Does this statement by Buddhadasa Bhikkhu conflict with traditional mettā meditation? I'm a beginner and I'm studying (and trying to practice) both meditation on breathing and mettā meditation, and in the book Anapanasati by Buddhadasa Bhikkhu, which i'm following with some initial success, when dealing with preliminaries and false views, it is said:

"[...] Some forms of "radiating loving kindness" are phrased in an amusing way, for instance: "May I be happy, free from suffering hatred, difficulties, and troubles, and may I live in happiness!" This really reflects fear and self love on the part of the speaker. How could a person with such a weak mind ever put forth the effort necessary to realize impermanence, unsatisfactoriness, and non-selfhood? With this kind of ritual he will only disturb his mind all the more. [...]"

Now, i think almost every book and guide on mettā I've read suggests phrases like the one took as example in the above cited text. For example in Brahmavihara Dhama by Ven. Sayadaw it is suggested the phrase "May i be happy and free from misery" and similars. So the above mentioned paragraph confused me a bit. Do the Buddhadasa teachings conflict with traditional mettā practice? What view of things should a beginner follow, between these?
Thanks in advance!
I suggest this book you are studying might be too complex for a beginner, even though the section on metta is reasonable. The book 'Unveiling the Secrets of Life: a Manual for Serious Beginners' might be more suitable.

As for metta meditation in relation to Anapanasati, Buddhadasa's point is obviously straightforward and correct, namely, to realise enlightenment the idea of "I" must be abandoned. The Buddha taught suffering can only be extinguished when the idea of "I" is abandoned therefore the Ven. Sayadaw idea "May I be free from misery" is obviously illogical, as the suttas show, as follows:


  ...it's because Ven. Sariputta's I-making &amp; mine-making and obsessions with conceit have long been well uprooted that even if
  there were change &amp; alteration in the Teacher, there would arise
  within him no sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress or despair. SN
  21.2


Buddhadasa's idea may conflict with the majority of teachers who consider themselves to be Buddhists but Buddhadasa's idea obviously does not conflict with the Dhamma of the Buddha. The Pali suttas generally refer to what Buddhadasa said in his earlier paragraph, namely, "metta is radiated towards all living beings based on reason &amp; insight", as follows: 


  There is the case where a monk keeps pervading the first direction — as well as the second direction, the third, &amp; the fourth — with an
  awareness imbued with good will. Thus he keeps pervading above, below,
  &amp; all around, everywhere &amp; in every respect the all-encompassing world
  with an awareness imbued with good will: abundant, expansive,
  immeasurable, free from hostility, free from ill will. MN 43
  
  
  
  And he lets his mind pervade one quarter of the world with thoughts of Love, and so the second, and so the third, and so the fourth. And
  thus the whole wide world, above, below, around, and everywhere, does
  he continue to pervade with heart of Love, far-reaching, grown great,
  and beyond measure. Just, Vāseṭṭha, as a mighty trumpeter makes
  himself heard—and that without difficulty—in all the four directions;
  even so of all things that have shape or life, there is not one that
  he passes by or leaves aside, but regards them all with mind set free,
  and deep-felt love. DN 13
  
  
  
  Wishing: In gladness and in safety,  May all beings be at ease. Whatever living beings there may be;     Whether they are weak or strong,
  omitting none, The great or the mighty, medium, short or small,   The
  seen and the unseen, Those living near and far away,  Those born and
  to-be-born — May all beings be at ease! Let none deceive another,     Or
  despise any being in any state. Let none through anger or ill-will
    Wish harm upon another. Even as a mother protects with her life     Her
  child, her only child, So with a boundless heart  Should one cherish
  all living beings; Radiating kindness over the entire world. Sn 1.8
  
  


Occasionally, there are teachings in the suttas about 'self-love' but unlikely to practitioners of samatha-vipassana. For example, in Ud 5.1, the Buddha makes a comment to himself about unenlightened worldlings who love themself more than others: 


  Having gone around in all directions with the mind, There is surely no one found who is loved more than oneself.
  
  In the same way others each love themselves, Therefore one who cares for himself should not harm another.
  
  Ud 5.1


This teaching in Ud 5.1 is about the 'Golden Rule' or 'morality' rather than about Anapanasati.

In conclusion, the teaching of metta in the Anapanasati Sutta itself shows Buddhadasa is correct &amp; all of the other teachers, regardless of how many of them exist, are wrong. The Anapanasati Sutta includes the following instruction, as found in MN 62: 


  Develop the meditation of good will (metta). For when you are developing the meditation of good will, ill-will will be abandoned.
  
  Develop the meditation of compassion. For when you are developing the meditation of compassion, cruelty will be abandoned.
  
  Develop the meditation of appreciation. For when you are developing the meditation of appreciation, resentment will be abandoned.
  
  Develop the meditation of equanimity. For when you are developing the meditation of equanimity, irritation will be abandoned.
  
  Develop the meditation of the unattractive. For when you are developing the meditation of the unattractive, passion will be
  abandoned.
  
  Develop the meditation of the perception of inconstancy. For when you are developing the meditation of the perception of inconstancy, the
  conceit 'I am' will be abandoned.


This shows metta is to be developed together with abandoning the conceit "I am". 

Therefore, the statement by Buddhadasa Bhikkhu certainly conflicts with traditional (worldly) mettā meditation  but does not conflict with the mettā meditation the Buddha taught.