PARITTA

A HISTORICA L AND RELIGIOUS STUDY OF

THE BUDDIDST CEREMONY FOR PEACE AND PROSPERIIT
IN SRI LANKA

LILY de SILVA
M.A., Ph.J)· (Sri Lanka)
Associate Professor in Buddhist Studies, University of Sri Lanka, Peradeniya,
F ulbright Research Fellow in Buddhlst Studies 1969-70 and VisitL11g Scholar, Center for the
Study of World Religions, Harvard University, 1978- 79.

A PUBLICATION OF THE N ATIONAL MUSEUMS OF SRI LANKA

ix
..
 CHAJ>Tn~ l

Introduction
.;. PAR1ITA is a very p opular Buddhisr ceremony in Sri Lanka. I t is not an exaggeral10n
1

~ say.that:-hardly a day pa sses without this ceremony_being perfor med in some form or other in
},' ~lmost every locality. Its widespread popul;~rity seems to be due t o the fact that it can be
· performed at any time, at any place for a vanely of p urposes, both secular and religious, wilh-
dignified simplicity or pompous grandeur as the occasion dc1r.ands, by anyone who wishes to
'" nave it-performed. In fac1 . the Sri Lanka Bro11dcasting Corporation starts its daily programme
i ,.Yitb the recitation of an abridged version of the paritta for fifteen minutes at dawn.
~
This ceremony centres on the recitation, usuaUy by .Buddhist monk:» of extracts fron 1 the
Pali Canon, collected in a text called the CatubhiiJJaviirapiili, Paritta or in Siahala
Piruvii11iipotvaha11se. Its objective is to ward off danger, ensure protection and bless t he sponsors.
It is prevalent in other Theravada Buddhist countries such as Burma and Thailand as well, but
this work is coufined to a stud y of the tntdition preserved in Sri .Lanka.
This ceremony has a histo ry which can be traced thrcugh records scattered in Pali aud
Sinhala literature. to the dawn of the Christian era. It has enjoyed royal patronage since the
4th century A. D . The bLLilding of a permanent pavilion for the recitation of parirra by/I)..
Parakramabiihu 1 in the 12th ccmury 1s an important milestone iJ1 the course of its development.
Evolving through so many centurie~ it has absorbed several features fro in cootemporar) folklore
nnd Brahmanical ritual practices. From the simple beginnings traceable through the Pali
commentaries, which are 5tn century transfations based on older sour.ce material, it has developed
into a complex form wilh steadily increasing popularity, permeating all strata of society. Desp ite
foreign domination, subversive missionary activities, and the resulting cultural changes which
continued with increasing force and subtlety through the last four centuries, this Budd hist
ceremony has survived with amazing endurance.
Broadly speaking, this present stud y can be di vided into three main parts. The first
part which extends up to chapterIV, deals with the meaning, content and historicity of the paritta.
Th.e second, comprising clmpter V, gives a derailed desc1iption of the ceremony, and its main
types, as prevalent in Sri Lanka today. The third part attempts to t:i.ke a bird's eye view of the
comp onent parts of the ceremony from a historical perspective to answer the · why and the
wherefore of all the ritual itppurtenances and features. lt is proposed to study this ceremony
mainly from the point of view of oriental scho larship, Lracing its historical development to the
present complex form, and examining the cultural impor t of the riutal aparatus used, the
symbolism involved and the fu nction il performs in society .

Yleauing of the word Plll'itta

The Pah word paritta comes from the Sanskrit pari ,'\/ trii ' lo protect; and it means
protection. The corresponding Skt. word is parilrii-,;a (pari+ trii+ana). The Pali has d ropped
the suffix. Tn current usage the word paritra has a three-fold connotation. It means (a) , a sutta
or Buddhist sermon, the recitation of which ensures protection (b) , the non-canonical text
comprising a collection of s uch suttas and ( c), rhe ritual at which this collection is chanted.

