Chants Used in Sri Lanka

Contents

Devotional Chants

Salutation to the Three Main Objects of Venerations

Vandāmi cetiyaṁ sabbaṁ
Sabba-ṭhānesu patiṭṭhitaṁ
Sārīrīka-dhātu-Mahā-bodhiṁ
Buddha-rūpaṁ sakalaṁ sadā.

Salutation to the Bodhi-Tree

Yassa mūle nissino va
sabbāri vijayaṁ akā,
Patto sabbaññutaṁ Satthā
vande taṁ Bodhi-pādapaṁ.
Ime ete Mahā-Bodhi
loka-nāthena pūjitā,
Aham-pi te namassāmi
bodhi-Rājā nam’atthu te!

Offering of Lights

Ghana-sārappadittena
Dīpena tama-dhaṁsinā
Tīloka-dīpam sambuddhaṁ
Pūjayāmi tamo-nudaṁ.

Offering of Incense

Gandha-sambhāra-yuttena
Dhūpenāhaṁ sugandhinā
Pūjaye pūjaneyyan-taṁ
Pūjā-bhājanam-uttamaṁ.

Offering of Flowers

Vaṇṇa-gandha-guṇopetaṁ
Etaṁ kusuma-santatiṁ.
Pūjayāmi munindassa
Sirīpāda-saroruhe.
Pūjemi Buddhaṁ kusumena’nena
Puññenam-etena ca hotu mokkhaṁ
Pupphaṁ milāyāti yathā idaṁ me
Kāyo tathā yāti vināsa-bhāvaṁ.

Transference of Merit to Devas

Ākāsatthā ca bhummatthā
Devā nāgā mah’iddhikā
Puññaṁ taṁ anumoditvā
Ciraṁ rakkhantu [loka] sāsanaṁ
Ciraṁ rakkhantu desanaṁ
Ciraṁ rakkhantu maṁ paraṁ

Ettāvatā ca amhehi
Sambhataṁ puñña-sampadaṁ
Sabbe devā/ bhūtā/ sattā anumodantu
Sabba-sampatti siddhiyā.

Blessing to the World

Devo vassatu kālena
Sassa-sampatti-hetu ca
Phīto bhavatu loko ca
Rajā bhavatu dhammiko.

Transference of Merits to Departed Ones

Idaṁ te/vo/no/me ñātīnaṁ hotu
sukhitā hontu ñātayo. (×3)

(When chanting for one person use ‘te’; when for laypeople use ‘vo’; when chanting together in a group use ‘no’; when alone use ‘me’.)

The Aspirations

Iminā puññakammena
mā me bāla-samāgamo,
Sataṁ samāgamo hotu,
yāva nibbāna-pattiyā.
Kāyena vācā-cittena
pamādena mayā kataṁ
Accayaṁ khama me bhante
bhūri-pañña Tathāgata.

Blessing and Protection

Sabb’ītiyo vivajjantu
sabba-rogo vinassatu;
Mā me/no bhavatvantarāyo
sukhī dīghāyuko/ā bhava/homa.
Bhavatu sabba-maṅgalaṁ
rakkhantu sabba-devatā.
Sabba-buddhānubhāvena
sadā sotthi bhavantu me.
Bhavatu sabba-maṅgalaṁ
rakkhantu sabba-devatā.
Sabba-dhammānunbhāvena
sadā sotthi bhavantu me.
Bhavatu sabba-maṅgalaṁ.
rakkhantu sabba-devatā.
Sabba-saṅghānubhāvena,
sadā sotthi bhavantu me.
Nakkhatta-yakkha-bhūtānaṁ
pāpaggaha-nivāraṇā
Parittassānubhāvena
hantvā mayhaṁ/amhe upaddave.
Devo vassatu kālena.
sassa-sampatti-hetu ca.
Phīto bhavatu loko ca.
rājā bhavatu dhammiko.
Sabbe buddhā balappattā,
paccekānañca yaṁ balaṁ
Arahantānañca tejena,
rakkhaṁ bandhāmi sabbaso.

Mettā Bhāvanā

Attūpamāya sabbesaṁ
sattānaṁ sukhakāmataṁ,
Passitvā kamato mettaṁ
sabbasattesu bhāvaye.
Sukhi bhaveyyaṁ niddukkho
ahaṁ niccaṁ ahaṁ viya,
Hitā ca me sukhī hontu
majjhatthā c’atha verino.
Imamhi gāmakkhettamhi
sattā hontu sukhī sadā,
Tato parañ ca-rajjesu
cakkavāḷesu jantuno.
Samantā cakkavāḷesu
sattānan-tesu pāṇino,
Sukhino puggala bhūtā
attabhāvagatā siyuṁ.
Tathā itthī pumā ce’va
ariya anariya’ pi ca,
Devā narā apāyaṭṭhā
tathā dasa disāsu cā-ti.

