Mind Stream Secrets Of Saiyasat

Table of Contents

Page Foreword a What is Saiyasat? 1 The wonders of the art of Saiyasat 2 Belief in incantations is divided into 2 kinds 3 Kind 1 3 ,, 2 3

The Lord Buddha taught people to believe only in 'merit and karma', yet even so did not forbid belief in incantations 4 Mantras and the principles of psychology 7 The mantras in use in Thailand are divided into 3 groups 9 Buddhist mantras 10 The Paritta 'Mangala Sutta' 11 'Ratana Sutta' 16 'Karaniyametta Sutta' 27 'Khandha Paritta' 35 'Chaddanta Paritta' 40 'Mora Paritta' 45 'Vattaka Paritta' 53

Page The Paritta 'Dhajagga Sutta' 56 'Atanatiya Paritta' 73 'Angulimala Paritta' 83 'Bojjhanga Paritta' 95 'Abhaya Paritta' 100 'Jaya Paritta' 105 Notes on the meaning of the Parittas 112 The (Khom) alphabet 114 The Ratanamala scripture 117 The Chamber of the Buddha's Virtues 123 The Chamber of the Dhamma's Virtues 127 The Chamber of the Sangha's Virtues 133 A primer for the Khom script 135

The mind-current 147 Why the mind-current is important 147 The principles of psychology set down 3 principles for training the mind 147 Principle 1 147 ,, 2 148 ,, 3 148 The period/interval 148

Page The use of a potent incantation depends on the (proper) interval/timing 150 Breath/vital-force (prana) 152 The important thing concerning incantations is 'prana' 152 The cetaphuti (indwelling spirit) 154 What is the cetaphuti? 154 Kasina 155

The method of training the 'mind' into concentration depends on the kasina 155 1. Earth kasina 157 2. Water kasina 160 3. Fire kasina 161 4. Wind kasina 163 5. Blue kasina 164 6. Yellow kasina 165 7. Red kasina 166 8. White kasina 167 9. Light kasina 168 10. Bounded-space kasina 169

"Saiyasat" is a branch of learning concerning the use of chanted incantations and spells to bring about supernatural power, able to make things happen as one wishes — for example, curing various illnesses through chanting, the sprinkling of blessed water, or the performance of various rites, so as to achieve success, good fortune, and true prosperity. This discipline of Saiyasat is a body of knowledge that produces a great many visible wonders — for example, the curing of illness. Even though present-day medical science, which is known to have advanced through a great deal of research, people still accept and respect the method of treating illness according to the principles of Saiyasat as a superior method giving certain, visibly sacred results — for instance, in the treatment of broken and fractured bones. Some patients who have already undergone treatment by present-day methods but have still not fully recovered are compelled to turn instead to treatment using the power of Saiyasat

...by scoring the (afflicted) area and applying and massaging holy water — it was found that in nearly every case the person recovered fully, the skin returning to normal. Or take, for instance, the treatment of those afflicted by various dangerous poisons: when such dangerous venoms befall anyone, even if the person seeks treatment by surgery, the attending doctors will often be reluctant to guarantee real safety. But if treated by way of Saiyasat, the sacred effect will appear visibly in an instant, and those poisons will vanish completely. There are several methods of treating a person by Saiyasat through the use of incantations, beginning with sucking out (the poison, using lime and the saliva beneath the tongue), tapping, and blowing. Even physicians who trained in advanced medicine abroad, upon witnessing this kind of treatment, have gone so far as to declare it a supremely sacred branch of knowledge.

As for devotion to and belief in incantations, this exists throughout the whole world, regardless of race or language, in every age, beginning from the various ancient peoples as far back as history can uncover, and among the various peoples who hold to incantations...

Ajarn 'Thep Sarikaboot' 3

Mantras, in fact, are not believed in only by deluded/foolish persons as is commonly assumed. For the most part it is precisely the civilized nations, full of culture, [that believe] — an example being India, a country full of researchers, thinkers, adepts, and religious teachers, indeed a country more filled with belief in incantations than any other country whatsoever. Even in our own Thailand it is the same. As for belief in incantations, even those who have received a fine education, to the point of having studied abroad, all likewise hold to it and believe in it firmly. There is the sprinkling of holy water when misfortune arrives, and the performance of various rites for happiness and prosperity, led by the teachers who hold these potent and sacred incantations; and it is seen that those people have prospered progressively, never falling into serious hardship.

Regarding belief in incantations, if one speaks of those who truly believe, there seem to be two kinds of people.

One kind is those who have had little education, or almost none at all. These are the people who believe most easily, and believe with no regard whatsoever for reason — the instant they see something, belief arises at once.

The other kind is people who have been through a thorough education. Whenever they encounter something, they try to examine, deliberate, and investigate it to the utmost, and only come to believe once the reason is made evident. As for the people who fall in the middle rank...

4 Secrets of Saiyasat

Belief may not be very firm — that is, one may either believe or not believe, entirely according to one's own thinking.

As for our Lord, the Perfectly Self-Enlightened Buddha, it is said that He gave the Buddhist teaching concerning the belief of us human beings: to believe only in merit and karma — good or bad deeds alone — and to believe that every result must arise from a cause. If the cause arose from doing good, the result received is good; and if the cause came from doing evil, the result received is evil. He taught people to give up belief in spirits and lesser deities, but He himself did not abandon belief in the way of incantations entirely — for instance, He had monks recite and meditate on the verses of the Buddha's virtues to dispel fear of various dangers, according to the Buddha's saying set forth in the Dhajagga Sutta, as follows:

"Monks, if fear or dread, making the hair stand on end, arises in one of you who has gone to an empty, solitary place — a place one might well fear, such as going into a forest, to the foot of a tree, or to a deserted dwelling — at that time you should recall Us, the Tathagata, thus:

◎ Itipi so bhagavā arahaṃ sammāsambuddho vijjācaraṇasampanno sugato lokavidū anuttaro purisadammasārathi satthā devamanussānaṃ buddho bhagavā ti. [gloss: 'Thus indeed is the Blessed One — worthy, perfectly self-enlightened, endowed with knowledge and conduct, well-gone, knower of the world, unsurpassed trainer of persons to be tamed, teacher of gods and humans, awakened, blessed.']

When you have recalled Us in this way, whatever fear or dread of various dangers there is will vanish completely."

Ajarn 'Thep Sarikaboot' 5

In particular, the mantra concerning the curing of illness that the Lord Buddha placed great faith in was the "Bojjhanga Paritta." Whenever a monk-disciple fell seriously ill, the Lord Buddha would go to visit him and recite the Bojjhanga Paritta for him to hear, and the sickness would vanish immediately. The account appears in the sutta as follows:

Once, when the Blessed One was residing at Veluvana Mahavihara near the great city of Rajagaha, the Venerable Mahakassapa, who was staying in the Pipphali Cave, fell gravely ill, his condition worsening day by day. Out of compassion for Kassapa, the Lord Buddha went and bestowed the Bojjhanga Paritta upon the Venerable Mahakassapa. When it was finished, Mahakassapa was able to rise up, cured of his illness.

And on another occasion, when the Venerable Mahamoggallana was staying on Vulture Peak (Gijjhakuta), he fell ill, his condition worsening day by day. The Lord Buddha went and bestowed the Bojjhanga Paritta upon Moggallana, and Moggallana was completely cured of his illness.

On one occasion, when the Lord Buddha was residing at Veluvanarama near Rajagaha, He Himself suffered from an illness causing severe pain in the abdomen, and His condition worsened day by day. At that time the Elder Cunda recited the Bojjhanga Paritta to the Lord Buddha, and He was cured of the illness and was able to rise up from His bed.

6 Secrets of Saiyasat

As for the Bojjhanga Paritta specifically, it may be said that the Lord Buddha genuinely regarded it as a mantra truly used to cure illness — not merely a point of doctrine cited to deliver a Dhamma sermon. If that point of doctrine is contemplated until it is seen as true, the result of that contemplation can bring about the disappearance of illness. It is a mantra that must be recited by someone else for one to hear, since even the Lord Buddha Himself, when He fell ill, still had to have a disciple come and recite it for Him.

The mantras we commonly use every day have their original foundation in the mantras of the Brahmanical religion, because Buddhism itself has its foundation from that same Brahmanical religion. Because the Brahmanical religion was firmly devoted to the doctrine of Saiyasat, with the use of mantras for chanting and blowing, consecration, and the performance of various rites of power. Afterward, when [Buddhist] teachers set out to spread the teaching of mantras ever more widely, they thought to adapt and revise, bringing the methods of Brahmanical Saiyasat into use — editing and cutting away the original content of the Brahmans' mantras and inserting Buddhist mantras in their place instead, because they came to think that if even Brahmanical mantras still held great power, then were they to become Buddhist mantras, they would surely become even more sacred still.

In truth, all mantras are simply things for the mind to hold onto — that is all. The course of human life may be compared to, for example, walking...

Ajarn 'Thep Sarikaboot' 7

...under a bridge crossing a canal, in a condition precariously exposed to danger — no matter how skillfully and sturdily one may be able to walk, still, having something to hold onto is better than having nothing at all, because there may be a moment when dizziness and fright cause one to slip and fall. And the content of mantras, whatever sect they may belong to, invariably consists of words that invoke the power of the sacred beings revered by each particular sect or religion. For example, mantras of the Brahmanical religion invoke the Lord God and the sacred beings of heaven, namely Shiva (Phra Isuan), Brahma (Phra Phrom), and Vishnu (Phra Narai), etc.; and we Thais have brought these mantras into widespread combined use alongside the mantras of the Buddhist religion as well. As for Buddhist mantras, they rely on and invoke the power of the Triple Gem as their refuge; Buddhist mantras in particular lean heavily toward beneficial use — helping to build strong resolve when facing dangerous obstacles, helping to cure various illnesses, and helping to arouse loving-kindness from others. The use of the power of mantras in this way follows a principle that accords directly with the principles of psychology, a body of knowledge popularly practiced nowadays. For example, take a person currently in a state of turmoil and anxiety, not daring to decide to carry out some action, even while knowing that what he would do is something entirely proper and right to do, yet fear and timidity arise in him nonetheless — [psychologists] advise following the principle of psychology as follows: to create a mental image that becomes, as it were, oneself, and to try to incline the mind to see that image...

8 Secrets of Saiyasat

That [image] is a large, sturdy, powerful body, standing guard behind us, so as to protect and defend us — serving as a support to bolster our courage, something for us to hold onto. This is a practical application of the principle of psychology that is popularly used.

The method serves the same purpose — to give the mind an equivalent thing to hold onto for courage; the only difference is that, instead of using such a troublesome and complicated method as that, when we find ourselves in such a situation, we instead use the power of a mantra as the thing to hold onto — such as the Buddha-virtue incantation stated in the Buddha's saying in the Dhajagga Sutta, already mentioned above. Such a method may be considered far more convenient and easy than the method practiced according to the principles of psychology.

Among the teachers who instruct in mantras, especially in Thailand, there is a peculiar custom of forbidding students from translating the meaning of the words within any mantra. This is because they claim that if translated, the mantra will lose its power and no longer be potent. But in truth this may be because, once the meaning of the words is known, and it happens that those words wander off into something else unconnected to anything, it will cause belief to weaken. In truth, if we came to know and understand the origin of the words of a mantra, it would actually be a way of greatly increasing devotion. Mantras of the Buddhist religion, for instance, all without exception have a fine history and origin; if we knew their meaning for certain, it would be something that increases devotion all the more. But some mantras are stated directly in the Thai language so their meaning is known outright. Among the mantras that...

[Ajarn Thep Sarikabutr — p. 8]

Aside from Buddha-mantras and mantras that invoke the refuge of the Three Jewels (Triple Gem) as currently used in Thailand, these may be divided into 3 groups, namely:

1. Mantras used in the Central region. The substance of these mantras continues on from mantras of the Brahmanical religion, because they often refer to the deities of the Brahmanical faith — there is Phra Isuan (Shiva), Phra Narai (Vishnu), and Phra Phrom (Brahma).

2. Mantras used in the Northern region. Mantras of this kind tend to be passed down from Burma, which in turn descend from Tibet by another remove, because Tibet favors belief in spirits and demons. The substance of mantras used in the region mentioned therefore tends to refer to matters of spirits and demons.

3. Mantras used in the Northeastern region and the Eastern region. The mantras used here differ from the mantras used in both of the above-mentioned regions, because the substance of the mantras leans heavily toward psychology, since they favor claims about power residing within oneself.

[p. 10 — The Secrets of Saiyasat]

The essential principle of mantra-spells follows directly the principles of psychology. It makes one perceive one's own importance, makes one believe in one's own power — believing that one can bring about this or that outcome — which amounts to an awakening that gives rise to inner courage/morale. The substance of a mantra is nearly always forceful speech. The manner in which a mantra is composed is regarded as something that draws the practitioner's own mind, making him believe in his own ability, believing that he can cause things to happen in various ways. The masters (khanajarn) who composed these mantras may truly be said to have possessed genuine knowledge of the principles of psychology.

The Buddha-mantras (พระพุทธมนต์)

Among the various mantra-spells used in Buddhism, the mantra held to be the most important is the Buddha-mantra, namely the taking of the various Parittas to be chanted for protection from danger and for auspiciousness. Every single verse comes together with an accompanying legend (tamnan), because it was the custom of people of old that, when they wished to propagate any body of knowledge, they would tend to weave it into a story in the manner of a tale and insert the body of knowledge into it, so that the tale would serve as a wrapping to preserve that knowledge. Accordingly, the legends of the various Parittas will be presented here.

The Parittas (พระปริตร)

Legend 1: The Mangala Sutta

This Mangala Sutta begins with the account that: the people of Jambudvipa gathered together at the city gates, at inns and at meeting halls and the like, hiring persons who were learned to come and tell stories for them to listen to. Some of these tales took as long as 4 months to finish telling. One day, the people at one such gathering raised a question among themselves concerning auspiciousness (mangala): what is it that is called auspicious? Some gave the opinion that a form seen with the eye is auspicious; some said a sound heard with the ear is auspicious; some said things smelled, touched, or come into contact with are auspicious. The opinions of the assembly settled into three views that could not agree — whatever each person believed, he acted upon his own opinion and took it as grounds to argue with others, causing an uproar. The inquiry into the cause of auspiciousness could not be brought to an end, and each continued to search for the true matter of auspiciousness. At that time, the guardian spirits (thepharak), hearing the humans pondering the question of auspiciousness, likewise took up pondering the matter themselves. Then the devas and the Great Brahma, who were friends of the guardian spirits, learned of the matter and went on pondering the question of auspiciousness in turn. A full 12 years passed, yet no one was able to give a definitive answer as to what truly constituted auspiciousness.

[p. 12 — The Secrets of Saiyasat]

At that time the Suddhavasa Great Brahmas, all of them, understood the intent behind the people's question, and so proclaimed to the people of Jambudvipa that, from that time twelve more years hence, the Supreme Teacher would graciously bestow a sermon of Dhamma in which he would explain to all of us the question concerning auspiciousness. When twelve years had passed, the Buddha had already arisen [attained enlightenment] in the world. The devas then asked the question of auspiciousness of Indra (Phra In); Indra in turn asked: where did this question arise? The devas reported that it arose in the human world. Indra then issued a divine command for one deva to descend and put the question of auspiciousness to the Fully Self-Awakened Buddha; then Indra and the host of devas followed down to listen as well. At that time the host of immortal Brahmas from the ten thousand [10,000] world-systems also gathered to hear the answer to this question of auspiciousness. The Buddha then expounded the answer to the question of auspiciousness, and taught the benefits of auspiciousness by way of a verse (gatha) beginning with the words "Asevanā ca bālānaṃ," and ending with the words "Etaṃ tesaṃ maṅgalamuttamaṃ" as its conclusion. The matters of auspiciousness so counted number 38 items, arranged in the following order:

The 38 Principles of Auspiciousness

Asevanā ca bālānaṃ — Not associating with fools, one; Paṇḍitānañca sevanā — Associating with the wise, one; Pūjā ca pūjanīyānaṃ — Honoring those worthy of honor, one;

[Ajarn Thep Sarikabutr — p. 13]

Etaṃ maṅgalamuttamaṃ — These three are the highest auspiciousness. Paṭirūpadesavāso ca — Dwelling in a suitable place, one; Pubbe ca katapuññatā — Having done merit in a former time, one;

Attasammāpaṇidhi ca — Setting oneself rightly, one; Etaṃ maṅgalamuttamaṃ — These three are the highest auspiciousness. Bāhusaccañca sippañca — Having heard much (learning), one; skill in the arts, one;

Vinayo ca susikkhito — Discipline that has been well trained, one; Subhāsitā ca yā vācā — Speech that is well spoken, one; Etaṃ maṅgalamuttamaṃ — These four are the highest auspiciousness. Mātāpitu upaṭṭhānaṃ — Attending to one's mother and father, one; Puttadārassa saṅgaho — Caring for one's children, one, and wife, one; Anākulā ca kammantā — Having work that is not in disorder, one; Etaṃ maṅgalamuttamaṃ — These three are the highest auspiciousness. Dānañca dhammacariyā ca — Giving, one; conduct according to Dhamma, one;

Ñātakānañca saṅgaho — Caring for one's relatives, one; Anavajjāni kammāni — Deeds that are blameless, one; Etaṃ maṅgalamuttamaṃ — These three are the highest auspiciousness.

[p. 14 — The Secrets of Saiyasat]

Ārati virati pāpā — Refraining, abstaining from evil, one; Majjapānā ca saññamo — Restraint from drinking intoxicants, one; Appamādo ca dhammesu — Heedfulness in the Dhammas, one;

Etaṃ maṅgalamuttamaṃ — These three are the highest auspiciousness. Gāravo ca nivāto ca — Respect toward those deserving respect, one; not being arrogant, one;

Santuṭṭhī ca kataññutā — Contentment with what one has of value, one; being one who acknowledges benefit done to oneself by others (gratitude), one;

Kālena dhammassavanaṃ — Hearing the Dhamma at the proper time, one; Etaṃ maṅgalamuttamaṃ — These three are the highest auspiciousness. Khantī ca sovacassatā — Patience, one; being easy to admonish, one; Samaṇānañca dassanaṃ — Seeing/visiting monks, one; Kālena dhammasākacchā — Discussing the Dhamma at the proper time, one; Etaṃ maṅgalamuttamaṃ — These three are the highest auspiciousness. Tapo ca brahmacariyañca — Ardor that burns away defilements, one; conduct as of Brahma (celibate holy life), one;

Ariyasaccāna dassanaṃ — Seeing the Noble Truths, one;

[Ajarn Thep Sarikabutr — p. 15]

Nibbānasacchikiriyā ca — Realizing Nibbāna, one; Etaṃ maṅgalamuttamaṃ — These three are the highest auspiciousness. Phuṭṭhassa lokadhammehi — Of one whose mind, though touched by the worldly conditions (loka-dhamma), Cittaṃ yassa na kampati — does not waver, one; Asokaṃ virajaṃ khemaṃ — a mind without sorrow, one; a mind free of dust and stain, one; a mind at ease and secure, one;

Etaṃ maṅgalamuttamaṃ — These three are the highest auspiciousness. Etādisāni katvāna — Devas and human beings, having performed such deeds of auspiciousness as these,

Sabbattham-aparājitā — are undefeated everywhere, Sabbattha sotthiṃ gacchanti — and attain welfare/safety everywhere; Taṃ tesaṃ maṅgalamuttamanti — this is the highest auspiciousness for those devas and human beings.

[p. 16]

Legend 2: The Ratana Sutta

This sutta relates that once, the great city of Vesāli, abounding in warrior-noble (khattiya) lineages, with the Licchavi princes as chiefs over all the noble clans, was struck by famine — grain became dear, rain failed, the crops withered and died, and the poor people perished in great numbers. When they died, their corpses were carried out and cast outside the city, and the stench of decay spread everywhere. At that time the people crowded into the city, and cholera broke out, causing many more of the city's inhabitants to die, because the city had become foul with the remains of corpses. It was said then that the city of Vesāli was beset by three kinds of danger, namely:

(1) Famine — dear grain; people dying of starvation. (2) Danger from non-human beings (amanussa) afflicting them; dying from the danger of non-human beings. (3) Danger from disease — dying of various diseases, cholera among them.

The people of the city therefore went before the great king and reported: "Such danger as this has never occurred before. That it has arisen now must be because Your Majesty has not remained established in righteousness (dhamma)." The king then permitted the people of the city to consider: what it was that he had failed to practice righteously. The people of the city, however, were unable to say what it was that the king had failed to practice righteously. They therefore resolved to quell this danger by seeking out the most excellent being in the world to bring it to an end. It was agreed to invite the Buddha from the city of Rājagaha to come and quell the danger in the city of Vesāli, and so they arranged...

[Ajarn Thep Sarikabutr — p. 17]

Tribute gifts were entrusted to two Licchavi princes as chief envoys, who took the royal tribute to present to King Bimbisāra, asking his permission to invite the Buddha to go to the city of Vesāli. King Bimbisāra then commanded the Licchavi princes to go and invite the Buddha as desired. The Buddha, having accepted the Licchavis' invitation, then journeyed to the city of Vesāli together with 500 disciples. During the time of his royal journey to Vesāli, the king and the people of the city, together with the host of immortal Brahmas, paid homage by scattering sand and fragrant flowers along the way, and raised parasols to shield him from the sun's rays, with banners of cloth and various divine offerings, and brought the finest-tasting foods of every kind to present to him. Furthermore, between the city of Vesāli and the city of Rājagaha there lay the Ganges river, about one yojana wide, marking the boundary. When the Great Teacher reached that place, he boarded a boat and crossed the Ganges; the Nāga king dwelling in the river came to pay homage and reverence to him. The distance from Rājagaha to Vesāli was about 7 yojanas and more; the Great Teacher traveled, resting along the way each night, for 7 days until he reached the city of Vesāli. When the Buddha reached the boundary of the city of Vesāli, a great rain fell down until the water rose to knee-height, sweeping away all the corpses' remains into the Ganges entirely. When he reached the city of Vesāli, Indra and the host of devas of the celestial lineage came to await and pay homage to the Buddha. As for the host of non-human beings, upon seeing Sahassanetta (Indra, "thousand-eyed"), they all fled away — [2]

[p. 18 — The Secrets of Saiyasat]

...in great numbers. When the Buddha reached the gates of the city of Vesāli, there came a royal utterance in which he addressed the venerable Ānanda: "Ānanda, learn this Ratana Sutta." He instructed him to then take the offerings for the rite and go about between the three tiers of the city walls, chanting this Ratana Paritta. Having spoken thus, he then recited the Ratana Sutta. Ānanda learned the Ratana Sutta, and once he had learned it, he took the bowl of blessed water belonging to the Great Teacher and went about sprinkling and scattering the water throughout the city. The non-human beings who had not yet fled on the earlier occasion now all fled away completely, and the people of the city became free from the affliction of disease and danger. The Buddha then delivered the sermon of the Ratana Sutta, benefiting Sakka, lord of the devas, together with the host of deities, and also the human side, including the Licchavi princes and a great many of the city's people. When the sermon came to its conclusion, prosperity and auspicious welfare arose for the royal family and the people of the city; all manner of calamity and danger were entirely quelled; and eighty-four thousand living beings attained enlightenment — realization of the Dhamma and the paths and fruits — according to their accumulated merit and perfections (bāramī). At that time, Sakka, lord of the devas, reflected: "The Blessed One, relying upon the virtue of the Triple Gem, has spoken words of truth (sacca-vacana) and thereby brought the people of the city to prosperity, free from all calamity, disease, and danger. Let me too rely upon the Triple Gem as he has spoken, and let it be of benefit." Having reflected thus, he then spoke three verses (gāthā), beginning: "Yānīdha bhūtāni samāgatāni... [and so on]... tathāgataṃ devamanussapūjitaṃ, saṅghaṃ namassāma" [let us pay homage to the Sangha, the Tathāgata honored by devas and humans].

