Chanting

Daily chants

Homage to the Triple Gem

Ratanattayavandanā

A short homage to the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Saṅgha, chanted before other chants or before meditation.

Daily chants

Itipi so — the qualities of the Triple Gem

Ratanattayaguṇa

The verses praising the qualities of the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Saṅgha, in the wording found in the Dhajag…

Daily chants

Radiating loving-kindness

Mettāpharaṇa

Wishing well to oneself and to all beings — usually chanted to close a chanting session or after meditation.

Daily chants

Going for refuge in the Triple Gem

Tisaraṇagamanaṃ

The declaration of taking the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Saṅgha as refuge, repeated three times, in the wordin…

Daily chants

Requesting and undertaking the five precepts

Pañcasīlasamādānaṃ

The request for the precepts from a monk, followed by the undertaking of the five training rules one by one — …

Daily chants

Dedicating merit to those who have died

Pattidānaṃ

A short dedication said after making merit, offering the merit to relatives who have died, in the wording of t…

Daily chants

Sharing merit with all beings

Puññabhāgadānaṃ

A four-line verse sharing the merit of what you have done with all beings, not only with relatives or people y…

Daily chants

Reflection before eating

Paṭisaṅkhā yoniso

A reflection said before eating: food is taken to keep the body going and to carry on with what matters, not f…

Daily chants

Reflection on conditioned things

Sabbe saṅkhārā aniccā

Three verses from the Dhammapada: all conditioned things are impermanent, all are suffering, and all things ar…

Daily chants

Requesting a Dhamma talk

Dhammadesanāyācanā

The formula for asking a monk to give a Dhamma talk, recalling how Brahmā Sahampati asked the Buddha to teach.

Daily chants

Offering to the Saṅgha

Saṅghadānapūjā

The words for offering food and requisites to the Saṅgha as a community, rather than to one particular monk.

Daily chants

Inviting the monks to chant the parittas

Parittaparikamma

The words a lay person says to invite the monks to begin chanting the parittas at a house blessing or other me…

Daily chants

Sabbītiyo and So atthaladdho — the blessing after giving

Sabbītiyo

The blessing monks give to those who have made an offering: freedom from misfortune, happiness, and growth tog…

Daily chants

Bhavatu sabbamaṅgalaṃ — may every blessing be yours

Bhavatu sabbamaṅgalaṃ

The short blessing that closes almost every chanting session and merit-making: may every blessing and well-bei…

Daily chants

Offering the forest-cloth (phā pā)

Paṃsukūlacīvaradāna

The words for offering rag-cloth robes and the goods that accompany them to the Saṅgha, at a phā pā ceremony.

Daily chants

Offering a meal dedicated to those who have died

Matakabhattadāna

The words for offering a meal to the Saṅgha at a service dedicated to parents and relatives who have died.

Daily chants

Radiating the four brahmavihāras

Brahmavihārapharaṇa

Spreading loving-kindness, compassion, gladness and equanimity to all beings — usually chanted to close a sess…

Daily chants

The Jinapañjara verses

Jinapañjaragāthā

An old Thai composition, not part of the Tipiṭaka, which places the Buddhas and the great disciples around the…

Daily chants

Sabbapattidāna Gāthā — giving a share of merit to all beings

Sabbapattidānagāthā

Eleven verses handing on the merit just made — to parents, relatives, people one is neutral towards, even thos…

Daily chants

Offering salākabhatta — a meal assigned to the Saṅgha by lot

Salākabhattadāna

The words for offering meals that are set out in numbered portions and drawn by lot, so that no donor chooses …

Morning chanting

Offering to the Triple Gem

Ratanattayapūjā

The chant that opens morning chanting: offering flowers, incense and candles to the Buddha, the Dhamma and the…

Morning chanting

Preliminary homage (Namo tassa)

Pubbabhāganamakāra

The short line of homage repeated three times before any other chant — the same sentence that opens every volu…

Morning chanting

Praise of the Buddha

Buddhābhithuti

The morning chant in praise of the Buddha: who he was, what he came to know, and how he taught it.

