| Getting started with Metta Sutta chanting | |
| In the lefthand Pali chants column, click on one of the buttons below the entire sutta chant header. While listening to the entire sutta being chanted, try to follow along with the Pali text, scrolling down as needed. Alternately, read Ñanamoli's English translation that is interleaved with the Pali text. | |
| Based on listening to the chanting or reading Ñanamoli's translation or both, pick a verse that speaks to you. (For instance, many people find that verse 7, with its central metaphor of a lovingly protective mother, most resonates with them initially.) Try to learn the verse, first each half-line individually (using the half lines buttons), and then the entire verse. For many adult learners, understanding the underlying meaning is useful, thus make use of the interleaved translation as well as the right margin's line-specific glossary terms. (To see a full dictionary definition of a Pali term in the glossary, click on the Pali word. Note that the glossary's Pali terms are for the most part uninflected, since contextualized conjugations and declensions would significantly complicate this page's greatly abbreviated glossary definitions.) | |
| After learning one verse, if desired, pick another verse to learn in the same manner (for instance, learning the verse that immediately precedes or follows the first verse you learned). You could then proceed in this manner until you learn the entire sutta. You will then be ready to chant along with monks and other disciples at traditional Buddhist ceremonies. (Note that, even if a different chanting style is used on a particular occasion, knowing one form of chanting this sutta well usually allows one to readily chant in another style. This can be seen for yourself by learning one of the two styles chanted on this page and then chanting along with the other style presented here.) | |
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