All-Embracing is Infinite Friendliness J _/\_ !

The Blessed Buddha once said:
I am a friend and helper to all,
I am sympathetic to all living beings.
I develop a mind full of love and am
one who always delight in harmlessness!
I gladden my mind, fill it with joy,
and make it immovable and unshakable.
I develop these divine states of mind
not cultivated by simple men.Theragatha 648-9 


I am a friend of the footless,
I am a friend of the bipeds;
I am a friend of those with four feet,
I am a friend of the many-footed.
May not the footless harm me,
may not the bipeds harm me,
may not those with four feet harm me, &
may not those with many feet harm me.AN II 72 



A friend, who always lends a hand,
a friend both in sorrow and joy,
a friend who offers good counsel,
a friend who sympathizes too. 
These are the four kinds of true friends:
One who is wise, who have understood much,
will always cherish and serve such friends,
just as a mother tends her only child. DN III, 188

Among tigers, lions, leopards and bears I lived in the jungle. 
No one was frightened of me, nor did I fear anyone.
Uplifted by such universal friendliness, I enjoyed the forest.
Finding great solace in such sweetly silenced solitude…Suvanna-sama Jataka 540 


And how does a Bhikkhu abide with his mind imbued with friendliness
extending overall? Just as he would feel friendliness on seeing a dearly 
favourite person, exactly so does he extend this same loving-kindness to 
all beings in all eight directions, one by one, and as above so below.Abhidhamma Pitaka: Appamañña-vibhanga 

Bhikkhus, whatever kinds of worldly merit there are, all are not worth
one sixteenth part of the release of mind by universal friendliness;
in shining, glowing and beaming radiance, in invisible yet shielding protection,
such release of mind by universal friendliness far excels & surpasses them all... Itivuttaka 27

Universal Friendliness (Mettā) is 1 of 4 Infinite States (Appamañña Brahma-Vihāra):http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/b_f/brahma_vihaara.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/The_Buddha_on_Noble_Frienship.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Selfless_Friendship_is_Sweetest.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/All_Embracing_Kindness.htm
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/iti/iti.1.024-027.irel.html
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/wheel007.html
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Rejoicing_Bliss_is_Mudita.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Blazing_Friendliness.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/United_in_Harmony.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_Good_Friend.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Goodwill_Encore.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Blazing_&_Bright.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Friendliness_Frees.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Kalyanamitta.htm
http://www.pariyatti.com/book.cgi?prod_id=404214
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Metta.htm

All-Embracing is Infinite Friendliness J _/\_ !

Have a nice & noble day!

 
Friendship is the Greatest! Bhikkhu Samāhita _/\_ ]
http://What-Buddha-Said.net