Don’t Fear Good DeedsMettasutta

“Mendicants, don’t fear good deeds.“Mā, bhikkhave, puññānaṁ bhāyittha. For ‘good deeds’ is a term for happiness.Sukhassetaṁ, bhikkhave, adhivacanaṁ yadidaṁ puññāni. I recall undergoing for a long time the likable, desirable, and agreeable results of good deeds performed over a long time.Abhijānāmi kho panāhaṁ, bhikkhave, dīgharattaṁ katānaṁ puññānaṁ dīgharattaṁ iṭṭhaṁ kantaṁ manāpaṁ vipākaṁ paccanubhūtaṁ. I developed a mind of love for seven years.Satta vassāni mettacittaṁ bhāvesiṁ. As a result, for seven eons of the cosmos contracting and expanding I didn’t return to this world again.Satta vassāni mettacittaṁ bhāvetvā satta saṁvaṭṭavivaṭṭakappe nayimaṁ lokaṁ punāgamāsiṁ. As the cosmos contracted I went to the realm of streaming radiance.Saṁvaṭṭamāne sudāhaṁ, bhikkhave, loke ābhassarūpago homi, As it expanded I was reborn in an empty mansion of divinity.vivaṭṭamāne loke suññaṁ brahmavimānaṁ upapajjāmi.

There I was the Divinity, the Great Divinity, the vanquisher, the unvanquished, the universal seer, the wielder of power.Tatra sudaṁ, bhikkhave, brahmā homi mahābrahmā abhibhū anabhibhūto aññadatthudaso vasavattī. I was Sakka, lord of gods, thirty-six times.Chattiṁsakkhattuṁ kho panāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sakko ahosiṁ devānamindo; Many hundreds of times I was a king, a wheel-turning monarch, a just and principled king. My dominion extended to all four sides, I achieved stability in the country, and I possessed the seven treasures.anekasatakkhattuṁ rājā ahosiṁ cakkavattī dhammiko dhammarājā cāturanto vijitāvī janapadatthāvariyappatto sattaratanasamannāgato. These were my seven treasures:Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, imāni satta ratanāni ahesuṁ, seyyathidaṁ— the wheel, the elephant, the horse, the jewel, the woman, the householder, and the commander as the seventh treasure.cakkaratanaṁ, hatthiratanaṁ, assaratanaṁ, maṇiratanaṁ, itthiratanaṁ, gahapatiratanaṁ, pariṇāyakaratanameva sattamaṁ. I had over a thousand sons who were valiant and heroic, crushing the armies of my enemies.Parosahassaṁ kho pana me, bhikkhave, puttā ahesuṁ sūrā vīraṅgarūpā parasenappamaddanā. After conquering this land girt by sea, I reigned by principle, without rod or sword.So imaṁ pathaviṁ sāgarapariyantaṁ adaṇḍena asatthena dhammena abhivijiya ajjhāvasinti.

See the result of good deeds,Passa puññānaṁ vipākaṁ, of skillful deeds, for one seeking happiness.Kusalānaṁ sukhesino; I developed a mind of loveMettaṁ cittaṁ vibhāvetvā, for seven years, mendicants.Satta vassāni bhikkhavo; For seven eons of expansion and contractionSattasaṁvaṭṭavivaṭṭakappe, I didn’t return to this world again.Nayimaṁ lokaṁ punāgamiṁ.

As the world contractedSaṁvaṭṭamāne lokamhi, I went to the realm of streaming radiance.homi ābhassarūpago; And when it expandedVivaṭṭamāne lokasmiṁ, I went to an empty mansion of divinity.suññabrahmūpago ahuṁ.

Seven times I was a Great Divinity,Sattakkhattuṁ mahābrahmā, and at that time I was the wielder of power.vasavattī tadā ahuṁ; Thirty-six times I was lord of gods,Chattiṁsakkhattuṁ devindo, acting as ruler of the gods.devarajjamakārayiṁ.

Then I was king, a wheel-turning monarch,Cakkavattī ahuṁ rājā, lord of the Black Plum Tree Land.jambumaṇḍassa issaro; An anointed aristocrat,Muddhāvasitto khattiyo, I was sovereign of all humans.manussādhipatī ahuṁ.

Without rod or sword,Adaṇḍena asatthena, I conquered this land.vijeyya pathaviṁ imaṁ; Through non-violent actionAsāhasena kammena, I guided it justly.samena manusāsi taṁ.

After ruling this vast territoryDhammena rajjaṁ kāretvā, by means of principle,asmiṁ pathavimaṇḍale; I was born in a rich family,Mahaddhane mahābhoge, affluent and wealthy.aḍḍhe ajāyihaṁ kule.

It was replete with all sense pleasures,Sabbakāmehi sampanne, and the seven treasures.ratanehi ca sattahi; This was well taught by the Buddhas,Buddhā saṅgāhakā loke, who bring the world together.tehi etaṁ sudesitaṁ.

This is the cause of greatnessEso hetu mahantassa, by which one is called a lord of the land.pathabyo me na vipajjati; I was a majestic king,Pahūtavittūpakaraṇo, with lots of property and assets;rājā hoti patāpavā.

successful and glorious,Iddhimā yasavā hoti, lord of the Black Plum Tree Land.jambumaṇḍassa issaro; Who would not be inspired by this,Ko sutvā nappasīdeyya, even someone of dark birth.api kaṇhābhijātiyo.

Therefore someone who desires self-knowledge,Tasmā hi attakāmena, and aspires to greatness themselves,mahattamabhikaṅkhatā; should respect the true teaching,Saddhammo garukātabbo, remembering the instructions of the Buddhas.”saraṁ buddhānasāsanan”ti.