[Ajarn Thep Sarikabutr — p. 19]

"...suvatthi hotu" — meaning: whatever devas are earth-bound devas (bhummadevatā), born in whatever region or land, and whatever devas dwell in celestial mansions in the sky — may all of us pay homage to the Buddha who has come to Buddhahood, endowed with the same wondrous and marvelous qualities (acchariya-abbhuta-dhamma) as the Buddhas of the past; to the Dhamma that has entered the Buddha's mind-stream just as the Dhamma entered the mind-stream of past Buddhas; and to the Sangha that has attained the noble birth just as the Sangha of the past — these, to which the hosts of devas and human beings render homage and worship. May welfare come to all the human community of Buddhists. Having spoken this verse, he then paid homage, took leave, and returned together with his retinue of devas. For this reason, this verse of Sakka is also used to be chanted at the end of this Paritta. After the host of the immortals had returned, the Blessed One went on to deliver the sermon of the Ratana Sutta to benefit the people of the city for a further 6 days, and remained residing in the city of Vesāli for about 15 days; he then returned to the bank of the Ganges. The Nāga king dwelling in the river conjured a special boat to wait at the landing, and respectfully invited the Buddha, together with the 500 disciples, to board the boat and go to the Nāga realm. The Blessed One accepted the invitation and went to the Nāga realm together with the 500 disciples, and delivered a sermon of Dhamma to benefit the nāgas throughout the night until dawn. He then returned to the city of Rājagaha, where humans and devas paid homage and worship even more greatly than on the occasion of his departure.

[p. 20 — The Secrets of Saiyasat]

This sutta, it is said, is endowed with vast and marvelous protective power, exceedingly deep and special in various ways. The verses and their translation follow below:

Yānīdha bhūtāni samāgatāni — Whatever spirit-beings (bhūta) are here, whether earth-bound devas, Bhummāni vā yāniva antalikkhe — or those dwelling in the sky, who have gathered together in this place;

Sabbeva bhūtā sumanā bhavantu — may all those spirit-beings, every one, be of joyful mind;

Athopi sakkacca suṇantu bhāsitaṃ — and moreover, let them listen respectfully to what is spoken. Tasmā hi bhūtā nisāmetha sabbe — Therefore, all you spirit-beings, listen to this Paritta;

Mettaṃ karotha mānusiyā pajāya — show loving-kindness toward the human race;

Divā ca ratto ca haranti ye baliṃ — those humans who bring offerings by day or by night —

Tasmā hi ne rakkhatha appamattā — therefore, be heedful, and protect those humans.

Yaṅ kiñci vittaṃ idha vā huraṃ vā, saggesu vā yaṃ ratanaṃ paṇītaṃ, na no samaṃ atthi tathāgatena, idampi buddhe ratanaṃ paṇītaṃ, etena saccena suvatthi hotu — Whatever treasure that delights the heart, in this world or another, or whatever precious jewel there is in the heavens, nothing is equal to it in the Tathāgata. Even this is a precious jewel in the Buddha. By this word of truth, may there be well-being.

Khayaṃ virāgaṃ amataṃ paṇītaṃ, yadajjhagā sakyamunī samāhito, na tena dhammena samaṃ atthi kiñci, idampi dhamme ratanaṃ paṇītaṃ, etena saccena suvatthi hotu — The Sakyan Sage, his heart firmly established, attained that which is the ending, the fading of passion, the deathless, the excellent — the state that is the ending of defilements, the purging of defilements, a state without aging or death, an excellent state. Nothing whatsoever is equal to that Dhamma. Even this is a precious jewel in the Dhamma. By this word of truth, may there be well-being.

Yaṃ buddhaseṭṭho parivaṇṇayī suciṃ, samādhimānantarikaññamāhu, samādhinā tena samo na vijjati, idampi dhamme ratanaṃ paṇītaṃ, etena saccena suvatthi hotu — The excellent Buddha praised as pure that concentration which the wise call "immediate" [giving its fruit without delay]. No other concentration is equal to it. Even this is a precious jewel in the Dhamma. By this word of truth, may there be well-being.

Ye puggalā aṭṭha sataṃ pasatthā, cattāri etāni yugāni honti, te dakkhiṇeyyā sugatassa sāvakā, etesu dinnāni mahapphalāni, idampi saṅghe ratanaṃ paṇītaṃ — Those eight kinds of persons, forming four pairs, praised by the virtuous — these are disciples of the Well-Farer, worthy of offerings; gifts given to them bear great fruit. Even this is a precious jewel in the Sangha.

Ye suppayuttā manasā daḷhena, nikkāmino gotamasāsanamhi, te pattipattā amataṃ vigayha, laddhā mudhā nibbutiṃ bhuñjamānā, idampi saṅghe ratanaṃ paṇītaṃ, etena saccena suvatthi hotu — Those noble ones who, in the dispensation of the Gotama Buddha, are well applied with a firm mind, having gone forth with longing for release, have attained what should be attained, plunging into the deathless; freely (without needing to purchase it) they enjoy the fruit of the cessation of defilements they have won. Even this is a precious jewel in the Sangha. By this word of truth, may there be well-being.

Yathindakhīlo pathaviṃ sito siyā, catubbhi vātehi asampakampiyo, tathūpamaṃ sappurisaṃ vadāmi, yo ariyasaccāni avecca passati, idampi saṅghe ratanaṃ paṇītaṃ — Just as a boundary-post driven into the earth is unshaken by winds from the four directions, so I call the person who clearly perceives the noble truths a true man, unshaken by the ways of the world. Even this is a precious jewel — the Sangha.

Etena saccena suvatthi hotu — By this word of truth, may there be well-being.

Ye ariyasaccāni vibhāvayanti, gambhīrapaññena sudesitāni, kiñcāpi te honti bhusappamattā, na te bhavaṃ aṭṭhamaṃ ādiyanti, idampi saṅghe ratanaṃ paṇītaṃ — Whatever stream-enterers realize clearly the noble truths well taught by the Teacher with profound wisdom — even if such stream-enterers are still somewhat heedless and given to enjoyment, still they will not take up an eighth existence; at most they will be reborn only seven more times. Even this is a precious jewel in the Sangha.

Etena saccena suvatthi hotu — By this word of truth, may there be well-being.

Sahāvassa dassanasampadāya, tayassu dhammā jahitā bhavanti, sakkāyadiṭṭhi vicikicchitañca, sīlabbataṃ vāpi yadatthi kiñci — Whatever there is of personality-view, doubt, or attachment to rules and rituals — these three things are abandoned by the stream-enterer together with the attainment of vision, that is, by the very path of stream-entry itself. Furthermore, the stream-enterer is one who is freed from the four states of loss,

catūhapāyehi ca vippamutto — and is freed from the four states of loss —

Chaccābhiṭhānāni abhabbo kātuṃ, idampi saṅghe ratanaṃ paṇītaṃ, etena saccena suvatthi hotu — [The stream-enterer] is incapable of committing the six grave transgressions — the five acts of immediate retribution, and dedicating himself to another teacher. Even this is a precious jewel in the Sangha. By this word of truth, may there be happiness and well-being.

Kiñcāpi so kammaṃ karoti pāpakaṃ, kāyena vācāyuda cetasā vā, abhabbo so tassa paṭicchadāya, abhabbatā diṭṭhapadassa vuttā — Even if such a stream-enterer commits some wrong through body, speech, or mind by inadvertence, still he is incapable of concealing that misdeed; it has been said by the Blessed One that inability to conceal wrongdoing is a mark of one who has seen the path [to Nibbāna].

Idampi saṅghe ratanaṃ paṇītaṃ, etena saccena suvatthi hotu — Even this is a precious jewel in the Sangha. By this word of truth, may there be well-being.

Vanappagumbe yathā phussitagge, gimhānamāse paṭhamasmiṃ gimhe — Just as, when the thickets of the forest have their crowns in bloom with branches, in the first month of the hot season... [translation trails off with the page]

Tathūpamaṃ dhammavaraṃ adesayi, nibbānagāmiṃ paramaṃ hitāya, idampi buddhe ratanaṃ paṇītaṃ, etena saccena suvatthi hotu — In just this way, the Blessed One taught the excellent, supreme Dhamma leading to Nibbāna, for the highest welfare, so that beings might reach Nibbāna. Even this is a precious jewel in the Buddha. By this word of truth, may there be well-being.

Varo varaññū varado varāharo, anuttaro dhammavaraṃ adesayi — The excellent Buddha, knower of the excellent, giver of the excellent, bringer of the excellent, unsurpassed, has taught the excellent Dhamma.

Idampi buddhe ratanaṃ paṇītaṃ, etena saccena suvatthi hotu — Even this is a precious jewel in the Buddha. By this word of truth, may there be well-being.

Khīṇaṃ purāṇaṃ navaṃ natthi sambhavaṃ, virattacittāyatike bhavasmiṃ — For those noble ones whose old karma is exhausted, for whom no new karma arises, whose minds are dispassionate toward future becoming —

Te khīṇabījā avirūḷhichandā, nibbanti dhīrā yathāyaṃ padīpo, idampi saṅghe ratanaṃ paṇītaṃ, etena saccena suvatthi hotu — Those noble ones, their seeds [of rebirth] exhausted, their craving no longer able to sprout, being wise, attain final Nibbāna just as this lamp goes out. Even this is a precious jewel in the Sangha. By this word of truth, may there be well-being. [Repeated mark indicating the close of the discourse.]

Legend 3: The Karaṇīya Mettā Sutta

According to the legend at its outset, this account tells that about 500 monks in the city of Sāvatthī had learned meditation subjects in the presence of the Blessed Teacher, and then went in search of a secluded place to develop insight. They travelled a distance of about 100 yojanas until they reached a large village. The villagers, seeing the monks, were glad, and invited them to sit on suitable seats, serving them rice-gruel and other food. They then asked the venerable ones where they intended to go. When told that the monks were seeking a comfortable place to practice the ascetic life throughout the three months [of the rains retreat], the villagers said: "Not far from here there is a dense forest, a secluded place. We invite the venerable ones to practice the ascetic life there for the whole three months. We will take the Triple Gem as our refuge and keep the precepts under the guidance of the venerable ones." The monks accepted the invitation, went to dwell in that village, and practiced their ascetic observances there.

The tree-deities dwelling in the trees of that place thought: "The venerable ones have come to dwell at the foot of our trees; it would not be proper or fitting for us and our wives and children to remain up in the trees." So they came down from the trees and sat upon the bare ground. According to one account, it was through the power of the monks' practice of the ascetic life that the tree-deities —

—could no longer remain up in the trees. Thinking that the venerable ones would stay in that place only one night and then move on, [they endured it]. The next day, when the monks had gone for alms-round within the village and returned to the forest as before, the deities thought among themselves: "Surely someone has invited him to a meal tomorrow; that is why he has come back to stay here again, and the day after he will go elsewhere." But the group of deities kept thinking the monks would leave the next day, and yet the monks kept returning to stay in the same place. This went on day after day until about half a month had passed. The deities then thought: "It seems certain the venerable ones intend to stay here the entire three months. If the venerable ones remain here for the whole three months, then we too must remain on the bare ground for the whole three months — this is very troublesome. We ought to produce some disturbance to make them leave this place; that would be best." Having resolved thus, they produced various apparitions — headless corpses, ogre-forms, and the like — and made terrifying inhuman sounds both at night and during the day, and brought about coughing and sneezing sickness upon the monks. The monks were no longer at ease as before; fearful, they grew pale and emaciated, and so they left that place and went to the residence of the Blessed Teacher, reporting to him the frightening experiences they had encountered and the illness that had arisen from it.

The Blessed One, wishing the monks to return and practice their ascetic observances in the same place, then bestowed upon them the Mettā Sutta as a weapon, a means of —

—protection, and he said: "Monks, you should recite this discourse starting from the edge of the forest outside the dwelling, all the way in as you enter the interior of the dwelling." The monks paid homage to the Teacher and returned to the edge of the forest where they were staying; they recited the discourse according to the Buddha's instruction and then walked on into their original dwelling place. This time the group of deities, now filled with loving-kindness, welcomed the monks — receiving their bowls and robes, massaging their heads, and sweeping the grounds, as well as guarding them throughout the forest.

Once the monks were able to dwell in comfort, they applied their minds to their meditation subject throughout both day and night. Their minds sank down into insight, seeing within themselves the nature of decay and dissolution — that this very selfhood is like an earthen vessel, bound to break and perish, impermanent. The Buddha, dwelling in his Fragrant Chamber, became aware of what these monks were contemplating, and so emitted rays of light across a distance of about 100 yojanas, making it seem as though he were present right before the monks, and spoke this verse:

"Know this body, monks, to be like a clay pot; steady this mind as though it were a fortified city. Fight against Māra with the weapon of wisdom, and guard the victory won; be one who has no more entanglement."

When the discourse was concluded, the 500 monks attained arahantship together with the analytical knowledges.

This discourse is endowed with very great power and virtue; it is, as it were, the heart of the Buddha's teaching. The verses and their translation are as follows —

◎ Karaṇīyamatthakusalena, yantaṃ santaṃ padaṃ abhisamecca — That task which one skilled in the good should undertake, having realized the state of peace: a wise person of good family should perform that task.

Sakko ujū ca suhujū ca, suvaco cassa mudu anatimānī — Such a person of good family should be capable, truly upright and honest, easy to correct, gentle, and free of excessive pride.

Santussako ca subharo ca, appakicco ca sallahukavutti — Content and easy to support, having few concerns, living lightly in body and mind.

Santindriyo ca nipako ca, appagabbho kulesu ananugiddho — With senses calmed and possessed of wisdom, not impudent, not attached to families.

Na ca khuddaṃ samācare kiñci, yena viññū pare upavadeyyuṃ — [Translation continues on the following page.]

...not even the slightest thing whereby other wise people might find fault; rather, one should for a while extend a heart of loving-kindness toward the community of beings, saying:

Sukhino vā khemino hontu, sabbe sattā bhavantu sukhitattā — May all beings, every one, be happy and secure; may they attain happiness within themselves.

Ye keci pāṇabhūtatthi — Whatever living beings there are —

Tasā vā thāvarā vā anavasesā — whether still trembling [with craving] or steady and firm [free of all craving], without exception —

Dīghā vā ye mahantā vā, majjhimā rassakā aṇukathūlā — whether long or great, or middling, short, small, or stout —

Diṭṭhā vā ye ca adiṭṭhā — whether seen or unseen —

Ye ca dūre vasanti avidūre — whether dwelling far away or near —

Bhūtā vā sambhavesī vā — those already born, not needing to be born again, or those still seeking a [new] existence —

[Running header:] Ajahn Thep Sarikabutr — [page] 33

Sabbe sattā bhavantu sukhitattā — May all those many beings become possessed of happiness.

Na paro paraṃ nikubbetha — Let no being oppress another being.

Nātimaññetha katthaci naṃ kañci — Let no one despise anyone at all, anywhere.

Byārosanā paṭighasaññā, nāññamaññassa dukkhamiccheyya — One should not wish suffering upon one another out of anger and irritation, or out of the perception of resentment, or vexation of heart.

Mātā yathā niyaṃ puttaṃ āyusā ekaputtamanurakkhe — Just as a mother protects her only child, born of herself, at the risk of her very life,

Evampi sabbabhūtesu mānasaṃ bhāvaye aparimāṇaṃ — so too should one cultivate in one's heart a loving-kindness without measure toward all beings without exception, just so.

Mettañca sabbalokasmiṃ mānasaṃ bhāvaye aparimāṇaṃ — One should cultivate in one's heart a loving-kindness without measure toward the whole world,

Uddhaṃ adho ca tiriyañca asambādhaṃ averaṃ asapattaṃ — above, below, and across — an unconfined state, free of enmity, free of hostility.

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[page] 34 — [Book-title header:] Secrets of Saiyasat

Tiṭṭhaṃ caraṃ nisinno vā — One who cultivates that heart of loving-kindness — whether standing, walking, or seated,

Sayāno vā yāva tassa vigatamiddho — or lying down, so long as drowsiness has not overtaken and one is not yet asleep,

Etaṃ satiṃ adhiṭṭheyya — should keep that very mindfulness established.

Brahmam etaṃ vihāraṃ idhamāhu — This practice, the wise call the Brahmavihāra (divine abiding) within this Dispensation.

Diṭṭhiñca anupagamma sīlavā — A person possessed of this loving-kindness Brahmavihāra does not fall into wrong view, and is one of virtue,

Dassanena sampanno — endowed with the vision that is the path of stream-entry,

Kāmesu vineyya gedhaṃ — having drawn out craving for sensual pleasures,

Na hi jātu gabbhaseyyaṃ punaretī ti — such a one will surely, truly, never again come to lie in a womb.

[page] 35

Legend No. 4: The Khandha Paritta and the Chaddanta Paritta

The Khandha Paritta

Concerning this protective verse, the legend begins thus: once, when the Blessed One was residing at Jetavana Monastery near the city of Sāvatthī, a certain monk was sitting kindling fire by friction at the fire-hut. A snake came out from a rotten tree and struck the toe of that monk. The monk, unable to bear the snake's venom, died on the spot. The monks all went to the Buddha and reported the matter of the monk who had died of a snakebite. The Blessed Teacher then said: 'Monks, it is likely that that monk had not cultivated loving-kindness toward the four royal families of nāgas. Had that monk cultivated loving-kindness with regard to the four royal families of nāgas, the snake would never have bitten him at all — and even had it bitten him, he would not have died. But in ages past, wise ascetics who cultivated loving-kindness toward the four royal families of nāgas escaped danger from snakes altogether.' He then brought forth a story of a past birth, as follows —

In a past age, when King Brahmadatta ruled the kingdom at the city of Vārāṇasī, the Bodhisatta was born into a brahmin family in the kingdom of Kāsi. Having grown to maturity, he renounced his wealth and went forth as an ascetic, attaining the four higher knowledges [continues on next page]

[page] 36 — [Book-title header:] Secrets of Saiyasat

...and the eight attainments. He then built a hermitage at a bend of the Ganges river at the foot of the Himavanta, and there also became a teacher instructing a company of ascetics.

At that time, snakes dwelling on the bank of that river struck and killed a great many ascetics. The ascetics reported this to the ascetic Bodhisatta, who was their teacher.

The Bodhisatta, being their teacher, therefore assembled the ascetics and taught them to cultivate loving-kindness first toward the families of the four royal nāgas, and then taught them to cultivate loving-kindness in turn toward other kinds of beings — beginning with footless beings, two-footed beings, four-footed beings, and beings with many feet — saying, 'let there be no enmity, let there be no ill will' — until they reached a happiness free of suffering. He then taught them to recollect the virtues of the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha, [saying] these are 'boundless' (that is, their virtue is great and free of defilement), whereas ordinary beings are beings whose virtue 'has measure' (because they are still entangled in defilement). [He taught:] 'May these beings of measure act to guard and protect us all, both day and night.'

'This protection that we have made extends only to beings of that measure. May all spirit-beings keep away and never come to molest us. We pay homage and reverence to the Fully Self-Enlightened Buddhas, beginning with the Buddha Vipassī.'

[Running header:] Ajahn Thep Sarikabutr — [page] 37

Furthermore, whatever being has held friendly regard for us, to that one we in turn pay homage and reverence, as we do to the Fully Self-Enlightened Buddhas beginning with the Buddha Vipassī, in succession, seven Buddhas in all.

When the Bodhisatta had bound this protective verse for the ascetics, those ascetics then cultivated loving-kindness and kept the Buddha's virtues as their meditation-object. The snakes thereafter kept away and did not come to molest them any further.

The verses and their translation for this protective formula have been compiled as follows:

Virūpakkhehi me mettaṃ — May our friendship be with the families of the nāga kings called the Virūpakkha.

Mettaṃ Erāpathehi me — May our friendship be with the families of the nāga kings called the Erāpatha.

Chabyāputtehi me mettaṃ — May our friendship be with the families of the nāga kings called the Chabyāputta.

Mettaṃ Kaṇhāgotamakehi ca — May our friendship be with the families of the nāga kings called the Kaṇhā-Gotamaka.

[page] 38 — [Book-title header:] Secrets of Saiyasat

Apādakehi me mettaṃ — May our friendship be with the footless beings.

Mettaṃ dvipādakehi me — May our friendship be with the two-footed beings.

Catuppadehi me mettaṃ — May our friendship be with the four-footed beings.

Mettaṃ bahuppadehi me — May our friendship be with the many-footed beings.

Mā maṃ apādako hiṃsi — May the footless being not harm me.

Mā maṃ dvipādako hiṃsi — May the two-footed being not harm me.

Mā maṃ catuppado hiṃsi — May the four-footed being not harm me.

Mā maṃ hiṃsi bahuppado — May the many-footed being not harm me.

Sabbe sattā sabbe pāṇā — May all beings that have life,

Sabbe bhūtā ca kevalā — all creatures that have come to be, entirely,

Sabbe bhadrāni passantu — behold only good fortune;

Mā kiñci pāpamāgamā — may not the slightest evil come upon those beings.

[Running header:] Ajahn Thep Sarikabutr — [page] 39

Appamāṇo Buddho — The Buddha possesses virtue without measure.

Appamāṇo Dhammo — The Dhamma possesses virtue without measure.

Appamāṇo Saṅgho — The Sangha possesses virtue without measure.

