<p>The chant which you're asking about included in, for example, <a href="http://fellowdesigns.com/main/images/stories/palichanting_urw_csx_short.pdf" rel="nofollow">The Complete Book
of
Pâli
Chanting
(Theravada Tradition)
By
Dr. Phra Achan Dhammarato, Bhikkhû, PhD.</a> (page 152).</p>

<p>I think that it is traditional (not written recently by or for Imee Ooi).</p>

<p>It starts with "<em>homi</em>", i.e. "May I be".</p>

<p>That's compatible with the commentary in <a href="http://what-buddha-said.net/library/pdfs/PathofPurification2011.pdf" rel="nofollow">The Path of Purification</a>, which says on page 292,</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>First of all it should be developed only towards oneself, doing it repeatedly thus: "May I be happy and free from suffering" or "May I keep myself free from enmity, affliction, and anxiety and live happily."</p>
</blockquote>

<p>The next paragraphs explain why that "does not conflict with what is said in the texts": maybe that's evidence that this formula, i.e. starting with the first person singular, isn't found in the (earlier) suttas.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-02-01T21:23:52.363Z
2016-02-01T21:34:40.907Z
2016-02-01T21:34:40.907Z
ChrisW
<p>The popular chant of metta is originated from the Theravada Tripitaka. This can be found in <strong>Kuddaka Nikaya->Patisambhidamagga->Yuganaddawagga Mettakatha</strong></p>

<p><a href="http://static.sirimangalo.org/pdf/patisambhidamagga2.pdf" rel="nofollow">Read from page 130</a></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-02-01T20:21:15.010Z
Thank you for answering. The "Mettakatha" which you referenced includes many of the same words as the one referenced in the OP, but they're not identical; for example the one you referenced doesn't begin with "*homi*".
ChrisW
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-02-01T20:33:15.383Z
I agree. It is not identical. But apparently Chant of Metta has a greater influence from Mettakatha. That's why I used the term "originated". This is also widely used as metta meditation all over the world. So regardless of the origins, it is something valuable for daily use. :)
Sajeewa Welendagoda
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-02-01T20:40:04.460Z
PS: Terms 'homi' and 'hontu' make it a chant
Sajeewa Welendagoda
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-02-01T20:50:28.447Z
"*homi*" is the first person singular imperative of the verb "to be": so "may I be", or "I must be". And "*hontu*" is the third person plural imperative: so "may they be". [[reference](https://books.google.fr/books?id=wSryBQAAQBAJ&lpg=PA47&ots=3uJ0hlYCw5&dq=pali%20homi&pg=PA47#v=onepage&q=pali%20homi&f=false)]
ChrisW
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-02-01T19:15:01.577Z
2016-02-01T19:32:49.817Z
2016-02-01T19:32:49.817Z
Sajeewa Welendagoda
<p>The Chant of Metta is not from the Tripitaka but the Karaniya Metta Sutta is from the Tripitaka. When translating Pali into a languages which does not have similar constructs there will be variations.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-01-31T04:00:27.920Z
Then from where is the chant of metta from?
Bharat
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-01-31T13:29:33.817Z
I am not sure who might have written it.
Suminda Sirinath S. Dharmasena
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-01-31T03:53:10.653Z
2016-01-31T03:53:10.653Z
Suminda Sirinath S. Dharmasena
<p>I came across 'The Chant of Metta' (<em>Metta Gatha</em>), in a beautiful rendition by Imee Ooi in this <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5JAVk3Qwi8" rel="nofollow">YouTube video</a>.</p>

<p>Here is the full text in Pali, with English translation: <a href="http://satipatthana.ca/articles/06the_chant_metta.pdf" rel="nofollow">THE CHANT OF METTA</a></p>

<p>Is this chant from the Tipitaka or is it a later composition? The Karaniya Metta Sutta from Tipitaka has different wordings in <a href="http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.1.08.amar.html" rel="nofollow">this</a> translation.</p>

<reference-request><meditation-metta>
Is Chant of Metta from Tipitaka?
# Is Chant of Metta from Tipitaka?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-01-30)

I came across 'The Chant of Metta' (*Metta Gatha*), in a beautiful rendition by Imee Ooi in this [YouTube video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5JAVk3Qwi8).

Here is the full text in Pali, with English translation: [THE CHANT OF METTA](http://satipatthana.ca/articles/06the_chant_metta.pdf)

Is this chant from the Tipitaka or is it a later composition? The Karaniya Metta Sutta from Tipitaka has different wordings in [this](http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.1.08.amar.html) translation.

**Tags:** reference-request, meditation-metta


---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2016-02-01. Score: 1

The chant which you're asking about included in, for example, [The Complete Book
of
Pâli
Chanting
(Theravada Tradition)
By
Dr. Phra Achan Dhammarato, Bhikkhû, PhD.](http://fellowdesigns.com/main/images/stories/palichanting_urw_csx_short.pdf) (page 152).

I think that it is traditional (not written recently by or for Imee Ooi).

It starts with "*homi*", i.e. "May I be".

That's compatible with the commentary in [The Path of Purification](http://what-buddha-said.net/library/pdfs/PathofPurification2011.pdf), which says on page 292,

> First of all it should be developed only towards oneself, doing it repeatedly thus: "May I be happy and free from suffering" or "May I keep myself free from enmity, affliction, and anxiety and live happily."

The next paragraphs explain why that "does not conflict with what is said in the texts": maybe that's evidence that this formula, i.e. starting with the first person singular, isn't found in the (earlier) suttas.


---

### Answer by username_2 on 2016-02-01. Score: 1

The popular chant of metta is originated from the Theravada Tripitaka. This can be found in **Kuddaka Nikaya->Patisambhidamagga->Yuganaddawagga Mettakatha**

[Read from page 130](http://static.sirimangalo.org/pdf/patisambhidamagga2.pdf)

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Thank you for answering. The "Mettakatha" which you referenced includes many of the same words as the one referenced in the OP, but they're not identical; for example the one you referenced doesn't begin with "*homi*".  
> **username_2**: I agree. It is not identical. But apparently Chant of Metta has a greater influence from Mettakatha. That's why I used the term "originated". This is also widely used as metta meditation all over the world. So regardless of the origins, it is something valuable for daily use. :)  
> **username_2**: PS: Terms 'homi' and 'hontu' make it a chant  
> **username_1**: "*homi*" is the first person singular imperative of the verb "to be": so "may I be", or "I must be". And "*hontu*" is the third person plural imperative: so "may they be". [[reference](https://books.google.fr/books?id=wSryBQAAQBAJ&lpg=PA47&ots=3uJ0hlYCw5&dq=pali%20homi&pg=PA47#v=onepage&q=pali%20homi&f=false)]  

---

### Answer by username_3 on 2016-01-31. Score: 0

The Chant of Metta is not from the Tripitaka but the Karaniya Metta Sutta is from the Tripitaka. When translating Pali into a languages which does not have similar constructs there will be variations.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Then from where is the chant of metta from?  
> **username_3**: I am not sure who might have written it.  

---