Morning chanting

Praise of the Dhamma

Dhammābhithuti

The morning chant in praise of the Dhamma, stressing that it is something you can see for yourself here and no…

Morning chanting

Praise of the Saṅgha

Saṅghābhithuti

The morning chant in praise of the Saṅgha — the community of disciples who have practised well and seen the tr…

Morning chanting

Verses of homage to the Triple Gem

Ratanattayappaṇāmagāthā

Four verses bowing to the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Saṅgha in images, then dedicating the merit of that homag…

Morning chanting

Passage on a sense of urgency

Saṃvegaparikittanapāṭha

The passage that closes morning chanting: a review of dukkha, the impermanence of the five aggregates, and a r…

Evening chanting

Offering to the Triple Gem and preliminary homage (evening)

Ratanattayapūjā pubbabhāganamakāra

The opening of evening chanting: offering flowers, incense and candles to the Triple Gem, then paying homage t…

Evening chanting

Recollection of the Buddha

Buddhānussati

A review of the Buddha’s qualities in the wording found in the Tipiṭaka, chanted as the first of the three rec…

Evening chanting

Buddhābhigīti — verses in praise of the Buddha

Buddhābhigīti

Verses in praise of the Buddha chanted after the recollection, ending with an admission of any offence given.

Evening chanting

Recollection of the Dhamma

Dhammānussati

A short chant reviewing six qualities of the Dhamma, from being well proclaimed to being known for oneself.

Evening chanting

Dhammābhigīti — verses in praise of the Dhamma

Dhammābhigīti

Verses praising the Dhamma as the dispeller of darkness and a safe refuge, closing with an admission of fault.

Evening chanting

Recollection of the Saṅgha

Saṅghānussati

A review of the qualities of the community of disciples who practise well and straightforwardly, the third of …

Evening chanting

Saṅghābhigīti — verses in praise of the Saṅgha

Saṅghābhigīti

Verses praising the pure community of noble disciples, closing the recollections of evening chanting with an a…

Evening chanting

The five subjects for frequent recollection

Abhiṇhapaccavekkhaṇa

Five reflections on ageing, illness, death, parting and one’s own actions, often chanted at the close of eveni…

Paritta (protective chants)

Maṅgala Sutta — the highest blessings

Maṅgalasuttaṃ

The sutta in which the Buddha answers a deity by listing what really counts as a blessing, from not keeping co…

Paritta (protective chants)

Ratana Sutta — the jewel discourse

Ratanasuttaṃ

A chant that names the qualities of the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Saṅgha one by one, each verse sealed with t…

Paritta (protective chants)

Karaṇīya Metta Sutta — the discourse on loving-kindness

Karaṇīyamettasuttaṃ

The discourse on boundless loving-kindness: it begins with the qualities of someone who trains, then teaches g…

Paritta (protective chants)

Khandha Paritta — goodwill towards snakes and creatures

Khandhaparittaṃ

A short chant of goodwill towards snakes and all creatures, which the Buddha allowed monks to use to look afte…

Paritta (protective chants)

Dhajagga Sutta — the banner discourse

Dhajaggasuttaṃ

The discourse in which the Buddha tells monks to recollect the Buddha, the Dhamma or the Saṅgha when fear aris…

Paritta (protective chants)

Bojjhaṅga Paritta — the factors of awakening, chanted for the sick

Bojjhaṅgaparittaṃ

A chant that recites the seven factors of awakening. It is chanted at the bedside of the sick, following the G…

Paritta (protective chants)

Āṭānāṭiya Paritta — homage to the seven Buddhas

Āṭānāṭiyaparittaṃ

Homage to the seven Buddhas, an extract from the Āṭānāṭiya Sutta, commonly chanted to close the set of seven p…

Paritta (protective chants)

Mora Paritta — the peacock’s protection

Moraparittaṃ

The verses of the golden peacock in the Mora Jātaka: a morning verse as the sun rises, an evening verse as it …

Paritta (protective chants)

Vaṭṭaka Paritta — the quail’s protection

Vaṭṭakaparittaṃ

The act of truth of a fledgling quail who could neither fly nor walk, speaking the plain truth to an oncoming …

Paritta (protective chants)

Abhaya Paritta — the chant for freedom from fear

Abhayaparittaṃ

A short chant for after a bad dream or an unsettling sign, asking that the unease dissolve through the power o…

Paritta (protective chants)

Namakāra-siddhi Gāthā — verses of successful homage

Namakārasiddhigāthā

Verses of homage to the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Saṅgha in turn, each one saying why that refuge is worth bo…

Paritta (protective chants)

Namokāra Aṭṭhaka — the eight verses of homage

Namokāraaṭṭhaka

Eight verses, every one of them beginning with the word namo, a compact homage to the Triple Gem before other …

