Chants Used in Sri Lanka

Contents

Devotional Chants

Salutation to the Three Main Objects of Venerations

Vandāmi cetiyaṃ sabbaṃ
Sabba-ṭhānesu patiṭṭhitaṃ
Sārīrīka-dhātu-Mahā-bodhiṃ
Buddha-rūpaṃ sakalaṃ sadā.

Salutation to the Bodhi-Tree

Yassa mūle nissino va
sabbāri vijayaṃ akā,
Patto sabbaññutaṃ Satthā
vande taṃ Bodhi-pādapaṃ.
Ime ete Mahā-Bodhi
loka-nāthena pūjitā,
Aham-pi te namassāmi
bodhi-Rājā nam’atthu te!

Offering of Lights

Ghana-sārappadittena
Dīpena tama-dhaṃsinā
Tīloka-dīpam sambuddhaṃ
Pūjayāmi tamo-nudaṃ.

Offering of Incense

Gandha-sambhāra-yuttena
Dhūpenāhaṃ sugandhinā
Pūjaye pūjaneyyan-taṃ
Pūjā-bhājanam-uttamaṃ.

Offering of Flowers

Vaṇṇa-gandha-guṇopetaṃ
Etaṃ kusuma-santatiṃ.
Pūjayāmi munindassa
Sirīpāda-saroruhe.
Pūjemi Buddhaṃ kusumena’nena
Puññenam-etena ca hotu mokkhaṃ
Pupphaṃ milāyāti yathā idaṃ me
Kāyo tathā yāti vināsa-bhāvaṃ.

Transference of Merit to Devas

Ākāsatthā ca bhummatthā
Devā nāgā mah’iddhikā
Puññaṃ taṃ anumoditvā
Ciraṃ rakkhantu [loka] sāsanaṃ
Ciraṃ rakkhantu desanaṃ
Ciraṃ rakkhantu maṃ paraṃ

Ettāvatā ca amhehi
Sambhataṃ puñña-sampadaṃ
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

Idaṃ te/vo/no/me ñātīnaṃ 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,
Sataṃ samāgamo hotu,
yāva nibbāna-pattiyā.
Kāyena vācā-cittena
pamādena mayā kataṃ
Accayaṃ 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-maṅgalaṃ
rakkhantu sabba-devatā.
Sabba-buddhānubhāvena
sadā sotthi bhavantu me.
Bhavatu sabba-maṅgalaṃ
rakkhantu sabba-devatā.
Sabba-dhammānunbhāvena
sadā sotthi bhavantu me.
Bhavatu sabba-maṅgalaṃ.
rakkhantu sabba-devatā.
Sabba-saṅghānubhāvena,
sadā sotthi bhavantu me.
Nakkhatta-yakkha-bhūtānaṃ
pāpaggaha-nivāraṇā
Parittassānubhāvena
hantvā mayhaṃ/amhe upaddave.
Devo vassatu kālena.
sassa-sampatti-hetu ca.
Phīto bhavatu loko ca.
rājā bhavatu dhammiko.
Sabbe buddhā balappattā,
paccekānañca yaṃ balaṃ
Arahantānañca tejena,
rakkhaṃ bandhāmi sabbaso.

Mettā Bhāvanā

Attūpamāya sabbesaṃ
sattānaṃ sukhakāmataṃ,
Passitvā kamato mettaṃ
sabbasattesu bhāvaye.
Sukhi bhaveyyaṃ niddukkho
ahaṃ niccaṃ ahaṃ 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 siyuṃ.
Tathā itthī pumā ce’va
ariya anariya’ pi ca,
Devā narā apāyaṭṭhā
tathā dasa disāsu cā-ti.

Pattanumodana (Sharing Merits)

Idaṃ te/vo/no/me ñātīnaṃ hotu
Sukhitā hontu ñātayo (×3)

Yathā vāri-vahā pūrā
paripūrenti sāgaraṃ,
Evaṃ eva ito dinnaṃ
petānaṃ upakappatu.
Unname udakaṃ vattaṃ
yathā ninnaṃ pavattati,
Evaṃ eva ito dinnaṃ
petānaṃ upakappatu.
Āyūr-arogya-sampatti
sagga-sampattiṃ eva ca,
Atho nibbāna-sampatti
iminā te/vo/no/me samijjhatu.
Icchitaṃ patthitaṃ tuyhaṃ
sabbam-eva samijjhatu,
Pūrentu citta-saṅkappā
maṇi-joti-raso yathā.
Icchitaṃ patthitaṃ tuyhaṃ
sabbam-eva samijjhatu,
Pūrentu citta-saṅkappā
cando paṇṇa-rasī yathā.
Icchitaṃ patthitaṃ tuyhaṃ
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, ahaṃ bhante, sabbā āpattiyo ārocemi.
Dutiyam-pi ahaṃ bhante, sabbā āpattiyo ārocemi.
Tatiyam-pi ahaṃ 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 ahaṃ bhante, sambahulā nānā-vatthukā āpattiyo āpajjiṃ, 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: Āyatiṃ āvuso saṃvareyyāsi.
In the future, friend, you should be restrained.

