The Buddha's Metta Prayer
In order that I my be skilled in understanding what is good, let me be able, upright, and straightforward, of good speech, gentle, and free from pride.
Let me be content, easily satisfied, having few duties. living simply, of controlled senses,prudent, without pride, and without attachment to nation, race, or other groups.
Let me not do the slightest thing for which the wise might rebuke me. Instead let me think:
'"May all beings be well and safe, may they be at ease. Whatever living beings there may be, whether moving or standing still, without exception, whether large, great, midddlling, or small, whether tiny or substantial, seen or unseen, whether living near or far, born or unborn, may all beings be happy. Let none deceive or despise another anywhere. Let none wish harm to another. in anger or in hate."
Just as a mother would guard her child, her only child, with her own life, even so let me cultivate a boundless mind for all beings in the world.
Let me cultivate a boundless love for all beings in the world, above, below, or across, unhindered, without ill will or emnity.
Standing, walking, seated, or lying down, free from torpor, let me as far as possible fix my attention on this recollection. This, they say, is the divine life right here.b
I have heard that Buddhists do not believe in a Higher Power. The Buddha thought that questions about God were unanswerable and were not relevant to the problem of human suffering. To me that says agnostic rather than athiest. For advaitists there is only One consciousness, so each prayer goes to that consciousness. I don't like to take chances. My pralyers are addressed to whom or what they may concern.