l Sinba b. Pirit.
 The gradual semantic evolution or this word can be seen tlu·ougn o...anonical and - ,
commentarial literature. Its earliest simple usage is attested in a number of passages and ,
Vaf!akajiitaka~ can be cited as one such instance. Helie the present participle parittiiyanta is -.
used in the literal sense of protecting (oneself, afliina1ri). Miitiipiiaro ......... ...mmn ekakal!l
pahaya attiin{lm parittiiya11tii pa/iitii. Tr : ' Leaving me alon e. my parents have fled "l o protect
themselves.' In the Sa111antapiisiidikcr paritta is used ro mean precautionary measures taken
to stop a .fire:~
Ritualistic connorations of paritta too are to be noticed a!> early as in the Vinayapitaka.
Bhikklwnipiicittiya 5 which prohibits nuns from practising tiracchana11ijjii, 'animal sciences,' l
exclu.dc~ paritta from that category. Here the commentary6 explains pariua as follows :-
Paritrall Ii yakkhaparitta11tigam(D.l(ia!adihheda1]1 sahbam pi vc'![afi, i.e. by parilta in this l
It\ instance all categories of paritta such as yakkhaparirta and m7ga111a1u/ala1 are understood as
permissible. However, originally in Lhe Vinayupifak.a the word may have connoted Buddhist
•

suttas recommended for self-protect ion, or p erhaps even non-Buddhist prophylactic incant ations
designated by that name. Whatever the case may be, Vinaya has looked upon them with favour,
hence their exclusion from rir acchanavUJu.
l<iimanitajlitaka8 shows the possibility of the existence of non-J311ddhist prophylactic
incantations called paritla. According to t his source, exorcists employ thrc~ methods of treating
a patient possessed by a demon, viz. balikarnma, sacrifice, parittakara1,1a, performance of the
paritta, and osadha, mediciue. There is nothing specific in this pa ssage to indicate [hat paritta
means the Budd l1ist ritual. 11 Nevertlteless, sucb an interpretation can not be completely ruled
out, especially when one recalls the very great importance attached to the driving away of
demon~ and malefic influences in t h.e Buddhist ceremony of later times.

In lvforajataka10 the protective incantation comprising an adoration of the sun is called

brahmamama. The verse which immediately follows it, comprising an adoration of Buddhas is
called paritta.U Tile Jii.taka explains the word paritta here as ' protection ' (imarn pai itfaf?l
ima1]1 rakklia111).u It becomes clear, therefore, from these verses that certain inca ntations which
were prevalent in pre-Buddhist Ind ia were accep1ed by the Buddhists. Tbe fact chat this hymn

2 J .. vol. r, p. 213.
3 Yin. A .. vol. IT, p. 4 78.
d. Parittam pi kut11111 Mffali, 1i~1ak11fikcmaq1 sa1111111tcl b/11r111i/Clcclzm111111 parikMikh<i11mia111 vii yarltii iigato
aggi uptidanam a/ablzitv(l 11ibbiiti. Tr : One should take precautionary measures, such as clearing the
ground or digging a trench right round the huts, so th'il.t the spreading fire will go out without linding
any rue!.
5 Vin. vol., lV, p. 305.
6 Vio. A., vol. TV, p. 937.
Also referred to in Vbh. A .. p . 4 10.
7 Most probably ynkkltaparilla (protection from demons) means , 1/ci11ilfiy11 an<l 11ciga111a;1(lafa (protection
from serpents) mea ns Khancil1aparitta.
8 J., vol. II, p. 215.
9 8/itiravejj.i bh1ita)1ukkh idilli ama1111ssehi . . . .gafrlrassa bnlikamma·parirr11kara11a-oradl111-parihlriivitiidihi
1ikiccham karonri.
10 J., vol. If, p. 33.
1l Both verses are taken ovec to the Pari1ra Lc:u .1s \furapar ma (S!'e ne~t ..::>ten
l2 .I., vol. IJ , p. 34.
 5