Pamāṇavantāni sarīsapāni — Creeping creatures, however, are 'of measure' — that is:

Ahi vicchikā satapadī — snakes, scorpions, centipedes, millipedes,

Uṇṇanābhi sarabhū mūsikā — spiders, house-lizards, rats — all of these are 'of measure' (not vast beyond measure like the virtue of the Triple Gem).

Katā me rakkhā katā me parittā — Protection has been made by us, a paritta has been made by us;

Paṭikkamantu bhūtāni — may the fierce hordes of harmful beings withdraw and keep away.

So'haṃ namo bhagavato — I hereby pay homage to the Blessed One;

Namo sattannaṃ Sammāsambuddhānaṃ — I pay homage to the seven Fully Self-Enlightened Buddhas.

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The Chaddanta Paritta

Concerning this protective verse, the legend relates: once, while the Blessed One was giving a Dhamma discourse at Jetavana Great Monastery, a certain bhikkhunī, listening to the teaching, wondered whether she herself had ever, in some past life, been a close attendant of the Blessed One. A certain knowledge then arose in her, and she recollected a past life: she had once been a close attendant, at the time when he was the elephant-king Chaddanta, and she laughed with delight at this. Reflecting further, she also came to know that she herself had once sent the hunter Sonuttara to shoot the elephant-king Chaddanta with a poison-tipped arrow, causing his death — and at this she became sorrowful and wept. The Teacher, taking up this matter, then smiled. The monks asked the reason for his smile, and he revealed the cause concerning that bhikkhunī, and thereupon related the Chaddanta Jātaka as a Dhamma discourse.

The story goes: there was an elephant-king dwelling in the Himavanta forest named King Chaddanta. The elephant-king's two consorts were named Culasubhaddā and Mahāsubhaddā, and he had eight thousand elephants as his retinue. One day, when the sal-tree blossoms had opened, the elephant-king took both consorts to view the sal flowers. The elephant-king butted against that sal tree; Princess Culasubhaddā, standing near that tree, had red tree-ants fall down onto her body, while Mahāsubhaddā stood apart, downwind, and the wind blew pollen from the flowers to scatter upon her instead. Princess Culasubhaddā, thinking that the elephant-king did not love her, had deliberately arranged for the red ants to fall upon her body.

[Running header:] Ajahn Thep Sarikabutr — [page] 41

...whereas Mahāsubhaddā, his beloved consort, had pollen scattered onto her body instead. Because of this, Culasubhaddā harbored resentment and formed a grudge against the Bodhisatta — this was the first cause.

On another occasion, the Bodhisatta obtained one great lotus blossom and offered that lotus to Mahāsubhaddā. Seeing this, Culasubhaddā felt slighted, thinking that the elephant-king had not given the lotus to her, and so formed a grudge against the Bodhisatta a second time.

Some time later, Princess Culasubhaddā offered fruit to a Paccekabuddha, and she made this aspiration: 'When I have ended this present life, may I be reborn into the Madda royal lineage under the name Subhaddā; may I become the consort of a great king; and may I be given the opportunity to send forth a hunter to destroy King Chaddanta and cut off his tusks and bring them to me.' Having made this vow, she then refused to seek food, and before long she died and was reborn into the Madda royal lineage under the name Subhaddā. When she reached maturity she became the queen consort of the King of Vārāṇasī, in accordance with that aspiration. The queen, recalling her past life, in order to bring that aspiration to fulfillment, pretended to be ill as if suffering pregnancy cravings, feigning to have dreamed of something very difficult to obtain, and asked her royal husband to first assemble the forest hunters, after which she would reveal her craving. The king accordingly assembled the forest hunters, and the queen then declared: 'I dreamed I saw a beautiful white elephant possessed of a six-fold radiance; it is that one's [tusks] I desire. If my wish is not fulfilled, I shall not live.' The queen then chose the hunter Sonuttara, and ordered him to go out and shoot King Chaddanta, telling the hunter Sonuttara the elephant-king's whereabouts in full.

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The hunter Sonuttara journeyed with great effort for a full seven years, seven months, and seven days, until he reached the dwelling place of the Bodhisatta. He observed and studied the ground where the elephant-king habitually stood, and once he had learned it, while the elephant-king was away from that spot, the hunter dug a pit right there, deep enough that he could stand down within it. He laid wood crosswise over the top and smoothed the earth level, leaving a gap for his bow and a gap by which he himself went down to hide in the pit. This done, he covered his head with a saffron-dyed monastic robe and clothed himself in it, and hid himself down in the pit. When the elephant-king came to stand right at that pit, the forest hunter shot an arrow upward, striking the elephant-king from the navel clean through to the back. The elephant-king trumpeted a great roar three times over. His retinue scattered in all directions to search for the enemy, except Mahāsubhaddā, who alone did not go and did not come to attend him. The elephant-king, knowing the enemy was hidden in the pit, and wishing to learn the cause of it himself, personally, sent Subhaddā off to search for the enemy along with the rest of the retinue. Once she had gone, the Bodhisatta parted the enemy's concealment intending to seize and kill him, but the moment he saw the saffron robe a realization arose in him: that the saffron robe is the banner of the Arahants, which the wise do not destroy but ought to revere. He therefore lifted the hunter with his trunk up out of the pit and set him down above, and said: 'One who is steeped in defilements ought not wear the saffron robe; the saffron robe befits only one free of defilements.' Having said this, his anger subsided, and he asked the hunter: 'For what purpose have you killed me — was it your own wish, or did another send you?'

When he learned that it was Queen Subhaddā who had sent the hunter to obtain his tusks, he understood it was because of a grudge she had harbored. He therefore had the hunter saw off both tusks accordingly.

[Running header:] Ajahn Thep Sarikabutr — [page] 43

...aspiring and vowing: 'By the merit of donating this pair of tusks, may I attain omniscience.' He then uttered a solemn asseveration of truth as a protection against savage forest beasts for the hunter Sonuttara. This asseveration of truth appears in full within the chanted verses, beginning 'Sallena...' through to '...āgacchantī.' The Bodhisatta then sent the hunter back, and he himself passed away.

When the hunter Sonuttara brought King Chaddanta's tusks to the capital city, and Queen Subhaddā beheld the tusks of the Bodhisatta, she was suddenly overcome with the memory of her past, and fell into grief so severe that her heart broke and her life ended that very day.

This chanted verse is recited only in the portion where the Bodhisatta made his aspiration as a protective paritta to guard the hunter Sonuttara from danger, as follows:

Vadhissam etan ti parāmasanto — The elephant-king Bodhisatta seized the forest hunter, intending: 'I shall kill him.'

Kāsāvam addakkhi dhajaṃ isīnaṃ — But then he saw the saffron cloth, the banner of the sages,

Dukkhena phuṭṭhassa udapādi saññā — and a realization arose in the Bodhisatta, even though he was one touched by suffering—

[page] 44 — [Book-title header:] Secrets of Saiyasat

Arahaddhajo sabbhi avajjharūpo — that this is the banner of the Arahant, a form that good persons should never destroy.

Sallena viddho vyathito'pi santo — Even though pierced by the arrow and though he might well have been shaken, the Bodhisatta remained one who was calm,

Kāsāvavatthamhi manaṃ na dūsayi — and did not let his mind turn to harm against the saffron-dyed cloth.

Sace imaṃ nāgavarena saccaṃ — If this, spoken by this noble elephant, is true,

Mā maṃ vane bālamigā āgacchantū ti — then may no foolish wild beasts in the forest come to attack me — so [he vowed].

Story No. 5: The Peacock's Protective Verse (Mora Paritta)

This paritta text states that when the Blessed Teacher was residing at Jetavana Mahavihara, he brought up the case of a certain monk who had grown discontented [with monastic life], and so preached this paritta text as a Dhamma sermon, so that that monk would abide in the fruit of stream-entry (sotapatti-phala). The original legend behind this paritta has the following content:

In the past, at the time when King Brahmadatta held royal sovereignty in the city of Baranasi, the Bodhisatta took rebirth in the womb of a peahen dwelling in the border country of the city of Baranasi. When the Bodhisatta emerged from the egg, he had plumage more brilliant and lustrous than gold and was endowed with excellent marks. When he grew to maturity he became the King of the Peacocks.

One day that Peacock King went to drink water at a pool. He thought: 'I dwell together with the other peacocks; danger may come upon me — I should withdraw from the flock of peacocks and go to live in the Himalayan forest, and thus be free of danger.' Having resolved thus, the Peacock King withdrew from the flock to a certain mountain in the Himavanta forest, and dwelt in a cave of that mountain, a place steep and secure from the dangers of wildcats and snakes. And when the day dawned, the Bodhisatta left the cave and flew up to perch on the mountain peak, facing toward the east, and gazed upon the sun as

...it rose, and recited the paritta: 'Udetayancakkhuma ekaraja...' and so forth, in order to protect and guard himself during the daytime, and then went about in search of food. When evening came he flew to perch on the mountain peak facing west, watched the sun's disc as it set and disappeared, and then recited the paritta: 'Apetayancakkhuma ekaraja...' and so forth, in order to protect and guard himself during the night-time, and then went to his own dwelling place. And on each succeeding day he did likewise; and so the Peacock King dwelt happily, free from all suffering and danger.

Afterward there was a certain hunter who chanced to travel to the place where that Peacock King lived, and saw the Peacock King perched on the mountain peak. When he returned he did not tell anyone of it. But when that hunter was near death, he told his son that there was a golden peacock, a single one, living in the wilderness of the fourth range of the Himavanta mountains — if the king should ever ask, [his son] ought to report it for the king to know. Having said only that much, he then died.

Afterward, the chief queen of the King of Baranasi dreamed that a golden peacock came and preached the Dhamma, and that she listened to the Dhamma of the golden peacock. When the golden peacock was about to leave, the queen cried out: 'Help catch the peacock! Help catch the peacock!' — and then awoke from her sleep. And the queen desired truly to have the golden peacock come and preach the Dhamma, so she sought a stratagem by which to make her royal husband act according to that desire. She hit upon the stratagem of telling her royal husband that she was suffering a pregnancy-craving, and so she told her royal husband:

'please grant that I may hear the Dhamma of the golden Peacock King.' The great king then ordered an assembly of all the huntsmen, and asked about the dwelling place of the golden Peacock King, and sought one who would volunteer to go and catch the golden Peacock King. The huntsman who had received the account from his father reported the dwelling place of the golden Peacock King and volunteered to go catch the golden Peacock King. But he tried until the end of his own lifetime and was unable to catch him. As for the queen, when her wish was not fulfilled she pined away in her heart until she died. King Brahmadatta became enraged at the golden Peacock King, saying: 'The queen died because of this golden Peacock King' — and so he bore a grudge against the golden Peacock King, and had an inscription engraved on a golden plate, saying: 'Whoever eats the flesh of the golden Peacock King at the fourth range of the Himavanta mountains will have a long life, will not age, and will not die.' When that king passed away, another king came to know of the inscription on that golden plate, and so had another huntsman sent out to catch that golden Peacock King again; and the huntsman who went to catch the golden Peacock King died in the forest as well. The attempt to catch the golden Peacock King went on for a very long time, until as much as 693 years had passed, and six kings had passed away, and six huntsmen who had gone to catch him had died — and still the Bodhisatta had not been caught. Then, when it came to the seventh king, he sent the seventh huntsman to go and catch the golden Peacock King in turn.

That seventh huntsman went and tried to set snares to make the Peacock King become caught, for seven years, but the Peacock King never got caught in the huntsman's snare. The huntsman then came to reflect: 'Why is it that our snares never manage to catch hold of the Peacock King's feet?' From then on the huntsman tracked the Peacock King's movements, and so learned that the Peacock King recited the paritta every morning and evening, and that in that place there were no other peacocks at all — from which he understood that the Peacock King was maintaining celibate conduct (brahmacariya). It was the power of maintaining celibate conduct together with reciting the paritta, these two things, that caused their snares never to catch the Peacock King's feet.

When the huntsman had learned of this secret, he thought to eliminate the Peacock King's protection. He therefore returned home, then went out and trapped a peahen in the forest — one — and brought her back and trained her to understand signals: that is, if one snapped one's fingers, the peahen would call out; if one clapped one's hands, the peahen would dance and sway. When she had been trained to full proficiency, he took the peahen to the place where the Bodhisatta lived. He set up the snare in advance, and then, just as the Bodhisatta was reciting the paritta, he snapped his fingers as the signal. The peahen then let out a call in a sweet and captivating voice that carried all the way to the Peacock King Bodhisatta. At that, the defilements (kilesa) that lay dormant in his mental continuum flared up at once, causing the Peacock King's mind to become agitated, restless, and inflamed with defilement, so that he was unable to recite the paritta for protection against suffering and danger. He flew swiftly straight to the peahen's location, and his foot slipped right into the huntsman's snare — a snare that had not tightened around a foot for 700 years now tightened around the Bodhisatta's foot.

Immediately, the huntsman came to reflect: 'It is because of this peahen that the golden Peacock King became inflamed with defilement and got caught in my snare right up to his head, being in this state — for me to cause a virtuous creature such suffering as this is not at all proper. Let me release the Peacock King.' As he was about to release the Peacock King, he thought: 'If I approach the Peacock King directly, the Peacock King will startle and thrash about and suffer greatly.' So he drew his bow in order to shoot the cord that bound the Bodhisatta, tethering him to the stake, so as to sever it. The Bodhisatta, seeing the huntsman draw his bow, was frightened, and so cried out to the huntsman begging for his life, saying: 'If you have caught me because you want wealth, then do not kill me — please catch me alive and present me to the king. I understand that you would receive great wealth that way.' The huntsman then replied: 'I have no wish at all to kill the Peacock King. My wish is only to cut the snare and let the Peacock King go free as he pleases.' The Peacock King then had the opportunity to converse further with the huntsman, and so explained to him the abstention from taking life (panatipata veramani) and the fruits of abstaining from taking life, and made clear to him that the view of causelessness (ahetuka-ditthi) was a view devoid of benefit — that associating with contemplatives of calmed mind is what brings one to know merit and demerit — and finally described to him the great terror of hell as well. That huntsman had, in fact, long practiced merit and wholesome deeds; and when he heard the Dhamma of the Peacock King he attained the state of a Solitary Buddha (Pacceka-bodhi). As for the Peacock King,

he too was freed from the snare, at the very moment when the huntsman attained enlightenment as a Solitary Buddha. The Solitary Buddha circumambulated the Peacock King [in reverence] and then flew off to dwell in a mountain cleft called Naktumulagiri [Naga-root Mountain].

This paritta has the following verses that are recited, together with their translation:

Udetayancakkhuma ekaraja harissavanno pathavippabhaso The sun is the eye of the world, the sole sovereign, having a colour just like the colour of gold, illuminating the surface of the earth as it rises.

Tam tam namassami For that reason, I pay homage to that sun.

Harissavannam pathavippabhasam Which has a colour just like the colour of gold, and illuminates the surface of the earth.

Tayajja gutta viharemu divasam May we, protected by you today, dwell in happiness throughout the day.

Ye brahmana vedagu sabbadhamme Whatever brahmins there are who have attained knowledge in all things,

Te me namo may those brahmins receive my homage.

Te ca mam palayantu Furthermore, may those brahmins protect me.

Namatthu buddhanam May my homage be to the Buddhas.

Namatthu bodhiya May my homage be to enlightenment (bodhi).

Namo vimuttanam May my homage be to those who are liberated.

Namo vimuttiya May my homage be to liberation (vimutti).

Imam so parittam katva moro carati esana. Having made this protective recitation, the peacock then went about in search of food.

Apetayancakkhuma ekaraja harissavanno pathavippabhaso The sun is the eye of the world, the sole sovereign, having a colour just like the colour of gold, illuminating the surface of the earth, as it passes toward setting.

Tam tam namassami For that reason, I pay homage to that sun.

Harissavannam pathavippabhasam Which has a colour just like the colour of gold, and illuminates the surface of the earth.

Tayajja gutta viharemu rattim May we, protected by you today, dwell in happiness throughout the night.

Ye brahmana vedagu sabbadhamme Whatever brahmins there are who have attained knowledge in all things,

Te me namo may those brahmins receive my homage.

Te ca mam pala yantu Furthermore, may those brahmins protect me.

Namatthu buddhanam May my homage be to the Buddhas.

Namatthu bodhiya May my homage be to enlightenment (bodhi).

Namo vimuttanam May my homage be to those who are liberated.

Namo vimuttiya May my homage be to liberation (vimutti).

Imam so parittam katva moro vasamakappayi. Having made this protective recitation, the peacock then settled down to rest.

Story No. 6: The Quail's Protective Verse (Vattaka Paritta)

This sutta has the following content according to the legend: at one time the Blessed Teacher was journeying through the country of Magadha for alms, together with a great many disciples. As he was returning from the alms round, a forest fire came right up to the path along which the disciples were journeying. The disciples all fled the fire together to the place where the Buddha stood.

At that time the Blessed One was standing in a certain place. When the fire, burning its way toward him, came to within sixteen karisa of the place where he stood, the fire went out of itself. The monks all praised the virtue of the Blessed Teacher, saying that his power was a marvel. The Blessed One then said that the fire, having burned up to this spot, went out — not because of any power of his in the present, but because of the power of an act of truth (sacca-kiriya) of his in a past life. The monks then requested to be told the story, and so he related this jataka, saying: In a past life the Bodhisatta took rebirth in the form of a quail, dwelling in that same country of Magadha. At the time when he emerged from the egg he did not yet have the strength to walk or fly. One day the quail's mother and father, the Bodhisatta's parents, went out in search of food, leaving the quail Bodhisatta lying in the nest. At that time a forest fire came burning close to the nest of that Bodhisatta chick. The birds who were the Bodhisatta's mother and father, fearing the fire, flew away; they tried to come back to protect their young

but could not. The Bodhisatta, having no other refuge left, then called to mind the virtue of the Buddhas of the past, and the virtue of the Dhamma that the Buddhas had realized, and the truth that existed [in his own case]. That truth was this: the chick declared: 'My two wings exist, yet I cannot fly. My two feet exist, yet I cannot walk. My mother and father are both absent, having gone out for food. If all that has been stated is indeed true, then let the flame of fire turn back away from this place.' By the power of that truth which the Bodhisatta spoke, the fire, which was burning at a distance of about sixteen karisa from the Bodhisatta, went out entirely all around, and by way of a marvel, did not burn there for the rest of this world-cycle. That very spot is the same spot where the Buddha was then residing. [This happened] while the forest fire was burning. This paritta text has the following verses that are recited, together with their translation:

Atthi loke silaguno The virtue of moral conduct exists in the world.

Saccam soceyyanudaya Truthfulness, purity of body, and compassion exist in the world.

Tena saccena kahami By that truth I shall perform

Saccakiriyamanuttaram an unsurpassed act of truth.

Avajjitva dhammabalam Having reflected upon the power

Saritva pubbake jine of the Dhamma, and calling to mind the Conquerors [Buddhas] of former times.

Saccabalamavassaya Relying upon the power of truth,

Saccakiriyamakasaham I now perform an act of truth.

Santi pakkha apattana My two wings exist, yet cannot fly.

Santi pada avancana My feet exist, yet cannot walk.

Mata pita ca nikkhanta My mother and father have gone out for food.

Jatavedha patikkama O flame of fire, please turn back.

Saha sacce kate mayham As soon as the act of truth was performed by me,

Mahapajjalito sikhi vajjesi solasa karisani the great blazing flame withdrew a distance of sixteen karisa, along with the truth spoken,

Udakam patva yatha sikhi just as a flame that has reached water [is extinguished].

Saccena me samo natthi There is nothing equal to my truth.

Asa me saccaparami This is my perfection of truth, thus.

Story No. 7: The Discourse on the Banner-top (Dhajagga Sutta)

In this sutta, the Blessed One gave a Dhamma-discourse concerning the asuras waging war and pressing close against the devas, and Sakka, lord of the devas, gave a divine command: that if fear, dread, or the bristling of hair on the body should arise among the company of devas, they should look toward his own banner, or toward the banners of the deva-kings named Pajapati, Varuna, and Isana, so as to be reminded that their own lord was standing right there — [thinking so] what fear or dread would there be over the war with the asuras? And likewise, monks who go to practice recollection in solitary places, should fear, dread, or the bristling of hair on the body arise, ought to call to mind the virtue of the Buddha, the virtue of the Dhamma, or the virtue of the Sangha — any one of these — and thereby that fear will be quelled. The full details are set out in this sutta itself; here only the introductory content behind the phrase 'devasurasangamo' [the war of gods and asuras] will be given, so as to make clear first why it was that Sakka had to wage war with the asuras. The story goes:

Once, when the Teacher was residing at the city of Vesali, he related an ancient tale (nidana) of Sakka to show to the Licchavi prince named Mahali. It included an account of the devas waging war with the asuras, which runs as follows: There was a young man named Magha living in the village of Acala in the realm of Magadha. He went to a place [where public works were being undertaken] in a certain village, made that place into a pleasant park, and stood there. A certain man came and pushed [him]

When Nai Masa stepped out of that spot and someone else came and stood there instead, Nai Masa felt no anger toward that man, and went to make a pleasant resting-place somewhere else. One man then pushed Nai Masa out of that place and stood there in his stead. Nai Masa still felt no anger, and again went to make a pleasant place elsewhere. This time several people came and pushed Nai Masa out and stood there themselves. Nai Masa felt no anger toward them either, and reflected further: "Bringing happiness to others — the deed done thereby is merit, and merit brings happiness." Afterward Nai Masa took a hoe and cleared the ground level and pleasant, and people came to gather and take shelter there. Nai Masa then thought: wherever there is a pleasant place, it becomes agreeable to people of every sort. Thinking this, he went out to clear and level a roadway, cutting away the branches that blocked the path, to make it convenient for people's coming and going. Afterward a man asked Nai Masa, "Friend, what are you doing?" Nai Masa answered, "I am making a road to my heaven." That man then asked to join as a companion helping to build the road to heaven, and other men likewise joined one by one as companions doing the same, until they numbered 33 including Nai Masa. They widened the road, making it smooth for about 2 yojanas. The headman of that locality, seeing what these men were doing, said, "You are all doing something of no use. What would truly be useful is to go and find meat and fish and brew liquor to drink." He said this so that these people would give him a share of the meat.