JCB: Sādhu suṭṭhu bhante āyatiṃ saṃvarissāmi.
Dutiyam-pi sādhu suṭṭhu bhante āyatiṃ saṃvarissāmi.
Tatiyam-pi sādhu suṭṭhu bhante āyatiṃ saṃvarissāmi.

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 ahaṃ bhante,
sabbā tā garukāpattiyo āvikaromi.
Dutiyam-pi okāsa ahaṃ bhante,
sabbā tā garukāpattiyo āvikaromi.
Tatiyam-pi okāsa ahaṃ 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 ‘saṃvarissāmi’.

Formula for same base offences

JCB: Okāsa ahaṃ bhante, desanādukkaṭāpattiṃ āpajjiṃ, taṃ tumha-mūle paṭidesemi.

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

SAB: Passasi āvuso taṃ āpaṭṭiṃ?
Do you see, friend, that offence?

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

SAB: Āyatiṃ āvuso saṃvareyyāsi.
In the future, friend, you should be restrained.

JCB: Sādhu suṭṭhu bhante āyatiṃ saṃvarissāmi. Dutiyam-pi sādhu suṭṭhu … . Tatiyam-pi … saṃvarissāmi.

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

‘Imasmiṃ vihāre imaṃ te-māsaṃ vassaṃ upemi. Idha vassaṃ 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 ahaṃ bhante ti-saraṇena saddhiṃ aṭṭh’aṅga sīlaṃ dhammaṃ yācāmi, anuggahaṃ katvā sīlaṃ detha me bhante. Dutiyam-pi okāsa… detha me bhante. Tatiyam-pi okāsa… detha me bhante.’

Bhk: ‘Yaṃ ahaṃ vadāmi taṃ vadetha.’

Laypeople: ‘Āma, bhante.’

Bhk: ‘Namo…’ (×3)

Laypeople: repeat.

Bhk:

‘Buddhaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.
Dhammaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.
Saṅghaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.
Dutiyam-pi Buddhaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.
Dutiyam-pi Dhammaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.
Dutiyam-pi Saṅghaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.
Tatiyam-pi Buddhaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.
Tatiyam-pi Dhammaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.
Tatiyam-pi Saṅghaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.’

Laypeople: repeat line by line.

Bhk: ‘Saraṇagamanaṃ sampuṇṇaṃ.’

Laypeople: ‘Āma, bhante.’

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

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

Laypeople: ‘Imaṃ aṭṭh’aṅga-sīlaṃ samādiyāmi.’ (×3)

Bhk: ‘Ti-saraṇena saddhiṃ aṭṭh’aṅga-sīlaṃ dhammaṃ sādhukaṃ surakkhitaṃ katvā appamādena sampādetha.’

Laypeople: ‘Āma, bhante.’

Bhk:

‘Sīlena sugatiṃ yanti,
Sīlena bhoga-sampadā,
Sīlena nibbutiṃ yanti,
Tasmā sīlaṃ 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 ahaṃ bhante tisaraṇena saddhiṃ pañca-sīlaṃ dhammaṃ yācāmi, anuggahaṃ katvā sīlaṃ detha me bhante. Dutiyam-pi okāsa… Tatiyam-pi okāsa…’

Bhikkhu: ‘Yaṃ ahaṃ vadāmi taṃ vadetha.’

Laypeople: ‘Āma, bhante.’

Bhk: ‘Namo…’ (×3)

Laypeople: repeat.

Bhk: ‘Saraṇagamanaṃ sampuṇṇaṃ.’

Laypeople: ‘Āma, bhante.’

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

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

Bhk:

‘Tisaraṇena saddhiṃ pañcasīlaṃ dhammaṃ sādhukaṃ surakkhitaṃ katvā appamādena sampādetha.’

Laypeople: ‘Āma, bhante.’

Bhk:

‘Sīlena sugatiṃ yanti
Sīlena bhoga-sampadā,
Sīlena nibbutiṃ yanti,
Tasmā sīlaṃ visodhaye.’