they be free from mental suffering and enmity and from physical suffering and danger 
As far as the highest plane of existence to as far down as the lowest plane in the entire universe whatever beings that move in air may they be free from mental suffering and enmity and from physical suffering and danger

2 comments:

  1. Stumbled upon your site while googling for the meaning of this song. No adjectives would justify how beautiful this song is.
    Is this version of this song available in Spotify?

    ReplyDelete