Metta Power

thumbnail
Clayton James Lightfoot, modified 13 Years ago at 6/12/10 9:14 PM
Created 13 Years ago at 6/12/10 12:57 AM

Metta Power

Posts: 41 Join Date: 1/21/10 Recent Posts
Hey all,

I recall in Daniel's book a reference to Dipa Ma cultivating many powers and rejecting them all except the power of Metta. I have no experience with the powers--as my concentration increases I got curious about this particular passage. It seems like a relativly beneficial and innocuous power... but I am not sure I understand exactly what it was.. was it the ability to radiate lovingkindness towards her students at will? I contemplated it and realized that my motives for cultivating any power would be ego based... so I don't feel like intentionally cultivating any power (even metta) is productive at this point. But I was hoping Daniel could clarify exactly what he was talking about a little more...

Edit: I searched through Daniel's book and didn't find this passage, maybe I imagined it...

Thanks...

Clayton
thumbnail
Antonio Ramírez, modified 13 Years ago at 6/13/10 3:30 AM
Created 13 Years ago at 6/13/10 3:30 AM

RE: Metta Power

Posts: 55 Join Date: 9/9/09 Recent Posts
You're mixing it up with Saints and Psychopaths, I think...
thumbnail
Clayton James Lightfoot, modified 13 Years ago at 6/13/10 12:30 PM
Created 13 Years ago at 6/13/10 12:24 PM

RE: Metta Power

Posts: 41 Join Date: 1/21/10 Recent Posts
Thanks Antonio... I was trying to figure out where on earth I had read that. Hamilton of course... I just looked it up pg 103 and 104 if anyone is interested...

Metta,

Clayton
J Adam G, modified 13 Years ago at 6/13/10 9:39 PM
Created 13 Years ago at 6/13/10 9:39 PM

RE: Metta Power

Posts: 286 Join Date: 9/15/09 Recent Posts
I'm reminded of Ramana Maharshi's simile that compares nondual awareness practice, seeing consciousness or awareness as if it were a self (as in, the opposite of anatta), as "the stick that stirs the fire and is consumed by it" because eventually awareness sees through the self-illusion. I wonder if in the same way, the ego cultivating metta would eventually be overwhelmed and consumed by the metta.

At any rate, the ego's job, according to western psychology, is to create and maintain healthy mindstates and prevent and dispel unhealthy mindstates. If your choice is between cultivating metta (with ego) and not cultivating metta (with ego), then the choice seems obvious. If there's going to be a sense of self, it may as well be a sense of self that produces beneficial results. The self-illusion isn't completely seen through until arahatship anyway, isn't it?