Mettasuttaṃ [Iti 22, PTS 15–16]

2.

The Discourse on Friendliness

22. This was said by the Blessed One, said by the Worthy One, thus have I heard:

"Do not, monks, be afraid of merits. This, monks, is a designation for happiness, for what is desirable, lovely, dear, agreeable, namely merits. I directly know indeed, monks, that for merits performed over a long time, I experienced a desirable, lovely, dear, agreeable result. Having developed a mind of friendliness for seven years, for seven cosmic cycles of universe-contraction and expansion I did not come back again to this world. When the cosmic cycle was contracting, monks, I was one who reached the Radiant realm; when the cosmic cycle was expanding, I was reborn in an empty Brahma-mansion.

"There indeed, monks, I was Brahmā, the Great Brahmā, the Overlord, the Unvanquished, the All-Seeing, the Wielder of Power. Thirty-six times indeed, monks, I was Sakka, the lord of the gods; many hundreds of times I was a king, a wheel-turning monarch, a righteous king of righteousness, ruler of the four quarters, victorious, who had established the security of his realm, possessed of the seven treasures. What then to say of provincial kingship!

"This occurred to me, monks - 'Of what action is this the fruit for me, of what action is this the result, that I am now of such great supernormal power, of such great majesty?' This occurred to me, monks - 'Of three actions is this the fruit for me, of three actions is this the result, that I am now of such great supernormal power, of such great majesty, as follows - of giving, of self-control, of restraint.'" The Blessed One said this meaning. Therein this is said:

This meaning too was spoken by the Blessed One, thus have I heard. The second.