Pattanumodana (Sharing Merits)

Idaṁ te/vo/no/me ñātīnaṁ hotu
Sukhitā hontu ñātayo (×3)

Yathā vāri-vahā pūrā
paripūrenti sāgaraṁ,
Evaṁ eva ito dinnaṁ
petānaṁ upakappatu.
Unname udakaṁ vattaṁ
yathā ninnaṁ pavattati,
Evaṁ eva ito dinnaṁ
petānaṁ upakappatu.
Āyūr-arogya-sampatti
sagga-sampattiṁ eva ca,
Atho nibbāna-sampatti
iminā te/vo/no/me samijjhatu.
Icchitaṁ patthitaṁ tuyhaṁ
sabbam-eva samijjhatu,
Pūrentu citta-saṅkappā
maṇi-joti-raso yathā.
Icchitaṁ patthitaṁ tuyhaṁ
sabbam-eva samijjhatu,
Pūrentu citta-saṅkappā
cando paṇṇa-rasī yathā.
Icchitaṁ patthitaṁ tuyhaṁ
khippam-eva samijjhatu,
Sabbe pūrentu saṅkappā
cando paṇṇa-rasī yathā.

Petavatthu p.19-31 & KhpA. 206-215

Offences

Āpatti-paṭidesanā (Confession of Offences)

Method of confessing light offences

JCB: Junior Confessing Bhikkhu
SAB: Senior Acknowledging Bhikkhu

JCB: Okāsa, ahaṁ bhante, sabbā āpattiyo ārocemi.
Dutiyam-pi ahaṁ bhante, sabbā āpattiyo ārocemi.
Tatiyam-pi ahaṁ bhante, sabbā āpattiyo ārocemi.

I ven. sir, declare all offences. For the second time… For the third time…

SAB: Sādhu, sādhu.
It is good, it is good.

JCB: Okāsa ahaṁ bhante, sambahulā nānā-vatthukā āpattiyo āpajjiṁ, tā tumha-mūle paṭidesemi.

I, ven. sir, having many times fallen into many different offences with different bases, these I confess.

SAB: Passasi āvuso tā āpattiyo?
Do you see, friend, those offences?

JCB: Āma bhante passāmi.
Yes, ven. sir, I see.

SAB: Āyatiṁ āvuso saṁvareyyāsi.
In the future, friend, you should be restrained.

JCB: Sādhu suṭṭhu bhante āyatiṁ saṁvarissāmi.
Dutiyam-pi sādhu suṭṭhu bhante āyatiṁ saṁvarissāmi.
Tatiyam-pi sādhu suṭṭhu bhante āyatiṁ saṁvarissāmi.

It is well indeed, ven. sir, in future I shall be restrained. For the second time…For the third time…

SAB: Sādhu, sādhu.
It is good, it is good.

JCB: Okāsa ahaṁ bhante,
sabbā tā garukāpattiyo āvikaromi.
Dutiyam-pi okāsa ahaṁ bhante,
sabbā tā garukāpattiyo āvikaromi.
Tatiyam-pi okāsa ahaṁ bhante,
sabbā tā garukāpattiyo āvikaromi.

Ven. sir, I reveal all heavy offences. For the second time… For the third time…

This final declaration is only used in some communities. Also, some communities will acknowledge with a ‘Sādhu’ after each declaration rather than as shown above. That is, after each ‘ārocemi’ and each ‘saṁvarissāmi’.

Formula for same base offences

JCB: Okāsa ahaṁ bhante, desanādukkaṭāpattiṁ āpajjiṁ, taṁ tumha-mūle paṭidesemi.

I, ven. sir, confess an offence of wrong-doing through having confessed the same-based offences.

SAB: Passasi āvuso taṁ āpaṭṭiṁ?
Do you see, friend, that offence?

JCB: Āma bhante passāmi.
Yes, ven. sir, I see.

SAB: Āyatiṁ āvuso saṁvareyyāsi.
In the future, friend, you should be restrained.

JCB: Sādhu suṭṭhu bhante āyatiṁ saṁvarissāmi. Dutiyam-pi sādhu suṭṭhu … . Tatiyam-pi … saṁvarissāmi.

It is well indeed, ven. sir, in future I shall be restrained. For the second time… For the third time…

SAB: Sādhu, sādhu.
It is good, it is good.

Vin.II.102

Rains and Kathina

Entering the Rains

‘Imasmiṁ vihāre imaṁ te-māsaṁ vassaṁ upemi. Idha vassaṁ upemi.’

‘I enter the Rains in this kuṭi for three months. I enter the Rains here.’

Uposatha-day for Lay-followers

Eight Precepts

With hands in añjali, the laypeople recite the following request:

‘Sādhu! Sādhu! Sādhu! Okāsa ahaṁ bhante ti-saraṇena saddhiṁ aṭṭh’aṅga sīlaṁ dhammaṁ yācāmi, anuggahaṁ katvā sīlaṁ detha me bhante. Dutiyam-pi okāsa… detha me bhante. Tatiyam-pi okāsa… detha me bhante.’

