In the gentle light of early morning, a Buddhist practitioner sits in meditation, silently repeating the ancient words: “May I be happy. May I be healthy. May I be at peace. May I be free from suffering.” Gradually these wishes extend outward — to loved ones, to strangers, to difficult people, and finally to all beings everywhere.
The Pali word metta is often translated as loving-kindness, but its meaning encompasses something deeper — a boundless friendliness that dissolves the artificial barriers between self and other. Extending metta loving-kindness to animals and all sentient beings is a natural expression of this boundless compassion. It is not mere sentiment but a transformative force.
Imagine sitting in meditation and extending your loving-kindness to a cow standing in a field. “May you be happy. May you be healthy. May you be at peace. May you be free from suffering.” As you repeat these words, you begin to see beyond the label “livestock” to recognise an individual being with her own preferences, fears, and capacity for joy.
The practice of metta for all earthlings gradually transforms our relationship with food…
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