A STUDY OF PARITTA

A STBDY OF

IN

PALI "CANONS"
P
A RITT
A IN

SHOJUN HATSUZAKI
PALI
"OA NONS"

PREFACE

The Book of Protection (Paritta text) which is an antholgy of selected

discourses of the Buddha compiled by the teachers of old, was originally
meant as a hand book for the newly ordained novice. The idea was that
these novices who are not capable of studying large portions of the 'Dis
course Collection' (Sutta Pitaka) should at least be conversant with the
Book of Protection. Even today, it is so. The twenty four discourses
are selected from the five Nikdyas or the original Collections in Pdli
containing the Buddha's discourses. The fact that the book was meant
for the novice is clear from the prefatory paragraphs that precede the
discourses.
The precepts are ten, and not five which are the basic principles of
the lay followers. The novice is expected observe the ten precepts. This
is followed by the 'Questions to be Answered by a Novice' and the 'Thirty
Two Parts of the Body' which is really a type of meditation on the
constituent parts of one's body. Then comes the 'Four-fold Reflection of
a monk', and finally the 'Ten Essentials (Dhammas)', to be reflected upon
by one who has gone forth to live in the holy life. The discourses come
next. If one patiently and painstakingly studies these discourses, he could

gather a good knowledge of the essential and fundamental teaching of

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the Buddha.
The Maha-Samaya Sutta and the Atanatiya Sutta ending the book

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may appear to some as pointless but a careful reader will no doubt

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appreciate their relevance. In the essay on the Value of Paritta, an attempt
is made to show what paritta means to a Buddhist. I have endeavoured

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to keep as close as possible to the original wording of the text without

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making it too liberal a translation on the one hand and a word for word
translation on the other and have avoided translating the Pali stanzas
into verses (except the stanzas of discourses no; 5, 11, 19) in order to

give a very faithful, easy and readable rendering. I have preserved the
synonymous words and repetitions found in the Suttas since they are
the ipsissima verba of the Buddha handed down to us through oral
tradition.

In all the suttas the words 'Bhagava' the 'Blessed One' an epithet
of the Buddha are frequently used. To avoid using the same word too
often in the translation, I have, at times, used the word 'the Buddha' for
'Bhagava' or a personal pronoun to denote him.

The Pali words and names included in this work are lacking in
diacritical marks. In some places, however the smaller type with such
marks are used. But student of Pali Language may not find any diffi
culty in pronouncing them. The reader may refer to the Khandha-Vatta
Jataka (No: 203) when studing the Khandha Paritta.
The Angulimala Paritta is a short discourse that does not appear
in the Book of Protection (Paritta text), but as it is a paritta made use
of by expectant mothers in Buddhist lands, I have included it in the
Appendix. Other Pali stanzas, used by the Buddhists in reciting the
Parittas, are also included in the Appendix with their English renderings.

I THE VALUE OF PARITTA

"Ancient research in medicine, in experimental psychology and what

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 is still called parapsychology has thrown some light on the nature of
mind and its position in the world. During the last forty years the
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conviction has steadily grown among medical men that very many causes
of disease organic as well functional, are directly caused by mental state.

The body becomes ill because the mind controlling it either secretly wants
to make it ill, or else because It is in such a state of agitation that it
PARITTA IN

cannot prevent the body from sickning. Whatever its physical nature
may be resistance to disease is unquestionably correlated with the psy
chological condition of the patient."(1)
PALI

"Mind not only makes sick, it also cures. An opitimistic patient has
"OANONS"

more chances of getting well than a patient who is worried and unhappy.
The recorded instance of faith healing include cases in which even organic
diseases were cured almost instantaneously."(2)

