The Baby Quail Protection (Vattaka Paritta), Pali & English

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The Baby Quail’s Protection Vaṭṭaka Parittam

There is in this world the quality 
 Atthi loke sīla-guṇo



of virtue, truth, purity, tenderness.
 Saccaṁ soceyy’anuddayā

In accordance with this truth I will make 
 Tena saccena kāhāmi

an unsurpassed vow of truth. Sacca-kiriyam-anuttaraṁ

Sensing the strength of the Dhamma, 
 Āvajjitvā dhamma-balaṁ



calling to mind the victors of the past, 
 Saritvā pubbake jine

in dependence on the strength of truth, 
 Sacca-balam-avassāya

I made an unsurpassed vow of truth: Sacca-kiriyam-akāsa’haṁ

Here are wings with no feathers;
 Santi pakkhā apattanā



here are feet that can’t walk.
 Santi pādā avañcanā

My mother & father have left me.
 Mātā pitā ca nikkhantā

Fire, go back! Jāta-veda paṭikkama

When I made my vow with truth,
 Saha sacce kate mayhaṁ



the great crested ames
 Mahāpajjalito sikhī

avoided the sixteen acres around me
 Vajjesi soḷasa karīsāni

as if they had come to a body of water. Udakaṁ patvā yathā sikhī

My truth has no equal:
 Saccena me samo n’atthi



Such is my perfection of truth. Esā me sacca-pāramīti.


fl

From the Vaṭṭaka Jātaka shrieking away. The father and mother of the Bodhisatta were as
frightened as the others and flew away, forsaking the Bodhisatta.
… Once the Master, whilst on an alms-pilgrimage through Magadha Lying there in the nest, the Bodhisatta stretched forth his neck,
… a great fire broke out. There were numbers of Brethren both in and seeing the flames spreading towards him, he thought to
front of the Master and behind him. On came the fire, spreading himself, “Had I the power to put forth my wings and fly, I would
far and wide, till all was one sheet of smoke and flame. … At a wing my way hence to safety; or, if I could move my legs and walk,
certain spot the Master halted, with this mighty assembly of the I could escape elsewhere afoot. Moreover, my parents, seized with
Brethren surrounding him. On rolled the flames, roaring as though the fear of death, are fled away to save themselves, leaving me
to devour them. But when they approached the spot where the here quite alone in the world. I am without protector or helper.
Buddha had taken his stand, they came no nearer than sixteen What, then, shall I do this day?”
lengths, but there and then went out, even as a torch plunged into
Then this thought came to him — “In this world there exists what
water. It had no power to spread over a space thirty-two lengths in
is termed the Efficacy of Goodness, and what is termed the Efficacy
diameter. … The Master said, “It is no present power of mine,
of Truth. There are those who, through their having realised the
Brethren, that makes this fire go out on reaching this spot of
Perfections in past ages, have attained beneath the Bo-tree to be
ground. It is the power of a former ‘Act of Truth’ of mine. For in
All-Enlightened; who, having won Release by goodness,
this spot no fire will burn throughout the whole of this aeon, the
tranquillity and wisdom, possess also discernment of the
miracle being one which endures for an aeon.”
knowledge of such Release; who are filled with truth, compassion,
Once upon a time in this selfsame spot in Magadha, it was as a mercy, and patience; whose love embraces all creatures alike;
quail that the Bodhisatta came to life once more. Breaking his way whom men call omniscient Buddhas. There is an efficacy in the
out of the shell of the egg in which he was born, he became a attributes they have won. And I too grasp one truth; I hold and
young quail, about as big as a large ball . And his parents kept him believe in a single principle in Nature. Therefore, it behoves me to
lying in the nest, while they fed him with food which they brought call to mind the Buddhas of the past, and the Efficacy they have
in their beaks. In himself, he had not the strength either to spread won, and to lay hold of the true belief that is in me touching the
his wings and fly through the air, or to lift his feet and walk upon principle of Nature; and by an Act of Truth to make the flames go
the ground. Year after year that spot was always ravaged by a back, to the saving both of myself and of the rest of the birds.”
jungle-fire; and it was just at this time that the flames swept down
Jātaka 35 (tr. Chalmers)
on it with a mighty roaring. The flocks of birds, darting from their
https://suttacentral.net/ja35/en/chalmers
several nests, were seized with the fear of death, and flew

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