Origin of Pirit Strings? (Apparently, not the Pali Canon)

[Subharo]

I don't recall any mention of pirit strings in the Pali Canon. Does anyone know the origins of this tradition?

For those of you who aren't familiar with this ethnic Asian Buddhist custom, many lay people ask for a "Pirit string" from monks (or the monk offers to give one). A Pirit string is a white, knotted piece of string (comprised of three strands), which is tied around the right wrist, as the monk recites a traditional Pali chant, which is thought to infuse the string with a protective blessing. You know, like a magical charm which wards off danger.

Then the lay person is supposed to keep the five or eight precepts for a period of time (say, three days, or seven days, or until the string naturally falls off).

The way I see it, the morality the lay person develops by following the precepts is actually the protection, but the lay person is free to believe the string has magical powers, comparable to a placebo effect. And the Pirit string simply acts as a reminder to continue keeping the precepts. But other than this "reminder" (you know, just like how Westerners might tie a string around their finger, as a reminder of whatever it is they want to remember), the string inherently contains no magic (other than the magic of "positive thinking", which has an appreciable placebo effect, which should not be under-appreciated, nor under-estimated).

So I think this custom does have value, all said, as it will hopefully act as a "crutch" of sorts, to help people develop morality.

[daverupa]

http://www.ahandfulofleaves.org/documen ... Langer.pdf

Buddhist Rituals of Death and Rebirth: Contemporary Sri Lankan practice and its origins, by Rita Langer.

This book mentions the topic by referring to Gombrich's Precept & Practice, in which he writes that this pirit nul is among a number of Sinhalese rituals that do not make reference to the Suttas, nor is any other rationale given.

There is some mention of a line in a DN commentary about thread, but thread isn't mentioned in that DN sutta; there's another comment about thread taking away fear of yakkhas.

Not much on the topic; it's not an aspect of early Buddhism, though, as far as I can tell, but in this case at least is a component of Sri Lankan culture that came to be intertwined. Perhaps it is common throughout Asia? The baci ceremony in Thailand pre-exists Buddhism, for example...

[pilgrim]

In Sri Lanka, the string tends to be yellow or orange and recently the colours of the Buddhist flag. ( which tends to be popular with kids and youths who see it as something cool). I don't know if the strings are worn in Myanmar. I don't recall seeing them there.

[Subharo]

"And how is it, bhikkhus, that by protecting oneself one protects others? By the pursuit, development, and cultivation of the four establishments of mindfulness. It is in such a way that by protecting oneself one protects others.

"And how is it, bhikkhus, that by protecting others one protects oneself? By patience, harmlessness, goodwill, and sympathy. It is in such a way that by protecting others one protects oneself.

- Sedaka Sutta [SN 47.19]

Fantastic quotation, daverupa. Here's a link to that sutta: https://suttacentral.net/en/sn47.19

Thai monks also give out Pirit strings. I find it interesting that the tradition of "protective strings" likely pre-dates Buddhism. The word "Pirit" itself is short for Paritta, translating as "protection".

[Coyote]

I don't have anything to add, only to say I was given one by a Burmese trained English bhikkhu, in a ritual where we recited the metta sutta and poured water. There was also a blessing of the three Buddhas (savaka-, pacceka- and sammasam-). The colours are the five colours of the Buddhist flag, and I have been wearing it for longer than 7 days (many months).

[Bhikkhu Pesala]

Although one can find evidence for the sprinkling of Holy Water on the occasion of reciting the Ratana Sutta, I know of no reference to using Pirit Nul threads in the texts. There has long been exchange of monks between Burma, Thailand, and Sri Lanka, so it's hard to know where the tradition started. It is more prevalent in Sri Lanka than in Burma. Perhaps it came from Hinduism to Sri Lanka from India.

I regard it as a significant hindrance to understanding the true Dhamma. Until someone can show me a reliable textual reference endorsing it, I won't perform the ritual of tying holy threads. It is better to teach the Dhamma.

Exhortations

“Dhammo have rakkhati dhammacārī,
Dhammo suciṇṇo sukhamāvahati,
Esānisaṃso dhamme suciṇṇe,
Na duggati gacchati dhammacārī.”

Dhammo: virtuous conduct; dhammacārī: one who practises the dhamma; have: indeed rakkhati: takes care of, guards.
Dhamma takes care of the person who practises it. It does not take care of the person who does not practise it; it only takes care of the person who practises it.

Suciṇṇo: properly practised; dhammo; sukhaṃ: happiness, well-being; āvahati: brings
Properly practised, Dhamma brings happiness to the person who practises it.

Dhammacārī: one who practises the dhamma; duggati: bad destination, miserable realms; nagacchati: does not go, is not reborn; esa: this; dhamme suciṇṇe: properly practised dhamma, virtuous conduct; anisaṃso: benefit

One who practises the Dhamma properly does not go to bad destinations.