But the fish and liquor that were procured were only given to him in part, and the 33 men would not comply. The headman, angered, went and reported to the king that those men were bandits. The king then ordered all 33 seized and thrown before an elephant to be trampled. Before the elephant trampled them, Nai Masa gave counsel to his fellows: "Keep loving-kindness as your object of mind; harbor resentment toward no one; set loving-kindness toward the king, toward the headman, and toward the elephant that is coming to trample us and itself as well." Those men followed Nai Masa's words, and through the power of the loving-kindness they cultivated, the elephant could not bring itself to trample them. The king thought, "The elephant sees so many people lying there that it cannot trample them; if woven mats are used to cover them and the elephant is made to trample them then, it will surely trample them." When this was done, still the elephant would not trample them. The king then summoned the men and asked, "Can you not depend on us, that you have banded together as bandits?" They replied that they were not bandits at all, but were men making a road to heaven, and had been accused of banditry only because the local headman, being angry, had deliberately fabricated the charge to have them destroyed.

When the king learned that the 33 men were making a road to heaven, he was delighted. He granted them the very elephant that had been made to trample them, as a mount for them and for their village, and he also gave the man who had been headman of that place to them as a slave. The 33 men, with Nai Masa as their leader, upon seeing the fruit of their own merit —

— once this result had plainly appeared, became still more devout in heart, and performed merit and giving even more than before, building rest-halls and giving food as an offering continually. As for Nai Masa himself, he had also fully practiced the seven vata-pada (observances), namely: (1) attending to and caring for one's mother and father; (2) being humble toward the elders of one's family; (3) speaking truthfully, not speaking falsehood; (4) not speaking harsh, coarse, or cruel words; (5) speaking only words that are kind and good, free of malicious talk or incitement; (6) not being stingy, but delighting in giving alms; (7) enduring anger, not becoming enraged.

When Nai Masa died, the wholesome deeds he had performed brought their result, causing him to be reborn as the sun-deity in the heavenly realm, together with 32 other attendant devas, making 33 in all. That heavenly city thus came to be named Dāvatiṅsa (Dāvadueng), meaning "33." Now the devas who had dwelt in that realm from before, seeing the newly-arisen deva together with his great retinue, prepared a divine fragrant liquor called "gandhabāna" and invited the newly-arisen devas to drink the gandhabāna water together with them. Indra forbade his own retinue, saying, "Do not drink the gandhabāna water — only make as if you are drinking." The original devas, however, all drank the gandhabāna water until they became intoxicated and lost consciousness, collapsing and falling asleep — reckoned to last as long as 4 months of human time. Lord Amarindra [Indra] thought, "These devaputras have been heedless and intoxicated; it is not fitting that they remain in the heavenly city any longer." He therefore ordered his own retinue to seize those devaputras and cast them down into the great ocean. When those devaputras regained their senses, they said to one another:

"From now on we shall not drink liquor. From now on we shall not drink liquor." Because they spoke thus, they came to be named "Asura." And since the power of their former merit still remained, a vast Asura realm arose beneath Mount Meru, resembling Indra's own realm, save for one difference: whereas the Tāvatiṃsā realm has the pāricchattaka tree, the Asura realm instead has the cittapātalī tree (the khae-foi tree). The host of Asuras dwelt in the Asura realm as happily as they had dwelt in the Tāvatiṃsā realm, so that it could not be told the Asura realm was a newly-arisen realm. The ruler of the Asura realm was named Vepacitti Asura, or Phaijittrā-sura. When the season came for the khae-foi flowers to bloom, the Asuras recalled that the realm they now dwelt in was not truly Tāvatiṃsā; their minds turned back to the pāricchattaka blossoms, and so they mustered an Asura army and went up to contend for victory against Indra. Indra then set the Four Great Kings — the Four Guardians of the World — to guard the foot of Mount Meru, one to each quarter, to do battle with the Asuras. At times the Asuras prevailed over the Four Great Kings and pressed forward as far as the gates of the heavenly city, so that Indra himself had to lead the host of devas out to fight the Asuras. That war went on for a long time, victory and defeat alternating repeatedly. Afterward Indra captured King Phaijittrā-sura. King Phaijittrā-sura showed no respect toward Indra, but instead spoke various coarse and abusive words to him. Indra held no anger, but pardoned him and ordered him released. The war between —

The war between the Asuras and the devas thus came to be settled from that time on. And as for Indra's divine command to the devaputras to watch his banner-flag and those of the three other deva-kings, this was likewise a command given at the time Indra went out to war against the Asuras.

The passage derives from the text beginning "Devāsurasaṅgāmo" — see the following verse and its translation below:

◎ Evaṃ me sutaṃ — Thus have I (that is, the Elder Ānanda) heard.

Ekaṃ samayaṃ bhagavā — At one time the Blessed One Sāvatthiyaṃ viharati — was dwelling at Jetavana Monastery, Jetavane Anāthapiṇḍikassa — the monastery of Anāthapiṇḍika Ārāme — the wealthy merchant, built and offered in the city of Sāvatthī. Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū — At that time, the Blessed One Āmantesi bhikkhavo'ti — addressed the monks, saying "Bhikkhus" —

Bhadante'ti te bhikkhū — Those monks then replied Bhagavato paccassosuṃ — to the Blessed One's word, saying "Venerable Sir," thus.

Bhagavā etadavoca — The Blessed One then spoke this saying:

Bhūtapubbaṃ bhikkhave — Bhikkhus, there was once a time, so it has been told, devāsurasaṅgāmo — a war of the devas against the Asuras samupabyūḷho ahosi — had broken out and they had joined in close battle. Atha kho bhikkhave sakko — At that time, bhikkhus, Sakka, devānamindo devā — lord and king of the devas, tāvatiṃse āmantesi — summoned the host of devas of the Tāvatiṃsā heaven and commanded them:

Sace mārisā devānaṃ saṅgāma- — "If, dear sirs, when the devas have gone gatānaṃ uppajjeyya bhayaṃ vā — to battle, fear, or chambhitattaṃ vā lomahaṃso vā — dread, or the standing on end of body-hair, should arise in the host of devas at any time,

mameva tasmiṃ samaye — at that time you should dhajaggaṃ ullokeyyātha — look up at my banner-flag. Mamaṃ hi vo dhajaggaṃ ullokayataṃ — For when you look up at my banner-flag —

Yaṃ bhavissati bhayaṃ vā chambhitattaṃ vā lomahaṃso vā — whatever fear, or dread, or standing on end of body-hair may arise,

so pahīyissati — that will vanish. No ce me dhajaggaṃ ullokeyyātha — If you do not look up at my banner-flag, atha pajāpatissa devarājassa — then you should look up at the banner-flag dhajaggaṃ ullokeyyātha — of the deva-king named Pajāpati. Pajāpatissa hi vo devarājassa — For when you look up at the banner-flag dhajaggaṃ ullokayataṃ — of the deva-king named Pajāpati —

yaṃ bhavissati bhayaṃ vā chambhitattaṃ — whatever fear, or dread, vā lomahaṃso vā — or standing on end of body-hair may arise,

so pahīyissati — that will vanish. No ce pajāpatissa devarājassa — If you do not look up at the banner-flag dhajaggaṃ ullokeyyātha — of the deva-king named Pajāpati, atha varuṇassa devarājassa — then you should look up at the banner-flag dhajaggaṃ ullokeyyātha — of the deva-king named Varuṇa.

Varuṇassa hi vo devarājassa — For when you look up at the banner-flag dhajaggaṃ ullokayataṃ — of the deva-king named Varuṇa, yaṃ bhavissati bhayaṃ vā chambhitattaṃ vā — whatever fear, or dread, lomahaṃso vā — or standing on end of body-hair may arise,

so pahīyissati — that will vanish. No ce varuṇassa devarājassa — If you do not look up at the banner-flag dhajaggaṃ ullokeyyātha — of the deva-king named Varuṇa, atha īsānassa devarājassa — then you should look up at the banner-flag dhajaggaṃ ullokeyyātha — of the deva-king named Īsāna.

Īsānassa hi vo devarājassa — For when you look up at the banner-flag dhajaggaṃ ullokayataṃ — of the deva-king named Īsāna, yaṃ bhavissati bhayaṃ vā chambhitattaṃ vā — whatever fear, or dread, lomahaṃso vā — or standing on end of body-hair may arise,

so pahīyissatī'ti — that will vanish" — thus. Taṃ kho pana bhikkhave — But, bhikkhus, that — sakkassa vā devānamindassa — namely the looking up at the banner-flag of Sakka, lord and king of the devas —

Pajāpatissa vā devarājassa — or the looking up at the banner-flag of the deva-king named dhajaggaṃ ullokayataṃ — Pajāpati —

Varuṇassa vā devarājassa — or the looking up at the banner-flag of the deva-king named dhajaggaṃ ullokayataṃ — Varuṇa —

Īsānassa vā devarājassa — or the looking up at the banner-flag of the deva-king named dhajaggaṃ ullokayataṃ — Īsāna —

yaṃ bhavissati bhayaṃ vā chambhitattaṃ — whatever fear, or dread, vā lomahaṃso vā — or standing on end of body-hair may arise,

so pahīyethāpi nopi pahīyetha — that might vanish in some cases and might not vanish in others. Taṃ kissa hetu? — What is the reason for this?

Sakko hi bhikkhave devānamindo — Bhikkhus, it is because Sakka, lord and king of the devas,

avītarāgo avītadoso — has not yet exhausted passion, has not yet exhausted hatred, avītamoho — has not yet exhausted delusion.

Bhīru chambhī utrāsī palāyī'ti — he is still one who fears, still one who dreads, still one who is terrified, still one who flees — thus.

Ahañca kho bhikkhave evaṃ vadāmi — Bhikkhus, but I say this:

Sace tumhākaṃ bhikkhave araññā- — If, bhikkhus, when you have gone to the forest, gatānaṃ vā rukkhamūlagatānaṃ vā — or gone to the foot of a tree, suññāgāragatānaṃ vā — or gone to an empty dwelling, uppajjeyya bhayaṃ vā — fear, or chambhitattaṃ vā lomahaṃso vā — dread, or standing on end of body-hair should arise at any time,

mameva tasmiṃ samaye — at that time you should anussareyyātha — recollect me thus: iti pi — "Even for this reason,

so bhagavā — the Blessed One arahaṃ — is one far from defilements, one worthy of homage and worship, sammāsambuddho — one who has rightly and fully awakened by himself, vijjācaraṇasampanno — one perfect in true knowledge and conduct,

sugato — one who has gone well, lokavidū — one who understands the world, anuttaro purisadammasārathi — the unsurpassed guide of persons to be tamed,

Satthā devamanussānaṃ — the teacher of devas and human beings,

Buddho — one who is awakened, Bhagavā'ti — the Blessed One who has analyzed the Dhamma" — thus.

Mamaṃ hi vo bhikkhave — Bhikkhus, for when anussarataṃ — you are recollecting me, yaṃ bhavissati bhayaṃ vā — whatever fear, or dread, chambhitattaṃ vā lomahaṃso vā — or standing on end of body-hair may arise,

so pahīyissati — that will vanish. No ce maṃ anussareyyātha — If you do not recollect me, atha dhammaṃ anussareyyātha — then you should recollect the Dhamma, thus: svākkhāto bhagavatā dhammo — "The Dhamma is well proclaimed by the Blessed One,

sandiṭṭhiko — it is to be seen for oneself, akāliko — it is timeless, ehipassiko — it invites one to come and see, opanayiko — it is to be brought inward into one's own mind,

Paccattaṃ veditabbo viññūhī'ti — it is to be personally realized by the wise, each for himself" — thus.

Dhammaṃ hi vo bhikkhave — Bhikkhus, for anussarataṃ — when you are recollecting the Dhamma,

yaṃ bhavissati bhayaṃ vā — whatever fear, or dread, chambhitattaṃ vā lomahaṃso vā — or standing on end of body-hair may arise,

so pahīyissati — that will vanish. No ce dhammaṃ anussareyyātha — If you do not recollect the Dhamma, atha saṅghaṃ anussareyyātha — then you should recollect the Saṅgha, thus:

Suppaṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho — "The Saṅgha of the Blessed One's disciples has practiced well;

ujuppaṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho — the Saṅgha of the Blessed One's disciples has practiced straightly;

ñāyappaṭipanno bhagavato — the Saṅgha of the Blessed One's [disciples has practiced correctly] —

sāvaka-saṅgho — the assembly [of disciples] who practise as the Dhamma samīcipaṭipanno bhagavato — the Blessed One's disciple-sangha sāvaka-saṅgho — the assembly who practise as the Dhamma samīcipaṭipanno bhagavato — the Blessed One's disciple-sangha, who indeed practise rightly

yadidaṃ — namely, as follows cattāri purisayugāni — the four pairs of persons aṭṭha purisapuggalā — the eight kinds of individuals esa bhagavato sāvaka-saṅgho — this is the Blessed One's disciple-sangha

āhuneyyo — worthy of gifts brought for offering pāhuneyyo — worthy of hospitality dakkhiṇeyyo — worthy of offerings given in faith añjalikaraṇīyo — worthy of reverential salutation with joined palms anuttaraṃ puññakkhettaṃ lokassāti — an unsurpassed field of merit for the world; thus it is said

saṅghaṃ hi vo bhikkhave anussarataṃ — Monks, this is because when you recollect the Sangha

yaṃ bhavissati bhayaṃ vā chambhitattaṃ vā — whatever fear there may be, or trembling lomahaṃso vā — or horripilation [hair standing on end] so paṭiyissati — that will subside taṃ kissa hetu — for what reason? tathāgato hi bhikkhave — monks, because the Tathāgata

araham sammāsambuddho — is a Worthy One, a Perfectly Self-Awakened One vītarāgo vītadoso vītamoho — whose lust has been extinguished, whose hatred has been extinguished, whose delusion has been extinguished

abhīru acchambhī — is one free of fear, free of dread anutrāsī apalāyīti — is one free of trembling, one who does not flee — thus it is idam avoca bhagavā — the Blessed One spoke these words idaṃ vatvāna sugato — the Well-Gone One, having spoken these words athāparaṃ etadavoca satthā — thereupon the Teacher spoke this further

araññe rukkhamūle vā — monks, when you suññāgāreva bhikkhavo — are at the foot of a tree in the forest, or in an empty dwelling

anussaretha sambuddhaṃ — recollect the Fully Awakened One bhayaṃ tumhākaṃ no siyā — fear will not arise in you no ce buddhaṃ sareyyātha — if you do not recollect the Buddha lokajeṭṭhaṃ narāsabhaṃ — who is foremost in the world, supreme among men

atha dhammaṃ sareyyātha — then recollect the Dhamma niyyānikaṃ sudesitaṃ — the leading-out [teaching] which has been well taught

no ce dhammaṃ sareyyātha — if you do not recollect the Dhamma niyyānikaṃ sudesitaṃ — the leading-out teaching which has been well taught atha saṅghaṃ sareyyātha — then recollect the Sangha puññakkhettaṃ anuttaraṃ — the unsurpassed field of merit

evaṃ buddhaṃ sarantānaṃ — monks, when you dhammaṃ saṅghañca bhikkhavo — thus recollect the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha in this way

bhayaṃ vā chambhitattaṃ vā — whatever fear there may be, or trembling lomahaṃso na hessati — or horripilation — none of these will arise. Thus it is.

Legend No. 8: The Āṭānāṭiya Paritta

The substance of this sutta is as follows. Once, the Blessed One was dwelling at Mount Gijjhakūṭa (Vulture Peak), near the great city of Rājagaha. At that time the Four Great Kings, who reside above the peak of Mount Yugandhara — in what is called the Cātummahārājika realm, a level lower than Tāvatiṃsa — these four deva-kings are under the authority of Indra. Indra assigned these four deva-kings to guard the approach roads by which the asuras might rise up to disturb Tāvatiṃsa, namely:

King Dhataraṭṭha is lord of the gandhabbas, guarding the eastern direction. King Virūḷhaka is lord of the kumbhaṇḍas, guarding the southern direction. King Virūpakkha is lord of the nāgas, guarding the western direction. King Vessavaṇa — also called King Kuvera — is lord of the yakkhas, guarding the northern direction.

These four deva-kings, thinking to be of benefit to the Buddha's religion and not wanting the tribes of yakkhas to become enemies who would harass and molest the community of disciples in the Buddhasāsana, therefore agreed together to descend and pay homage to the Buddha. They then reflected that if the asuras learned that the Four Guardians of the World were not in their heavenly city, they would rise up to disturb Tāvatiṃsa. So they arranged for a hundred thousand gandhabbas to guard the east, a hundred thousand kumbhaṇḍas to guard the south, a hundred thousand nāgas to guard the west, and a hundred thousand yakkhas to guard the north, and the Four Great Kings then assembled at the Āṭānā-

-ṭiya City, at the level of the Cātummahārājika [gods], where they composed the Āṭānāṭiya Paritta in praise of the seven Fully Self-Awakened Buddhas, beginning with Buddha Vipassī and ending with our own Buddha [Gotama]. Having composed the paritta, they proclaimed to their respective retinues: "The Dhamma-authority of the Blessed Buddha, our supreme teacher, together with the royal authority of us Four, is thus. Should anyone dare to transgress it, such-and-such punishment shall be done." Having proclaimed this to all their retinues, the Four Great Kings, together with their attendants, descended to pay homage to the Buddha at Mount Gijjhakūṭa. They reported that the yakkhas who had faith [in the Buddha] were few, because most yakkhas were of a coarse, unruly mind, given to transgressing the five precepts. Whenever a disciple of the Blessed One delighted in a remote dwelling place, practising the ascetic life in a location free of human traffic, a yakkha who lacked faith and confidence in the Buddha's teaching would harass and molest, appearing to frighten and cause illness, endangering the very rite of practising the ascetic life. "Therefore, from henceforth, we ask that you accept this Āṭānāṭiya paritta, and grant that all the monk- and nun-disciples recite and chant it regularly. The yakkhas as a whole will then gain faith and confidence in the Buddha's teaching, and will no longer harass or molest the Buddhist community. The power of this paritta will protect, guard, and safeguard against all dangers and calamities that might arise from the power of the yakkhas. When the yakkhas as a whole have faith and help protect and support [the sāsana], the monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen of the excellent Buddhasāsana will gradually find comfort in practising the ascetic life in well-being." The Blessed One accepted this by silence.

King Vessavaṇa then presented and recited the Āṭānāṭiya Paritta, saying: "Vipassissa namatthu ... [and so on] ... ayaṃ yakkho pamuñcati" [homage to Vipassī, and so forth ... thus this yakkha is released].

He then declared the power of the paritta: "Whoever learns this paritta well, without omitting a single verse, and diligently recites, chants, and commits it to memory well — if any yakkha should dare to molest a person who has learned, chanted, and committed the paritta to memory, whether by entering and lodging in the body, or by standing or sitting nearby and causing any manner of distress, that yakkha commits an offence against the Dhamma-realm and the Sovereign-realm, and shall receive severe punishment. Furthermore, the kumbhaṇḍas, gandhabbas, and nāgas likewise, if they transgress against the Buddha-realm and the Sovereign-realm, shall receive the same punishment as the yakkhas — that is to say, they will have no one to honour them, no one to assemble with them, and will not be able to remain in their own capital, and their heads will split into seven pieces.

This paritta possesses vast and far-reaching power. The Four Great Kings offered it to the Buddha for the benefit and protection of the disciples in the Buddha's teaching. Having done so, they paid homage and took their leave of the Blessed One, who then delivered this Buddha-utterance: "Great kings, attend to your royal duties as you see fit, at whatever time is proper." When the Four Great Kings had departed, the Buddha then convened an assembly of the entire Sangha, and explained to them the preceding events. At the end of his discourse the Buddha's words were: "Monks, even though you strive to make this Āṭānāṭiya paritta complete within your being, strive to memorize [it]

...firmly, it will protect, guard, and safeguard against all calamities and dangers, and will serve to prevent human beings from becoming bold enough to harass and molest the monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen; they will be able to dwell in physical comfort and ease." All the monks bowed their heads low and received the flow of the Buddha's proclamation with shared delight.

This paritta has the following verses to be chanted, together with their translation, as follows —

Vipassissa namatthu — May my homage be to the Buddha named Vipassī.

Cakkhumantassa sirīmato — who possesses the [Dhamma-]eye, who possesses glory Sikhissapi namatthu — May my homage also be to the Buddha named Sikhī

Sabbabhūtānukampino — who is habitually compassionate toward all beings Vessabhussa namatthu — May my homage be to the Buddha named Vessabhū Nahātakassa tapassino — who has washed away defilements, who possesses ascetic fervour

Namatthu Kakusandhassa — May my homage be to the Buddha named Kakusandha Mārasenappamaddino — who has crushed Māra and Māra's army

Konāgamanassa namatthu — May my homage be to the Buddha named Koṇāgamana Brāhmaṇassa vusīmato — who has cast off evil, who has completed the holy life

Kassapassa namatthu — May my homage be to the Buddha named Kassapa Vippamuttassa sabbadhi — who is entirely liberated from all defilements

Aṅgīrasassa namatthu — May my homage be to the Buddha named Aṅgīrasa Sakyaputtassa sirīmato — the glorious son of the Sakyan king Yo imaṃ dhammaṃ desesi — who taught this Dhamma Sabbadukkhāpanūdanaṃ — which dispels all suffering

Ye cāpi nibbutā loke — Furthermore, whichever Buddhas have quenched [their] defilements in the world, Yathābhūtaṃ vipassisuṃ — who have seen clearly the Dhamma as it truly is, Te janā apisuṇā — those Buddhas are persons free of malicious speech

Mahantā vītasāradā — of great virtue, whose dread has departed entirely

Hitaṃ devamanussānaṃ — gods and human beings bow Yaṃ namassanti Gotamaṃ — in homage to the Buddha, of Gotama's lineage, who is of benefit and help to gods and human beings

Vijjācaraṇasampannaṃ — who is endowed with knowledge and Mahantaṃ vītasāradaṃ — conduct, of great virtue, whose dread has departed entirely

Namo me sabbabuddhānaṃ — May my homage be to all the Buddhas Uppannānaṃ mahesinaṃ — the great seekers who have arisen

Taṇhaṅkaro mahāvīro — that is, the Buddha Taṇhaṅkara, the courageous one Medhaṅkaro mahāyaso — the Buddha Medhaṅkara, of great renown Saraṇaṅkaro lokahito — the Buddha Saraṇaṅkara, who benefits the world Dīpaṅkaro jutimantaro — the Buddha Dīpaṅkara, who possesses radiant wisdom

Koṇḍañño janapāmokkho — the Buddha Koṇḍañña, foremost among people

Maṅgalo purisāsabho — the Buddha Maṅgala, the noblest of men Sumano sumano dhīro — the Buddha Sumana, a wise man of beautiful heart Revato ratiwaḍḍhano — the Buddha Revata, who increases delight Sobhito guṇasampanno — the Buddha Sobhita, endowed with virtue Anomadassī januttamo — the Buddha Anomadassī, supreme among people Paduno lokappajjoto — the Buddha Paduma, who illuminates the world Nārado varasārathi — the Buddha Nārada, the excellent charioteer Padumuttara sattasāro — the Buddha Padumuttara, the refuge of all beings

Sumedho appaṭipuggalo — the Buddha Sumedha, whom no one can compare to Sujāto sabbalokaggo — the Buddha Sujāta, foremost of all beings in the world

Piyadassī narāsabho — the Buddha Piyadassī, foremost among men

Atthadassī kāruṇiko — the Buddha Atthadassī, who is compassionate Dhammadassī tamonudo — the Buddha Dhammadassī, who dispels darkness Siddhattho asamo loke — the Buddha Siddhattha, without equal in the world

Tisso vadataṃ varo — the Buddha Tissa, supreme among sages

Pusso ca varado buddho — the Buddha Pussa, who bestows the excellent Dhamma

Vipassī ca anūpamo — the Buddha Vipassī, incomparable Sikhī sabbahito satthā — the Buddha Sikhī, the Teacher, who benefits all beings

Vessabhū sukhadāyako — the Buddha Vessabhū, who bestows happiness Kakusandho satthavāho — the Buddha Kakusandha, who leads beings out of the wilderness of defilements

Konāgamano raṇañjaho — the Buddha Koṇāgamana, who has vanquished the enemy, i.e., defilements

Teacher Thep Sarikabutr [running header] 81

Kassapo sirisampanno The Lord Kassapa, complete with glory.

