| Translations of Paritta | |
|---|---|
| English | protection, safeguard |
| Sanskrit | paritrana |
| Pali | paritta |
| Burmese | ပရိတ် (Parit) (MLCTS:pəjeiʔ) |
| Indonesian | perlindungan |
| Khmer | បរិត្ត (UNGEGN:Paret) |
| Sinhala | පිරිත් (pirit) |
| Thai | ปริตร RTGS: parit |
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Paritta (Pali), generally translated as "protection" or "safeguard,"[1] refers to the specificBuddhist verses and discourses recited in order to ward off misfortune or danger, as well as to the practice of reciting the verses and discourses. The practice of reciting or listening to the paritta suttas began very early in the history ofBuddhism.[2]
In the Pali literature, these short verses are recommended by theBuddha as providing protection from certain afflictions. The belief in the effective power to heal, or protect, of thesacca-kiriya, or asseveration of something quite true, is an aspect of the work ascribed to theparitta.[3] TheMahavamsa contains the earliest historical reference to this practice, describing howUpatissa I of Anuradhapura instructed monks to recite theRatana Sutta through the night during a period whenSri Lanka was afflicted by plague and disease.[4]
It is widely believed that all-night recitations of paritta by monks bring safety, peace and well-being to a community. Such recitations also occur on auspicious occasions, such as the inauguration of a new temple or home, or to provide blessings upon those who hear. Conversely, paritta discourses are recited on inauspicious occasions as well, such as at a funeral or on the death anniversary of a loved one. They may also be recited to placate antagonistic spirits.[5][6]
In Sri Lanka, monks highly skilled in Pirit chanting are referred to asParittabhāṇakas. Unlike the olderbhāṇaka traditions of the Theravāda—such as Sutta Bhāṇakas, Vinaya Bhāṇakas, and Abhidhamma Bhāṇakas, which have long disappeared—the Parittabhāṇaka lineage remains active across all three Nikāyas. This makes it the only surviving bhāṇaka system in Sri Lanka, where monks are still formally recognized for their chanting ability. Additional honorary titles, such assarabhañña (melodious voice) andpravacanakīrti śrī (well-versed in the Buddha’s word), are sometimes conferred alongside it.[7]
Many ritual elements found in Sri Lanka’s Pirit tradition can be traced back to descriptions in theUṣṇīṣa Vijaya Dhāraṇī. The Sūtra instructs practitioners to prepare the chanting site with sand, flowers, and grasses, and prescribes the recitation of the dhāraṇī either 21 times or 1000 times. These details resonate with present customs in Sri Lanka, where monks spread a mixture of jasmine flowers, mustard seeds, and popped rice within thepirit maṇḍapa while chanting. The practice of laying īṭaṇa grass (Andropogon contortus) on the floor, as well as hanging tender leaves such as betel, banyan, and ironwood, reflects the Sūtra’s guidance to use sacred grasses for purity. Similarly, the protective use of blessed sand to drive away misfortune and malevolent forces continues the text’s emphasis on sanctifying the space of recitation.[8]
Numerical patterns in recitation also highlight Tantric influence. In Sri Lanka, it is common to chant certain parittas a set number of times—often 7 or 21 repetitions, with theAṅgulimāla Paritta (used for protecting expectant mothers) traditionally recited exactly 21 times. Larger-scale recitations of texts such as theRatana Sutta may be performed 1000 or even 100,000 times. The significance of the number 21 in particular echoes practices described inChinese Esoteric Buddhism: when presenting theUṣṇīṣa Vijaya Dhāraṇī toEmperor Taizong, the monkAmoghavajra instructed him to carry it and have monks and nuns recite it 21 times daily, with annual reports of their totals. Śubhakarasiṃha’s ritual manual also prescribes twenty-onefold recitations for most purposes, underscoring the symbolic importance of this number in Tantric practice.[9]
There are several paritta verses that are identified as such within the Pali Canon.
