1At Sāvatthī. "Bhikkhus, if someone were to give away a hundred pots of food [n.362] Be and Se: okkhāsataṁ; Ee: ukkhāsataṁ. Spk: = mahāmukhaukkhalīnaṁ sataṁ. Spk-pṭ: = khānaṁ mahantakoḷumbānaṁ sataṁ. The reference is to large pots used to boil a great quantity of rice. AN IV 394–96 makes the same point somewhat differently, and adds that developing the perception of impermanence even for a fingersnap is still more fruitful than developing a mind of lovingkindness. as charity in the morning, a hundred pots of food as charity at noon, and a hundred pots of food as charity in the evening, and if someone else were to develop a mind of lovingkindness even for the time it takes to pull a cow's udder, either in the morning, at noon, or in the evening, this would be more fruitful than the former. [n.363] Spk: Gadduhanamattan ti goduhanamattaṁ (lit. "the extent of a cow's milking"), that is, the extent of time needed to take one pull on a cow's teat. Or else (gadduhanamattaṁ = gandhaūhanamattaṁ — lit. "the extent of a scent-sniff"), that is, the extent of time needed to take a single sniff of a piece of incense picked up with two fingers. If, for even such a short time, one is able to develop a mind of lovingkindness, pervading all beings in immeasurable world systems with a wish for their welfare, this is more fruitful even than that alms given three times in a single day.

"Therefore, bhikkhus, you should train yourselves thus: ‘We will develop and cultivate the liberation of mind by lovingkindness, make it our vehicle, make it our basis, stabilize it, exercise ourselves in it, and fully perfect it.’ Thus should you train yourselves." sn.ii.265

1Sāvatthiyaṁ vihārati. "Yo, bhikkhave, pubbaṇhasamayaṁ okkhāsataṁ dānaṁ dadeyya, yo majjhanhikasamayaṁ okkhāsataṁ dānaṁ dadeyya, yo sāyanhasamayaṁ okkhāsataṁ dānaṁ dadeyya, yo vā pubbaṇhasamayaṁ antamaso gadduhanamattampi mettacittaṁ bhāveyya, yo vā majjhanhikasamayaṁ antamaso gadduhanamattampi mettacittaṁ bhāveyya, yo vā sāyanhasamayaṁ antamaso gadduhanamattampi mettacittaṁ bhāveyya, idaṁ tato mahapphalataraṁ.

Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘mettā no cetovimutti bhāvitā bhavissati bahulīkatā yānīkatā vatthukatā anuṭṭhitā paricitā susamāraddhā’ti. Evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban"ti.

Catutthaṁ.