B. Sujato's translation of 'metta' as 'love' is wrong. It's so clear that it's wrong, he had to avoid using his usual translation of 'love' in this passage! He uses 'kindness' here instead. Otherwise you would have monks treating each other with bodily-love, verbal-love, mental-love.
Now if you happen to come from a Christian background, you might understand that 'love' is a non-romantic love for your neighbors like Christ.
But most of the world is not Christian, you can't make the assumption they understand your specialized meaning of non-romantic love.
And even if they understand that distinction of Christ-like-love, you have passsages like here where the ambiguity causes problems, and B. Sujato ends up having to use a different translation. That's the solid proof you need it's a bad translation.
Metta is derived from mitta, which means 'friend'.
In English, in Pali, and Chinese, friendliness, or friendly-kindness, or just kindness, would be a proper translation because it doesn't have a romantic connotation, no ambiguity to cause problems like it has here.
MN 48 excerpt:
Atha kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:
| Then the Buddha said to the monks: |
“chayime, bhikkhave, dhammā sāraṇīyā piyakaraṇā garukaraṇā saṅgahāya avivādāya sāmaggiyā ekībhāvāya saṃvattanti.
| “monks, these six warm-hearted qualities make for fondness and respect, conducing to inclusion, harmony, and unity, without quarreling. |
Katame cha?
| What six? |
Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno mettaṃ kāyakammaṃ paccupaṭṭhitaṃ hoti sabrahmacārīsu āvi ceva raho ca.
| Firstly, a monk consistently treats their spiritual companions with bodily kindness, both in public and in private. |
Ayampi dhammo sāraṇīyo piyakaraṇo garukaraṇo saṅgahāya avivādāya sāmaggiyā ekībhāvāya saṃvattati. (1)
| This warm-hearted quality makes for fondness and respect, conducing to inclusion, harmony, and unity, without quarreling. |
Puna caparaṃ, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno mettaṃ vacīkammaṃ paccupaṭṭhitaṃ hoti sabrahmacārīsu āvi ceva raho ca.
| Furthermore, a monk consistently treats their spiritual companions with verbal kindness … |
Ayampi dhammo sāraṇīyo piyakaraṇo garukaraṇo saṅgahāya avivādāya sāmaggiyā ekībhāvāya saṃvattati. (2)
| |
Puna caparaṃ, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno mettaṃ manokammaṃ paccupaṭṭhitaṃ hoti sabrahmacārīsu āvi ceva raho ca.
| Furthermore, a monk consistently treats their spiritual companions with mental kindness … |
Here's why it's wrong.
In English, love is highly ambiguous, and most people understand the primary meaning to be romantic love.Now if you happen to come from a Christian background, you might understand that 'love' is a non-romantic love for your neighbors like Christ.
But most of the world is not Christian, you can't make the assumption they understand your specialized meaning of non-romantic love.
And even if they understand that distinction of Christ-like-love, you have passsages like here where the ambiguity causes problems, and B. Sujato ends up having to use a different translation. That's the solid proof you need it's a bad translation.
Metta is derived from mitta, which means 'friend'.
In English, in Pali, and Chinese, friendliness, or friendly-kindness, or just kindness, would be a proper translation because it doesn't have a romantic connotation, no ambiguity to cause problems like it has here.
For comparison, Bodhi and Thanissaro translations of the same passage
MN 48 thanissaro
Then the Blessed One addressed the monks: “Monks, these six are conditions that are conducive to amiability, that engender feelings of endearment, engender feelings of respect, leading to a sense of fellowship, a lack of disputes, harmony, & a state of unity. Which six?
“There is the case where a monk is set on bodily acts of good will with regard to his companions in the holy life, to their faces & behind their backs. This is a condition that is conducive to amiability, that engenders feelings of endearment, engenders feelings of respect, leading to a sense of fellowship, a lack of disputes, harmony, & a state of unity.
“And further, the monk is set on verbal acts of good will with regard to his companions in the holy life, to their faces & behind their backs. This, too, is a condition that is conducive to amiability, that engenders feelings of endearment, engenders feelings of respect, leading to a sense of fellowship, a lack of disputes, harmony, & a state of unity.
“And further, the monk is set on mental acts of good will with regard to his companions in the holy life, to their faces & behind their backs. This, too, is a condition that is conducive to amiability, that engenders feelings of endearment, engenders feelings of respect, leading to a sense of fellowship, a lack of disputes, harmony, & a state of unity.
MN 48 bodhi
Then the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus thus: “Bhikkhus, there are these six principles of cordiality492 that create love and respect and conduce to cohesion, to non-dispute, to concord, and to unity. What are the six?
“Here a bhikkhu maintains bodily acts of loving-kindness both in public and in private towards his companions in the holy life. This is a principle of cordiality that creates love and respect, and conduces to cohesion, to non-dispute, to concord, and to unity.
“Again, a bhikkhu maintains verbal acts of loving-kindness both in public and in private towards his companions in the holy life. This too is a principle of cordiality that creates love and respect, and conduces to…unity.
“Again, a bhikkhu maintains mental acts of loving-kindness both in public and in private towards his companions in the holy life. This too is a principle of cordiality that creates love and respect, and conduces to…unity.
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