Gotamo sakyapungavo. The Lord Gotama, foremost of the Sakya clan.

Ete caññe ca sambuddhā These fully-enlightened Buddhas, and others too,

Anekasata-koṭayo more than a hundred koti in number,

Sabbe buddhā asamasamā all these Buddhas are unequalled, without equal to any,

Sabbe buddhā mahiddhikā all these Buddhas possess great supernormal power,

Sabbe dasabalūpetā all these Buddhas are endowed with the ten powers,

Vesārajjehupāgatā endowed with the powers of intrepid confidence (vesārajja-ñāṇa),

Sabbe te paṭijānanti all of them declare and affirm,

Āsabhaṇṭhānamuttamaṃ the supreme lion's-stance (āsabhaṭṭhāna),

Sīhanādaṃ nadante te roaring the lion's roar, they [sentence continues on the next page]

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Parisāsu visāradā Fearless and undaunted, roaring the lion's roar amid the assemblies,

Brahmacakkaṃ pavattenti they set the wheel of Brahma [the supreme Dhamma-wheel] turning,

Loke appaṭivattiyaṃ a wheel that no one else in the world had yet set turning.

Upetā buddhadhammehi Those Buddhas are endowed with the qualities of Buddhahood,

Aṭṭhārasahi nāyakā the eighteen [Buddha-qualities], as leaders who lead beings out of the mass of suffering,

Dvattiṃsalakkhaṇūpetā endowed with the thirty-two marks [of a great being],

Sītānubyañjanadharā and bearing the eighty minor characteristics,

Byāmappabhāya suppabhā possessed of beautiful radiance, with an aura extending a fathom on each side,

Sabbe te munikuñjarā all of them are noble sages, lordly as elephants among sages,

Buddhā sabbaññuno ete all these Buddhas are Omniscient Ones.

Teacher Thep Sarikabutr 83

Sabbe khīṇāsavā jinā All are Arahants [with taints exhausted], the Victorious Ones,

Mahappabhā mahātejā of great radiance, great majesty,

Mahāpaññā mahabbalā of great wisdom, great strength,

Mahākāruṇikā dhīrā of great compassion, and wise sages,

Sabbesānaṃ sukhāvahā bringing happiness to all beings,

Dīpā nāthā patiṭṭhā ca an island, a refuge, and a foundation,

Tāṇā leṇā ca pāṇinaṃ a shelter and a hiding-place for living beings,

Gatī bandhū mahassāsā a destiny, kinsfolk, a great source of comfort,

Saraṇā ca hitesino a place of refuge, seeking the welfare

Sadevakassa lokassa of the world together with its heavenly beings,

Sabbe ete parāyanā all these Buddhas are the final refuge of beings.

Tesāhaṃ sirasā pāde I pay homage with my head to the feet

Vandāmi purisuttame of those Buddhas, the supreme among men, I pay homage

Vacasā manasā ceva to those Buddhas, the Tathāgatas,

Vandām' ete tathāgate with speech and mind alike.

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Sayane āsane ṭhāne Whether lying down, sitting, or standing,

Gamane cāpi sabbadā even while walking, at all times,

Sadā sukhena rakkhantu may the Buddhas, who bring about peace, protect you with happiness at all times.

Buddhā santikarā tuvaṃ May you, protected by those other Buddhas who have granted their protection, be one who is at peace.

Tehi tvaṃ rakkhito santo

Mutto sabbabhayena ca May you be free from all dangers,

Sabbarogavinimutto May you be free from all sickness,

Sabbasantāpavajjito May you be free from all distress,

Sabbaveramatikkanto May you have passed beyond all enmity,

Nibbuto ca tuvaṃ bhava May you become one who is cooled [free of suffering],

Tesaṃ saccena sīlena by their truthfulness, by their virtue,

Khantimettābalena ca by the strength of patience and loving-kindness — by these qualities of those Buddhas,

Te pi tumhe anurakkhantu may these very qualities of the Dhamma also continue to protect you all.

Teacher Thep Sarikabutr 85

Ārogyena sukhena ca. together with health, and together with happiness.

In the eastern quarter, gandhabbas [celestial musician-spirits] of great power dwell.

May those gandhabbas also continue to protect you all,

together with health, and together with happiness.

In the southern quarter, devas of great power dwell.

May those devas also continue to protect you all,

together with health, and together with happiness.

In the western quarter, nagas of great power dwell.

May those nagas also continue to protect you all,

together with health, and together with happiness.

86 Secrets of Saiyasat

In the northern quarter, yakkhas of great power dwell.

May those yakkhas also continue to protect you all,

together with health, and together with happiness.

Dhataraṭṭha [guards] the eastern quarter, Virūḷhaka the southern quarter, Virūpakkha the western quarter, Kuvera the northern quarter —

those four Great Kings, glorious guardians of the world.

May those Great Kings also continue to protect you all,

together with health, and together with happiness.

The devas and nagas of great power, whether dwelling in the sky or dwelling on the ground —

Teacher Thep Sarikabutr 87

May those devas and nagas also continue to protect you all,

together with health, and together with happiness.

I have no other refuge —

The Buddha is my supreme refuge.

By the speaking of this truth,

may victory and blessing be yours.

I have no other refuge —

The Dhamma is my supreme refuge.

By the speaking of this truth,

may victory and blessing be yours.

I have no other refuge —

The Sangha is my supreme refuge.

By the speaking of this truth,

may victory and blessing be yours.

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Whatever jewel there may be in this world,

of many various kinds,

none is equal to the jewel of the Buddha.

Therefore, may all safety and well-being be yours.

Whatever jewel there may be in this world,

of many various kinds,

none is equal to the jewel of the Dhamma.

Therefore, may all safety and well-being be yours.

Whatever jewel there may be in this world,

of many various kinds,

none is equal to the jewel of the Sangha.

Therefore, may all safety and well-being be yours.

By virtue of having paid homage to the jewel of the Buddha — [sentence continues on the next page]

Teacher Thep Sarikabutr 89

the supreme and excellent medicine,

beneficial to devas and to human beings —

may all calamities be destroyed,

may all your sufferings be pacified in safety through the power and majesty of the Buddha.

By virtue of having paid homage to the jewel of the Dhamma —

the supreme and excellent medicine,

which calms all fevers of agitation —

may all calamities be destroyed,

may all your dangers be pacified in safety through the power and majesty of the Dhamma.

By virtue of having paid homage to the jewel of the Sangha —

the supreme and excellent medicine —

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fit to receive offerings, fit to be welcomed —

may all calamities be destroyed,

may all your sicknesses be pacified in safety through the power and majesty of the Sangha.

May all misfortunes be averted,

may all sickness be destroyed,

may no danger befall you,

may you be happy and long-lived.

For one whose habit is to pay respect, who constantly honours those worthy of honour, four things ever increase: long life, good complexion, happiness, and strength.

91

Story 5: The Angulimala Paritta

The content of this protective verse (paritta) is this: The brahmin wife of the royal chaplain (purohita) — the teacher of King Kosala — was pregnant. When her term was complete she gave birth to a son. At the moment of the birth a marvel occurred: the weapons belonging to the brahmin chaplain and the royal weapons of King Kosala blazed up as though aflame. The chaplain read the omen above, and, greatly astonished that his own son had just been born, went before King Kosala and reported that the weapons had burst into flame through the power of the boy born in his household; that the boy would become a bandit of cruel disposition; that in time he would slaughter great numbers of people, though he would do no harm to the capital itself; and he asked that the King have the boy seized and put to death.

King Kosala commanded: "To kill the child now would not be right. Let the chaplain raise and protect him instead." So the chaplain kept and raised the boy. As the child gradually grew, he was given the name — on account of the weapons having blazed like fire — "Ahiṃsaka-kumāra" [the Harmless Prince].

When Prince Ahiṃsaka reached an age fit for learning the arts and sciences, his parents sent him to study under a teacher renowned in all directions (disāpāmokkha).

92 Secrets of Saiyasat

At the city of Takkasilā, young Ahiṃsaka proved a clever student, learning the arts quickly, and he also served his teacher exceedingly well. His fellow students grew jealous of him and went together to tell the teacher that Ahiṃsaka was scheming to do him harm. At first the teacher did not believe it, but when the students came repeatedly to repeat the charge, the teacher's affection for Ahiṃsaka was cut off, and he devised a scheme to have him borrow a weapon from someone else so that he might be put to death. He therefore told Ahiṃsaka to go and kill people in order to bring back one finger from each person, until he had a thousand fingers — only then would he be granted the mantra of supernormal power. Ahiṃsaka replied to his teacher that killing people was against the tradition of the brahmin lineage and that he could not do such a thing. The teacher insisted firmly that he must go and kill in order to obtain the fingers before the mantra of power could be granted. Ahiṃsaka, against his own will, was forced to go out to the edge of the forest and kill travelers passing by, cutting off their fingers and stringing them into a garland worn around his neck, until he had nine hundred and ninety-nine fingers. For this reason he came to be called "the bandit Aṅgulimāla" [Finger-Garland]. The people suffered greatly on account of this bandit who killed travelers, and so they went and reported it to King Kosala. King Kosala had troops made ready to go out, capture, and kill the bandit. The brahmin woman, mother of Aṅgulimāla, learning that danger now threatened her son, hurried on ahead of the troops in order to warn her son of what was coming.

At that time the Buddha, knowing by his insight that Aṅgulimāla possessed the disposition (upanissaya) for attaining Arahantship, [perceived that] if He did not go to subdue him before he committed matricide, Aṅgulimāla would forfeit the path and its fruit. So the Buddha set out to go and subdue him. [narrative continues on the next page]

Acharn 'Thep' Sarikaburi 93

By the power of the Buddha's miracle, Angulimala ran after the Blessed One, but could not catch up, so he called out for him to stop. The Blessed One kept walking, but declared by his royal word that he had [already] stopped. Angulimala then accused him of speaking falsely. The Blessed One said: "I have stopped from all unwholesome deeds, but you yourself have not yet stopped from sinful deeds." That voice caused Angulimala to gain mindfulness and see the fault in himself, so he cast away his weapon and the string of 999 fingers, and asked to be ordained. The Blessed One granted permission, and then led him to Jetavana.

The next day, the Venerable Angulimala went for alms round in the city of Savatthi. The townspeople, seeing him, were frightened of death and fled away entirely; no one offered him alms. At that time there was a woman far along in pregnancy who, on seeing the Venerable Angulimala, was so frightened that she tried to crawl under a fence to flee. Because her belly was too large to pass through, she happened at that moment to go into labor pains. She suffered but could not deliver the child. Her relatives then thought: "If the Venerable Angulimala would make a solemn asseveration of truth for this woman, she would surely deliver easily." So they invited him to make the asseveration of truth. The Venerable Angulimala made his asseveration, its content being the same as in the paritta verse [given below]. The woman then delivered her child easily and swiftly. After Angulimala made this asseveration of truth, a platform was later built [to commemorate it]. Even animals and women who had difficulty in childbirth, if they went and lay upon that platform, would deliver very easily. Even those who could not go there [could send someone] to fetch water to wash the platform...

94 Saiyasat Secrets

...anointing the head of a woman who has difficulty giving birth, it is likewise said she will deliver easily; and it is said that for a person with consumption (tuberculosis), when that water used to wash the platform is poured on the head, or given to drink, [the disease] can be cured.

When the Venerable Angulimala had made the asseveration of truth, he then received food from the alms round. After eating, he returned to continue his ascetic practice. The Venerable One, while practicing, felt intense agitation and remorse, seeing as if the bodies of those he had killed kept coming again and again to reclaim their lives. Afterward he received the Buddha's instruction: to purge sinful deeds from one's disposition, just as a man removes algae and duckweed from a pond. The Venerable One practiced according to the Buddha's word, and before long attained the fruit of Arahantship, becoming an extraordinary noble person within the excellent Buddhist religion.

The verse that is recited: only the verse that Angulimala used for his asseveration of truth is recited, three times through. The recited verse and its translation are as follows:

◎ Yato'ham bhagini ariyaya "Sister, since I was born" jatiya jato "by noble birth," nabhijanami sancicca "I do not recall intentionally" panam jivita voropeta "depriving any living being of its life." tena saccena sotthi te "By this word of truth, may well-being be with you," hotu sotthi gabbhassa. "may well-being be with your womb."

Legend No. 10: The Bojjhanga Paritta (Verses on the Factors of Enlightenment)

This paritta text, in the content of the verses recited, is composed of three legends, or three suttas together, though they have been brought together to be recited as one continuous passage. The content of the three legends is as given below:

Legend No. 1: The Mahakassapa Bojjhanga Sutta

It is told that once the Blessed One was residing at the great monastery of Veluvana near the city of Rajagaha. At that time the Venerable Mahakassapa was dwelling in the Pipphali Cave and had fallen severely ill, his condition worsening day by day. The Blessed One, feeling great compassion for Mahakassapa, when he emerged from seclusion—that is, from the attainment of fruition—went and gave the teaching on the Seven Factors of Enlightenment to Mahakassapa. When the teaching was finished, Mahakassapa, feeling joy in the Dhamma teaching, was able to rise up, cured of his illness.

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...compassion for Mahamoggallana. When he emerged from seclusion—that is, from the attainment of fruition—he went and gave the teaching on the Seven Factors of Enlightenment to Mahamoggallana. When the teaching was finished, Mahamoggallana, feeling joy in the Dhamma teaching, was able to rise up, cured of his illness.

Legend No. 3: The Mahacunda Bojjhanga Sutta

Once the Buddha was residing at Veluvanarama near the city of Rajagaha. He was afflicted with an illness causing severe pain in his abdomen, and his condition grew worse day by day. At that time the Venerable Elder Cunda, advanced in years, emerged from seclusion—that is, from the attainment of fruition—and went to pay homage to the Blessed One. The Blessed One then instructed by royal word that the Elder Cunda should recite the Factors of Enlightenment. The Elder Cunda then recited the Seven Factors of Enlightenment together with their benefit, [explaining] that the Blessed One had taught these Seven Factors of Enlightenment as leading to realization of the Four Noble Truths and to lifting oneself out of craving. When the Elder Cunda finished reciting this sutta, the Blessed One felt joy, was cured of his illness, and was able to rise up from his sickbed.

The content described above is contained, in abbreviated form, in the verses that are recited. The recited verses and their translation are as follows:

Acharn Thep Sarikaburi 97

◎ Bojjhango satisankhato "The seven factors of enlightenment: that called mindfulness— dhammanam vicayo tatha the factor of mindfulness; likewise investigation- viriyampitipassaddhi- of-states as a factor; energy, rapture, tranquility as bojjhanga ca tathapare further factors of enlightenment; samadhupekkha-bojjhanga concentration and equanimity as factors of sattete sabbadassina enlightenment—these, by the All-Seeing One, munina sammadakkhata the Sage who sees all phenomena, have been rightly proclaimed. Bhavita bahulikata "When developed and made much of by a person, samvattanti abhinnaya they lead to higher knowledge, nibbanaya ca bodhiya to the quenching of defilements, and to awakening. Etena saccavajjena "By the utterance of this truth, sotthi te hotu sabbada may well-being be with you always. Ekasmim samaye natho "On one occasion the Lord of the World Moggallanan ca Kassapam beheld Moggallana and Kassapa, gilane dukkhite disva sick and afflicted with suffering..." 76

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Bojjhange satta desayi "[Cunda] taught the seven factors of enlightenment, te ca tam abhinanditva and those two, delighting in that utterance, roga muccimsu tankhane were freed from illness at that very moment. Etena saccavajjena "By the utterance of this truth, sotthi te hotu sabbada may well-being be with you always. Ekada dhammarajapi "On one occasion, even the Buddha, King of the Dhamma, gelannenabhipilito oppressed and afflicted by illness, Cundattherena tan'neva had the Elder Cunda proclaim bhanapetvana sadaram that very [teaching] with reverent care. Sammoditva ca abadha "Rejoicing, he was freed from that affliction tamha vutthasi thanaso and rose at once from that condition. Etena saccavajjena "By the utterance of this truth, sotthi te hotu sabbada may well-being be with you always. Pahina te ca abadha "And those afflictions were abandoned tinnannampi mahesinam by all three great seekers [of the good]...

Acharn Thep Sarikaburi 99

Maggahata kilesava "[the defilements] destroyed by the path, pattanuppatti-dhammatam reaching the state of no longer arising by nature" [gloss: those defilements which the Noble One has destroyed by means of the Noble Path] Etena saccavajjena "By the utterance of this truth, sotthi te hotu sabbada. may well-being be with you always, always."

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Legend No. 11: The Abhaya Paritta (Protection from Danger)

◎ "Yantunimittam... sanghanubhavena vinasamentu" — the direct source of this verse has not yet been found; however, by comparison, some portions of it correspond to passages found in the suttas. It can be seen as a verse expressing that, should any inauspicious omen of whatever kind arise, one should recite this protective paritta rather than kill animals—four of each kind—as a sacrifice to ward off misfortune according to the brahmanical doctrine. The story from the Mahasupina Jataka will be presented here to give a sense of this, as follows:

Once King Pasenadi of Kosala had sixteen kinds of dreams, and this caused him to become fearful of death, so he related the dreams to his brahmin chaplain (purohita). The brahmin chaplain prophesied that some danger or other would befall the king, his royal wealth, or his queen, and advised that the king could avert the danger by taking animals—four of each kind—and offering them in sacrifice, whereby he would escape misfortune. King Pasenadi of Kosala then ordered preparations for the sacrifice according to the brahmin's words. Queen Mallika, having learned of this, said to her royal husband: "May it please you to ask the Blessed One about the dangers that are to occur." King Pasenadi of Kosala then went to ask the Blessed One at the great monastery of Jetavana.

Acharn Thep Sarikaburi 101

The Blessed One said that no danger whatsoever would befall King Pasenadi of Kosala, and he prophesied clearly about the events that would occur in the future. In the end the Buddha's word instructed King Pasenadi of Kosala to abolish that sacrificial rite.

This account is understood to be the source of: ◎ "Dussupinam akantam" — "any evil dream that is displeasing."

There is likewise another Jataka story called the Atthasadda Jataka, which tells that once King Pasenadi of Kosala heard the sounds of many kinds of creatures, such as birds, crying out strangely and unusually. He became fearful of death and prepared to perform a sacrificial rite as in the previous account, and he too went to ask the Buddha about it.

The Blessed One prophesied and explained the matter to King Pasenadi in full detail, and then gave his teaching that the sacrificial rite should be abolished.

This account is understood to be the source of: ◎ "Yo camanapo sakunassa saddo" — "any unpleasant sound of a bird."

The content of the remaining verses likewise has meanings drawn from other suttas. The commentarial teachers take the meaning given in the Dhajagga Sutta: that when fear and alarm arise, one should recall the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha as refuge, and this will dispel that...

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...fear and alarm may be dispelled, and also to prevent the brahmanical doctrine of animal sacrifice described above, this paritta verse was composed for lasting benefit.

◎ "Dukkhappatta ca nidukkha... rakkham bandhami sabbaso" — the source of this verse in the suttas has likewise not yet been found. Some have surmised that it is a verse for the spreading of loving-kindness [the Brahma-viharas] and the sharing of merit, together with an exhortation to all people to perform meritorious deeds. It is also, in addition, a verse recited to send off the devas—that is, when the devas are invited with the verse beginning "sagge...sunantu...", once the ceremony is finished they are sent back with this verse. The remaining content is contained in the verses and their translation below.

The verses and translation of the Abhaya Paritta are as follows —

Yantunimittam avamangalanca "Any evil omen, together with any inauspicious thing, yo camanapo sakunassa saddo any unpleasant sound of a bird, papaggaho dussupinam akantam any evil planetary influence, any undesired bad dream that exists, buddhanubhavena vinasamentu may all these be destroyed by the power of the Buddha."

Acharn Thep Sarikaburi 103

Yantunimittam avamangalanca "Any evil omen, together with any inauspicious thing, yo camanapo sakunassa saddo any unpleasant sound of a bird, papaggaho dussupinam akantam any evil planetary influence, any undesired bad dream that exists, sanghanubhavena vinasamentu may all these be destroyed by the power of the Sangha.

◎ Dukkhappatta ca nidukkha "May all sentient beings who have met with suffering be free of suffering, bhayappatta ca nibbhaya and those who have met with danger be free of danger, and sokappatta ca nissoka those who have met with sorrow be free of sorrow, hontu sabbepi panino may it be so for all living beings. Ettavata ca amhehi By this much, may all the devas rejoice with us..."

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Sambhatam punnasampadam "This accumulation of merit which we have built up to this extent, sabbe devanumodantu may all devas rejoice in it,

sabbasampatti-siddhiya so that every accomplishment may be fulfilled; may people give alms with danam dadantu saddhaya faith, silam rakkhantu sabbada keep the precepts at all times, bhavanabhirata hontu and take delight in meditation. gacchantu devata gata May the devas who have come now please return [to their abodes].

Sabbe buddha balappatta "All Buddhas, endowed with power entire, paccekanan ca yam balam and whatever power belongs to the Pacceka Buddhas, arahantanan ca tejena and by the might of the Arahants— rakkham bandhami sabbaso I bind this protection around myself, in every respect."

