Unless I misunderstand, another sutta: the Metta (Mettanisamsa) Sutta also seems to say one of the benefits of cultivating metta is being reborn as brahma(benefit #11):
“1. “He sleeps in comfort. 2. He awakes in comfort. 3. He sees no evil dreams. 4. He is dear to human beings. 5. He is dear to non-human beings. 6. Devas (gods) protect him. 7. Fire, poison, and sword cannot touch him. 8. His mind can concentrate quickly. 9. His countenance is serene. 10. He dies without being confused in mind. 11. If he fails to attain arahantship (the highest sanctity) here and now, he will be reborn in the brahma-world.”
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an11/an11.016.piya.html
Question:
Now how does one do this? Meaning: How does one cultivate metta/karuna/mudita/upekkha to the level of a brahma(the kind of metta/karuna/mudita/upekkha that a brahma would radiate)? So that one can have higher chances of being reborn a brahma?
And by “metta level of a brahma” I mean as compared to an average person’s metta level. For example, a brahma’s metta would be like 100/100, an average person with low metta would be 30/100(I’m quantifying and using these numbers for sake of using as examples).
To me, it would seem this feat(mastering metta. Attaining 100/100 metta)is not possible ONLY through informal bhavana alone. To clarify further, informal bhavana being the meditation that is done outside of formal sitting meditation:where one tries to think/speak/do actions with metta. Basically being in metta mode all day long, everyday. Majority of one’s sankhara is done with metta. But I don’t think this alone is enough to get metta to the level of a brahma. I think one would need the reinforcement of formal sitting meditation too? Through deep absorption in metta, like via jhana maybe?