“1) What does “even just one whiff of” mean from the following quote? Does it mean how long it takes to take a whiff, so like even a FEW SECONDS of metta is greatly meritorious?”
I had missed translating that verse, as y not pointed out.
Yes. Just like contemplating on the anicca (with understanding) even for a short time is most fruitful, even a few seconds of metta bhavana (with understanding) is meritorious.
For all three questions of Upekkha, this is the key: “with understanding”.
– The more one understands the anicca nature of this world, that leads to a better understanding of what metta is too. The key is to “understand” what is meant by anicca and how to do the real “metta bhavana”. Then even a short time of contemplating will lead to much merits. See, “Anicca – True Meaning” and “5. Ariya Metta Bhavana (Loving Kindness Meditation).
– That also leads to a better understanding of why giving is meritorious. For example, one “accumulates” stuff BECAUSE one perceives that those are very valuable. When one starts comprehending anicca nature, one starts to realize that one can gain more “use” of such things by giving SOME to the needy. Buddha never said to give everything.
This “understanding” is really the not so accurate translation of the Pali word “sampajanna”. One who understands the true nature is a “sampajanno”.
– Sampajanna comes from “san” + pajana”, or understanding that “san” and that accumulating ‘san” is not fruitful and even dangerous.
– The more one understands Buddha Dhamma (first why dasa akusala are BAD, kamma have corresponding vipaka, rebirth is real, AND then understanding Tilakkhana), one’s mind AUTOMATICALLY generates better kamma vipaka.
I will give a mundane example to try to explain what is meant by “understanding” and how that AUTOMATICALLY leads to actions based on that understanding: There was a boy in a classroom whom some others called by the name “orangutan”. That boy did not know that orangutan is a monkey that is extremely ugly. So did not mind others calling him orangutan. Then one day the teacher took the whole class to a Zoo. After a while, that boy starts hitting some boys who were calling him by the name “orangutan”, saying he was upset that they called him an orangutan: He had not seen or heard what an “orangutan” is, and had just seen one at the Zoo. Then only he understood what an “orangutan” is!