In this connection it is interesting to observe the prevalence, in

Buddhist lands of listening to the recital of Dhamma or the doctrine of
the Buddha in order to avert illness or danger, to ward off the influence
of malignant beings to obtain protection and deliverance from evil and

to promote health, prosperity, welfare and welll-being. The selected dis

courses for recital are known as 'paritta suttas' discourses for protection.
But they are not 'rakshana mantras' or protective incantations found in
Brahmanic religion, nor are they magical rites. There is nothing mystical
in them.
'Paritta' in Pali 'paritrana' in Sanskrit and 'pirit' (pronounced pirith)

in Sinhala (3). mean principally protection. Paritta describe certain suttas

or discourses delivered by the Buddha and regarded as affording protec
tion. This protection is to be obtained by reciting or listening to the

paritta suttas. The practice of reciting and listening to the paritta suttas
began very early in the history of Buddhism. The word paritta, in this
context was used by the Buddha for the first time in a discourse known
as 'Khandha Paritta'(4). in the Culla Vagga of the Vinaya Pitaka (Vol.

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ii p. 109) and also in the Anguttara Nikaya under the title 'Ahi (metta)
Sutta' (Vol. ii, p. 82). This discourse was recommended by the Buddha as

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guard or protection for the use of the members of the order. The Buddha

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in this discourse exhorts the monks to cultivate metta or lovingkindness
towards all beings.

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It is certain that Paritta recital produces mental wellbeing in those

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who listen to them with intelligence and have confidence in the truth
of the Buddha's words. Such mental wellbeing can help those who are
ill to recover and can also help not only to induce the mental attitude
that brings happiness but also to overcome its opposite. Originally, in

India those who listend to paritta sayings of the Buddha understood what
was recited and the effect on them was correspondingly great. The Buddha
himself had paritta recited for him and he also requested others to recite

paritta for his own disciples when they were ill. (5). This practice is
still in vogue in Buddhist lands.

The Buddha and the Arahants (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 the Dhamma 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 worldling) when heterosuggestion
has been found to be more effective than auto-suggestion.

According to the teachings of the Buddha the mind is so closely linked

with the body that mental states effect the body's health and well being.
Some doctors even say there is no such thing as a purely physical disease.
That even so grossly 'physical' a complaint as dental caries may be due

to mental causes was maintained in a paper read on the American Dental

Congress in 1937. The anther pointed out that children living on a per
fectly satisfactry diet may still suffer from dental decay. In such cases
investigation generally shows that the child's life at home or at
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 school is in some way unsatisfactory. The teeth decay because their owner
is under mental strain (6). Unless therefore, according to the Buddhist
A STUDK OF

doctrine of kamma (Sanskirit-karma) (7), these bad mental states are

caused as a result of one's own acts (akusala kamma vipaka) and are
therefore unalterable. It is possible so to change these mental states as to
cause mental health and physical well-being to follow thereafter.
PARITA

(1). For the physical basis of resistance see The Nature of Disease
by J. E. R. Modomagh, F. R. C. S.
IN

(2). Aldous Huxley 'Ends and Means' (London 1946) p.259.

PPLI

(3). The state language of Sri Lanka

"CAN ON S"

(4). See below; III. The Discourse of Paritta, No: 5.

(5). See below; Bojjhanga and Girimanada Suttas numbers 12, 13, 14,
and 15.

(6). Aldous Huxley-'Ends ands and Means' (London 1946. P.259)

(7). Karma in Buddhism means action brought about by volition.

1. The Power of Truth

Several factors combine to contribute towards the efficacy of paritta
recitals. Paritta recital is a form of saccakiriya an asseveration of truth.
Protection results by the power of such asserveration. This means esta
blishing oneself in the power of truth to gain one's end. At the end of
the recital of each sutta the reciters bless the listners with the words
'etena sacca vajjena sotti to hotu sabbada' which means by the power of

the truth of these words may you ever be well. The saying, 'the power of
the dhamma or Truth protects the follower of the Dhamma' (Dhammo have
rakkhati dhammacarin) indicates the principle behind these sutta recitals.
The belief in the effective power to heal or protect of the saccakiriya
or asseveration of something quite true is but another aspect of the work
ascribed to the paritta.

