Good point, Dimitry.
The venerable Bhante Gunaratana, abbot of the Bhavana
Society monastery in West Virginia, thinks the same.
He used to translate mettaa as loving-kindness, but
has now changed to using loving-friendliness.

John
--- "������� ���������� ��������� (Dimitry A.
Ivakhnenko)" <koleso@...> wrote:

> Hi Derek,
>
> DCdyc> Given the actual Metta-bhaavanaa practice, of
> wishing well to all
> DCdyc> sentient beings, I've often thought that
> "benevolence" would be the
> DCdyc> most accurate translation. But "benevolence,"
> being a latinate word,
> DCdyc> isn't that evocative for native
> English-speakers. So I prefer the
> DCdyc> traditional rendering as "loving kindness,"
> with some kind of
> DCdyc> footnote or explanation of the finer points
> the first time it's used.
>
> 'Benevolence' has a condescending shade.
> I wonder why 'mettaa' is not translated as
> 'friendliness', since it's
> roots are in 'mitta' - 'friend'.
>
> Dimitry
>
>
>

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