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ManægalatthadipaniÆ: the Commentary on Manægala Sutta

Buddho yo manægalatthiÆnamá manægalamá iti vissuto

desako manægalatthaÆnamá
Dhammo yo manægalatthiÆnamá
jotako manægalatthaÆnamá
Sanægho yo manægalatthiÆnamá
kaÆrako manægalatthaÆnamá
manægalantamá namaÆm ihamá //
manægalamá iti vissuto
manægalantamá namaÆm ihamá //
manægalamá iti vissuto
manægalantamá namaÆm ihamá //

(ManægalatthadipaniÆ/PranáaÆm agathaÆ)

Abstract

The paper aims to draw attention of Indian Pali scholars to the Pali literatures of Thailand
for further studies. The ManægalatthadipaniÆ (abbreviated as MD) composed by Ven.
SirimanægalaÆcariya in 1524 A.D. is the most famous Pali work of Thailand. Ven.
SirimanægalaÆcariya composed MD to explain Manægalasutta, the Sutta from Suttantapitaka with
beautiful Pali prose and verse. The author provided the extensive references to the significant
Pali sources namely Tipitaka, Atthakatha, Tika, Anutika, Vamsa (chronicles), Saddavisesa and
Pakaravisesa. The explanation of MD in each Manægala is very attractive and clear by various
metaphors and stories. MD spreads wide to nearby Buddhist counties such as Myanmar,
Cambodia and Laos showing the popularity of the text.

SirimanægalaÆc ariya: the Author of ManægalatthadipaniÆ

SirimanægalaÆcariya, the great Pali scholar of Lanna Kingdom of Northern Thailand, is said
to have original name as §riÆpingmeung. He was born to the elephant merchant family during the
reign of King TilokaraÆja (1441-1487 A.D.). After entering to the priestly life §riÆpingmeung was
given the name Sirimanægala. SirimanægalaÆcariya seems to study PaÆli Language from local monk
as he claimed in Nigama Gatha of MD that he was the student of Ven. BuddhaviÆra
(Buddhavirassa Sisso, MD.II.626). He was in charge as Upajjhaya or preceptor of King Kesh
Meung Klau in Upasampada ceremony. The said King had built Ratna Mahavihara Temple and
offered to his preceptor with gratitude. Some source says that SirimanægalaÆcariya resided in the
temple of monks who had studied in Sri Lanka. This brings to the presumption that the Ven.
went to Sri Lanka for Pali study. In the senior years he was appointed as the abbot of Suan
Khuan Temple, which is called Tamnak Temple nowadays around 4 km from Chiang Mai city.
SirimanægalaÆcariya is believed to have composed several Pali literatures, but until now only four
works come to light. These four works are:
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- 1. VessantaradiÆpaniÆ: the commentary on Vessantara Jataka in 1517 A.D.

- 2. CakkavaÆláadiÆpaniÆ: the Buddhist cosmology in 1520 A.D.
- 3. SanækhyaÆpakaÆs aka TiÆka: the commentary on the Buddhist numeral system in 1520 A.D.
- 4. ManægalatthadiÆpaniÆ: the commentary on Manægala Sutta in 1524 A.D.

He passed away in the reign of King Me Kuti (1551-1564 A.D.). The period of the life of Ven.
SirimanægalaÆcariya marks the golden age of Pali literatures in Thailand as apart from him many
Pali scholar monks appeared to compose several Pali literatures e.g.

- Ven. Bodhiransi Thera who composed Sihinæga NidaÆna and CaÆm adeviÆvamása
- Ven. ÑaÆnáakitti Thera who composed SamantapaÆsaÆdikaÆ AtthayojanaÆ, Bikkhupatimokha
GanátáhidiÆpaniÆ, SimaÆsanækara Vinicchaya, MuÆlakaccaÆyana AtthayojanaÆ etc.
- Ven. RatanapaññaÆ Thera who composed JinakaÆlamaÆli Pakaranáa.

Remarks on the Manæg alatthadipaniÆ

Ven. SirimanægalaÆcariya composed MD to explain Manægalasutta, the Sutta from

Khuddhaka NikaÆya, Khuddhaka PaÆtáa, Suttantapitaka describing the auspiciousness in the
Buddhist point of view. As it was explained in MD, the Buddha claims that the auspiciousness is
not what you have seen (Ditátáthamanægala), not what you have heard (Suttamanægala) and not what
you have known (Muttamanægala), but your practice in 38 topics in the Sutta is auspiciousness
(Kammamanægala). Even though the content of Manægalasutta is not quite difficult to understand,
but in order to clarify and show the means of Manægala in practice Ven. SirimanægalaÆcariya had
thoroughly examined to the extensive Pali sources at the time and explained the content of
Manægalasutta by giving the stories from various texts as the models in each Manæg ala. The text of
MD is divided into two parts, Pathmabhaga and Dutiyabhaga. The substance of the first part of
MD consists of PranáaÆm a GathaÆ, Uppatti KathaÆ and explanation covering first four Gathas of the
Sutta. The second part elucidates the remaining eight Gathas and ends with Nigama Gatha. The
language of MD is purely classic Pali which was composed in prose and verse. There are 421
verses employed in MD in various meters (Chandas) such as PatátáhyaÆvatta, Indavajira, Indavanæs a
and Vanæsatátáha. It is interesting to note that some verses in MD is the mixed meters called UpajaÆti
showing the ability of the author.