(i). C. A. F. Rhys Davids, Dialogues of the Buddha, part 3, p. 186.

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 2. The Power of Virtue
Several discourses of The Book of protection describe the virtuous

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life. The starting point in Buddhism is sila (virtue). Standing on the

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firm ground of sila one should endeavour to achieve a collected mind. If
it is true that virtue protects the virtuous, then a person who listens to

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the recital of paritta suttas intelligently in a reflective mood with com

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plete confidence in the Buddha's words uttered by one who gained complete
Enlightenment will acquire so virtuous a state of mind as would enable
him to dominate any evil influence and to be protected from all harm.

3. The Power of Love

The utterances of the compassionate Buddha are never void of love.
He walked the high-ways and by-ways of India enfolding all within the aura
of his love and compassion instructing, enlightening and gladdening the
many by his teaching. The reciters of the paritta are therefore expected
to do so with a heart of love and compassion wishing the listeners and
others weal and happiness and protection from all harm.

Love (metta) is active force. Every act of one who truly loves is
done with the pure mind to help, to cheer and make the paths of others

more easy, more smooth and, more adapted to the conquest of sorrow, the
winning of the Highest Bliss. C. A. F. Rhys Davids commenting on amity

(metta) writes: The profession of amity according to Buddhist doctrine

was no mere matter of pretty speech. It was to accompany and express a

psychic suffusion of the hostile man or beast or spirit with benign, fra
ternal emotion-with metta. For strong was the conviction, from sutta and
vinaya, to Buddhaghosa'a Visuddhi Magga, (1) that 'thoughts are things'

that psychical action emotional or intellectual, is capable of working like

a force among forces. Europe may yet come round further to this Indian
attitude. (2)

(1). Chapter. ix. p. 313. According to the Sasanalankara quoted in

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 Gray's Buddhaghosuppatti. p. 15, Buddhaghosa was about to
write a Commentary on the Paritta when he was sent to
A STUDY OF

greater work in Ceylon.

(2).'Dialogues of the Buddha' Part 3, p. 185.

4. The Power of sound

PARITTA IN

It is believed that the vibratory sounds produced by the sonorous and

mellifluous recital of the paritta suttas in their Pali verses are soothing
to the nerves and induce peace and calm of mind; they also bring about
PA LI

harmony to the physical system.

"OANONS"

How can bad influence springing from evil beings be counteracted

by recital of paritta suttas? Bad influences are the results of evil think
ing. They can, therefore be counteracted by wholesome state of mind. One
sure way of inducing a wholesome state of mind is by listening to and
reflecting on paritta recitals with intelligence and confidence. So great
is the Power of concentration that by adverting whole-heartedly to
the truth contained in the paritta recitals one is able to develope a
wholesome state of mind.

The recital of paritta suttas can also bring material blessings in its
wake through the wholesome states of mind induced by concentration and
confidence in listening intelligently to the recital.

According to the Buddha, right effort is a necessary factor in over

coming suffering. (1) Listening to these recitals in the proper way can also

generate energy for the purpose of securing wordly progress while it also
secures spiritual progress.
There is no better medicine than truth (dhamma) for the mental and

physical ills which are the causes of all suffering and misfortune. So the
recital of paritta suttas in as much as they contain the dhamma, may,

when they are listened to in the proper attitude bring into being whole
some states of mind which conduce to health, material progress and
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spiritual progress. The effect of Pirit can also transcend distance however

great.

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It is true that the Buddhists consider the parittas as a never-falling,

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potent and purifying force a supersolvent. However, a question may arise
whether recitals from The Book of Protection will in every case result in

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the protection and blessing sought for. In this connection the same reply

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given by the Venerable Ndgasena to King Milinda's question why the
recital of paritta does not in all cases protect one from death, is worth
remembering; Due to three causes recital of paritta may have no effect:
kamma hindrances (Kammavarana): hindrances from defilements (kilesa
varana): lack of faith (asaddhanataya).(2).