Paritta (protective chants)

Jayamaṅgala Gāthā — the eight victories of the Buddha

Jayamaṅgalagāthā

Eight verses recalling eight occasions when the Buddha overcame something formidable without violence, each cl…

Paritta (protective chants)

Maṅgala Cakkavāḷa (short version) — the wheel of blessing

Cūḷamaṅgalacakkavāḷa

A closing blessing: may illness, danger, obstacles and misfortune fall away, and may long life, strength and h…

Paritta (protective chants)

Devatā-uyyojana Gāthā — verses of farewell to the devas

Devatāuyyojanagāthā

The closing verses of a ceremony: goodwill to all beings, an invitation to the devas to rejoice in the merit, …

Paritta (protective chants)

Mahākāruṇiko Nātho — the blessing chanted after the Jayamaṅgala Gāthā

Mahākāruṇiko nātho

The blessing chanted straight after the Jayamaṅgala Gāthā, closing with the verse from the Supubbaṇha Sutta: t…

Suttas often chanted

Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta — Setting the Wheel of Dhamma in Motion

Dhammacakkappavattanasuttaṃ

The Buddha's first teaching to the five monks — the middle way and the four noble truths — chanted in full on …

Suttas often chanted

Anattalakkhaṇa Sutta — The Characteristic of Not-Self

Anattalakkhaṇasuttaṃ

The Buddha's second teaching to the five monks: the five aggregates are not a self we can command, so they sho…

Suttas often chanted

Ādittapariyāya Sutta — The Fire Sermon

Ādittapariyāyasuttaṃ

The Buddha's third great teaching, given to a thousand former fire-worshippers at Gayāsīsa: eye, ear, nose, to…

Suttas often chanted

Aṅgulimāla Paritta — the words of truth for a safe birth

Aṅgulimālaparittaṃ

The short words of truth that venerable Aṅgulimāla spoke to a woman in labour at the Buddha's suggestion, chan…

Suttas often chanted

Tirokuḍḍa Kaṇḍa — verses for dedicating merit to the departed

Tirokuḍḍakaṇḍaṃ

Verses from the Khuddakapāṭha on giving in memory of departed relatives, chanted at memorial merit-making and …

Suttas often chanted

Dhammaniyāma Sutta — The Regularity of the Dhamma

Dhammaniyāmasuttaṃ (uppādasuttaṃ)

A short sutta on the three truths that hold whether or not a Buddha appears: all formations are impermanent, a…

Suttas often chanted

The seven books of the Abhidhamma — the funeral chant

Sattappakaraṇābhidhamma

The opening passages of all seven books of the Abhidhamma, chanted by monks at Thai funerals and memorial serv…

Suttas often chanted

Aniccā vata saṅkhārā — the verse chanted over the dead

Aniccā vata saṅkhārā

The four-line verse chanted by monks while receiving the funeral cloth: conditioned things are impermanent, an…

Suttas often chanted

Aciraṃ vatayaṃ kāyo — before long this body

Aciraṃ vatayaṃ kāyo

A Dhammapada verse — before long this body will lie on the ground — chanted as a reflection for the living.

Suttas often chanted

The Satipaṭṭhāna passage

Satipaṭṭhānapāṭha

The opening of the Mahāsatipaṭṭhāna Sutta, setting out the four foundations of mindfulness — often chanted to …

Suttas often chanted

The Buddha’s final words

Pacchimabuddhovādapāṭha

The Buddha’s last words before his passing: all conditioned things wear away — complete your work with diligen…

Suttas often chanted

The passage that rouses gladness in the Dhamma

Dhammapahaṃsanapāṭha

The Buddha declares that the Dhamma has been made plain, so effort is worth making — the lazy live badly, the …

Suttas often chanted

Verses on safe and unsafe refuge

Khemākhemasaraṇadīpikagāthā

Dhammapada verses: mountains, forests and sacred trees are not a safe refuge — the safe refuge is the Triple G…

Suttas often chanted

Verses from the Burden Sutta

Bhārasuttagāthā

The closing verses of the Bhāra Sutta: the five aggregates are a burden, picking it up is suffering, putting i…

Suttas often chanted

The first words of the Buddha

Paṭhamabuddhabhāsitagāthā

The verses traditionally held to be the Buddha’s first utterance after awakening, comparing craving to a house…