Bhk: ‘Yaṁ ahaṁ vadāmi taṁ vadetha.’

Laypeople: ‘Āma, bhante.’

Bhk: ‘Namo…’ (×3)

Laypeople: repeat.

Bhk:

‘Buddhaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchāmi.
Dhammaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchāmi.
Saṅghaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchāmi.
Dutiyam-pi Buddhaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchāmi.
Dutiyam-pi Dhammaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchāmi.
Dutiyam-pi Saṅghaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchāmi.
Tatiyam-pi Buddhaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchāmi.
Tatiyam-pi Dhammaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchāmi.
Tatiyam-pi Saṅghaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchāmi.’

Laypeople: repeat line by line.

Bhk: ‘Saraṇagamanaṁ sampuṇṇaṁ.’

Laypeople: ‘Āma, bhante.’

Then the bhikkhu recites, with the laypeople repeating line by line:

  1. Pāṇātipātā veramaṇī sikkhā-padaṁ samādiyāmi.
  2. Adinnādānā veramaṇī sikkhā-padaṁ samādiyāmi.
  3. Abrahma-cariyā veramaṇī sikkhā-padaṁ samādiyāmi.
  4. Musāvādā veramaṇī sikkhā-padaṁ samādiyāmi.
  5. Surā-meraya-majja-pamādaṭṭhānā veramaṇī sikkhā-padaṁ samādiyāmi.
  6. Vikāla-bhojanā veramaṇī sikkhā-padaṁ samādiyāmi.
  7. Nacca-gīta vādita visūka-dassana mālāgandha vilepana dhāraṇa maṇḍana vibhūsanaṭṭhānā veramaṇī sikkhā-padaṁ samādiyāmi.
  8. Uccā-sayana mahā-sayanā veramaṇī sikkhā-padaṁ samādiyāmi.

A.IV.248–250

I undertake the precept to refrain from:

  1. destroying living beings.
  2. taking that which is not given.
  3. any kind of intentional sexual behaviour.
  4. false speech.
  5. intoxicating drinks and drugs that lead to carelessness.
  6. eating at wrong times.
  7. dancing, singing, music and going to entertainments, perfumes, beautification and adornment.
  8. lying on a high or luxurious sleeping place.

Bhk: ‘Imaṁ aṭṭh’aṅga-sīlaṁ samādiyāmi.’

Laypeople: ‘Imaṁ aṭṭh’aṅga-sīlaṁ samādiyāmi.’ (×3)

Bhk: ‘Ti-saraṇena saddhiṁ aṭṭh’aṅga-sīlaṁ dhammaṁ sādhukaṁ surakkhitaṁ katvā appamādena sampādetha.’

Laypeople: ‘Āma, bhante.’

Bhk:

‘Sīlena sugatiṁ yanti,
Sīlena bhoga-sampadā,
Sīlena nibbutiṁ yanti,
Tasmā sīlaṁ visodhaye.’

‘These Eight Precepts
Have morality as a vehicle for happiness,
Have morality as a vehicle for good fortune,
Have morality as a vehicle for liberation,
Let morality therefore be purified.’

The Laypeople may respond with:

‘Sādhu, sādhu, sādhu!’

Five Precepts

With hands in añjali, the laypeople recite the following request:

‘Sādhu! Sādhu! Sādhu! Okāsa ahaṁ bhante tisaraṇena saddhiṁ pañca-sīlaṁ dhammaṁ yācāmi, anuggahaṁ katvā sīlaṁ detha me bhante. Dutiyam-pi okāsa… Tatiyam-pi okāsa…’

Bhikkhu: ‘Yaṁ ahaṁ vadāmi taṁ vadetha.’

Laypeople: ‘Āma, bhante.’

Bhk: ‘Namo…’ (×3)

Laypeople: repeat.

Bhk: ‘Saraṇagamanaṁ sampuṇṇaṁ.’

Laypeople: ‘Āma, bhante.’

Then the bhikkhu recites, with the laypeople repeating line by line:

  1. Pāṇātipātā veramaṇī sikkhā-padaṁ samādiyāmi.
  2. Adinnādānā veramaṇī sikkhā-padaṁ samādiyāmi.
  3. Kāmesu micchā-cārā veramaṇī sikkhā-padaṁ samādiyāmi.
  4. Musā-vādā veramaṇī sikkhā-padaṁ samādiyāmi.
  5. Surā-meraya-majja-pamādaṭṭhānā veramaṇī sikkhā-padaṁ samādiyāmi.

Bhk:

‘Tisaraṇena saddhiṁ pañcasīlaṁ dhammaṁ sādhukaṁ surakkhitaṁ katvā appamādena sampādetha.’

Laypeople: ‘Āma, bhante.’

Bhk:

‘Sīlena sugatiṁ yanti
Sīlena bhoga-sampadā,
Sīlena nibbutiṁ yanti,
Tasmā sīlaṁ visodhaye.’