Kamma means action and not the result of action; therefore action
can be counteracted by other action. Kamma is not something static but
is always changing, i. e. always in the making; that being so, action can
be counteracted by other action. Hence bad action on the part of the
hearers of the recital may negative the beneficial effects of the recital.

If the mind of the hearer is contaminated with impure thoughts then

also the intended beneficial effects of the recital may not materialize.
But however impure the mind of the hearer may be if there is great
confidence in the efficacy of the recital then this important factor may
help to secure for him the beneficial effects of the recital.

(1). Samyutta-Nikaya, 1, p.214.

(2). Milinda Panha, Vol. 1., p.216.

II THE BOOK OF PROTECTION

This collection of paritta discourses, in Sinhala 'The Pirit Potha' is

the most widely known Pali book in Sri Lanka. It can be called 'The
Buddhist Bible.' It is given an important place in the Buddhist home, and
is even treated with veneration. In most houses where there is a small
shrine, this book is kept there so that the inmates may refer to it during
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 their devotional hour. Some have committed to memory the three well
known discourses-Mangala, Ratana and Karaniya-metta suttas. (1) Even
A STUDY OF

children are familiar with these discourses; for they learn them from their

parents and elders or from the 'dhamma school'.

The habit of listening to the recital of paritta suttas among the
Westerners is growing slowly but steadily. The present writer while on
P
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his missions in the European and American countries, has, at request of

several residents there, tape-recorded the recital of paritta suttas for their
benefit, and has air-mailed casettes containing the sutta recitals to those
who had sent him such cassettes.
"OANONS"

Now what does this book contain? It is a collection of 24 suttas or

discourses almost all delivered by the Buddha and found scattered in the

five original collections (nikayas) in Pali which from the Sutta Pitaka,

the 'Canonical Discourses'. These discourses are preceded by an enunciation

of the 'Three Refuges', the Ten Precepts and the questions asked of a

novice'

This collection of discourses popularly known as 'Pirit Potha' or The

Book of Protection has a less known title, 'Catubhanavara'.(in Sinhala-
Satara Banavara). A 13th century Commentary to this written is Pali
by a pupil of the Venerable Rajaguru Vanaratana of Sri Lanka, is available
under the title 'Catubhanavara Atthakatha or Sarattha Samuccaya'.

What is a bhanavara? It is a collection of sermons or discourses.

Four such collections are called 'Catubhanavara'. As the teachers of old
have said a three-word line (pada) is made up of 8 syllables (attha
akkhara), four such padas make a stanza or a gatha. Thus stanzas consists
of 32 syllables. 250 such stanzas is called a bhanavara which consists of
8,000 syllables. The Catubhanavara was compiled by the Maha Theras.

The teachers of yore (poranakaeariya) of Sri Lanka, and today it is

known among the Buddhists of Sri Lanka as the 'Pirit Potha', The Book
of Protection.
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 It is customary for Buddhist monks, when they are invited to the
homes of laity on occasions of domestic importance such as birthdays,

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house-warming, illness and similar events, to recite the three popular dis

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courses mentioned above. In the domestic and social life of the people of

Sri Lanka pirit ceremony is of great significance. No festival or function,

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religious or social, is complete without the recital of the paritta. On

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special occasions monks are invited to recite the paritta suttas not for
short periods but right through the night or for three or seven days,

and at times, for weeks. On such occasions a pavillion (pirit mandapaya)

is constructed for the purpose of accommodating the monks at the recital.
Before the commencement of the recital the laity present at the ceremony
makes a formal invitation to the monks by reciting in Pali three stanzas

which explain the purpose of the recital. (2) Then the monks, generally
about twelve or fourteen, who have been invited, will recite the three

popular suttas. Thereafter a pair of monks will commence reciting the

remaining suttas for two hours.