Legend No. 12: Jayaparitta

'Mahā karuṇiko nātho... jayamaṅgalaṃ.' This verse has not yet been found, in this exact full wording, as coming from any sutta, but it is presumed by comparison to be a certain sacred verse that extols and praises the Buddha as one who, endowed with compassion, has brought all the perfections (pāramī) of the Dhamma to completion, for the benefit of all beings. Let an example be cited to make this known: once, when the kingdom of Kosala suffered a drought, the people petitioned and invited [the Buddha] to go on almsround and to keep the rains-retreat in that region.

The Blessed One, out of great compassion for those people, went on almsround together with his company of monks in the city of Sāvatthī. After the almsround and the meal were finished, he went to Jetavana and stood on the steps of a lotus pond whose water had dried up. Flocks of birds were pecking at fish, and tortoises lying stuck in the mud were struggling. At that time the Great Teacher wore his robes differently than usual for bathing — wrapping one edge around himself and draping the other over his shoulder — and uttered these words: 'We shall bathe in the pond at Jetavana.' This wish of the Buddha's became known to Indra (Vajirindra), who then issued a divine command to Vassavalāhaka, the rain-cloud deity, to cause a great cloud to rise up in the eastern quarter, and to make rain fall in full...

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In that parched region, humans and animals alike were freed from suffering and danger through this great compassion — a marvel indeed.

This capacity for compassion had been accumulated over a very long time. Even in the past life when he was the ascetic Sumedha and met the Buddha Dīpaṅkara, at that time he already possessed perfections mature enough to attain arahantship and end suffering in that very life. Yet, [he reflected,] if there is loving-kindness and compassion for the many beings still suffering, it would not be right to escape and save only oneself alone first — one ought to find a means to help others too, for that is what would please the Buddha Dīpaṅkara. So he formed the aspiration for the knowledge of enlightenment (bodhiñāṇa) directly before the Buddha Dīpaṅkara, and received the prophecy from the Buddha Dīpaṅkara that this ascetic Sumedha would in the future become a Buddha.

This great compassion, having been established then, continued to grow until he attained the supreme perfect self-awakening, complete with the virtue of purity. He could have simply dwelt enjoying the bliss of liberation like a Paccekabuddha, but being full of great compassion he could not act in that way, and so he bestowed the Buddha's teaching, giving happiness and prosperity to the world up to this very day.

The wise, hoping in this quality of great compassion, that it might serve as protection and bring about auspiciousness and prosperity, have therefore established the practice of chanting this verse at the end of chanting sessions, as a tradition handed down.

Teacher Thep Sarikabutr 107

'Jayanto... pamodati.' This is a verse recounting the victory of the Blessed One — namely, when he was about to attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, the Mara-king Vasavatti, who bore envy toward him, raised an army of Maras to assail him, so as to make him fail to attain enlightenment. The Blessed One called to mind the thirty perfections (pāramī), beginning with the perfection of giving, as a power to protect him, and he also called to mind the Earth Goddess (Nang Phra Thoranī), asking her to come and bear witness that he had given alms for a very long time. The Earth Goddess then manifested herself and wrung, from the coil of her hair, the water of dedication (dakkhiṇodaka) that he had poured out every time he performed an act of giving throughout his accumulation of perfections — causing a flood that swept away and scattered the host of Maras who had come to assail him. The Mara-king and his forces were thus defeated, and all the Maras, realizing for certain that this perfection of giving possessed too great a power for them to overcome, became filled with reverence, paid homage to him, and departed.

'Mara' here is understood in two senses: one is the Mara of defilements (kilesa-māra), the other is the Mara who is a deva-son (devaputta-māra). There is another account which tells that the Mara-king had three daughters: one named Taṇhā, meaning desire or restless craving; the second named Rāgā, meaning lust or delight in sensual pleasures; and the third named Aratī, meaning envy and displeasure. These three offered to assist the Mara-king in assailing the Blessed One — it is said that this assailing took place before his enlightenment, as told in the commentary (ṭīkā).

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...the 'Bāhuṃ' [victory verses], and the assailing that took place after his enlightenment, as told in the Paṭhamasambodhi — but [the Maras] were never able to hold him back under their power. These three Mara-daughters are understood to be the enemy within the Blessed One's own heart, called the Mara of defilements (kilesa-māra); while the Mara-king himself together with his mighty host are counted as the external enemy, called the deva-son Mara (devaputta-māra).

'Sunakkhattaṃ sumaṅgalaṃ... saha sabbehi ñātibhi.' This verse comes from the Suppabhāta [Good-Dawn] Sutta, which begins with the account that: once the Blessed One was dwelling at the Jetavana Mahāvihāra in the city of Sāvatthī. Being concerned with what makes a good day for beings, he issued the command summoning the monks to assemble, and then spoke these words: 'Monks, whatever beings conduct themselves well in body, speech, and mind in the early part of the day — that is, in the morning — that time is the good beginning of the day for those beings. Whatever beings conduct themselves well in body, speech, and mind at the time when the sun is in the middle of the day — that is, at noon — that time is the good middle of the day for those beings. Whatever beings conduct themselves well in body, speech, and mind at the time when the day comes to its end — that is, in the evening — that time is the good ending of the day for those beings.' Having spoken these verses, the Blessed One then...

Teacher Thep Sarikabutr 109

Continuing further: 'Sunakkhattaṃ sumaṅgalaṃ... saha sabbehi ñātibhi' is the verse chanted in this tradition. The commentators (aṭṭhakathācariya) have added two further verses beyond what is found in the sutta, namely: 'So attha laddho sukhito... saha sabbehi ñātibhi' and 'Sā atthaladdhā sukhitā... saha sabbehi ñātibhi.' For the meaning beyond this, see the verse and translation that follow.

The verse and translation of the Jayaparitta are as follows:

'Mahākaruṇiko nātho' — He who is the refuge of beings, endowed with great compassion, 'hitāya sabba pāṇinaṃ' — for the welfare of all 'pūretvā pāramī sabbā' — living beings, having fulfilled all the perfections, 'patto sambodhimuttamaṃ' — has attained the supreme awakening, 'etena saccavajjena' — by the speaking of this truth, 'hotu te jayamaṅgalaṃ' — may victory and blessing be yours.

'Jayanto bodhiyā mūle' — The Buddha, having contended with Mara at the foot of the Bodhi tree, attained the state of the Foremost One, 'sakkayānaṃ nandivaḍḍhano' — rejoicing in the consecration of all 'evaṃ tvaṃ vijayo hohi' — the Buddhas, increasing the joy of 'jayassu jayamaṅgale' — the Sakya princes, [proclaiming] that he 'aparājitapallaṅke' — had conquered Mara upon the Unconquered Seat, 'sīse paṭhavipokkhare' — at the summit of the earth's surface.

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'Abhiseke sabbabuddhānaṃ' — Just as the throne that is the blessing 'aggappatto pamodati' — of victory above the lotus leaf, that is, the earth, is the foremost support, so may you too be victorious.

'Sunakkhattaṃ sumaṅgalaṃ' — Whatever time beings conduct themselves rightly, that time is called a good and auspicious constellation.

'Supabhātaṃ suhuṭṭhitaṃ' — Well dawned, well arisen indeed, 'sukkhaṇo sumuhutto ca' — a good instant, a good moment, 'suyiṭṭhaṃ brahmacārisu' — a good offering well made among those who live the holy life.

'Padakkhiṇaṃ kāyakammaṃ' — Bodily action that is a rightward circumambulation (auspicious),

'vācākammaṃ padakkhiṇaṃ' — verbal action that is a rightward circumambulation,

'padakkhiṇaṃ manokammaṃ' — mental action that is a rightward circumambulation,

'paṇidhī te padakkhiṇā' — your aspiration is a rightward circumambulation,

'padakkhiṇāni katvāna' — beings, having performed these actions that are a rightward circumambulation...

Teacher Thep Sarikabutr 111

'Labhantatthe padakkhiṇā' — [Beings] gain all benefit, which are all a rightward circumambulation.

'So atthaladdho sukhito' — May he (male) be one who has gained benefit, who has attained happiness,

'viruḷho buddhasāsane' — who prospers in the Buddha's teaching, 'aroko sukhito hohi' — may he be free of illness, may he attain happiness, 'saha sabbehi ñātibhi' — together with all his relatives.

'Sā atthaladdhā sukhitā' — May she (female) be one who has gained benefit, who has attained happiness,

'viruḷhā buddhasāsane' — who prospers in the Buddha's teaching, 'arogā sukhitā hohi' — may she be free of illness, may she attain happiness, 'saha sabbehi ñātibhi' — together with all her relatives.

'Te atthaladdhā sukhitā' — May they (both male and female) be those who have gained benefit and attained happiness,

'viruḷhā buddhasāsane' — who prosper in the Buddha's teaching, 'arogā sukhitā hotha' — may they be free of illness, may they attain happiness, 'saha sabbehi ñātibhi' — together with all their relatives.

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Notes on the meaning of the parittas

1. Maṅgala Sutta — There are 38 qualities that constitute prosperity. Whoever practices in accordance with these teachings will receive blessed prosperity and attain ease and happiness.

2. Ratana Sutta — Respecting the Triple Gem, listening to the Dhamma, and expounding the Dhamma serve to quell and extinguish suffering, bringing about happiness.

3. Karaṇīyametta Sutta — One who cultivates loving-kindness will find prosperity wherever they dwell.

4. Khandha Paritta — Creatures will not harm one who cultivates loving-kindness — Chaddanta Paritta — danger does not arise for one who speaks the truth.

5. Mora Paritta — One is able to keep the precepts and steadily develop meditation practice through reflecting on and avoiding what is unwholesome.

6. Vaṭṭaka Paritta — Speaking truthfully protects oneself from danger.

7. Dhajagga Sutta — Recollecting the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha is right recollection, which dispels fear and anxiety.

8. Āṭānāṭiya Paritta — Showing respect to those worthy of respect, with the Buddha foremost among them, brings about one's own prosperity.

Teacher Thep Sarikabutr 113

9. Aṅgulimāla Paritta — Speaking the truth is of benefit both to oneself and to others.

10. Bojjhaṅga Paritta — Listening to the Dhamma with respect and taking delight in it can, when one is ill, bring relief from that illness.

11. Abhaya Paritta — The power of the Triple Gem dispels inauspiciousness everywhere.

12. Jaya Paritta — The Buddha's victory was won through right conduct in the three doors [of body, speech, and mind] and through great compassion.

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The 'Khom' Script

As for the mantras and sacred verses that have been used throughout the Thai nation, from ancient times right up to the present era — whether recorded in textbooks handed down through the kingdom, or inscribed as verses upon yantra [diagrams] — it has been customary to use the Khom script, which is regarded as a sacred script that was used from the very beginning, before Thai script came into being. Therefore, for those interested in the matter of sacred mantras and spells —

the very first and most essential step is that one must practice reading and writing the Khom script until proficient. As for the vowels and consonants used for writing in Khom, the ancient teachers gave them a very profound significance: they held that each single letter was to be regarded as one Buddha (according to the sense given in the Ratanamālā scripture). For this reason there arose a strict prohibition: one must not tread upon or treat improperly [anything bearing such letters]...

Teacher Thep Sarikabutr 115

...for instance, using paper or an object bearing Khom letters for wiping oneself clean is absolutely forbidden, because it is held to be a very grave 'sin.' This belief has continued down to apply to Thai script as well. However — in the practice of learning to read Khom script,

the very first thing that must be read is: 'Namo Buddhāya siddhaṃ...' — this being words that serve as a reminder to recollect the virtues of the Buddha, requesting the power to learn successfully according to one's wish. After that, one reads the eight vowels and the thirty-three consonant letters in the Pali manner, as follows:

'Namo Buddhāya Siddhaṃ'

a, ā, i, ī, u, ū, e, o

ka, kha, kha, gha, nga ca, cha, cha, jha, nya ṭa, ṭha, ḍa, ḍha, ṇa ta, tha, da, dha, na pa, pha, ba, bha, ma ya, ra, la, wa, sa ha, ba/pha, ang, etc.

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At the outset, the verses from the Ratanamālā scripture will first be set down here, because the Ratanamālā scripture begins its verses from 'Namo Buddhāya siddhaṃ, a, ā... ba, haṃ...' and thereafter come the fifty-six verses of the Buddha's virtues, known as 'Itipiso Ratanamālā' [26 verses], followed by 'Svākkhāto' [38 verses] and 'Supaṭipanno' [15 verses]. As this is an old scripture at risk of being lost, it has been brought and set down here.

The Ratanamala Scripture ("Garland of Jewels")

This page opens a table of Pali mnemonic verses (a genre sometimes called a "heart" or hua-jai formula), each keyed to one syllable of the base invocation Namo Buddhaya + Siddhi..., marked by a ◎ (bindu) sign, and printed as two couplets that close on a repeating refrain of homage (namāmi/namo — "I pay homage to"). A faint, illegible ghost of text from the facing page shows through beneath the title; it is not transcribed as it is not this page's own content.

นะ: a verse chaining words on the sound "na," praising a god who benefits and is honored by both men and gods, closing "I pay homage to the Well-Gone One (Sugata), the Victor (Jina)."

โม: a "mo"-verse on delusion (moha) being cut off, ended, and destroyed through all-knowing wisdom (sabbaññutañāṇa) — "I pay homage to that."

พุท: a "buddha"-verse praising the Buddha, Buddhahood, and what the Buddha spoke, closing "I pay homage to the Buddha's radiance."

ธา: a "dhātu/element"-verse on the elemental nature of all phenomena, heaven, and Nibbana — "I pay homage to that elemental nature."

ยะ: a "ya"-verse on right view, the Dhamma revered with joined palms, and the Sangha attained — "I pay homage to that."

สิท: the well-known "siddhi" (accomplishment) verse — accomplished task, accomplished deed, the Tathagata who accomplishes, accomplished requisites — "I pay homage to the accomplished task."

ธัง: a verse on one established in and revering the Dhamma, the Tathagata who is the Dhamma itself, who sees and practises the Dhamma — "homage to you, Lord of the Dhamma."

อะ: a verse on the Arahant worthy of worship and honor, who has overcome evil, attained the fruit of Arahantship — "homage to you named Arahant."

Page 118 (running head: "Secrets of Saiyasat"). The table continues, now working through the ten Thai vowels as seed sounds for the same style of verse.

อา: knowledge born of virtue, of renunciation, of loving-kindness and equanimity — "thus comes firm resolve."

อิ: on the doers of psychic power (iddhi) and the power of iddhi itself, proclaimed and accomplished — "I pay homage to the power of iddhi."

อี: "such is the Buddha's word, such is the supreme Dhamma, such is heaven and liberation" — "I pay homage to such qualities."

อุ: the supreme Buddha who taught the Dhamma leading to heaven and liberation — "I pay homage to that supreme one."

อู: freedom from desire, aversion, and delusion, freedom from wrong views and entanglement — "I pay homage to that freedom."

เอ: seeking all the Buddhas, the supreme Dhamma, heaven and liberation — "I pay homage to that peaceful seeking."

ไอ: union [with protective naga/garuda power], protecting the body, conquering Mara — "I pay homage to that right view."

โอ: removed from all defilement, all impurity, all wrong view — "I pay homage to that removed mind."

เอา: arisen for the world's sake, as the foremost Victor, as the supreme Buddha — "I pay homage to that arising."

อัง: endowed with excellent qualities, the Buddha, whose life and teaching are excellent and supreme — "I pay homage to that embodiment of excellent qualities."

Running head: "Achan Thep Sarikabutr" (the author). Page 119. The table now works through the ก-class and จ-class Thai consonants (ก ข ค ฆ ง / จ ฉ ช ฌ), each seed letter given the same two-couplet treatment.

อะ: a verse on things past, future, and shining, on the unseen nature of the Dhamma [partly indistinct].

กะ, ขะ, คะ, ฆะ, งะ, จะ, ฉะ, ชะ, ฌะ: each entry is an alliterative chain of syllables built on its seed consonant's sound rather than an ordinary Pali sentence, closing with the standard refrain "I pay homage to..." — the closing epithets that are recognizable name: a refuge/protector (สะระณัง, "kā, refuge"), a lamp (ปะทีบัง, "lamp-maker"), auspiciousness (สุมังคะลัง), a gladdened mind and the Buddha (สุมะนัง พุทธัง), the Buddha radiant/transcendent (พุทธะเรวัตตัง), and the Buddha resplendent (พุทธะโสภิตัง). The bodies of these verses are sound-play on their initial letter in the style of a hua-jai (heart-mantra) mnemonic and are not rendered as literal prose to avoid inventing meaning not actually present.

Page 120 (running head: "Secrets of Saiyasat"). The consonant table continues through ญ ฎ ฐ ฑ ฒ ณ ต ถ ท ธ. As before, each entry is a sound-chain on its seed letter closing in the refrain "I pay homage to..."; the recognizable closing epithets in this stretch are: one of humble/lowest vision (อะโนมะทัสสิง), the lotus Victor (ปะทุมัง ชินัง), the boat/ford Victor (นาวะทัง ชินัง — a crossing-over image), the supreme lotus (ปะทุมุตตะรัง), the wise Victor (สุเมธัง ชินัง), the well-gone Victor (สุขาตัง ชินัง), one who sees rightly (ทัสสี, twice — with "attha-dassī," "seer of the goal"), one who sees the Dhamma (ธัมมะทัสสี), and finally Siddhattha — the future Buddha's own name (สิทธัตถัง).

Running head: "Achan Thep Sarikabutr." Page 121. The table works through นะ ปะ ผะ พะ ภะ มะ ยะ ระ ละ วะ. The closing refrains in this stretch invoke, in order, the seven past Buddhas by name: Kissa/Kassapa (กิสสะ...ชินัง — likely Kassapa Buddha), Puссa/Phussa (ปุสสะ...ชินัง), Vipassī (วิบัสสิ...), the "radiant" Buddha Sikhī (พุทธะสิขิน...), Vessabhū (เวสะภุ...), Kakusandha (กุกกุสัน...), Koṇāgamana (โกนาคะมะนัน...), Kassapa again (กัสสะบัง...ชินัง), Gotama (โคตะมัง...ชินัง — the historical Buddha), and finally an epithet of "true speech" (วะทัตตัง...ชินัง). Each entry's body is again an alliterative chain on its seed sound rather than ordinary prose.

Page 122 (running head: "Secrets of Saiyasat"). This short page finishes the consonant sequence with only four entries — สะ หะ พะ อัง — each still an alliterative sound-chain closing on the standard refrain of homage. The last entry's closing names the Arahant Victor (อะระหัง ชินัง) directly. The lower two-thirds of the page is blank, with only a faint ghost of the facing page's print showing through; that ghosting is not transcribed as it belongs to a different page.

The Chamber of the Buddha's Virtues

A new heading marks a fresh table. Its seed sounds no longer follow the Thai consonant order but spell a fresh word/phrase (อิ ติ บี โส ภะ คะ วา อะ ระ) — recognizably the start of the Buddhist epithet "Itipiso Bhagavā..." ("Thus indeed is the Blessed One..."), the standard formula recalling the Buddha's virtues. Each entry keeps the same two-couplet, refrain-closing form as the preceding pages.

อิ: desiring all-knowing wisdom and the ending of the taints, attained to the desired Dhamma — "I pay homage to the one possessed of psychic power."

ติ: crossed over the round of suffering, foremost of those who have crossed over, gone beyond the three realms — "I pay homage to the one who has crossed the flood."

บี [pī]: dear to gods and men, dear to and foremost among Brahmas, dear to nagas and garudas — "I pay homage to that one dear [to all]."

โส: a mind free of sorrow, resplendent among gods, rejoicing though touched by sorrow — "I pay homage to that resplendent form."

ภะ: one who has broken with wrong teachings through the true Dhamma, broken with evil, delivers beings from fear — "I pay homage to that ended fear."

คะ: one who has gone by the true Dhamma, gone with joy among the gods, going to the peaceful, pleasant [Nibbana] — "I pay homage to that going in the Dhamma."

วา: gone forth from craving, speaking the supreme word, striving for the extinguishing [of defilement] in the forest — "I pay homage to that striving."

อะ: giving comfort to disheartened beings, the Victor who grants solace, endowed with endless virtue — "I pay homage to the one who goes to the [Nibbanic] end."

ระ: delighting in the attainment of Nibbana, delighting beings, bringing beings to a delightful place — "I pay homage to the ending of strife."

Page 124 (running head: "Secrets of Saiyasat"). The seed sounds continue the "Itipiso..." phrase: หัง สัม มา สัม พุท โธ วิช ชา จะ ระ — spelling out "...araham sammāsambuddho vijjācaraṇa[sampanno]..." ("...worthy, perfectly self-awakened, accomplished in knowledge and conduct...").

หัง: destroying evil in the Dhamma, granting joy to others, joyful, a great hero — "I pay homage to the destroyer of evil."

สัม: teaching rightly to beings the compounded and the uncompounded, cutting off the round of rebirth — "I pay homage to the Self-Awakened One."

มา: protecting beings like a mother, subduing the stubbornness of conceit, honored among gods — "I pay homage to the slayer of conceit."

สัม: rightly accumulating the perfections, having gathered his own happiness, having made an end of conditioned existence — "I pay homage to the one gone to peace."

พุท: awakened to the Four Truths, awakening the great multitude, awakening [beings] to the auspicious path — "I pay homage to the supreme Buddha."

โธ: cleansed of passion and aversion, cleansed of delusion in beings, the great hero cleansed throughout — "I pay homage to the one cleansed of defilement."

วิช: secluded from unwholesome states, mind established in seclusion, having composed a teaching of the Dhamma — "I pay homage to the one who has understood fully."

ชา: birth is a [conditioned] state, aging is a [conditioned] state, proclaimed as foremost in birth by the Buddha — "I pay homage to release from birth."

จะ: accumulating a store of merit, gaining happiness thereby, restraining evil deeds — "I pay homage to the one who brings about [merit]."

ระ: delighting in Nibbana, guarding the world's welfare, freed from anger, greed, and the other defilements — "I pay homage to that freedom."

Running head: "Achan Thep Sarikabutr." Page 125. The seed sounds spell on: ณะ สัม บั้น โน สุ คะ โต โล กะ วิ — continuing the epithet string "...sugato lokavi[dū]..." ("...well-gone, knower of the world...").

ณะ: honored by gods and Brahmas, roaring the lion's roar among gods and men always — "I pay homage to that roaring one."

สัม: associating with seclusion in the world, discerning what beings wish to know, attained to the accomplishment of Nibbana — "I pay homage to that attainment of peace."

บั้น [ban]: having accumulated the requisites of enlightenment, esteemed among the gods, wise without delusion — "I pay homage to that clarity."

