What Do Karuna and Metta Mean in Buddhism?
Learn what karuna and metta mean in Buddhism, how compassion differs from loving-kindness, and how to explain both clearly in GCSE Religious Studies answers.
Karuna means compassion, and metta means loving-kindness. Both encourage Buddhists to care about others, but they have different emphases: karuna responds to suffering, while metta wishes others happiness and well-being.
Karuna: compassion Karuna is the desire to help relieve suffering. Compassion means recognising that another person, animal or living being is suffering and wanting that suffering to end. A Buddhist showing karuna might comfort someone who is upset, give food to someone who is hungry, or support a person who is ill.
Karuna is closely connected with the Buddhist teaching that suffering is a problem affecting all living beings. It encourages Buddhists to respond kindly instead of ignoring suffering or causing more harm. This can influence actions such as charity, caring for others and protecting living beings.
Metta: loving-kindness Metta is an attitude of friendliness, goodwill and loving-kindness towards all living beings. It means wishing others well, including people who are difficult to like. A Buddhist practising metta may develop kind thoughts through meditation and try to speak and act peacefully.
Metta is broader than responding to a particular problem. For example, a Buddhist can show metta towards a friend who is happy, even though that friend is not suffering. Karuna is more specifically focused on suffering and the wish to remove it.
Worked example Suppose a classmate is being bullied. Feeling concerned because the classmate is suffering, and helping to stop the bullying, shows karuna. Treating the classmate with patience, respect and goodwill shows metta. The same action can express both qualities.
Common exam mistake Do not use the two terms as if they mean exactly the same thing. A clear GCSE answer should state both meanings and explain the difference: karuna is compassion for suffering, whereas metta is loving-kindness or goodwill towards all. You can then apply them to a situation and explain how they might influence a Buddhist’s behaviour. This makes the answer more developed than simply writing that Buddhists should be kind.
