Theravada Chanting

By Peter Holmgren and Ajahn Piiti

This book contain 110 chants in Western alphabet, making it easier to learn to chant. All 100 chants come with a translation in English.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Oct 19, 2016
• ISBN: 9781365471438

Book preview

Theravada Chanting

Theravada Chanting

By

Peter Holmgren

and

Ajahn Piiti

With my greatest heartful thanks to my wife

Long Samnang

for her encouragement and support to finish this book.

Contents

Foreword

How to Chant

Section 1 : Morning Chanting

1.1 Dedication of Offerings

1.2 Buddha Namatthu

1.3 Praise To the Buddha

1.4 Praise of the Dhamma

1.5 Praise of the Sangha

1.6 Salutation of the Triple Gem

1.7 Patisangkhāyoniso

1.8 Puñña-udissagāthā

1.9 Pattidānagāthā

1.10 The Supreme Attitudes

Section 2 : Evening chanting

2.1 Dedication

2.2 Buddha namatthu

2.3 Buddhānussati

2.4 Buddhaguna

2.5 Dhammānussati

2.6 Dhammaguna

2.7 Sanghānussati

2.8 Sanghaguna

2.9 Atītapaccavekkhana

2.10 Dhātu patikūla Paccavekkhanāpātha

2.11 Sangkhāra-pacca-vekkhana

2.12 Abhinha paccavekkhana

2.13 Dasa dhammā abhinha

2.14 Metta-nisangsa gāthā

2.15 Uddisanādhitthāna gāthā(Iminā)

Section 3 : Meditation Objects

3.1 Manopubbanggamā

3.2 Khēmā gāthā

3.3 Ariyathana gāthā

3.4 Tilakkhanādi gāthā

3.5 Bhārāhavē

3.6 Bhaddekaratta gāthā

3.7 Appamāda gāthā

3.8 Dhammagāravādigāthā

3.9 Ovāda-pātimokkha

3.10 Buddha-udānagāthā

3.11 Pacchimabuddhovādapātha

3.12 Buddhānussati

3.13 Haro mitto

3.14 Satthu-garu dhamma-garu

3.15 Ariyasacca

3.16 Marana-sati

3.17 Yathāpi sēlā

Section 4 : Manggala sutta

4.1 Ārādhanāparittamanggala

4.2 Inviting the Devas

4.3 Tisarana Gamana

4.4 Sambuddhe

4.5 Yocakkhumā

4.6 Namo-kāra-atthakang

4.7 Asēvanā

4.8 Yangkiñci

4.9 Karanīya Mētta Sutta

4.10 Khandha Paritta

4.11 Mora Paritta

4.12 Vattaka Paritta

4.13 Anggulimāla Paritta

4.14 Bojjhangga Paritta

4.15 Ātānātiya Paritta

4.16 Yadāhavē

4.17 Dhamma-niyāma Sutta

4.18 Yānīdhabhūtāni

4.19 Abhaya Paritta

4.20 Sacca-kiriya

4.21 Dukkhappattā

4.22 Buddha-jayamanggala gāthā

4.23 Buddha-jaya-manggala Bāhung

4.24 Mahā-kāruniko

4.25 Bhavatu sabbamanggalang

Section 5 - Anumodanā Gāthā

5.1 Yathā vārivahā

5.2 Aggappasādasuttagāthā

5.3 So atthaladdho

5.4 Bhojanadānānumodanā

5.5 Sabbarogavinimutto

5.6 Dānānumodanā-gāthā

5.7 Cullamanggalacakkavāla

5.8 Kālanadāna

5.9 Adāsimē akāsimē

5.10 Sumanggalagāthā

Section 6 - Dhammasanghinī

6.1 Dhammasanghinī

6.2 Vibhanga

6.3 Dhātu-kathā

6.4 Puggala-paññatti

6.5 Kathā-vatthu

6.6 Yamaka

6.7 Patthāna

6.8 Mātikā-Pangsukūla

6.9 Patthāna

6.10 Pangsugūla gāthā

6.11 Jinapañjara gāthā

Section 7 - Special suttas

7.1 Dhamma-cakkappavattana Sutta

7.2 Āditta-pariyāya Sutta

7.3 Anatta-lakkhana Sutta

7.4 Magga-vibhangga Sutta

7.5 Paticca Samuppāda

Section 8 – Various Teachings

8.1 Māhasatipatthānasutta

8.2 Kāyānupassanā

8.3 Iriyāpathapabbang

8.4 Sampajaññapabbang

8.5 Patikkūlapabbang

8.6 Dhātu pabbang

8.7 Navasīvathikāpabbang

8.8 Vedanānupassanā

8.9 Jittānupassanā

8.10 Dhammānupassanā

8.11 Khandababbang

8.12 Āyathana-babbang

8.13 Bojjhangga-pabba

8.14 Ariyasacca-pabba

8.15 Majjhimāpatipadā

8.16 Ānisangsa-satipatthāna

8.17 Gotamī-sutta

Afterword

Foreword

We do not know, if the Buddha himself was chanting. Surely at the time chanting did exist, but we don’t know if the Buddha himself used this concept. Most likely, chanting started after the death of the Buddha.