They will then retire and will be followed by another pair for another
two hours. Two monks must be constantly officiating. In this manner the
recital will last till dawn.

While the recital continues there will be found a pot of water placed
on a table before the monks. On this table there is also the sacred thread

(pirit nula). For an all night pirit ceremony the casket containig a
relic of the Buddha, and the 'Pirit Potha' or The Book of Protection
written on ola leaves, are also brought into the pavilion. The relic re

presents the Buddha, the 'Pirit Potha' represents the Dhamma or the
teachings of the Buddha and the reciting Bhikkhu-Sangha represents the
Ariya-Sangha the Arahant disciples of the Buddha.
The thread is drawn round the interior of the pavilion, and its end
twisted round the casket, the neck of the pot of water, and tied to the
cord of the ola-leaf book. While the special discourses are being recited

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 the monks hold the thread. The purpose is to maintain an unbroken
communication from the water to the relic, to the 'Pirit Potha' and to
A STUDY OF

the officiating monks (Budda, Dhamma, Sangha, the Ti-ratana, the three

jewels). A ball of thread connected to the 'Three Jewels' and the water, is
unloosened and passed on to the listeners (seated on the ground on mats),
who hold the thread while the recital goes on. When the recital in Pali
P
ARITTA IN

of the entire book is over at dawn, the thread sanctified by the recital is

divided into pieces and distributed among the devotees to be tied round
their wrists or necks. At the same time the sanctified water is sprinkled
P
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on all, who even drink a little of It and sprinkle it on their heads. These
"ANONS"

sre to be regarded as symbols of the protective Power of the paritta

that was recited. It is a service of inducing blessings. It has its psy
chological effects.

Dr. Bernard Grad of MCGill University in Montreal painstakingly

proved if a psychic healer held water in a sealed flask and this water
was later poured on barley seeds, the plants significantly outgrew un
treated seeds. But and this is the intriguing part-if depressed psychia
tric patients held the flasks of water, the growth of the seeds was
retarded.

Dr. Grad suggests that there appeared to be some 'X factor' or

energy that flows from the human body to affect growth of plants and
animals. A person's mood affected this energy. This previously unack
nowledged 'energy' has the widest implications for medical science, from
healing to lab tests, Grad says (3).

As experimentally discovered by Dr. Grad, mind can influence matt

er. If that be so, not much thinking is necessary to draw the logical
inference that mind can influence mind. Further if the human mind can
influence lower animals, then by a parity of reasoning the human mind
can influence the minds of beings higher than animals.

(1). See below; III. The Discourse of Paritta No. 2. 3. 4.

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 (2). See below; Saranagamana; Majjhima-Nikaya 1. p.24 Khuddhaka-
Patha p. 1.

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(3). Psychic Discoveries Behind the Iron Gurtain, Sheila Ostrander

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& Lynn Schroeder, Bantam Books. U. S. A, p.224; also read chapter
on 'Healing with Thought', p. 293.

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III THE DISCOURSES OF PARITTA

All references to Pdli texts are the editions of the P. T. S.

1. Discourse on the Ten Dhaznmas (Dasadhamma sutta; Anguttara
nikaya, V. 87).
2. Discourse on Blessings (Maha Mangala sutta; Khuddaka patha, 2.
Sutta-nipata, 46, under the title Mangala sutta. Cf. Mahamangala
Jataka, No. 452.).
3. The Jewel Discourses (Ratana sutta; Khuddaka-Patha, 3. Sutta
nipata, 39).
4. Discourse on Lovingkindness (Karaniya metta; Khuddaka-patha, 8.
Sutta-nipata, 25. under the title Metta-sutta).
5. Protection of the Aggregates (Khandha paritta; Culla Vagga II. p.
110, also in the Anguttara under the title, Ahi (metta) sutta II,
72; Khandha-Vatta-Jataka 203.).
6. Discourse on Advantages of Lovingkindness (Mettanisamsa sutta;
Anguttara-Nikaya V. 342).
7. The Advantages of Friendship (Mettanisamsa; (These ten stanzas,
recounting the beneficial effects of friendship, are found in the
Mugapakka Jataka VII. No. 538)).
8. The Peacok's Prayer for protection (Mora Paritta; Jataka II, 23 No.
159).
9. The Moon Deity's Prayer for Protection (Canda Paritta; Sam.yutta
nikaya. 1, 50).