wotshipping the sun was designated brahmamanta, i:i (or the noble spell) is also indicative of this
recognition. Morajiitaka records that the peacock who chanted this speJI, comprising both
-verses, morning and evening lived free from fear and danger for a couple of hundred years.
Snares failed to trap him becanse of the p ower or lhis spell. But, al Jong last, one day he forgot
to·cJJant it as he was infatuated by the cry of a peahen, and on that fateful day be was trapped.
Sucb was the efficacy of paritra !
Thus, from simple unsophisticated beginnings, the word paritta gradually developed
through canonical and com.mentarial literature and acquired a ritualistic connotation. T his
full y developed ritualistic significance is explained in the following words :-
Antariiym11 parihara11tat!1 tiiyatfti paritfaf'!l ; parito vii sabbfipaddavato tiiyatiti
pari11aq1 : mahiitejaMntaliiya samalltato sattiinaT.n bhay@!1 11paddava111 upasaggaii
ea tiiyati rakkhatiti vii paritlafl'l.u
Tr : Parilla is so called because (a), it proteclb by warding off danger ; (b), it gives
protection o n all sides or from all calamilies ; or (c), by che power o f its great majesty it protects
"beings from fears, calamities and dangers arising from a ll quarters.
As warding off danger aod assuring proleclion, peace a nd well-being a re the
-0~ject1ves, paritta can best be described as a prophylactic cerem.ony.

1 Analysis of the Paritta Text

The Paritta text, called Pirit-pota in Sinha.la, is an anthology of 29 suttas collected together
from various pares of the Pali Ca oon. Its older name is Catub/ziil)aviirapa{i (Cbp.) which means
the text comprising four chapters. Cbp. proper comes to a close with the 22nd, i.e. V
A/iinii/iyasutta. The last seven suttas have been appended to it at a later date. JI*
The following table shows a list of the parittas together with the identification of their
sources and a brief description of their contents : -

Suttas Identification Contents fo hrlef

of source

1. Sarm,1agama11a Kb. r Seeking refuge in Buddha, Dhamm.a a

2. ~osa sikk/iOpada
3. Siimanerapaflha
4. Dvat1lq1slikiira
'5. Paccavekkho!1ii
o. Dasadlzammasutta
7. 1Vfahiimanga/asutto
'8. Roit1TU1sutta
Saogha
Kh. IT The ten precepts
Kb.IV Questionnaire a t initiation of novices
.. K.h. ill Meditation on bodily impurities
. . A. vol. IU , p. 388 Correct attitude of a monk towards
requisites such as food, clothing etc.
A. vol. Y. p. 87 Introspection for maintaining the spirit
and purpose of renunciation
Sn. p. 46 Lay ethics
Sn. vv. 222- 238; Kh. VI . . Invocation of blessings by the power of
truth related to the .infallible virtues of
Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha

13 Though braitma and mantra both 01ean ' hYmn', or• song of praise' in Vedas, brahmo in Pali Is used in
the sense of 'noble.'
14 This is traditionally quoted by Buddhist monks at paritto ceremonies. It is ciced in the Ptili-Siq1/iala
Pirit Pora p.i. !Roweve.r it has not been possible to trace any textnal reference for this passago.
6

9. KarmJiyamertasutra Sn. vv.143-152; Kh. IK . . Cultiv-ation of benevolence (meu.f)

10. Khandhaparilta A. vol. U, p. 72: Vrn. vol. Cultivation ofbcnevolen~~against snakebite- -d
TT, p. 109 ft.
1~
l
11, lJettii11i.1·m11sa A. vol. v, p. 342 Merit of benevolence
12. Mitttinisarr1.~a J. vol. Vl, p. l4 Merit of sun worship an:i /or friendship and
loyalty
13. Moraparirra J, vol. U, p. 33 Adoration co sun and Buddha, morning t
and evening, for self-protection
14. Candaparitta S. vol. 1, p. 50 Lunar eclipse-Rahu releases moon on
Buddha's command
15. Suriyaparitm S. vol. I, p. 51 Solar eclipse-Rahu rele:ises sun on
Buddha's command
16. Dhajaggaparltta S. vol. 1, p. 2l8 ,. Allaying of fears by contemplating Buddha,
Dhamma and Saogba
17. Mahiikassapatrhera-bojjha1iga S. vol. V, p. 79 Recovery from illness t11rough meditarioo
on bojjhariga
18. Mahtimoggalliinatthera-bojjhariga $. vol. V, p. 80 do.
19. Mahiicundattl:era-boj)ltariga S. vol. V, p. 81 do.
20. Girimtinandasutta A. vol. V, p. 108 do.
21. /sigilisuua M. vol. ill, p. 68 Enumeration of Paccekabuddlras
22. Afii11ii/iyasuua D. vol. ID, p. 194 Sutta approved by Buddha on the-
recommendation of the four Guardian
Deities for recitation by monks as a measure
of protection against demons
23. Dhammacakkappavatra11as1111a S. voL V, p. 420 Buddlta's Firsc Sermon
24. Maliiisamayasutta D. vol. ID, p. 253 Celestial recinue of the Buddha
25. Pariibhavasutta Sn. p. 18 Gateways to degradation
26. Alavakasutla S. vol. I , p. 213; Sn. p. 31 .. The conversion of a demon named ,ffavaka
27. Aggikabhtiradviijasutta Sn. p. 21 Who is an outcast 7
28. Kasibhiiradviijasutta S. vol. I, p. 172; Sn. p. 12 .. The conversion of a Brahm.in
29, Saccavibh01igas111ta M. vol. III, p. 248 Detailed exposition of the Noble Truths

