Metta may have been the first "Buddhist" word I learned, and I realize I don't mention it much. That's possibly because saying that metta, loving kindness, is important to Buddhism is a bit like saying water is important to an ocean. But I should remember to say it, anyway.
In Buddhism, metta is distinct from karuna, compassion. But the distinction is subtle, and pretty much anything you say about one goes for the other, especially in regard to the development of wisdom. Metta is not just a sentiment, but an attitude of mind that is concerned with all beings. It's the best antidote to self-clinging.
Here's a question for you, and I honestly don't know the answer. Is there a bodhisattva associated with metta? Avalokiteshvara is the bodhisattva of karuna. Manjusri is the bodhisattva of wisdom. Ksitigarbha is the bodhisattva of great vows, and also of the hell realm. And so on. If anyone can identify a bodhisattva particularly identified with metta, I would be grateful.
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