10. The Sun Deity's Prayer for Protection (Suriya Paritta; Samyutta-
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 nikaya 1, 51).
11. Banner Protection (Dhajagga Paritta; Samyutta-nikaya 1, 218).
A STUDY OF PARITTA IN

12. Factors of Enlightenment (Maha Kassapa Thera Bojjihanga;

Samyutta-nikaya V. p. 79).
13. Factors of Enlightenment (Maha Moggallana Thera Bojjhanga; Sam

yutta-nikaya. V. p. 80).
14. Factors of Enlightenment (Maha Cunda Thera Bojjhanga; Samyutta
nikaya. V. p. 81).
15. Discourse to Girimananda Thera. (Girimananda sutta; Anguttara
PA LI

nikaya. V. 108).
16. The Discourse at Isigili (Isigili sutta; Majjhima nikaya. 116).
"CANONS"

17. Setting in Motion the Wheel of Truth (Dhammacakka-ppavattana

sutta; Samyutta-nikaya. V. 420; Vinaya; Mahavagga, 1. 10 No: 17).
18. The Great Assembly (Maha. samaya-sutta; Digha nikaya. No: 20).
19. Discourse to Alavaka (Alavaka sutta; Sutta-nipata p. 31).
20. Discourse to Bharadvaja, the Farmer (Kasibharadvaja sutta; sutta
nipata. p. 12; Samyutta-nikaya 1. p. 172).
21. Discourse on Downfall (Parabhava sutta; Sntta-nipata. p. 18).
22. Discourse on Outcasts (Vasala sutta-nipata p. 21. also known as
Aggika-bharadvaja sutta).
23. Discourse on the Analysis of the Truths (Saccavibhanga sutta;
Majjhima-nikaya, 141).
24. Discourse on Atanatiya (Atanatiya sutta; Digha-nikaya, 32).

(Here ends the Book of Protection.)

P. S. Protective Discourse to Angulimala (Angulimala Paritta Theragatha,
C. C. L. V. Angulimala. Rhys Davids,'Psalms of the early Buddhist',

p. 322).

APPENDIX

Proctective Discourse to Angulimala.

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 The Venerable Angulimala while on his rounds for alms in Savatthi
saw a woman in travail. After his meal he approached the Buddha and

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told him what he had seen. Thereupon the Master taught him this

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paritta. He then went to the presence of the suffering sister, sat on a
seat separated from her by a screen, and made this asseveration of the

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Truth. Instantly she gave birth to the child with great ease . The effi

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cacy of the Angulimala paritta persists to this day.
This sutta is not included in the 'Book of Protection'. The words ,
uttered by the Buddha by way of protection, and learnt by the Vene
rable Angulimala, are found in the Angulimala sutta (Majjhima-nikaya,
sutta no. 86).
The very water that washed the seat of him who recited this paritta
has put an end to all danger. At that very moment this paritta effected
a safe delivery of the infant.
"Now we shall recite that very efficacious paritta uttered by the

protector of the world (Buddha) which holds good for an aeon".

"Since I was born of Aryan birth, o sister, I am not aware of hav

ing intentionally deprived any living of his life. By this asseveration

of Truth may you be well! May thy unborn child be well!".

(I express my grateful acknowledgement to Prof. K. W. Goone

wardena of the University of Peradeniya for his kind aid to prepare the
English version of this manuscript. I am, however solely responsible for
any mistakes or defects in this paper.)

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