B~AVARA 1-SUITAS 1-16

Suttas 1-6 can be fittingly described as iustnictions specially intended for young novices.
A s a matter of fact suttas 1-9, with the exception of 5 and 6 also occur in the Khuddakapiifha
which is generally regarded as a manual for beginners. It may be that both texts Parilla and
Kl1uddakapiifha evolved simultaneously to meet growing demands of an expanding Buddhist
community.

On the other hand, if suua 3 can be ignored it would be possible to surmise that suttas
1, 2, 4, 5 and 6 were prefixed to the Paritta text as purificatory measures to be observed by monks •
prior to paritta recitation. On this basis these suttas may be caned parikamma or preliminary
duties, monks being expected to :
(a) express faith in the Tbree Refuges (sull:t I) ;
(b) observe the ten precepts (sutta 2) ;
(c) meditate on the 32 aspects of bodi ly impurities {sutta 4) ;
(d) cultivate a detached non-indulgent attitude towuds t heir meagre requisircs
(sutta 5) ;
(e) kcep·constant watch over all actions a11d modes of behaviour (sutta 6).
 7

lt is quitelikely tnat these suttas were prefixed as purificatory measures or preliminary

.J ducies and that s utta 3 may have been simply added to i t following the pattern of the
Khaadakapii /ha .

•. Sut:tas 7-9
"ff
At present these form the category known as great parittas (Sinhala : mahapirit), and
f they are invariably recited in all paritta rituals. But, according to learned monks, tradition has
earlier regarded Ratana-, Karw.1iyameUa- and Dhajagga-suttas as mahapiril.1 Suttas 8 and 9
.appear to fonn the nucleu s r o m1d which the whole idea of p aritta pivots. This will b e discussed
in greater detail later {pp. 11-15). ln the Mahii vastu2 Raranasutta is introduced as
svastyayanagiithii.

l Suttas 9- 13
These five suuas seem to form a cognate whole as they pivot round the idea of
mitta. The word mettii is an abstract form of the n oun mitta ' friend ' . Karai:ziyamettasutta
-deals with lhe practice of all-pervasive mettii with a deep sense of sincerity and humility to all
.sentient beings of all climes and times. K!uouil1aparitta recommends mettii towards snakes by
t forest-dwelling monks. The next sutta Mittiinisamsa extols the merits of loyalty in friendship.
C Friendship is the a verage human l"elationsbip which comes closest to meWi, and it is the only
f relationship which is independen t of any biological necessity or utilitarianism. Now the word
mitra, · friend • is ~r: epithet of the sun god as well H e who radiates life-giving energy to all
-senteint beings without d iscrim ination or expectation is a friend of all. Th us, while
~ Mittiinisarnsasutta has the dual theme o f friendship and Stm worship, the succeeding s utta i s
; unequivocally a !lOble spel~ " brahmamanta " for t he ritual of sun-worship. It appears that
the three themes (a), the active cul tivation of universal friendship (n.ieuii) (b), loyalty in friendship
(miitlin.isaJnsa) and (c), the r itual of sun worsllip roughly corresponds to the jniinamiirga,
.bhaktimiirga and karmamiirga or the H indu tradition.
Su.ttas 14-15
During a n eclipse, it is believed that the sun or the moo n, a s the case may be, is swallowed
by the mythical demon Rii!tu. But, according t o these suttas, Riihu releases them wh en
commanded by the Buddha to do so. I t a ppears that a myth which was already current in Indian
society has been here utiiised to show lhe supremacy of the Buddha over the m ighty sun-god,
for the sut!a i·eveals t hat when the god himself is in difficulty it is the Buddha who comes to nis
rescue.
S utta 16
During the mythical war between god s and demons (sura and asura), the gods allayed
t heir fears and gained courage by looking at lbe banners of their lcaders-Sakka, Pajiipati,
Van11,1a and ls{U)a. This su tta maintains that fears may or may not be allayed by the presence
of these leaders as the leaders themselves are not free from fear. To overcome fears the monks
·meditating in solitude are advised to reflect on the Buddha, .Dhamma and Sa1igha.
According to the earlier tradition this sutta fanned p ar t of the mahapirita together with
ihe Ratana a nd KaraFJ iyametra-surtas. 3 But in present practice it is replaced by the
M altiimmigalasuua.

