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CHAPTER-(6)
CONCLUSION
mention about Theravāda Buddhist country’s Paritta Suttas as a critic in this conclusion
chapter. Paritta Suttas constantly preached by the Buddha himself are separately spread
hither and thither in the five Nikāyas of Pāḷi Tipiṭaka. Therefore, ancient scholar monks
who want Buddhism to stand out promote and propagate for long time, compile separate
treatise combining these Paritta Suttas together, gathering from the whole Tipiṭaka.
Suttas317 such as Maṅgala Sutta,Ratana Sutta, Mettā Sutta Khandha Sutta, Mora Sutta,
Pubbaṇha Sutta. Myanmar has its own style of chanting Paritta Suttas. The rhythm is
much faster than others. They pronounce ‘tha’ instead of ‘sa’, ‘sa’ instead of ‘ch’ and
etc., e.g. ‘Buddhaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi’; the Myanmar pronounces ‘Buddhaṃ tharaṇaṃ
gassāmi’. These eleven Suttas are chanting every day in every monastery and nunnery
Srilanka ancient scholar monks arranged 29318 Parrita Suttas collected together
from various parts of the Pāḷi Canon. They are Saraṇa-gamana(Going for
317
.Paritta Pāḷi, Sixth Saṃgha Council Edition, Ministry of Religious Affairs, Yangon, Myanmar, 1979.P,1.
318
.The Great Book of Protections, Lionel Lokuliyana (Mr.), Ed. Ti Saraṇa Buddhist Association, Singapore Buddhist Meditation
Centre, Singapore, 2002. P, 9.
334
Moon Deity’s Prayer for Protection, Sūriya Paritta(The Sun Deity’s Prayer for
Protection), Dhajagga Sutta, Mahā Kassapa Thera Bhojjhaṅga Sutta, Mahā Moggallāna
Thera Bhojjhaṅga Sutta, Mahā Cunda Thera Bhojjhaṅga Sutta, Thera Girimānanda
Saccavibhaṅga Sutta (Discourse on the Analysis of the Truths) and Āṭānāṭiya Sutta.
Since the chanting of the Theravāda Pāli canon practically originated in Sri
Lanka, the monks have learnt it from an unbroken tradition of two millennia and the
locally spoken idioms belong to the Indo-Aryan family of languages, the pronunciation,
rhythm and intonation of chanting Pāḷi Suttas, as prevalent in Sri Lanka, have a claim of
purity and authenticity. The slower rhythm of chanting, a pause between the phrases and
Thailand, where about 96% of the populations are Buddhists, is the only country
in the world today which is ruled by a Buddhist monarch and where the Theravāda
national heritage. And there is also an important social acceptance there that Thailand
males should receive ordination compulsorily at least for a short period. So, they get a
319
.Pāḷi Tipiṭaka Chanting, Oral Tradition of Theravada Buddhism, India Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, New Delhi,
2008.P, 172.
335
closer experience of the religious practices like chanting and fair knowledge of
Buddhism320. The chanting of Paritta Suttas is a compulsory and very important part of
all the Thailand Buddhists rites. As a arrangement of Thailand scholar monks, There are
34 Paritta Suttas321 chanted every day in every monastery and nunnery and some houses
of lay people in Thailand. They are as follows: Saraṇa-gamana (Going for Refuge),
aṭṭhaka Gāthā (The Homage Octet), Vaṭṭa Sutta, Āṭānāṭiya Sutta,Aṅgulimāla Sutta,
Kālāma.
In Cambodia, the Paritta Suttas chanting tradition has arrived from the 6th to 7th
century A.D. The south Indian variety of Brahmim script went to Cambodia where it
developed into Khmer script form which Myanmar, Thai, Laos and Indonesian scripts
evolved. These scripts were written in Pāḷi as well as the regional languages. It helps to
spread the Buddhist religion and culture in those regions. Buddhism virtually brought
literacy to these regions in the field of literature, art and socio-religious cultural
exposition. Cambodian chanting tradition is based on the oral wisdom transferred in the
monasteries. Besides the Pāḷi Suttas, Cambodians have translated some Suttas and
Gāthās in their language322. According to Cambodia Buddhists Tradition, the Paritta text
is an anthology of 30 Suttas collected together from various parts of the Pāḷi Canon.