Most paritta involve offering praise to the Buddha or, more broadly, theTriple Gem (Buddha,Dhamma,Sangha). Of these paritta, one of the best known is the Ratana Sutta (Sn 2.1) where, for instance, it states in part:
A few paritta involve the asking directly for the aid of the Buddha. Examples of this type of paritta verse can be seen in the Candima Sutta (SN 2.9) and Suriya Sutta (SN 2.10) of theSamyutta Nikaya. In these two scriptures, the deitiesCanda andSurya protect themselves from the attack of the eclipse deityRahu by reciting short verses praising the Buddha and pleading for his protection:
In these cases, the Buddha is shown as specifically hearing and responding to the paritta; he enjoins Rahu to release the captive deities rather than have his "head split into seven pieces".[11]
Another type of paritta relies on the virtue of the individual who is ascribed as reciting the paritta in the Canon, rather than making reference to the virtues of the Buddha. This type of paritta can be seen in the Angulimala Sutta, the story of the murderer-turned-monkAngulimala. On passing a pregnant woman experiencing a difficult labor, Angulimala is moved to provide assistance. Asking the Buddha how he can help, the Buddha tells him to provide a sort of blessing to the woman by reciting a short verse proclaiming his own virtue:
Sister, since I was born in the noble birth, I do not recall intentionally killing a living being. Through this truth may there be wellbeing for you, wellbeing for your fetus.[13]
This verse is now used as a blessing for expectant mothers in theTheravada Buddhist tradition.[14]
The Buddha and thearahants (the Consummate Ones) can concentrate on the paritta suttas without the aid of another. However, when they are ill, it is easier for them to listen to what others recite, and thus focus their minds on thedhamma that the suttas contain, rather than think of the dhamma by themselves. There are occasions, as in the case of illness, which weaken the mind (in the case of worldlings), when hetero-suggestion has been found to be more effective than autosuggestion.[2] In theGilana Sutta, even the Buddha Himself had theSeven Factors of Enlightenment recited to him by another monk to recover from a grave illness.[15]
While paritta texts generally are recited aloud, other mediums are known as well. In Thailand, paritta texts are printed on small pieces of cloth containing images of the Buddha or famous monks. Similar text—often in theKhom Thai script—is sometimes incorporated into tattoos believed to have protective powers, known asSak Yant.
Paritta discourses are widely used and known, even if not necessarily understood, throughout theTheravada Buddhist world. Popular collections of paritta verses are among the most widely known Pali texts in many Theravada countries. Translations of Paritta texts have not proven to be particularly popular—they are often little easier to understand than the Pali texts themselves, and in popular belief it is not necessary to understand the recitation for it to be effective.[4] Different Theravada regions have developed distinct sets of paritta repertoires.[16]