1 cp. D A., vol. IJl, p. 969.

2 vol. I. p. 290.
3 DA. vol. UI, p.969 ment ions the three suttas as a sp::cial group.
 8

B~AVARA II-SUTIAS 17- 21

Sutras 17-20 share a common theme. They all sb.ow how monks r.ave overcome phys ical ~
a ilments by contemplating the seven bojjhangas, i.e. factors or constituents of knowledge. They
seem to have been included in the text to illustrate, with speciiic examples, im:tances where acute ·
physical disabilities have been cured with the help of meditation.
!sigilisutta (No. 21) is a unique sutta in the Paritra textas it contains an enLtmeracion of ~
Paccekahuddhas, nowhere else mentioned in the text. According to Catubhiinaviirapii/i Affhakatha '
it was included in the text at this point because virtues of the Buddha. Dhamma and Sang/ru were
extolled in previous suttas.

BHA~AVARA ill A.ND fV-SUTTA 22

Both bhii!;aviiras III and IV consist of only one suna, i.e. Atiiniitiya. The first part of the i
sutta which contains a request made by the four Guardian Deities fonns hhii1:1m·iira m. The
latter ball' in which the Buddha conveys the deities' message to the JTtonks I
forms bha~1avii.ra VJ.

According to this sutta the four Guardian Deities inform the Buddha t.hat £here are f
powerful malevolent yakkhas who are displeased with the Buddha and his disciples a nd rhat they

I
can harass monks and lay followers. In order to ward off evil arising from them, lhe four
Guardian Deities, with the consent of the twenty-eight yakkha leaders, request the Buddha co
a llow his disciples to recite this A°fiinii{iyasurta as a measure of protection.
Cbp. A. states that Atiiniitlya contains the virtues and powers of seven Sammasambuddlias. ~
Tt is placed last in Cbp. so that its power is augmented by being in association with tl1e parfttas I
preceding it. f
I
I
Suttas 23-29
This is a miscellaneous collection of suttas added lo the Cbp. at a later date. and they are
recited during over-night paritra ceremonies a s yugapiril (lit. twin paritta).~ The Dhammacakka
pavattana sutta and the Mahilsamaya sutta are more popular than the others in this group. The
latter is specially ment ioned as a favourite discourse of the deities and is reco mmended ror
invicing good fortune.6
According to Lraditional reckoning in Sri Lanka smtas 1- 21 are called ser pirit, i.e. sane
paritta (benedictory pa~·itta) ; suuas 23-29 are called slitra desw1ii (recitation of discourse~) :
I
and sutta 22 (i.e. U1e Afilnii!iya) is called hamara desanii (conclud ing recitaticn)6 •
There arc a few m ore Pali comp ositions, both verse and prose, which do not belong to
the Paritta text p roper, but which form an integral part of lhe chanting in all paritra ceremouies.
It seems fitting that a brief discussion of them should be jncluded here. As they have been
I
collem:d in a n appendix to the Pii/i Sit.nhala Pirit Pota comp iled by the Ven. Kirivattu<;iuve
Praj oasara Thora, they are taken up for discussion in the order in whiclt they appea; in his ed itioo. ,

-! See below p. 4l-.