The author of MD follows the tradition of Buddhist commentators by quoting the text
from Sutta as Nikkhepapada or condensed content, then giving the definitions and explanation of
significant words. In addition, the author gives the stories from Jatakas and chronicles as the
samples for easy understanding of the audiences e.g. in the first Manægala, no company keeping
with the fools (AsevanaÆ ca BaÆlaÆnamá), eleven stories are given as the samples as follow:

- 1. Sattigumba Jataka from Visati Nipata (MD.I.24)

- 2. MahiláaÆ Jataka from Eka Nipata (MD.I.25)
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- 3. Giridatta Jataka from Duka Nipata (MD.I.26)

- 4. DadhivaÆhana Jataka from Duka Nipata (MD.I.27)
- 5. HaliddaraÆga Jataka from Navaka Nipata (MD.I.32)
- 6. Akitti Jataka from Terasa Nipata (MD.I.39)
- 7. Vibbhantikabhikkhu from Tanha Vagga, Dhammapada (MD.I.42)
- 8. Devadatta Vatthu from SumanægalavilaÆsiniá (MD.I.43)
- 9. Ajatasattu Vatthu from SumanægalavilaÆsiniá (MD.I.44)
- 10. DiÆghavitha Nigrantha Vatthu from SumanægalavilaÆsiniá (MD.I.45)
- 11. Chassatthu Vatthu from SumanægalavilaÆsiniá (MD.I.46)

It is significant to note that the author provides the accurate references wherever the quotation is
required as we do in thesis. From these references we know the text books used in composing
MD. These texts can be categorized 6 groups as below:

1. Tipitaka

- Vinaya Pitaka e.g. Maha Vagga, Maha Vibhanæga

- Suttanta Pitaka e.g. Khuddhaka NikaÆya, Sanæyutta NikaÆya
- Abhidhamma Pitaka e.g. DhammasanæganiÆ, Vibhanæga PaÆtáa

2. AtátáhakathaÆ

- AtátáhakathaÆ of Vinaya Pitaka e.g. SamantapasaÆdikaÆ, KanækhaÆvitaranáiÆ

- AtátáhakathaÆ of Suttanta Pitaka e.g. JatakatátáhakathaÆ, DhammapadatátáhakathaÆ
- AtátáhakathaÆ of Abhidhamma Pitaka e.g. AtátáhasaÆliniÆ, SammohavinodaniÆ

3. TáiÆkaÆ and AnutáiÆkaÆ

- TáiÆkaÆ of Vinaya Pitaka e.g. VimativinodaniÆ, SaÆratthadiÆpaniÆ

- TáiÆkaÆ of Suttanta Pitaka e.g. SaÆratthamañjusaÆ, LinatthapakaÆsiniÆ
- TáiÆkaÆ of Abhidhamma Pitaka e.g. DhammasanæganiÆ MuÆlatáiÆkaÆ, DhammasanæganiÆ AnutáiÆk aÆ
Vibhanæga MuÆlatáiÆkaÆ, Vibhanæga AnutáiÆkaÆ

4. SaddaÆvisesa

- Chandavutti DipaniÆ
- SandhibalaÆvataÆra
- Vuttodaya
- SaddaniÆti Pakaranáa
- AbhidhaÆnappadiÆpikaÆ
- KaccaÆyana Sutta etc.

5. Pakaranáavisesa
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- Visuddhimagga
- ParamatthamañjusaÆ Visuddhimagga TáiÆkaÆ

6. Vanæsa or Chronicles

- MahaÆvanæsa and TáiÆkaÆ

The explanation of MD in each Manægala is very attractive and clear with various
metaphors and stories as mentioned above, thus it is not surprising that MD is well-known in
nearby Buddhist counties such as Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos. In Myanmar MD is recognized
at least since 19th Century as the name of Ven. SirimanægalaÆcariya and MD is mentioned in
Sasanavanæsa, the chronicle of Myanmar Buddhist order which was composed Ven. PaññaÆsaÆm iÆ in
1851. In Cambodia the manuscript of MD is available in the Library of BuddhasaÆsanapanádáita or
Buddhist institute in Phnom Penh. Then MD was published in the book form since early decade
of 20th Century. MD seems to spread to Laos along with Buddhism in 16th Century when the
princess from Lanna married the King Bodhisararaj of Lanxang Kingdom.
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Bibliography

Khonraeng, Adul Phramaha. (1998). “An Analytical Study of The ManægalatthadiÆpaniÆ”, M.A.
Thesis submitted to Department of Oriental Languages, Silpakorn University.

Mahamakut RajavidyaÆlaya. (2540 BE). The Thai Translation of ManægalatthadiÆp aniÆ. Vol. 1-5.
Bangkok: Mahamakut RajavidyaÆlaya printing house.

PaññaÆsaÆm iÆ. (1897). SaÆsanavamása. Edited by Mabel Bode. London: Pali Text Society.

Sirimanæg alaÆcariya. (2529 BE). ManægalatthadiÆp aniÆ Pathamo-Dutiyo BhaÆgo. Bangkok:

Mahamakut RajavidyaÆlaya printing house.

Soni, R.L. Dr. (1987). The Maha Mangala Sutta. Mandalay: Buddhist Publication Society.