In Myanmar, the most popular paritta collection is calledMahāparitta (lit. 'Great Protection'), which comprises eleven texts, with eight derived from theMilindapañha and commentarial lists.[16] The second is the called theSīrimaṅgala-paritta, which was compiled by Prime MinisterU Nu's Sīrimaṅgala Paritta Association in 1950.[16] This collection consists of thirty-one texts, including eleven fromMahāparitta, and another twenty, including the Buddha's first sermon (Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta), a synopsis of the twenty-four conditions in thePaṭṭhāna, the seventh book of theAbhidhamma Piṭaka, and theMahāsatipaṭṭhāna Sutta, which provides the textual basis forvipassanā meditation.[16] ThePaṭṭhāna is the single most popular paritta in Myanmar.[16] Now follows theMahāparitta collection and canonical sources by Ven Dr.Silananda Bhivamsa[17]
| 1. | Paritta-Parikamma - Preliminary of Paritta ("preparation and invitation to devas") | Composed by compilers |
| 2. | Maṅgala Sutta ("for blessings and prosperity") | Khp 3-4 ,Sn 308-9 |
| 3. | Ratana Sutta ("for getting free from dangers caused by disease, evil spirits and famine") •introductory passage • following two verses • remaining text | DhpA ii. 272 ,Khp 4-7 , Sn 312-5 |
| 4. | Mettā Sutta ("for suffusing all kinds of beings with loving-kindness") | Khp 10-12,Sn 300-1 |
| 5. | Khandha Sutta ("for protecting against snakes and other creatures") | Vinaya, iv. 245,AN i. 348, Ja no. 203 |
| 6. | Mora Sutta ("for protection against snares, imprisonment and for safety") | Ja no. 159 |
| 7. | Vaṭṭa Sutta ("for protection against fire") | Cp 415 |
| 8. | Dhajagga Sutta ("for protection against fear, trembling and horror") | Sn i 220-2 |
| 9. | Āṭānāṭiya Sutta ("for protection against evil spirits, and gaining health and happiness") •verses 104- 109 •verses 102, 103, 110-130 •verse 131 | Dn iii. 159,Dhp verse 109, |
| 10. | Aṅgulimāla Sutta ("for easy delivery for expectant mothers") | Mn ii. 306 |
| 11. | Bojjhaṅga Sutta ("for protection against and getting free from sickness and disease") | Sn iii. 71, 72, 73 |
| 12. | Pubbaṇha Sutta ("for protection against bad omens, etc., and gaining happiness") | Kp 5,Sn 312,An i 299, |
The preferred paritta repertoire in Sri Lanka is known in Sinhala as thePirit Potha ("The Book of Protection"),Maha Pirit Potha, orCatubhāṇavāraapali ("Text of the Four Recitals").[16] It has also been referred to as the "Buddhist Bible."[18] Copies of this collection are common in the home of Sri Lankans, with children being instructed in the recitations in the morning and before bed.[4] The most commonly recited texts are theMangala Sutta,Ratana Sutta,Karaniya Metta Sutta, andKhuddakapatha.[4] The most common versions of theMaha Pirit Potha may have originated from a precursor of theKhuddakapatha, which otherwise receives relatively little attention in Theravada countries.[19]
The book typically contains a collection of twenty-four or twenty-nine discourses (suttas)[note 1] almost all delivered by the Buddha, and found scattered in the five original collections (nikayas) in Pali, which form theSutta Pitaka, the "Canonical Discourses."[2] Below, these discourses and related canonical sources are identified.[note 2]
| 1. | Sarana-gamana ("Going forRefuge") | Khp 1 |
| 2. | Dasa-sikkhapada ("Ten Training Precepts") | Khp 2 |
| 3. | Samanera-pañha ("Novice Questions") | Khp 4 |
| 4. | Dvattimsakara ("32 Body Parts") | Khp 3 |
| 5. | Paccavekkhana ("Reflections on Monastic Requisites") | MN 2 (excerpt),passim |
| 6. | Dasa-dhamma Sutta ("Ten Dhamma Discourse") | AN 10.48 |
| 7. | Mahamangala Sutta ("Great Blessings Discourse") | Khp 5,Sn 2.4 |
| 8. | Ratana Sutta ("Three Treasures Discourse") | Khp 6,Sn 2.1 |
| 9. | Karaniya Metta Sutta ("Friendly-kindness Discourse") | Khp 9,Sn 1.8 |
| 10. | Khandha-paritta ("Aggregates Protection") | AN 4.67 |
