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8. Ratanasuttaṁ
The Discourse on the Treasures
Introductory Verses
Koṭisatasahassesu ~ cakkavāḷesu devatā
The gods in the ten hundred thousand million universes
yassāṇaṁ patigaṇhanti ~ yañ-ca Vesāliyaṁ pure,
accepted that order (given) in the city of Vesāli,
rogāmanusssadubbhikkha ~ - sambhūtaṁ tividhaṁ bhayaṁ -
and disease, non-human beings, and famine ~ - the threefold fear that had arisen -
khippam-antaradhāpesi, ~ parittaṁ taṁ bhaṇāmahe.
was quickly brought to an end, ~ we will recite that safeguard.
The Safeguard
1. Yānīdha bhūtāni samāgatāni,
Whatever beings have come together here,
Bhummāni vā yāni va antalikkhe,
whether of the earth or in the firmament,
sabbe va bhūtā sumanā bhavantu,
may the minds of all those beings be happy,
atho pi sakkacca suṇantu bhāsitaṁ.
and may they listen carefully to what is said.
2. Tasmā hi bhūtā nisāmetha sabbe,
Therefore, all of you beings, be attentive,
mettaṁ karotha mānusiyā pajāya,
be friendly towards this generation of men,
divā ca ratto ca haranti ye baliṁ,
they who bring offerings by day and by night,
tasmā hi ne rakkhatha appamattā.
therefore, being heedful, you must protect them.
3. Yaṁ kiñci vittaṁ - idha vā huraṁ vā
Whatever riches there are - here or hereafter
saggesu vā - yaṁ ratanaṁ paṇītaṁ
or in the heavens - that excellent treasure
na no samaṁ atthi Tathāgatena -
is not equal unto the Realised One -
idam-pi Buddhe ratanaṁ paṇītaṁ:
this excellent treasure is in the Buddha:
etena saccena suvatthi hotu!
by virtue of this truth may there be safety!
4. Khayaṁ virāgaṁ amataṁ paṇītaṁ -
(Craving's) end, dispassion, deathlessness, excellence -
yad-ajjhagā Sakyamunī samāhito -
that which the concentrated Sakyan sage attained -
na tena Dhammena samatthi kiñci -
there is nothing that is equal to that state -
idam-pi Dhamme ratanaṁ paṇītaṁ:
this excellent treasure is in the Dhamma:
etena saccena suvatthi hotu!
by virtue of this truth may there be safety!
5. Yam-Buddhaseṭṭho parivaṇṇayī suciṁ -
That which the great Buddha praised as being pure -
samādhim-ānantarikañ-ñam-āhu -
the concentration said to have immediate (result) -
samādhinā tena samo na vijjati -
no equal to that concentration is found -
idam-pi Dhamme ratanaṁ paṇītaṁ:
this excellent treasure is in the Dhamma
etena saccena suvatthi hotu!
by virtue of this truth may there be safety!
6. Ye puggalā aṭṭha sataṁ pasatthā -
Those eight individuals praised by the good -
cattāri etāni yugāni honti -
there are these four pairs (of persons) -
te dakkhiṇeyyā Sugatassa sāvakā,
those disciples of the Fortunate One are worthy of gifts,
etesu dinnāni mahapphalāni -
those things that have been given to them have great fruit -
idam-pi Saṅghe ratanaṁ paṇītaṁ:
this excellent treasure is in the Saṅgha:
etena saccena suvatthi hotu!
by virtue of this truth may there be safety!
7. Ye suppayuttā manasā daḷhena
Those who have firm minds that are devoted to
nikkāmino Gotamasāsanamhi -
Gotama's teaching, being free from sense desire -
te pattipattā amataṁ vigayha -
having attained they entered the deathless -
laddhā mudhā nibbutiṁ bhuñjamānā -
are enjoying emancipation, obtained for free -
idam-pi Saṅghe ratanaṁ paṇītaṁ:
this excellent treasure is in the Saṅgha:
etena saccena suvatthi hotu!
by virtue of this truth may there be safety!
8. Yathindakhīlo paṭhaviṁ sito siyā
Just as a locking post stuck fast in the earth
catubbhi vātehi asampakampiyo,
does not waver on account of the four winds,
tathūpamaṁ sappurisaṁ vadāmi,
just like this, I say, is the person who is true,
yo ariyasaccāni avecca passati -
the one who sees the noble truths completely -
idam-pi Saṅghe ratanaṁ paṇītaṁ:
this excellent treasure is in the Saṅgha:
etena saccena suvatthi hotu!
by virtue of this truth may there be safety!
