Thag 1:33 · Sopāka
Just as one would be good
to one’s dear only child,
one should be good to all creatures
everywhere.1
Note
1. Notice how this image differs from a similar image in Sn 1:8:
As a mother would risk her life
to protect her child, her only child,
even so should one cultivate the heart limitlessly
with regard to all beings.
Whereas the image here draws a parallel between being good to one’s child and being good to others, the image in Sn 1:8 draws a parallel between protecting one’s child and protecting one’s limitless attitude of goodwill to all beings.
Translated by Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu. © 2014 / rev. 2017 Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu — released under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 licence, for free distribution only. Source: dhammatalks.org (Metta Forest Monastery).