Virtuous conduct comprises morality, (sīla), concentration (samādhi) and wisdom (paññā). Performing good deeds is moral conduct. If one performs good deeds, the practice of those good deeds takes care of the person who performs them. It enables one to have one’s wishes fulfilled. It also protects one from being reborn in bad destinations. This is the benefit of well practised Dhamma. So, good conduct is very important.

[Coyote]

I don't see the problem with it, as a wearable symbol of my dedication to Dhamma and the precepts. But if it is done for superstitious reasons then it is silabbata paramasa.

[pilgrim]

I was told that monks always wear their robes so that they cannot misbehave. Similarly, the string reminds lay people that they have committed to the 5 precepts. I think that's a good reason. With correct understanding, it supports rather than detracts from the practice.

[Bhikkhu Pesala]

I was told that monks always wear their robes so that they cannot misbehave. Similarly, the string reminds lay people that they have committed to the 5 precepts. I think that's a good reason. With correct understanding, it supports rather than detracts from the practice.

It doesn't work! In spite of wearing the robes monks can still misbehave. Traditional ceremonies and rituals are not a hindrance for someone who understands their meaning and purpose — they are a hindrance for those who do not understand them.

Even the observance of morality may become a ritual for those who do not understand its purpose. For example, Thai monks use a receiving cloth to accept gifts from female lay supporters. The purpose is to avoid physical contact with her hand. If others see a monk touching a woman's hand they may entertain doubts about his intention. He may also have doubts about his own state of mind on feeling pleasure from the contact.

The offering will be complete if the monk touches the plate or a tray or coffee table that can be lifted by one man while the offering is placed on it. There is no need to use a receiving cloth, and there is no offence if any physical contact is accidental. If one understands the purpose of the tradition one may use it without clinging to it. If one has no receiving cloth, one can still receive offerings.

If lay people do not receive a pirit nul will they still be protected by the recitation of the suttas? If they listen to the Paritta Suttas, but do not understand the meaning will they be protected? If they listen attentively and respectfully they will be performing the wholesome deed of reverence (apacāyana). However, will the wholesome deed of listening to the Dhamma be fulfilled if the meaning is not understood? If a doctor prescribes a medicine to be taken five times daily, but the patient just keeps it in the medicine cupboard, will they get the benefit of the medicine?

[robertk]

Thanks for the clear reply ven. Pesala

[Subharo]

I think it boils down to people "wanting something for nothing", when it comes to some sort of salvation. People want the protective powers of a magically charmed bracelet (or amulets, or relics, or what have you), however, they are far, far less willing to do the surprisingly hard work of straightening out their behaviour (which is far harder than acquiring a protective charm).

As long as you have people looking for a "shortcut" in their spirituality (looking for purification outside themselves), then you are always going to have a demand (and market) for marginally magical bracelets/amulets/relics/etc. So I think we can safely conclude that this phenomenon will never go away, as the overwhelming majority of people (at least from what I've seen) are not what you might call "spiritual" (at least to the degree of devoting themselves to morality).

I think the Buddha would agree with me. For example, see SN 56.102 to 56.131 (The "Five Destinations Repetition Series", or "Pañcagatipeyyāla Vagga"). Sorry, no complete, free online translation seems to exist, however it's on page 1885 of the Wisdom Publications Samyutta Nikaya. A portion of it, namely, SN 56.102 to 56.113 can be seen here: Pansu Suttas: Dust

[Bhikkhu Pesala]

See also the Caṇḍāla Sutta.

[piano piano]

What I have not seen mentioned here, is the custom in Sri Lanka of using a thread during a pirit chanting (along with the pouring of water), in which every participant in the chanting holds on to that thread. What seems to be the idea behind it is that there is a connectedness of all present either symbolized or realized in this act (my interpretation). This thread ceremony happens normally at the end of a chanting session, when the water-pouring ceremony takes place, which is a sort of sharing of merits with the deceased.

I have seen a variant of this thread-holding ceremony recently in Malaysia with lay-people chanting during the water-pouring ceremony, where all the participants touched each each other in a chain-like manner.

[SarathW]

I think this is a Hindu tradition adopted by Sri Lankans.
In Sri Lanka there is a belief that the sickness is caused by Petas and Demans.
There are local witch doctors perform the ritual of tiding a string to the patient as a protection.
I just wonder whether Buddhist monks copy this and adopted as a Buddhist Ritual.
Manny monks know this is a ritual.
They never offer me the Prith String as they know that I have gone beyond it.

Read the following article.

http://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct=j ... 0g5JIr7YIA" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxWc4vwEVVk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;"

[bksubhuti]

Here you will find a jataka tale where a thread and sand was given to the bodhisatta by a Pacekka Buddha. (Edited from string to thread and sand)

https://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/j1/j1099.htm