5 DA. vo l. II, p . 694.
6 Cbp. and its commentary called Slirattl1asa11111ccnya end witb the Afii11iifiya:.11t1a.
7 pp. 294-304.
 ·:Vasi Pirita-Rain Parittu
~ This is an invocation to produce rain. Though it is not possible to idemify the original
~ .source oftl1is sutta in its present form, it is quite clear that the composition is based on the episode
ft .of subhutittherw and Macchajiiraka. 9 This sutta is not popular at present, but it is known to
J1~v.e1>een recfred at the conclusion of paritta ceremonies dming periods or drought.
.iinavum Pirit.a-Invitation to Gods
This sul~a comprises a request to the deities residing in all quarters of the world to -
(a) come and listen to the words of the Buddha ;
(b) accept the merit dedicated to them and protect lhe ciispensatiou of the Buddha
diligently ;
(c) protect the worid and the dispensation of the Buddha so that alJ beings may live
happily in the company of their own friends and relatives and
(d) ward otf evil and ensure protecLion au.d prosperity.
After making this forrmll req uesL the monks announce the comme11cement of the ceremony.
Ma~1ajinapaiijara-The Great Cage of the Conqueror
i This is a very 1mportant sutta recited in all pariua rituals andit is of special interest to 11ote
.;i. ~that there is not a single sutta in the Pali Canon which bears any resemblance to h.
As the title itself indi cates the sutta attempts to buiJd a powerful. cage for the believer with
'the Buddha stationed on the head , the doctrine ( Dhamma) on the eyes, the Sangha on tbe cl1est,
Anuruddha on the heart, Siiriputta on the dght, Km:u;'lafifia behind, Moggalliina 011 the left etc. etc.
Again a cage is made of the paritras themse1ves, Ratanasutta in front, Metta_suita on the right,
Dhajaggasutta behind, Angulimiilasutta on the left, with Khandha-, Mora-, and Atiiniifiya
parittas forming a canopy above and the rest making a wall all round. The exh0rtation is that
once the believer is encased or surroimded by t hese powerful forces, 110 disease, danger or enemy
should harm him, because he is protected by the majestic power of the Conqueror.
The sutta closes with Lhe following benedir;tion : -
"May all misfortune, bad omens, calamities, diseases, unfavourable planetary
conj1mctions, disgrnce, dangers. fears and unlucky dreams be averted by t he power
of the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha."
The theme of Lhis sutta is quite alien to canonical literature and it seems to have been
influenced by Tantnc literature. Jn Tantric forms of v1orship nyasa is an important rite, and by
it is meant the "imaginary placing of different objects (letters of the alphabet, sages, deities etc.)
in different parts of the body with which they are identified. " 10 According to the Kuli.fr~tava
Tantra, nyiisa is · so called " because it places in t he limbs the treasures acquired rightly
-nyayoparjita, because it protects all, sarvarak~·iikara.n
A poem by the name of Jinapa'ijara is claimed to ha vc been composed by a famous Thai
monk named Bucf(Jhacariya about 125 years ago, and it seems to be almost identical with our
sutta.12,
8 Thag. A. vol. 1, p.25
9 J. vol. T, p. 332
JO Chakravarti, p. 80.
11 p. 124.
12 I thank Dr. Saksri Yamnadda of Cbulalongkorn U niversity, ""Bangkok, for this information.
 -
iG

Aiigulimila Pfrita-Aligulimala Paritta

This is a special sutta the recitation of which is intend ed to facilita re cluldbirth. ll is
taken from Ailgu/imalasutta of the Majj!timanik<1ya, 13 and its efficacy is derived fro m the power
of truth. According to the ./v.fajjhimanikiiya ~he Elder Angulimiilu makes an asseveration of
truth (saccakiriyii), on the advice of the Buddha, tu ea~e the suffering of a woman who had b<:en t
in labonr for seven da ys.

Jaya Pirita-Victory Parilta

T his is obviously a pariita composed at a much later date, bm no information is a vaJluble
regarding its authorship. It is a prose comp osition, repeterive in character and abounding in
a lliteration. It ends wilh five metrical lines. T he gist of the sut1a comprises au invocation o f
blessings for prosperity, health and longevity by the power o f the Buddha, Dhamma and S01igha.
The sutra is lengthened by a detailed enumeration of the p owers of t he Buddha and the Dhamma.
However, this is not a sutta which enjoys p opularity at present.

