मैत्री
Maitrī
MY-tree (rhymes with 'my tree'; the 'ai' is a diphthong as in 'aisle')
Level 2Etymology
Root: From 'mitra' (मित्र, friend), derived from the root 'mid' (मिद्, to love, to melt, to become affectionate). The feminine abstract suffix -ī transforms the concrete noun into the quality or state of friendship.
Literal meaning: The state or quality of being a friend; friendliness, benevolence, goodwill toward all.
Definition
Maitrī is the cultivation of unconditional friendliness and goodwill toward all beings, beginning with those who are happy and extending outward. It is the deliberate practice of meeting others with warmth rather than envy, indifference, or hostility.
In Patañjali's Yoga Sūtras (1.33), Maitrī is the first of four bhāvanās (mental attitudes) prescribed to purify the mind and achieve citta-praśādana — clarity of consciousness. It dissolves the reactive patterns of jealousy and aversion that obscure the practitioner's inner stillness.
At the highest level, Maitrī is the recognition that all selves are expressions of one Ātman. When the illusion of separateness dissolves, friendliness is no longer a practice but the spontaneous nature of consciousness — the boundless warmth of Brahman recognizing itself in every being.
Appears In
Common Misconception
Many equate Maitrī with passive niceness or people-pleasing. In the yogic tradition, Maitrī is an inner disposition of genuine goodwill that does not require suppressing boundaries or tolerating harm — it is strength rooted in love, not weakness disguised as kindness.
Modern Application
Maitrī offers a powerful antidote to the comparison and rivalry amplified by social media. Rather than reacting to others' success with envy, practicing Maitrī means training oneself to feel genuine gladness for their happiness. In workplaces, it transforms competitive tension into collaborative energy. In personal relationships, it replaces transactional expectations with unconditional warmth. Modern psychology echoes this in loving-kindness meditation research, which shows measurable reductions in stress, increased empathy, and stronger social bonds — confirming what the yogic tradition has taught for millennia.
Quick Quiz
In Patañjali's Yoga Sūtra 1.33, Maitrī is specifically prescribed as the correct mental attitude toward which type of person?