There are 30 Paritta Suttas323 chanted every day in every monastery and nunnery and
322
.Pāḷi Tipiṭaka Chanting: Oral Tradition of Theravada Buddhism, India Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, New Delhi, 2008,
PP, 197-198.
323
.A Chanting Guide, The Order (Dhammayut Nikāya), Ed. The Dhammayut Nikāya Order Committee, Buddhists Temple of
America, 5615 Howard Avenue, Ontario, CA 91762, USA, 1994,PP,1-2
337
Paritta Gāthā (The Six Protective Verses from the Discourse on Treasures),Karaṇīya
fallen into suffering) and Bhavatu sabbamaṅgala (May there be every blessing).
It is believed that Theravāda Buddhism was initially embraced by Laos during the
7th to 8th centuries A.D. through the kingdom of Dvaravati. During the 7th cent., tantric
Buddhism was also introduced to Laos from the kingdom of Nan-chao, and ethnically
Thai kingdom centered in modern day Yunnan, China. The Nan-chao kingdom also likely
introduced the political ideology of the king as defender and protector of Buddhism, and
important ideological tie between the monarchy and Saṃgha in much of Southeast Asia.
In the later period, subsequent alliances with Myanmar and Thailand helped Theravada
Buddhism to become one of the primary unifying features of Lao culture324. The Paritta
text is an anthology of 58- Suttas325 with 15 groups, collected together from various parts
of the Pāḷi Canon. These Suttas are used on a 15 day lunar calendar cycle. Section
324
.Pāḷi Tipiṭaka Chanting: Oral Tradition of Theravada Buddhism, India Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, New Delhi, 2008,
P,199.
325
.Evening Sutta/ Discourse Guide, Committee (Wat Lao Buddhamamakaram), Wat Lao Buddhamamakaram Press 3624 Bexvie
Avenue, Columbus OH 43227, 2008,PP,3-4.
338
number one is used on the day of following the full and new moon day. They are as
atthaka Gāthā (Verse on The Homage Octet),Maṅgala Sutta, Khandha Sutta,Mora Sutta,
Blessing of the Triple Gem), Dhammasaṅganī Mātika Pāṭha (Passage on Matrix of the
These above mention are different numbers of Parita Suttas among the Theravāda
Buddhist country. If we analyzed these Parita Suttas, we see that The Paritta Suttas
which endow with virtues of Triple Gem, morality (Sīla), concentration (Samādhi) and
wisdom (Paññā) make protection from hazards and particular effects. There are so many
evidences or people who have marvelously freed from eminent terrible hazards due to
always chanting and listening Paritta Suttas by believing in and respecting to Triple Gem
and power of morality (Sīla), Truth (Sacca) and Loving-kindness (Mettā). Not only that,
340
there is some experience dealing with growth of prosperities and glories. This is the
marvels of various high knowledge such as Omniscience etc, it can be known great
diverse power of mental qualities. Therefore, it is quite clear that chanting Paritta Suttas
have various type powers of mental qualities. Moreover, Chanting is very common to any
religion. Buddhism is no exception in this regard. However, the aim and purpose of
chanting is different from one religion to another. Buddhism is unique in that it does not
consider chanting to be prayer. When a Buddhist does chanting, he is not asking someone
to save him from evil nor is he hoping to be given a place in heaven as a result after he
dies.
known as Paritta Suttas, the meaning of the word “Paritta” and its significance, the
Suttas), abstracted from Pāli literatures hither and thither, and some essential words
related to Paritta Suttas to know clearly by the chanter and listener as footnote.
In the Introduction of the text (In the Chapter One), I have explained the Paritta
Suttas being used from the Buddhist time up to now, and its accordance with Pāḷi cannon
and many commentaries, historical evidences for prevalence of Paritta as a ritual, and
then historical evidences of chanting Paritta Suttas during the six periods of Myanmar’s
kings.
341
In the Chapter Two, I described the definition of the word “chanting” and its
significance, and then I described the survey of eleven Paritta Suttas one by one and its
In the Chapter Three, I stated many Characteristics of eleven Paritta Suttas such
as: the efficacy of Chanting Protective Discourses, the Ceremony of Chanting Protective
In the Chapter Four, I explained the exposition of eleven Paritta Suttas one by one
the benefits of Truth, the Categories of Loving-kindness (Mettā), The Benefits of each
In the Chapter Six, I described different numbers of Paritta Suttas among the
conclusion.
doing so, our valuable time and energy will be in the form of the devotion which accrues