The Power of maitri

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  • 慈心力
  • ジシンリョク

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Inspired by the writings of L. Schmithausen, the present writer here discusses some aspects of maitri as containing miraculous power (mattanubhava), gleaning materials from Buddhist texts-Sanskrit and Pali as well as Chinese. (1) Taisho 24 743 24-5 (a Chinese translation of the Samantapasadika) contains a story in which an ascetic nourishes babies with milk which came out of his thumbs through his intense feelings of love (metta, putta-sineha). (2) Visuddhi-magga (PTS p.. 305-6) enumerates 11 anisamsa (good results) attributed to the practice of metta, beginning from sukham supsti (sound sleep). These eleven good results are sometimes repaced by 8 (Anguttara-nikaya 4.150) or by 5 (Taisho 25 211a, Le grand vertu de sagasse). Out of these, the following four are have discussed. (3) The dispelling of poison (visa): The story of the origin of a snake charm (Upasenasutra Waldscmidt, pp. 329-46). cf. Schmithausen pp. 11ff.) (4) The dispelling of an attack by Weapon (sattha), etc. The story of Samavati (Visuddhimagga 381, Dhammapadatthakatha 1.217), that of Nandiya-miga (J. 385), Si habahu (Mahavamsa 6.28-30), Buddha's taming of the mad-elephant Dhanapala, etc. (5) Divine protection: the story of Vajrabahu (Sanghabedavastu Gnoli 2 pp. 18-9=Taisho 24 155-156) and that of Maitrabala (Gnoli 2 pp. 20-21, Taisho 24 156: Maitribala, Jatakamalai 8 and Mahajjatakamala 46). (6) The dispelling of Fire (aggi) or heated oil (tatta-tela): Stories of the Buddha transforming burning charcoal into flowers (Buddhacarita 13.42) and of Uttara cooling boiling oil (tatta-tela: Visuddhimagga 381). (Addenda) A study of the word sphuta (BHS) and phuta (Pall): a semantic analysis of the concept of "being suffused by maitri." (Conclusion) The practice of maitri (mettaspharana, maitri-bhavana, metta-sampanna) creates "a force-field of protsction" (Wiltshire) through its miraculos power.

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