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Chanting suttas for beginners?

Posted: Thu Jan 22, 2009 4:37 am
by Individual
What suttas do laypeople and monks in Asia usually chant, when they're first learning to recite suttas or in devotional practices, like the Heart Sutra chanting of Mahayana?

If there are no particular suttas, then what suttas would you recommend for such a practice? Preferably something short, with a nice rhythm.

I see a lot of stuff here and can probably find the Pali text somewhere, but there's just so much to choose from.

Re: Chanting suttas for beginners?

Posted: Thu Jan 22, 2009 4:59 am
by jcsuperstar
in thailand every temple chants basicaly the same few chants then mix it up with different chants on different days, or popular chants for that part of thailand

this site here http://www.forestmeditation.com/audio/audio.html has all the basic ones.

Re: Chanting suttas for beginners?

Posted: Thu Jan 22, 2009 9:12 am
by Element
Individual wrote:What suttas do laypeople and monks in Asia usually chant.
In Theravada Thailand, monks chant as found in this Chanting Guide and any interested laypeople do likewise.

By chanting one learns what the monks consider to be core teachings of the Buddha to be comprehended.

This chanting is using Thanissaro translation.
Yesaṃ pariññāya,
Dharamāno so bhagavā,
Evaṃ bahulaṃ sāvake vineti,
So that they might fully understand this, the Blessed One, while still alive, often instructed his listeners in this way;

Evaṃ bhāgā ca panassa bhagavato sāvakesu anusāsanī,
Bahulaṃ pavattati:
Many times did he emphasize this part of his admonition:

"Rūpaṃ aniccaṃ,

"Form is inconstant,

Vedanā aniccā,

Feeling is inconstant,

Saññā aniccā,

Perception is inconstant,

Saṅkhārā aniccā,

Mental processes are inconstant,

Viññāṇaṃ aniccaṃ,

Consciousness is inconstant,

Rūpaṃ anattā,

Form is not-self,

Vedanā anattā,

Feeling is not-self,

Saññā anattā,

Perception is not-self,

Saṅkhārā anattā,

Mental processes are not-self,

Viññāṇaṃ anattā,

Consciousness is not-self,

Sabbe saṅkhārā aniccā,

All processes are inconstant,

Sabbe dhammā anattāti."

All phenomena are not-self."

Te mayaṃ,
Otiṇṇāmha jātiyā jarā-maraṇena,
Sokehi paridevehi dukkhehi domanassehi upāyāsehi,
Dukkh'otiṇṇā dukkha-paretā,
All of us, beset by birth, aging & death, by sorrows, lamentations, pains, distresses & despairs, beset by stress, overcome with stress, (consider),

"Appeva nām'imassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa antakiriyā paññāyethāti!"

"O, that the end of this entire mass of suffering & stress might be known!"

Re: Chanting suttas for beginners?

Posted: Thu Jan 22, 2009 9:20 am
by Element
We begin in the morning with Morning Chanting, Praise for the Buddha, Praise for the Dhamma, Praise for the Sangha & Salutation to the Triple Gem & The Topics for Chastened Dispassion.

In the evening, we do Evening Chanting until we finish:
Kāyena vācāya va cetasā vā,
Saṅghe kukammaṃ pakataṃ mayā yaṃ,
Saṅgho paṭiggaṇhatu accayantaṃ,
Kālantare saṃvarituṃ va saṅghe.

Whatever bad kamma I have done to the Saṅgha
by body, by speech or by mind,
may the Saṅgha accept my admission of it,
so that in the future I may show restraint toward the Saṅgha.

Re: Chanting suttas for beginners?

Posted: Thu Jan 22, 2009 9:29 am
by Element
The following book has some nice guidence about chanting and nice simple translations.

Suan Mokkh Chanting

Re: Chanting suttas for beginners?

Posted: Thu Jan 22, 2009 9:43 am
by mikenz66
Element wrote:
Individual wrote: By chanting one learns what the monks consider to be core teachings of the Buddha to be comprehended.
....
"Rūpaṃ aniccaṃ,
"Form is inconstant,
...
Yes, I find that part of the morning chant a good reminder of what I'm supposed to be doing when on retreat...

On New Years eve our Wat was full of people chanting the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta in Pali.
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/auth ... html#cakka" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
The repetitions of udapādi are particularly stirring:
Idaṃ dukkhaṃ ariya-saccanti me bhikkhave,
Pubbe ananussutesu dhammesu,
Cakkhuṃ udapādi ñāṇaṃ udapādi paññā udapādi vijjā udapādi āloko udapādi.

Vision arose, insight arose, discernment arose, knowledge arose, illumination arose within me with regard to things never heard before: 'This is the noble truth of stress.'
...
"Arose" just doesn't have the same "ring"...

Mike

Re: Chanting suttas for beginners?