9. Ye ariyasaccāni vibhāvayanti,
Those who clearly distinguish the noble truths,
gambhīrapaññena sudesitāni,
which have been well preached by the one with great wisdom,
kiñcāpi te honti bhusappamattā
no matter how great they become in heedlessness
na te bhavaṁ aṭṭhamaṁ ādiyanti -
still they do not take up an eighth existence -
idam-pi Saṅghe ratanaṁ paṇītaṁ:
this excellent treasure is in the Saṅgha:
etena saccena suvatthi hotu!
by virtue of this truth may there be safety!
10. Sahā vassa dassanasampadāya
With his attainment of (liberating) insight
tayas su dhammā jahitā bhavanti:
there are three things that are given up:
sakkāyadiṭṭhi vicikicchitañ-ca
embodiment view, uncertainty, and
sīlabbataṁ vā pi yad-atthi kiñci.
whatever (grasping at) virtue and practices there is.
Catūhapāyehi ca vippamutto,
He is free from (rebirth in) the four lower worlds,
cha cābhiṭhānāni abhabbo kātuṁ -
and he is incapable of the six great crimes -
idam-pi Saṅghe ratanaṁ paṇītaṁ:
this excellent treasure is in the Saṅgha:
etena saccena suvatthi hotu!
by virtue of this truth may there be safety!
11. Kiñcāpi so kammaṁ karoti pāpakaṁ
Whatever bad actions he performs
kāyena vācā uda cetasā vā,
by way of body, speech, or mind,
abhabbo so tassa paṭicchādāya:
he is incapable of covering it up:
abhabbatā diṭṭhapadassa vuttā -
this incapacity is said of one who has seen the state (of peace) -
idam-pi Saṅghe ratanaṁ paṇītaṁ:
this excellent treasure is in the Saṅgha:
etena saccena suvatthi hotu!
by virtue of this truth may there be safety!
12. Vanappagumbe yathā phussitagge
Just like a tall woodland tree crowned with flowers
gimhānamāse paṭhamasmiṁ gimhe,
in the summer months, in the early summer,
tathūpamaṁ Dhammavaraṁ adesayī,
just like this he preached the Dhamma which is best,
Nibbānagāmiṁ paramaṁhitāya -
which goes to Nibbāna, the highest benefit -
idam-pi Buddhe ratanaṁ paṇītaṁ:
this excellent treasure is in the Buddha:
etena saccena suvatthi hotu!
by virtue of this truth may there be safety!
13. Varo varaññū varado varāharo,
The best one, knowing the best, giving the best, brought the best,
anuttaro Dhammavaraṁ adesayī -
the unsurpassed one preached the Dhamma which is best -
idam-pi Buddhe ratanaṁ paṇītaṁ:
this excellent treasure is in the Buddha:
etena saccena suvatthi hotu!
by virtue of this truth may there be safety!
14. Khīṇaṁ purāṇaṁ navaṁ natthi sambhavaṁ,
The old is destroyed, and nothing new is produced,
virattacittā āyatike bhavasmiṁ,
their minds are unexcited by future rebirth,
te khīṇabījā avirūḷhicchandā,
they have destroyed the seeds, and have no desire for growth,
nibbanti dhīrā yathāyam-padīpo -
the wise are still, just as this lamp (is still) -
idam-pi Saṅghe ratanaṁ paṇītaṁ:
this excellent treasure is in the Saṅgha:
etena saccena suvatthi hotu!
by virtue of this truth may there be safety!
(Spoken by Sakka, lord of the gods:)
15. Yānīdha bhūtāni samāgatāni,
Whatever beings have come together here,
bhummāni vā yāni va antalikkhe,
whether of the earth or in the firmament,
Tathāgataṁ devamanussapūjitaṁ,
gods and men revere the Realised One,
Buddhaṁ namassāma - suvatthi hotu!
we honour the Buddha - may there be safety!
16. Yānīdha bhūtāni samāgatāni,
Whatever beings have come together here,
bhummāni vā yāni va antalikkhe,
whether of the earth or in the firmament,
Tathāgataṁ devamanussapūjitaṁ,
gods and men revere the Realised One,
Dhammaṁ namassāma - suvatthi hotu!
we honour the Dhamma - may there be safety!
17. Yānīdha bhūtāni samāgatāni,
Whatever beings have come together here,
bhummāni vā yāni va antalikkhe,
whether of the earth or in the firmament,
Tathāgataṁ devamanussapūjitaṁ,
gods and men revere the Realised One,
Saṅghaṁ namassāma - suvatthi hotu!
we honour the Saṅgha - may there be safety!
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