Last night, my friend the Buddhist monk, Rev. Kusala, spoke at All Saint’s Church in Beverly Hills. They’re doing a year long examination of compassion from various viewpoints, so he offered up the Buddhist perspective. At the end, he closed with the lovingkindness meditation that I first heard on his podcasts and which lured me in to the IBMC in Koreatown where he lives and works. Here it is:
May I be happy, peaceful and free from suffering.
May no harm come to me/them.
May no difficulties come to me/them.
May no problems come to me/them.
May I/they always find fulfillment.
May my teachers and all teachers of the Truth be happy, peaceful and free from suffering.
May no harm come to me/them.
May no difficulties come to me/them.
May no problems come to me/them.
May I/they always find fulfillment.
May my parents, brothers and sisters, friends and relatives be happy, peaceful and free from suffering.
May no harm come to me/them.
May no difficulties come to me/them.
May no problems come to me/them.
May I/they always find fulfillment.
From the highest realm of existence to the lowest, may all beings arisen in these realms, with form and without, with perception and without, with consciousness and without, may they be happy, peaceful and free from suffering.
May no harm come to me/them.
May no difficulties come to me/them.
May no problems come to me/them.
May I/they always find fulfillment.
May I/they also have patience, courage, understanding, and determination, to meet and overcome, the inevitable difficulties, problems, and failures in life.
By the power of Truth found in the Buddha Dharma, may all my misfortunes due to stars, demons, harmful spirits, and ominous planets, be prevented and destroyed. May the rain fall in due time. May there be a rich harvest. May the world be prosperous. May the governments by righteous.
By the power of all the fully-awakened Buddhas, by the power of all the fully-awakened Pacceka-Buddhas, by the power of all the fully-awakened Arahants, by the power of all the fully-awakened Bodhisattvas, may I be secure and protected in every way.