โน: leading away from going to hell, not committing evil, wise without equal — "I pay homage to that Dhamma."

สุ: beautiful in supreme form, sweet-voiced in teaching the Dhamma, showing the way to the hard-to-see — "I pay homage to that well-gone one."

คะ: going in the worldly Dhamma [while] going to the deathless state, gone to release beings — "I pay homage to that attained knowledge."

โต: gladdening [beings] with the excellent Dhamma, established there, wandering about, bringing gladness to creatures — "I pay homage to that gladdened mind."

โล: the Self-Awakened One who abandons greed, foremost in the world, a mine of virtue, causing beings to abandon greed — "I pay homage to that ended greed."

กะ: dear to all beings, the Victor who has ended suffering, speaking the sweet Dhamma — "I pay homage to that peaceful speech."

วิ: proclaiming discipline (vinaya), having destroyed the three [kinds of] existence, endowed with special knowledge — "I pay homage to that insight (vipassanā)."

Page 126 (running head: "Secrets of Saiyasat"). Seed sounds: ทู อะ นุด ตะ โร ปุ ริ สะ ทัม มะ — spelling "...anuttaro purisadammasārathi..." ("...unsurpassed guide of persons to be tamed..."), continuing the Buddha's virtue-epithets.

ทู: causing beings to abandon [evil], proclaiming a far realm, having reached far-off Nibbana — "I pay homage to that reach."

อะ: making an end of birth, old age and the rest, with tireless effort of mind — "I pay homage to that comforter."

นุด: driving out thoughts of passion, driving them from other people, teaching what is beneficial to mankind — "I pay homage to that instruction."

ตะ: bringing about wholesome states, teaching the Dhamma, cutting off the craving of those who wander — "I pay homage to that cutting-off of craving."

โร: angering none though provoked, never angered himself, [curing] the sicknesses of desire and the rest — "I pay homage to that ended sickness."

ปุ: fulfilling his own vow [of Buddhahood], fulfilling the ten perfections, the meritorious king's own son — "I pay homage to that [Bodhisatta] son."

ริ [-ddhi]: possessed of psychic power that overturns [obstacles], never acting emptily, of noble lineage — "I pay homage to that noble lineage."

สะ: endowed with excellent virtue, foremost Victor of concentration, self-awakened, endowed with knowledge — "I pay homage to that harmonious speech."

ทัม: having tamed his own mind, having tamed gods and men, giving the deathless security — "I pay homage to that self-restraint."

มะ: the Self-Awakened One through great effort, who attained great knowledge, honored by men and gods — "I pay homage to that happiness of mind."

Running head: "Achan Thep Sarikabutr." Page 127. Seed sounds: สา ระ ถิ สัต ถา เท วะ มะ นุส สา — spelling "...satthā devamanussānaṃ..." ("...teacher of gods and men...").

สา: guiding [beings] to the deathless path, giving essence to beings here, instructing his disciples — "I pay homage to that essential Dhamma."

ระ: delighting his disciples, delighting in the noble true Dhamma, causing them to abide in a delightful place — "I pay homage to that end of strife."

ถิ: a disciple firmly established, abiding in excellent Nibbana, proclaiming a firm state — "I pay homage to that steadfast Dhamma."

สัต [sat-]: teaching the peaceful, blameless true Dhamma of Nibbana, composed together with his disciples — "I pay homage to that peaceful mind."

ถา: the sage who attained through effort, the state of Nibbana as a conditioned goal, established there in heavenly peace — "I pay homage to that establishing."

เท [deva-]: giving to gods, men, and living beings, giving them heaven and Nibbana, giving the excellent gift of Dhamma — "I pay homage to that foremost among gods."

วะ: free of delusion and taints, free of passion, free of aversion, revered by gods and Brahmas — "I pay homage to the excellent Buddha."

มะ [-nussa-]: having achieved the great perfections through great effort, honored — "I pay homage to that one honored by men, gods, and Brahmas." (order of the two half-lines as printed appears reversed from the expected sequence.)

นุส [-sānaṃ]: driving out evil, proclaiming the Dhamma, [teaching] those afflicted with suffering — "I pay homage to that relief from suffering."

สา: the essential Dhamma for living beings, instructing his disciples, the essential Dhamma for mankind — "I pay homage to that teaching."

Page 128 (running head: "Secrets of Saiyasat"), the last page of this chunk. Seed sounds: นัง พุท โธ ภะ คะ วา ติ — completing "...Buddho bhagavā ti" ("...the Buddha, the Blessed One"), the closing words of the Itipiso formula begun on page 127. Only seven entries appear; the remainder of the page is blank.

นัง: delighting [beings] in the excellent true Dhamma, joy for the gods, delighted by beings and gods — "I pay homage to that delightful one."

พุท: having awakened to the noble truths, awakening the world together with the gods, endowed with the Buddha's knowledge — "I pay homage rightly to the Buddha."

โธ: the great hero to be known, gone free of his own defilement, having known the evil in beings — "I pay homage to that cleansing." (This entry's seed line begins with the syllable โค rather than โธ as printed; transcribed as it appears.)

ภะ: [dispelling] fear from frightened beings, the leader who removes fear, gone beyond all states of existence — "I pay homage to that end of fear."

คะ: he by whom the true Dhamma is grasped, the excellent Dhamma to be grasped, causing [others] to grasp the excellent Dhamma — "I pay homage to that grasping."

วา: dear in the excellent Dhamma, [leading] monks to liberation from the forest [of defilement], dwelling in the excellent Dhamma — "I pay homage to that end of the forest [of craving]."

ติ: crossed over from all evil, crossed over and established in heaven, established in the state reckoned as Nibbana — "I pay homage to that sharp knowledge."

Heading: 'The Chamber of the Dhamma's Virtues.' This page and the next several expand the opening words of the Dhamma-recollection formula ('svākkhāto bhagavatā dhammo...', 'Well-expounded by the Blessed One is the Dhamma') syllable by syllable: each seed syllable of the root phrase (สวา, ขา, โต, ภะ, คะ, วะ, ตา, ธัม, โม) heads a short devotional couplet praising that quality, and every couplet closes with the same refrain, 'นะมามิหัง' — 'I pay homage to that one.' The internal phrasing is a folk-Pali mnemonic style that resists exact word-for-word rendering; the sense of each line, so far as the vocabulary allows, runs: - สวา: well arrived at peace and delight; worthy that the Dhamma be taught to it; worthy of offerings, a field of merit — homage to that peaceful one. - ขา: consuming away all filth; having tasted the sweet Dhamma; having mastered the threefold world — homage to that consumer [of defilement]. - โต: delighting all beings; delighting them with the teaching of the Dhamma; a mind composed in delight — homage to that one who delights. - ภะ: the Blessed One who has broken lust, broken hatred, broken delusion utterly, and broken the defilements of beings — homage to that Blessed Breaker [of defilement]. - คะ: going forth in the Dhamma among sages; revered among the gods; going forth in the holy life — homage to that one who has gone forth. - วะ: vomited-out lust, vomited-out hatred, vomited-out delusion and evil, vomited-out folly and wrong view — homage to that one who has expelled [defilement]. - ตา: ferrying all beings across; ferrying them over the flood to the far shore; ferrying them to liberation from saṃsāra — homage to that ferryman. - ธัม: while the Fully Enlightened One yet lives and teaches the Dhamma without cease, upholding the deathless state — homage to that one who upholds it. - โม: taming beings away from delusion, having driven out delusion and acting rightly, a Dhamma-farer who has slain delusion — homage to that slayer of delusion.

[A small printer's mark, '9', appears at the foot of the page.]

Printed folio '130,' running head 'The Secrets of Saiyasat.' Continuation of the same Dhamma-virtue expansion table, now on the syllables สัน ทิ ฏิ โก อะ กา ลิ โก เอ หิ (continuing the root formula '...สันทิฏฐิโก อะกาลิโก เอหิ...', 'to be seen for oneself, not delayed by time, inviting one to come and see...'). Each couplet again closes with 'นะมามิหัง,' 'I pay homage to that one': - สัน: dispeller of the darkness of all beings, destroyer of all sorrow, benefactor of all creatures — homage to that all-benefiting one. - ทิ: not caught up in wrong views of visible things, cut off from doubt and the passion of views, free of the two extremes and of craving — homage to that one free of wrong view. - ฏิ: steadfast in virtuous conduct, a steadfast elder praised in body and mind, steadfastly practising the Dhamma — homage to that steadfast one. - โก: free of lust among the fearful, whose Dhamma cannot be obstructed, honoured in the world among the fearful — homage to that one revered among the fearful. - อะ: the foremost, supreme, excellent Dhamma; of foremost merit; the foremost Dhamma, subtle and refined — homage to that foremost, peaceful one. - กา: acting so as to be free of enmity, leading others to walk in the Dhamma, delighting in the training in what should be done — homage to that one who so acts. - ลิ: freed from all suffering, preserved in the three baskets [of scripture], inscribed in gold — homage to that inscribed one. - โก: what person is there equal to this, who reveres the Dhamma highly, who pays homage to the flavour of the Dhamma — homage to that skilful one. - เอ: seeking the word of the Buddha, seeking the supreme Dhamma, seeking heaven and liberation — homage to that seeker of peace. - หิ: [showing the way] out of the low state, leading away from the low state to happiness, quenching delusion amid the low — homage to that one who lifts up from lowliness.

Running header: 'Ajahn Thep Sarikabutr,' folio '131.' No new section heading — this is a continuation of the Dhamma-virtue expansion table. Ten more seed-syllables are treated, each couplet again closing with homage to the quality named: - [seed 'bak-']: gone to the treasury of enlightenment, calmed among gods and men, possessed of wisdom, free of delusion — homage to that calmed one. - สิ: through virtue one goes to happiness, virtue is the foundation of prosperity, through virtue one goes to liberation — homage to that upholder of virtue. - โก: who attained the foremost wisdom of old, who has gone beyond, who understands the Dhamma — homage to that one who reveres [it]. - โอ: bowed down, so all defilement is cast off; bowed down, so all attachment is cast off; bowed down, so the net of wrong view is cast off — homage to that bowed, reverent one. - ปะ (repeats the 'bak-' couplet): foremost in wisdom in the world, a person beyond opposition, possessed of wisdom, free of delusion — homage to that calmed one. - นะ: benefiting both gods and men, revered by gods and men, [beyond] the arising of human desire — homage to the well-gone Victor. - ยิ: [his teaching] succeeds for all beings, succeeds for gods and Brahmā, will succeed for all creatures — homage to that one whose teaching succeeds. - โก: abandons anger and evil so that people do not lose their wealth; having abandoned anger, well-established — homage to that queller of anger. - ป: guiding the people from wrongdoing, freeing people from evil deeds, greatly increased in prosperity — homage to that one who so shines. - จ (row begins, cut off at the foot of the page): conducting the holy life... [continues onto the next page].

Printed folio '132.' First completes the 'จ' row begun on the previous page ('...having conducted the holy life, a giver to all — homage to that patient one'), then continues the expansion for nine more seed-syllables ตัง เว ทิ ตะ โพ วิ ญู หิ ติ, bringing the Dhamma-virtue table to its close (this final stretch corresponds to the last words of the formula, '...ปัจจัตตัง เวทิตัพโพ วิญญูหิ', 'to be experienced individually by the wise'): - ตัง: producing wholesome deeds, producing all manner of energy, producing virtue and composure — homage to that danger-free one. - เว: [reflecting on] enmity, what is given and what binds; may all be free of enmity and prosper; free of enmity toward enmity — homage to that peaceful, enmity-free one. - ทิ: long-lived, of great merit; over a long time of great substance; through long enjoyment and merit — homage to that one enduring long. - ตะ: releasing beings from suffering, freeing the drinker [of the Dhamma], from lust and the other defilements — homage to that liberator. - โพ: gods and the assembly declare him foremost in fortune and free of evil, his merits fully ripened — homage to that fortunate, peaceful one. - วิ: free from all suffering, energy hard to find elsewhere, energetic and accomplished in ease — homage to that energetic one. - ญู: accomplished in knowledge, skilled and successful, teaching the vision of knowledge — homage to that accomplished, skilled one. - หิ: he calms all hatred, calms all fear, in whom beings' delusion is calmed — homage to that calm one. - ติ: crossed over the round of suffering, unsurpassed among those who have crossed the world, gone beyond the three realms — homage to that one who has crossed the flood.

Heading: 'The Chamber of the Sangha's Virtues.' This table applies the same seed-syllable expansion to the opening of the Sangha-recollection formula ('supaṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho', 'Of good practice is the Blessed One's community of disciples'): สุ ปะ ฏิ ปั้น โน ภะ คะ วะ โต, each couplet again closing with homage: - สุ: perfectly endowed with pure virtue, well-established, attained the Way, a beautiful bearer of the Teaching — homage to that beautiful one. - ปะ: possessed of the four analytical insights, wholly calmed and unsurpassed, of unsurpassed wisdom in the world — homage to that praised one. - ฏิ: ordained under the Teacher, long-established in the Teaching, in the very words of the Buddha — homage to that steadfast one. - ปั้น: of a profound Dhamma, confident and adorned with wisdom, confident in the meaning and the Dhamma — homage to that most excellent one. - โน: whose wholesome Dhamma does not waver, whose realised Dhamma does not bend, who commits no evil — homage to that unwavering one. - ภะ: the Blessed One who has broken lust, broken hatred, broken the delusion and the defilements of beings — homage to that Blessed Breaker [of defilement]. - คะ: going forth in the mundane Dhamma and also in the supramundane, going beyond the defilements of the gods — homage to that one who has gone forth. - วะ: praising the wholesome Dhamma, praising one perfect in virtue, praising one who guards virtue — homage to that praised one. - โต: delighting gods and men, teaching the Dhamma with delight, gladdening steadfast minds — homage to that one who delights.

Printed folio '134.' Completes the Sangha-virtue table with five final seed-syllables สา วะ กะ สัง โม (finishing the phrase '...สาวะกะสังโฆ', '...is the community of disciples'): - สา: the Teaching well received and preserved, proclaiming what is delightful, a Teaching not to be despised — homage to that proclaimer. - วะ: vomited-out lust, vomited-out hatred, vomited-out delusion and wrong view, vomited-out every evil — homage to that one free of defilement. - กะ: practising virtue and composure, removing the stains of beings, practising the meditation subjects — homage to that practitioner. - สัง: wandering in saṃsāra yet freed from saṃsāra, released from the suffering of saṃsāra — homage to that released one. - โม: having ended the wearing-out of suffering, delighting the good and wise, having gone beyond the [three] baskets [of scripture] — homage to that one gone beyond.

Then: 'The Ratanamala scripture ends only this far.'

And then: 'But from here on, may you begin to learn the combining of vowels and consonants of the "Khom" script, by drilling through the base-letter declensions in detail, as follows:'

Running header: 'Ajahn Thep Sarikabutr,' folio '135.' Heading: 'A Primer for Learning the Khom Script.' Two introductory lines are given in Khom-script forms with their Thai reading below: first the invocation 'Namo Buddhāya, siddhi' ('Homage to the Buddha; may there be success'), then the eight basic vowels 'a ā i ī u ū e o.' Under the heading 'The Base Letters' follow the consonants of the Pali/Khom alphabet, again given as Khom-script rows with the Thai reading beneath, arranged in the traditional groups: the velars (ka kha ga gha ṅa) and palatals (ca cha ja jha ña); the retroflexes (ṭa ṭha ḍa ḍha ṇa) and dentals (ta tha da dha na); the labials (pa pha ba bha ma) with the semivowels (ya ra la va) and sibilant (sa); and a short closing line (ha, ba/pha, and the nasal-marker 'aṅ'). The page ends: 'Continue next with declining the ko-ka base group.'

Printed folio '136,' running head 'The Secrets of Saiyasat.' Continues the Khom-script declension drill: for each of the consonants shown (ก, ข, ค, ง; ย; ณ; จ; ฉ, ส; ห), a Khom-script row stands above with the Thai reading below, running through the same sequence — short a, long ā, short i, long ī, short u, long ū, e, o — followed by three nasalised endings (-uṅ, -iṅ, -ṅ) and a repeat of the plain short-a form. A short extra line after ย and after ส/ห gives a couple of additional combined forms (ยี ยั ยะ; สม สึ ส; หี หํ ห).

Printed folio '137.' The declension drill continues through the dental consonants (ต ถ ท ธ น) and the labial consonants (ป ผ พ ภ ม), each again run through the eight vowel-forms and three nasalised endings, followed by a short extra line for ย (ยิ ยํ ย).

Printed folio '138.' Concludes the eight-vowel, three-nasalised-ending declension drill with the remaining letters ร ล ว ส ห อ ฬ. Closing line: 'The declension of the ko-ka base ends here.'

Running header: 'Ajahn Thep Sarikabutr,' folio '139.' New drill, headed 'Declining the kon Base': the syllable กน is run through the same eight-vowel pattern (ka-, kā-, ki-, kī-, ku-, kū-, ke-, ko-) with an -n final, in Khom script with Thai reading beneath, then through a further set of nasalised forms. Closing instruction: 'Continue declining in this way up through the aṅ base.' A second drill follows, headed 'Declining the kaṇṇa Base,' running the syllable กัณ (with retroflex -ṇ final) through the same pattern, closing with the same instruction, 'Continue declining in this way up through the aṅ base.'

Printed folio '140,' running head 'The Secrets of Saiyasat.' The declension drill continues: 'Declining the kappa Base,' running กัพ (a labial-stop, -p final) through the eight-vowel pattern and a further set of nasalised forms in Khom script with Thai reading beneath, closing 'Continue declining in this way up through the aṅ base.' Then 'Declining the kalla Base,' running กัล (an -l final) through the same pattern, closing with the same instruction, 'Continue declining in this way up through the aṅ base.'

[header: Ajarn Thep Sarikabutr — p. 141]

Declension drill: the "kappa" cluster

[top line: the same seven syllables as the line below, written in Khom script] kappa, kappā, kappi, kappī, kappu, kappū, kappe [top line: the same five syllables as the line below, written in Khom script] kappo, kappuṅ, kappiṅ, kappaṅ, kappa

Continue declining in the same way through to the "[illegible]" frame.

Declension drill: the "kabba" cluster

[top line: the same seven syllables as the line below, written in Khom script] kabba, kabbā, kabbi, kabbī, kabbu, kabbū, kabbe [top line: the same five syllables as the line below, written in Khom script] kabbo, kabbuṅ, kabbiṅ, kabbaṅ, kabba

Continue declining in the same way through to the "[illegible]" frame.

[header: p. 142 — "The Mind-Current: Secrets of Saiyasat"]

Declension drill: the "katta" cluster

[top line: the same seven syllables as the line below, written in Khom script] katta, kattā, katti, kattī, kattu, kattū, katte [top line: the same five syllables as the line below, written in Khom script] katto, kattuṅ, kattiṅ, kattaṅ, katta

Continue declining in the same way through to the "[illegible]" frame.

Declension drill: the "kacca" cluster

[top line: the same seven syllables as the line below, written in Khom script] kacca, kaccā, kacci, kaccī, kaccu, kaccū, kacce [top line: the same five syllables as the line below, written in Khom script] kacco, kaccuṅ, kacciṅ, kaccaṅ, kacca

Continue declining in the same way through to the "[illegible]" frame.

[header: Ajarn Thep Sarikabutr — p. 143]

Declension drill: the "kajja" cluster

[top line: the same seven syllables as the line below, written in Khom script] kajja, kajjā, kajji, kajjī, kajju, kajjū, kajje [top line: the same five syllables as the line below, written in Khom script] kajjo, kajjuṅ, kajjiṅ, kajjaṅ, kajja

Continue declining in the same way through to the "[illegible]" frame.

Declension drill: the "kañca" cluster

[top line: the same seven syllables as the line below, written in Khom script] kañca, kañcā, kañci, kañcī, kañcu, kañcū, kañce [top line: the same five syllables as the line below, written in Khom script] kañco, kañcuṅ, kañciṅ, kañcaṅ, kañca

Continue declining in the same way through to the "[illegible]" frame.

[header: p. 144 — "The Mind-Current: Secrets of Saiyasat"]

Declension drill: the "kakka" cluster

[top line: the same seven syllables as the line below, written in Khom script] kakka, kakkā, kakki, kakkī, kakku, kakkū, kakke [top line: the same five syllables as the line below, written in Khom script] kakko, kakkuṅ, kakkiṅ, kakkaṅ, kakka

Continue declining in the same way through to the "[illegible]" frame.

Declension drill: the "kagga" cluster

[top line: syllables as below, written in Khom script, plus an extra "kagko" form] kagga, kaggā, kaggi, kaggī, kaggu, kaggū, kagge, kagko [top line: the same syllables as the line below, written in Khom script] kagguṅ, kaggiṅ, kaggaṅ, kagga

Continue declining in the same way through to the "[illegible]" frame.

[header: Ajarn Thep Sarikabutr — p. 145]

Declension drill: the "kaṅga" cluster

[top line: the same syllables as the line below, written in Khom script] kaṅga, kaṅgā, kaṅgi, kaṅgī, kaṅgu, kaṅgū, kaṅge, kaṅgo [top line: the same syllables as the line below, written in Khom script] kaṅgu(ng), kaṅgi(ng), kaṅgu(ng), kaṅga

Continue declining in the same way through to the "[illegible]" frame.

Declension drill: the "kamma" cluster

[top line: the same seven syllables as the line below, written in Khom script] kamma, kammā, kammi, kammī, kammu, kammū, kamme [top line: the same five syllables as the line below, written in Khom script] kammo, kammuṅ, kammiṅ, kammaṅ, kamma

Continue declining in the same way through to the "[illegible]" frame.

[header: p. 146 — "The Mind-Current: Secrets of Saiyasat"]

Declension drill: the "kabkha" cluster

[top line: the same six syllables as the line below, written in Khom script] kabkha, kabkhā, kabkhi, kabkhī, kabkhu, kabkhū [top line: the same syllables as the line below, written in Khom script] kabkhe, kabkho, kabkhuṅ, kabkhiṅ, kabkhaṅ, kabkha

Continue declining in the same way through to the "[illegible]" frame.

The primer of Khom script ends here, complete, at this point only.

[page number: 147]

The Mind-Current

As already stated, "mantra-formulas are things for the mind to hold onto." In practicing the use of magical mantra-formulas so as to bring about potency and sanctity, the most important principle lies in the 'mind' itself — that is, one must make the mind truly concentrated (samadhi); only then will the mind-current have strong, powerful force. But making the mind concentrated is reckoned a very difficult thing to do, because a person's mind is meant for thinking, and ordinarily the mind is always preoccupied with thought.