| 11. | Metta-anisamsa ("Friendly-kindness Advantages Discourse") | AN 11.16 |
| 12. | Mitta-anisamsa ("Friendship Advantages Discourse") | Ja 538 |
| 13. | Mora-paritta ("The Peacock's Protection") | Ja 159 |
| 14. | Canda-paritta ("The Moon's Protection") | SN 2.9 |
| 15. | Suriya-paritta ("The Sun's Protection") | SN 2.10 |
| 16. | Dhajagga-paritta ("Banner Protection") | SN 11.3 |
| 17. | Mahakassapa TheraBojjhanga ("Elder Maha Kassapa's Factors of Awakening") | SN 46.14 (Gilana Sutta I) |
| 18. | Mahamoggallana Thera Bojjhanga ("Elder Maha Moggalana's Factors of Awakening") | SN 46.15 (Gilana Sutta II) |
| 19. | Mahacunda Thera Bojjhanga ("Elder Maha Cunda's Factors of Awakening") | SN 46.16 (Gilana Sutta III) |
| 20. | Girimananda Sutta ("To Girimananda Discourse") | AN 10.60 |
| 21. | Isigili Sutta ("About Isigili Discourse") | MN 116 |
| 22. | Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta ("Setting in Motion the Dhamma Wheel Discourse") | SN 56.11 |
| 23. | Maha-samaya Sutta ("The Great Assembly Discourse") | DN 20 |
| 24. | Alavaka Sutta ("Concerning Alavaka Discourse") | SN 46.11 |
| 25. | Kasi Bharadvaja Sutta ("Farmer Bharadvaja Discourse") | Sn 1.4 |
| 26. | Parabhava Sutta ("On Ruin Discourse") | Sn 1.6 |
| 27. | Vasala Sutta ("On Outcasts Discourse") | Sn 1.7 |
| 28. | Sacca-vibhanga Sutta ("Analysis of the Truth Discourse") | MN 141 |
| 29. | Āṭānāṭiya Sutta ("Atanatiya Discourse") | DN 32 |
In Thailand, the most important collection of paritta texts isThe Royal Chanting Book, which was compiled bySaṅgharājaSā Phussadeva under the sponsorship of KingChulalongkorn and published in 1880.[20]The Royal Chanting Book comprises variousparittas andsuttas, and condensed versions of the three sections of the Pali canon, theVinaya Piṭaka,Sutta Piṭaka andAbhidhamma Piṭaka, under the titlesPhra Vinaya,Phra Sūtra, andPhra Paramartha, respectively. TheJinapañjara is the single most popular paritta in Thailand.[21] For the case of Thai version paritta texts mention inThe Royal Chanting Book', they have been classified in 2 categories including:[22][23]
All 12 parittas can be listed as follows:
| 1. | Maṅgala Sutta (Maṅgala Paritta) ("for blessings and prosperity") | Khp 3-4 ,Sn 308-9 |
| 2. | Ratana Sutta (Maṅgala Paritta) ("for getting free from dangers caused by disease, evil spirits and famine") •introductory passage • following two verses • remaining text | DhpA ii. 272 ,Khp 4-7 , Sn 312-5 |
| 3. | Mettā Sutta (Maṅgala Paritta) "for suffusing all kinds of beings with loving-kindness") | Khp 10-12,Sn 300-1 |
| 4. | Khandha Sutta ("for protecting against snakes and other creatures") | Vinaya, iv. 245,AN i. 348, Ja no. 203 |
| 5. | Mora Sutta ("for protection against snares, imprisonment and for safety") | Ja no. 159 |
| 6. | Dhajagga Sutta ("for protection against fear, trembling and horror") | Sn i 220-2 |
| 7. | Āṭānāṭiya Sutta ("for protection against evil spirits, and gaining health and happiness") •verses 104- 109 •verses 102, 103, 110-130 •verse 131 | Dn iii. 159,Dhp verse 109, |
| 8. | Vaṭṭa Sutta ("for protection against fire") | Cp 415 |
| 9. | Aṅgulimāla Sutta ("for easy delivery for expectant mothers") | Mn ii. 306 |
| 10. | Bojjhaṅga Sutta ("for protection against and getting free from sickness and disease") | Sn iii. 71, 72, 73 |
| 11. | Abhaiya Sutta ("for protection against nightmare") | monks from Chiang Mai composed during the same time asJinapañjara |
| 12. | Jaya Sutta ("for victory and success in auspicious acts") | unknown |
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