Posted: Thu Jan 22, 2009 10:42 am
by Dhammanando
Hi Individual,
Individual wrote:What suttas do laypeople and monks in Asia usually chant, when they're first learning to recite suttas or in devotional practices, like the Heart Sutra chanting of Mahayana?

The virtues of the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha, as given many times in the Suttas, seem to be almost universally known in Theravadin Asia and are one of the first things that a child will learn.


  • itipi so bhagavā, arahaṃ, sammāsambuddho, vijjācaraṇasampanno, sugato, lokavidū, anuttaro purisadammasārathi, satthā devamanussānaṃ, buddho, bhagavā ti.

    "The Blessed One is an arahant, perfectly awakened, endowed with true knowledge and conduct, sublime, a knower of worlds, an incomparable leader of persons to be trained, a teacher of devas and humans, awakened and blessed."

    svākkhāto bhagavatā dhammo, sandiṭṭhiko, akāliko, ehipassiko, opaneyyiko, paccattaṃ veditabbo viññūhī ti.

    "Well-taught is the Dhamma by the Blessed One: immediately visible, timeless, inviting inspection, leading onward, to be known by the wise for themselves."

    suppaṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho, ujuppaṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho, ñāyappaṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho, sāmīcippaṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho, yadidaṃ cattāri purisayugāni aṭṭha purisapuggalā, esa bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho, āhuneyyo, pāhuneyyo, dakkhiṇeyyo, añjalikaraṇīyo, anuttaraṃ puññakkhettaṃ lokassā ti.

    "The Sangha of the Blessed One’s disciples has entered upon the good way, entered upon the straight way, entered upon the true way, entered upon the proper way, that is, the four pairs of persons, the eight types of individuals; this Sangha of the Blessed One’s disciples is worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of reverential salutation, an incomparable field of merit for the world."
Best wishes,
Dhammanando Bhikkhu

Re: Chanting suttas for beginners?

Posted: Thu Jan 22, 2009 11:12 am
by appicchato
The Suan Mokh link is a blank page...for me anyway...

Check out ShinMeiDokuJoh's excellent website: http://paliinthaiscript.blogspot.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The 'morning' and 'evening' chants are the ones most used most everywhere...that I'm familiar with...

Enjoy... :smile:

Re: Chanting suttas for beginners?

Posted: Thu Jan 22, 2009 12:13 pm
by Element
The Suan Mokkh chanting is on PDF format. Set size to 100 and press the blue arrows. :smile:

Re: Chanting suttas for beginners?

Posted: Thu Jan 22, 2009 1:28 pm
by bodom
I use this to chant at home...http://www.lulu.com/content/4637518" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

:namaste:

Re: Chanting suttas for beginners?

Posted: Sat Jan 24, 2009 9:24 pm
by Individual
All the morning and evening chanting is so long and so much to learn. When I start, I think I'll take portion of each of those to make it something a bit shorter and more practical, when I light a candle for the Buddha in the morning. What do you think of this?
Arahaṃ sammā-sambuddho bhagavā.
The Blessed One is Worthy & Rightly Self-awakened.

Buddhaṃ bhagavantaṃ abhivādemi.
I bow down before the Awakened, Blessed One.

(BOW DOWN)

Svākkhāto bhagavatā dhammo.
The Dhamma is well-expounded by the Blessed One.

Dhammaṃ namassāmi.
I pay homage to the Dhamma.

(BOW DOWN)

Supaṭipanno bhagavato sāvaka-saṅgho.
The Sangha of the Blessed One's disciples has practiced well.

Saṅghaṃ namāmi.
I pay respect to the Sangha.

(BOW DOWN)
Then:
Samantā cakkavāḷesu
Atrāgacchantu devatā
Saddhammaṃ muni-rājassa
Suṇantu sagga-mokkhadaṃ

From around the galaxies may the devas come here.
May they listen to the True Dhamma of the King of Sages,
Leading to heaven & emancipation.

Sagge kāme ca rūpe
Giri-sikharataṭe c'antalikkhe vimāne
Dīpe raṭṭhe ca gāme
Taruvana-gahane geha-vatthumhi khette

Those in the heavens of sensuality & form,
On peaks & mountain precipices, in palaces floating in the sky,
In islands, countries, & towns,
In groves of trees & thickets, around homesites & fields.

Bhummā cāyantu devā
Jala-thala-visame yakkha-gandhabba-nāgā
Tiṭṭhantā santike yaṃ
Muni-vara-vacanaṃ sādhavo me suṇantu

And the earth-devas, spirits, heavenly minstrels, & nagas
In water, on land, in badlands, & nearby:
May they come & listen with approval
As I recite the word of the excellent sage.

Dhammassavana-kālo ayam-bhadantā.
Dhammassavana-kālo ayam-bhadantā.
Dhammassavana-kālo ayam-bhadantā.