According to the principles of psychology, rules have been laid down for training the mind into concentration by eliminating thought, as follows:

First: while the mind is scattered with many thoughts all at once — such being the nature of the mind in that state — trying to suppress thought entirely is reckoned very difficult. When this is so, one should find a way to eliminate thought by considering which of the matters being turned over and dwelt on is the most important one, and then deliberately take up that matter

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and think of it alone, extinguishing thought of every other matter. Try to concentrate deliberately and firmly on that one matter only, and then gradually try to fade out and extinguish the thought of even that matter, until it disappears from the mind.

Second: if, even after doing what was described in the first method, one still cannot succeed — being unable to make the mind empty and concentrated — then one should stop and rest a while, letting the mind wander on the matter for a time — then begin again. For training the mind cannot be done the way one "breaks a machete-handle across one's knee" [i.e., by brute force]. The mind has been compared to a monkey: expecting it to sit perfectly still is beyond what is possible, except by gradually, patiently training it little by little, relying on diligence and constant practice. When one sees that it is not yet going to succeed, one should stop and rest a suitable while, and then begin again once more.

Third: when one cannot suppress thought by the methods described above, one should change the method

[header: Ajarn Thep Sarikabutr — p. 149]

anew, using the method of thinking of the opposite. For example, if the matter one is thinking of is one of suffering and distress, one should try to turn the mind to think of matters of happiness; or if the matter one is thinking of is one of being cornered and hopeless, one should try to turn the thought around, thinking in a way that holds hope of escape.

Using thought in the opposite direction in this way helps to eliminate the thought preoccupying the mind, until it is entirely gone.

This method of turning thought around is directly a matter of training the power of the mind, for training the power of the mind is precisely training the turning of the mind. A mind that will have a strong mind-current is precisely a mind that is able to turn itself.

Khaap (the Chanting-Cycle)

In building concentration for the 'mind,' so that the mind-current may have strong power, there is another method, according to the principles of the art of saiyasat, for building concentration: by chanting whichever formula-verse is important — while chanting, one should focus one's attention

[header: p. 150 — "The Mind-Current: Secrets of Saiyasat"]

clinging closely to the substance of the mantra-formula being chanted.

Chanting through one verse from start to finish is called "one khaap." Sometimes one chants as many as 108 khaap. Being able to chant a full 108 khaap is reckoned an excellent way of building concentration indeed, because to chant that many one must do so with truly firm, unwavering intent. That is why there is a saying that to make mantra-formulas potent and sacred, one must first understand the word "khaap." The ancient masters set the word "khaap" as a riddle for people to ponder in many ways. In truth, the word "khaap" simply means making the mind calm and firm for one interval — for example, diving underwater to fetch something, or performing a consecration, in order to make the mind truly calm and concentrated. Making a khaap by calming the in-and-out breath, interval by interval, as in diving underwater — this kind of khaap is called a "wind khaap."

As for the khaap that arises from chanting a formula khaap by khaap, this kind is called a "formula khaap."

For the formula khaap that arises from chanting khaap by khaap, one should take the in-and-out breath as the measure. When the breath goes out, it drives out various emotions along with the outgoing breath; and when breathing in, one should hold firmly to the chanted words, drawing the mantra-formula into the body along with the inhalation. When one draws in the breath, one should finish the substance of the mantra-formula being chanted at that point.

Mantra-formulas used for chanting khaap by khaap are, for the most part, formulas that have

[header: Ajarn Thep Sarikabutr — p. 151]

a wording suited exactly to the breath. For the most part they are formulas distilled to extract the essential meaning from larger formula-texts, called a "Heart" (hua-jai). The ancient masters distilled the "hearts" of various formulas and set down a great many of them, known collectively, for example, as the "108 Hearts." Every "heart" is distilled from an important mantra-formula (the distilling of hearts will be discussed further later) — for example, the Heart of the Three Refuges, also called the supreme summit: ◎ Buddha-saṅ-mi ◎. This was distilled from the Refuges formula which reads:

◎ Buddhaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi ◎ ◎ Dhammaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi ◎ ◎ Saṅghaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi ◎

This formula, ◎ Bu-dha-saṅ-mi ◎, when it is to be used for chanting khaap by khaap, is commonly distilled further into forward-and-reverse order (unalom-patilom), that is, rotated around through all four syllables, as follows:

◎ Bud dha saṅ mi Dha saṅ mi Bud Saṅ si Bud dha Mi Bud dha saṅ ◎—

While chanting, one should focus on these 4 syllables, cycling them through until 16 syllables are complete — that makes exactly one khaap.

This method of practicing concentration by chanting khaap by khaap in this way is reckoned

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the most convenient method, because to succeed in making a "khaap" one must focus and cling truly closely to the formula being chanted. And once the mind is concentrated, we are able to direct that mind-current wherever we wish — for example, to give rise to power that protects against danger, to charm, to gain the goodwill needed to overcome enemies, and even to bring about good fortune. Even if we do not use it for such purposes, it still counts as building concentration of mind, which is reckoned of the greatest benefit in bringing health to the mind. Those who suffer derangement of mind do so because they are immersed in thinking so violently and excessively that it becomes the cause of loss of sanity. There is only one way to prevent or cure this: building this very concentration of mind, which makes the mind free from all thought.

Praana (Life-Breath)

Another thing of great importance in the use of mantra-formulas is "praana." The word praana means "life." Praana is the force we obtain from the various elements in this world. Praana is a matter of great importance in the science of the mind, for it is not only that praana helps a person gain strength and remain alive.

Praana is also something that can be used to heal illness and sickness in others, and can also be used as a thing that draws and attracts.

Praana is a thing produced by breathing in pure air; by breathing in strongly and deeply at all times, we bring praana into the body.

Practicing breathing in this way at all times is reckoned to be of great benefit

...both for physical health and mental wellbeing, helping to build strength of spirit. Some hold the view that it helps extinguish anger and vengefulness, quells lust in matters of sensual desire, and helps keep the mind clear and unobstructed. Prana [the vital life-current] is something that can be transmitted outward.

The chanting of incantations and the sprinkling of blessed water are all matters concerning prana; this is called 'transmitting prana.' One who is able to transmit prana must be a person of strong resolve, that is, one whose mind is settled in concentration (samadhi), and who must have something to serve as an anchor.

That anchor is the mantra-formula itself, the instrument that helps arouse the power of prana within oneself so that it may be transmitted to another. Treating illness by the method of transmitting prana is the best method, comparable to transfusing blood from a person of strong physical constitution into the body of a sick person; but that belongs to the principles of the medical arts. As for the principle belonging to the science of the mind [jittasat], it holds that within a person's body there is something that fights against illness. If that fighting force still has enough power of resistance, the illness will heal by itself without need of any other method of treatment.

The method for arousing that fighting force against illness to gain strength is precisely the transmission of prana (the transmission of life) into the body of the sick person.

There are several methods of transmitting prana, namely: transmitting by touching and stroking with the hand, because it is believed that prana may be transmitted through...

...through the fingers. It may also be transmitted by blowing breath from the mouth onto the sick person's body, or by transmitting it into some object, which is then given to the sick person to use, such as making blessed water (nam mon) as is practiced to this day, and so on.

The Jetphut (Spirit-Double)

The 'jetphut' — within the body of every human being there is also a special body concealed within, a body that cannot be seen with the naked eye. This jetphut is precisely the source that gives rise to ghosts. The jetphut is something that can separate from the body on certain occasions, such as during deep sleep. But when the jetphut separates, it never separates entirely — it still retains a connecting link joined to the body, and so it is able to be drawn back into the body. For example, on occasions when we are sleeping deeply, at a time when the jetphut has separated from the body, if some loud, jarring event should happen to occur near us, causing us to be startled awake suddenly, the jetphut must hurry back into the body at once. At the moment we feel ourselves waking, there occurs the sensation of the heart pounding and trembling — this is because the jetphut rushes back into the body swiftly and strikes the body violently, and so we come to have that sensation. But if the jetphut leaves the body and does not return, that is precisely the moment the body will perish.

As for this jetphut, when the time comes for the body to perish through ordinary illness, the jetphut will move out of the body and gradually vanish...

...perish along with it, because a jetphut that must depart in this way already knows in advance that the body's time of perishing has come. But if the body should suddenly perish unexpectedly, as in what is called 'tai hong' [a violent/unnatural death] — for example, being murdered, or killed by a car — in such a death the jetphut has had no time to know beforehand. When the body suddenly perishes, the jetphut is forced to break away from the body and wanders about aimlessly. Sometimes it appears and is seen by people, which is called a 'phi tai hong' [ghost of one who died violently]. This is why we often hear it said that those who die violent deaths become very fierce ghosts, while those who die of ordinary illness are never said to become fierce ghosts. This is because the jetphut is a special body concealed within the ordinary body in that way. If one has trained well in matters of the mind, one can put the jetphut to use — for instance, compelling the jetphut to appear in various places as one wishes. The various dreams that occur, both good and bad, all arise with the jetphut as their root cause.

Kasina

In making the mind attain concentration (samadhi), there is yet another distinct method: the method of gazing at a 'kasina' [meditation-device], using any single object as the instrument of contemplation.

The masters have divided it into 10 kinds, known as the 10 kasinas, depending on what is taken as the object [of meditation], namely—

1. Pathavi-kasina — uses earth as the object of contemplation 2. Apo-kasina — uses water as the object of contemplation 3. Tejo-kasina — uses fire as the object of contemplation 4. Vayo-kasina — uses wind as the object of contemplation 5. Nila-kasina — uses the color green as the object of contemplation 6. Pita-kasina — uses the color yellow as the object of contemplation 7. Lohita-kasina — uses the color red as the object of contemplation 8. Odata-kasina — uses the color white as the object of contemplation 9. Aloka-kasina — uses light/brightness as the object of contemplation 10. Paricchinnakasa-kasina — uses empty space as the object of contemplation

1. Pathavi-Kasina

In preparing to contemplate the pathavi-kasina, one is to use earth that is reddish mixed with yellow, called 'dawn-colored earth.' Knead that earth together thoroughly, then shape it into a circle 1 khuep [span] and 4 inches wide, making its face smooth like the head of a drum. Then make a rim for it out of cloth and four wooden frame-pieces joined together to form a border. Next, make a second bench for sitting, 1 khuep 4 inches high, to match. The bench meant for sitting should be placed at a distance of about 2 sok-khuep [cubits-and-a-span] from the circle of the kasina, because that is the proper distance — not too near and not too far — since if the distance is too near or too far it will cause inconvenience in gazing at the kasina. In the area where the kasina-circle is to be made, sweep the surroundings completely clean. Before sitting, one should bathe first, and purify the mind, and only then may one sit. While sitting and gazing at the kasina, do not dwell in the mind on the color and appearance of the earth, but rather recite silently 'pathavi, pathavi,' without forgetting. Open the eyes to look at the kasina-circle for a while, then close the eyes for a while, until the kasina-circle appears fixed before the eyes — that is, whether the eyes are closed or open, one is able to see the kasina-circle just the same; this is called attaining the 'uggaha-nimitta' [learning-sign]. Once the uggaha-nimitta has been attained, one is to rise from that spot and go sit in another place that has been prepared beforehand, and then take the uggaha-nimitta that has become fixed before the eyes and continue to contemplate it further.

Furthermore, regarding rising from the original spot to sit in another place, one...

...prepare footwear to wear, so as not to waste time having to wash the feet again, and also prepare a walking stick to carry, to guard against danger both going and coming. When one has gone to sit in the new place and continues to develop the uggaha-nimitta until it arises just as before, one should then return to one's original dwelling and continue developing that uggaha-nimitta repeatedly, until it becomes a 'patibhaga-nimitta' [counterpart sign].

The patibhaga-nimitta is far more refined and subtle than the uggaha-nimitta, because in the uggaha-nimitta that appears, the color and hue of the object contemplated still retains its original form in every respect. But once one passes into the patibhaga-nimitta, the color of the earth that appears becomes beautiful like a crystal mirror, or like the moon free of cloud and mist, released from the color of the earth; it has much greater power than the uggaha-nimitta, and one is able to shrink or expand the seen uggaha-nimitta according to one's wish.

Once the patibhaga-nimitta has arisen, the mind is able to become fixed in concentration, but only intermittently, for a brief moment at a time; there is still time for it to waver. Only by inclining and clinging to the kasina-circle that appears, keeping it constantly fixed before the eyes, will the mind become concentrated.

Concentration of this kind is called 'upacara-samadhi' [access concentration] — concentration that arises swiftly, on and off. And if one persists in clinging to the kasina-circle so that it constantly appears fixed before the eyes, the mind will become settled in a single object at all times, the mind never shifting to any other object at all; the upacara-samadhi will then develop into 'appana-samadhi' [absorption concentration], that is...

...concentration that arises the most firmly and steadfastly, having no tendency to decline as upacara-samadhi does.

In the matter of developing mental concentration by gazing at a kasina, once one attains appana-samadhi, this is reckoned the highest level of kasina practice. From here one enters the stage of jhana, a still higher plane of Dhamma. Once this appana-samadhi has arisen, one must strive to preserve it as well as possible, because outside surroundings and various events may cause the mind to become disturbed, which is a cause for appana-samadhi to decline; one must also strive to practice constantly. The masters have set down methods for preserving concentration throughout, namely:

1. One must find a comfortable dwelling place. 2. One must take care that sunlight does not shine on the face. 3. One must avoid hearing unpleasant words. 4. One must eat food that does no harm to the body. 5. One must know how to praise, soothe, and sustain the mind so that it remains constantly refreshed. 6. One should avoid weak-minded and scattered people, and associate with people who are strong and steady. 7. One must take care that the mind is not too restless and rash, nor too lazy.

As for the pathavi-kasina, it is said that whoever succeeds in it is able to conjure and create various forms of things at will — for example, to create a single person into many people, or to turn many people back into a single person; to turn air and water into solid ground, and then walk, stand, sit, or lie down upon it as one wishes.

2. Apo-Kasina

As for practicing the apo-kasina [water-kasina]: if the practitioner has already had some training and disposition toward apo-kasina practice from a former life, then even any kind of water will do — even water from a well, a pond, or the sea — and such a person may be able to succeed in attaining the uggaha-nimitta and patibhaga-nimitta. But for one who is only beginning to undertake this practice in the present life, one should seek clear, pure water; water that is black, red, yellow, or white in color may not be used. If one wishes it to be best, one should use rainwater that has not yet touched the ground. Put that water into an alms bowl or a water jar, filling it exactly level with the rim, and then carry out the rite as described for the pathavi-kasina practice, that is, arranging the sitting distance at about 2 sok-khuep, with a bench for sitting having a footrest about 1 khuep 4 inches high. When contemplating the apo-kasina, do not contemplate the color separately, and do not contemplate the flowing, seeping quality separately; one should merge the color of the water with the water itself into a single thing. Meditate while reciting the word 'apo, apo.' The uggaha-nimitta in this apo-kasina appears to the eyes as though the water were rippling and flowing; and when the patibhaga-nimitta arises, it appears as still water, unmoving. As for the further course of practice, one should proceed just as with the pathavi-kasina.

Whoever succeeds in the apo-kasina is able to resolve the mind [by aspiration] to transform solid ground into water, and then dive and emerge within the earth; can also cause rain to fall, and can create rivers, streams, marshes, canals, and swamps.

3. Tejo-Kasina

This tejo-kasina [fire-kasina], the masters have explained: if the practitioner has already trained in tejo-kasina with merit from a former life, merely gazing at the flame of a lamp, a stove, or a house-fire may cause the sign [nimitta] to arise. But for one beginning anew, one should use well-seasoned heartwood, split and dried in the sun until dry, then kindle it into a blazing fire; take a woven mat, or leather, or cloth, and pierce a round hole in it, 1 khuep wide and 4 inches long, and set it directly in front, then sit and gaze by the same method described for the pathavi-kasina.

When contemplating, do not contemplate the wood or grass below, and do not contemplate the flame-tips that flicker upward; contemplate only the dense flame appearing in the middle, within the opening, as the object of meditation. Do not contemplate the color of the fire as green, yellow, or red, and do not contemplate its quality of heat; merge the color together with the dense flame as one. Meditate reciting the word 'tejo, tejo.' The uggaha-nimitta in this tejo-kasina appears to the eyes as a fireball that is still a flame and still flickers; whereas the patibhaga-nimitta appears as a fireball that is fixed, not...

...flickering — like a piece of red cloth laid out against the sky. The further practice in tejo-kasina then proceeds similarly to the pathavi-kasina as described above.

As for this tejo-kasina, whoever succeeds in it is able to conjure billowing smoke and flame; can make a rain of burning embers fall; whatever thing one wishes to burn, one is able to conjure fire to burn and consume that thing; and one may also cause a bright light to appear by which one can see forms near and far, as if seeing with the divine eye [dibba-cakkhu].

4. Vayo-Kasina

For the vayo-kasina [wind-kasina], one is to use wind as the object of contemplation, divided into two kinds: wind that can be seen from the manner in which it manifests, such as wind blowing and swaying the leaves, and wind that blows and touches the body directly. For this vayo-kasina, one is to recite the word 'vayo, vayo.' The uggaha-nimitta that appears is like the steam rising from a rice-pot just taken down from the stove; as for the patibhaga-nimitta, it is calm, still, and unwavering. The further development of the vayo-kasina proceeds in the same manner as the pathavi-kasina.

Whoever succeeds in this vayo-kasina is able to conjure winds great or small as desired, and is able to make the body float [levitate].

5. Nila-Kasina

For the nila-kasina [green-kasina], one is to use something of green color as the object of contemplation — one may use green butterfly-pea flowers or green lotus flowers, placed in a covered bowl or box lid, arranged level with the rim; do not let the stamens and stems show, only the petals. Or one may use green cloth, stretched over the lid of the bowl or the mouth of the box — it may be any object — stretched taut like the head of a drum. While gazing, recite 'nilang, nilang.' The uggaha-nimitta of the nila-kasina, when it appears, appears together with the petals and stems of the flower or other object used; but the patibhaga-nimitta appears showing only the green color, standing out clear and bright, by itself. The nila-kasina proceeds according to the method already described for the pathavi-kasina.

Whoever succeeds in this nila-kasina may be able to conjure green forms/images, and is able to bring about thick, billowing darkness.

6. Yellow Kasiṇa (Pītakasiṇa)

For the yellow kasiṇa, one is instructed to use the color yellow as the object of concentration. The method is the same as for the blue-black kasiṇa (nīlakasiṇa), differing only in that the color of the flower [used as the disc] is changed to yellow, or a cloth that is yellow is used instead. When the time comes to recite, one says "pītakaṃ, pītakaṃ" repeatedly. The learning-sign (uggahanimitta) and the counterpart-sign (paṭibhāganimitta) will appear just as in the nīlakasiṇa, differing only in that they turn yellow.

One who succeeds in this yellow kasiṇa can conjure apparitions to appear yellow, and is able to cause things to turn yellow, such as making something turn into gold.

7. Blood/Red Kasiṇa (Lohitakasiṇa)

For the red kasiṇa, one is instructed to use the color red as the point of fixation. The method is the same as for the nīlakasiṇa and the pītakasiṇa, differing only in that it changes to red. During recitation, one meditates saying "lohitakaṃ, lohitakaṃ" repeatedly. The learning-sign and the counterpart-sign will appear to be seen just as in the nīlakasiṇa and pītakasiṇa, the difference being only that they change to red.

One who succeeds in this red kasiṇa can conjure apparitions to be red, and is able to cause the color red to arise as desired.

8. White Kasiṇa (Odātakasiṇa)

For the white kasiṇa, one is instructed to use the color white as the object of concentration. The method is the same as for the nīlakasiṇa, pītakasiṇa, and lohitakasiṇa, differing only in that it changes to white. When reciting, one meditates saying "odātaṃ, odātaṃ" repeatedly. The learning-sign and the counterpart-sign will appear to be seen just as in the nīlakasiṇa, pītakasiṇa, and lohitakasiṇa, the difference being only that they change to white.

One who succeeds in this white kasiṇa is able to make whiteness arise, to dispel darkness/gloom, to free oneself from drowsiness, and to bring about brightness so as to see all things clearly, as if with divine eyesight (dibba-cakkhu).

9. Light Kasiṇa (Ālokakasiṇa)

For this light kasiṇa, one is instructed to use light — light that filters in through a window opening or a gap in the wall; or otherwise, take a pot, bore a hole in it to make an opening, then set a lit lamp inside with the surrounding dark, and turn the bored opening toward the edge of the wall so that the light shines out and settles on the edge of the wall. This method of producing light with a pot is more convenient than using the light that comes from the sun and the moon. The light kasiṇa differs from the fire kasiṇa (tejokasiṇa) in that it requires only the light itself, not a fire-disc as used in the tejokasiṇa. The method of practice is as described for the earth kasiṇa (pathavīkasiṇa) though differing [in object], but the recitation is done meditating "āloko, āloko" repeatedly. The learning-sign that appears will appear as light together with other things as well, such as the wall and the floor; as for the counterpart-sign, only the light itself appears, specifically.

One who succeeds in this light kasiṇa is able to conjure apparitions to be bright with radiance, to dispel drowsiness and yawning, and to produce brightness so as to see any form whatsoever, as if with divine eyesight.

10. Delimited-Space Kasiṇa (Paricchinnākāsakasiṇa)

This space kasiṇa is a kasiṇa that is harder to practise than the others. One uses an opening — it may be any kind of opening, such as a window opening or a gap in the wall, or one may use a piece of paper/board or a woven bamboo mat, boring it to make a round opening 1 khuep [span] and 4 niu [inches] wide, then stretch it up directly in front of oneself, and proceed as described in the section on the earth kasiṇa (pathavīkasiṇa), attending only to the empty space, not fixing on light or anything else at all. One recites "ākāso, ākāso" repeatedly. The learning-sign that arises will appear as an empty space together with the edge of the wall, the edges of the window or door frame, and so on; as for the counterpart-sign, only the empty space itself appears.

One who succeeds in this space kasiṇa is able to bore and pass through the earth and mountains; even a wall or an enclosing rampart can be penetrated.

The ten kasiṇas listed above are stated only as a foundation/baseline. The detailed particulars are set out by the tradition under psychic powers (iddhi), miracles (pāṭihāriya), marvels (abhinihāra), spells and incantations (veda-mantra-khātā), and sacred amulets — fifty [such] teacher-masters have compiled them in verse. This kasiṇa practice is indeed the first standard by which one advances toward jhāna, because one who cultivates the kasiṇa until attaining absorption-concentration (appanā-samādhi) has entirely exhausted lust for sensual objects and all unwholesome tendencies; there remains no restless craving for sensual desire, and ill-will is exhausted — this is reckoned as having attained the stage of jhāna.