Chanting is not prayers, as many has been led to believe these days. Chanting was originally a way to deliver the Buddha’s teachings from monk to monk – Oral books, so to speak.

When reading the chants, we should keep some things in mind. Most likely these chants are not original and the reason for this, is that mistakes and errors happen in the 2000 year long chain of monks. Next is that the Buddha’s teachings has been a pain in the eyes of the Hindu high-caste since the day the Buddha started teaching, and they have corrupted the teachings in various ways(and still attempt to do so until this day).

The Tamil invasion of Sri Lanka, when nuns were raped and killed and most monks used for target practice, is one of the most clear examples of how the Hindu priests saw an opportunity to corrupt the teachings. They simply threatened the remaining monks, that the priests would have the locals killed and tortured, if changes were not made. Fortunately the priests were not very smart and left the most important parts of the teachings fairly untouched. In addition, they also claimed that Buddhism was a branch of Hinduism. This desire to claim Buddhism as a branch of Hinduism is still very strong today.

During modern times, Islam and Christianity joined in to make changes to ‘Buddhist lifestyle’, but a new branch also appeared, which is best described as commercial Buddhism, which is more interested in selling magical trinkets, magical ceremonies, tattoos and blessings, than actually practice. Commercial Buddhism is easy to recognize. If it is flashy and sensational, it is commercial Buddhism.

One of the purposes of this book is for people to understand what it is they are chanting, so they are able to reflect on the words, rather than thinking that the chanting sounds and words has some kind of magical effect that somehow improve their lives.

The Buddha predicted the fall of his teachings(through calculating probabilities in social tendencies), but it doesn’t hurt to try to stretch the death of the teachings, by publishing books like this one.

With this book I wish for all to gain insight through knowledge, and use the knowledge wisely to be beneficial for all creatures. Suffering end with our own effort to stop it within ourselves.

Peter Holmgren

(Ajahn Piiti)

How to Chant

There are no rules or directions on how to chant and since Pali is a forgotten language, we don’t know the exact pronounciations. The Chanting we hear today is colored by the local pronounciation, such as Thai or Khmer.  The Thai language and alphabet was born from the Khmer language and alphabet. The Khmer language and alphabet was formed due to the influence of the Hindus, that came to the country centuries ago.

If you travel from temple to temple, you will also notice that each monk has his own style of chanting. If you find it useful or fun to make a rock-version of a sutta, feel free to do so. There is nothing wrong in that and the Buddha never set any guidelines on how the chanting should sound.

The only rule, is to not change the words of the suttas, because that would change the meaning of the sentences and give a wrong message(right speech).

Section 1 : Morning Chanting

1.2 Buddha Namatthu

(LEADER):

(ALL)

(Three times)

1.4 Praise of the Dhamma

(LEADER):

(ALL)

(BOW)

1.5 Praise of the Sangha

(LEADER):

(ALL):

(BOW)

1.6 Salutation of the Triple Gem

Topics of Chastened Dispassion

(LEADER):

(ALL)