Theravada water rite?

A forum for beginners and members of other Buddhist traditions to ask questions about Theravāda (The Way of the Elders). Responses require moderator approval before they are visible in order to double-check alignment to Theravāda orthodoxy.
Post Reply
Kabouterke
Posts: 108
Joined: Tue Jun 04, 2013 8:04 pm
Location: Brussels, Belgium

Theravada water rite?

Post by Kabouterke »

Hello there everyone. I have been regularly going to a "normal" (ie non-Forest tradition) Thai temple in the past few weeks. One thing I see a lot of people do is this little water ritual, where the monk chants something and at a certain point all the members in a family put their hands on a little tiny bottle of water and then pour it out together and then some of them drink it. Does anybody know what I am talking about? What's it called? Significance? How often is it done?
User avatar
mikenz66
Posts: 19932
Joined: Sat Jan 10, 2009 7:37 am
Location: Aotearoa, New Zealand

Re: Theravada water rite?

Post by mikenz66 »

Hi Kabouterke,

It's a blessing for the donation of requisites. At our Wat we take refuges and precepts, do some chants, then the lay people chant an offering chant (in our case there is some Thai as well, but this is the key Pali part:

P 150 http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/auth ... anting.pdf
Imani mayaa bhante, bhattani, saparivarani,
bhikkhu-saoghassa, onjay›ma. Sadhu no bhante,
bhikkhu-saogho, imani, bhattani, saparivarani,
pattigganhatu, amhakam, dıgha-rattam, hitaya,
sukhaya.

We present these [those] foods of ours, together with
their accompanying articles, to the Bhikkhu Saogha.
May the Bhikkhu Saogha accept these foods of ours,
together with their accompanying articles, for our
long-term welfare & happiness.
The monks reply with this chant, which is when we pour the water.

P 170 http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/auth ... anting.pdf
Anumodana

Yathavarivaha pura
Paripurenti sagaraa
Evam-eva ito dinnaa
Petanaa upakappati.
Icchitaa patthitaa tumhaa
Khippam-eva samijjhatu
Sabbe purentu sankappa,
Cando pannaraso yatha
Mani jotiraso yatha.

Just as rivers full of water
fill the ocean full,
Even so does that here given
benefit the dead [the hungry ghosts].
May whatever you wish or want quickly come to be,
May all your aspirations be fulfilled,
as the moon on the fifteenth [full moon] day,
or as a radiant, bright gem.
:anjali:
Mike
User avatar
cooran
Posts: 8503
Joined: Tue Jan 06, 2009 11:32 pm
Location: Queensland, Australia

Re: Theravada water rite?

Post by cooran »

Hello all,

This is a regular practice at my Forest Monastery.

The Significance Of Transference of Merits to the Departed
http://www.budsas.org/ebud/whatbudbeliev/307.htm

With metta,
Chris
---The trouble is that you think you have time---
---Worry is the Interest, paid in advance, on a debt you may never owe---
---It's not what happens to you in life that is important ~ it's what you do with it ---
Post Reply