This is the time to listen to the Dhamma, Venerable Sirs.
This is the time to listen to the Dhamma, Venerable Sirs.
This is the time to listen to the Dhamma, Venerable Sirs.
With metta :heart:,
Individual

Re: Chanting suttas for beginners?

Posted: Sat Jan 24, 2009 11:14 pm
by sherubtse
jcsuperstar wrote:in thailand every temple chants basicaly the same few chants then mix it up with different chants on different days, or popular chants for that part of thailand

this site here http://www.forestmeditation.com/audio/audio.html has all the basic ones.
Thanks for the link, jcsuperstar.

It was interesting to hear Pali chanted with a different accent than what I am used to hearing. (My chanting experience is via the Sri Lankan accent and way of pronunciation.)

With metta,
Sherubtse

Re: Chanting suttas for beginners?

Posted: Sun Jan 25, 2009 2:42 am
by Dhammanando
Hi Individual,
Individual wrote:All the morning and evening chanting is so long and so much to learn. When I start, I think I'll take portion of each of those to make it something a bit shorter and more practical, when I light a candle for the Buddha in the morning. What do you think of this?
Arahaṃ sammā-sambuddho bhagavā.
The Blessed One is Worthy & Rightly Self-awakened.

Buddhaṃ bhagavantaṃ abhivādemi.
I bow down before the Awakened, Blessed One.

(BOW DOWN)

Svākkhāto bhagavatā dhammo.
The Dhamma is well-expounded by the Blessed One.

Dhammaṃ namassāmi.
I pay homage to the Dhamma.

(BOW DOWN)

Supaṭipanno bhagavato sāvaka-saṅgho.
The Sangha of the Blessed One's disciples has practiced well.

Saṅghaṃ namāmi.
I pay respect to the Sangha.

(BOW DOWN)
Fine. In the schools and colleges of Thai monasteries every lesson will begin with a recital of the above verses, followed by:

namo tassa bhagavato arahant sammāsambuddhassa. (three times)


As for the "Samantā cakkavāḷesu", chant it if you like it, though it's normally only used as an introductory chant before a recital of parittas.

Best wishes,
Dhammanando Bhikkhu

Re: Chanting suttas for beginners?

Posted: Sun Jan 25, 2009 2:52 am
by Element
Dhammanando wrote:
Arahaṃ sammā-sambuddho bhagavā.
The Blessed One is Worthy & Rightly Self-awakened.

Buddhaṃ bhagavantaṃ abhivādemi.
I bow down before the Awakened, Blessed One.

(BOW DOWN)

Svākkhāto bhagavatā dhammo.
The Dhamma is well-expounded by the Blessed One.

Dhammaṃ namassāmi.
I pay homage to the Dhamma.

(BOW DOWN)

Supaṭipanno bhagavato sāvaka-saṅgho.
The Sangha of the Blessed One's disciples has practiced well.

Saṅghaṃ namāmi.
I pay respect to the Sangha.

(BOW DOWN)

namo tassa bhagavato arahant sammāsambuddhassa. (three times)


itipi so bhagavā, arahaṃ, sammāsambuddho, vijjācaraṇasampanno, sugato, lokavidū, anuttaro purisadammasārathi, satthā devamanussānaṃ, buddho, bhagavā ti.

"The Blessed One is an arahant, perfectly awakened, endowed with true knowledge and conduct, sublime, a knower of worlds, an incomparable leader of persons to be trained, a teacher of devas and humans, awakened and blessed."

svākkhāto bhagavatā dhammo, sandiṭṭhiko, akāliko, ehipassiko, opaneyyiko, paccattaṃ veditabbo viññūhī ti.

"Well-taught is the Dhamma by the Blessed One: immediately visible, timeless, inviting inspection, leading onward, to be known by the wise for themselves."

suppaṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho, ujuppaṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho, ñāyappaṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho, sāmīcippaṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho, yadidaṃ cattāri purisayugāni aṭṭha purisapuggalā, esa bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho, āhuneyyo, pāhuneyyo, dakkhiṇeyyo, añjalikaraṇīyo, anuttaraṃ puññakkhettaṃ lokassā ti.

"The Sangha of the Blessed One’s disciples has entered upon the good way, entered upon the straight way, entered upon the true way, entered upon the proper way, that is, the four pairs of persons, the eight types of individuals; this Sangha of the Blessed One’s disciples is worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of reverential salutation, an incomparable field of merit for the world."
Hi Individual,

For the basics, Venerable Dhammanando has instructed you correctly, as I have listed above.

Most Theravadin centres, whether large monastaries or small suburban centres, will chant the above.

Once the above is learned, in suburban Dhamma centres, if actually done, the five precepts is usually what will be chanted next.

Kind regards

Element