Gini Pirita- Fire Paritta

This is a short paritta and ics first half is apparently modelled on the pattern of magical J
formulae in Mahayana texts. It is impossible to give a coherent rendering of Lhis paritra. a nd
i ts alliterative magical character can be shown best by quoting it verbatim.
Jalo Mahiija!o jalarri mafliija/arrz jiilite maluijiilite Jiilitmn muhiijtilitafJI muldze t
mukhe sampatte muklza1rz mukharrz sampattarri sutam gamiti suta111 gamfti migayiti
migayiti di!(hii.la dantala mmJ(lalii. rokilli kiirafa dubbalii ritli ritti litti litti kitti kitri
cftti citti vitti virti multi mutti vu11i vutti dhiira~1i dhiira~1ili.
I
When this is compared with a couple of spells (dhiira1Jipatla) of a few B odhisattva
Mahiisactvas contained in the S addliarmapuiufarlka, the resemblance is so greal that it leads to
the conclusion t hat the latter has had a considerable influence in the composition or t he gi11i
ptirita. rt is interesting to note the Sadclharmapuf.1~/arika view that dlriirar.ifpadti.ni are spells mean t
for defence and pro tection. lt says, " by those talismanic words being pronounced out of
compassion fo r creatures, the common weal of creatures is promoted ; their guard, defence
and protection is secured. ''11
Bod/risat11•a M ahiisativa Pradii11asiira's spell is as follows : -
Jvale mahiijvale, ukke mukke, a(le a{liirnti, trfye rrfy1frati, if1iii vi/ini ci( ini,
tt{! i l[!yavati sviiha. 1·&

The !alter half of gini pirira is quite si mple n.nd il consist:. of an invocation or
blessings '
by t.lte po wer of tlte Budd.ha, and by the infallible truth of the statement that th e Buddha attained
Enlightenment by vanquishing the five Jl.f ' iiras and that he preached the Four Noble Truths
thereafter.

A!a visi P irit a -Pari rta or 28 (B uddhas)

In this poem the names of 28 Bu<ldhas are enumerated from Ta\1ha1ikara to Gotama. d
Blessings are invoked by the p ower of their Lruth, virtue, equanimity an<l Gornoasgion. T b:: W
idea of 28 Budd has i:> put fo rward by the Budcll1ava111.~n.

lJ M., vol. D , p. 97.

14 Sat!d/1armapu!1c,larika, p. 372.
15 ibid.
 11

This is a very _po pular pt1ritta recited invariably in all paritla performances.

is . .JirvamangaJsgiith~A poem for Prosperity and G ood Luck

. .
:t This is a very popular poem recited at almost a ll fes t ive occasions. N earJy all school
'f 1 children are taughr this poem. At weddi11g ceremonies this poem is recited in melodious tones
n i by a bevy of young girls generally below the age of 10 years, all dressed in white, and sraoding
'before the young c:cuple . At assembly, in schools, stanzas from this poem are recited daily.
The p oem con~ists of 9 stauzas. Each of the fust 8 recounts a feat of Budd ha 's victory
e over a fierce, deceitfu1 and sLubbom opponem. A refrain rnns through these 8 stanzas : "May
1 you be prospero us and fortunate by the majesty of this victory." The last stanza declares that
f · 1h_ese 8 stanzas bring p rosperity and good fortune. Whosoever recites them daily attajns safety,
. : happiness and releas~ .
It is believed by some that this mediaeval poem was composed in Thaila nd.16
M.altiijayamatigalagathii- The Great Poem of Pro sperity
This is by far the most imp ortant and popular poem in a ll paritta rituals. lt consists of
16 stanzas which reiterate the invocation of blessings and the prevention of d isasters by the
p9wer of the Buddha, Dhamma and sa;1gha.

-Ciibtjinapafijara- Lesser Cage of the Conqueror

According to the .first part of the poem Buddhas are stationed in all directions, and
blessings are invoked to djspel sorrow, disease and foar, and also dangers arising from demons,
·dejties, kings, thieves, fire, ghosts, wild animals. etc.
In the second pan o f the poem a cage i s made for the bel iever by placing the Buddha on
t he head, Siiriputta on the right, Moggallana on the left. Tipi/aka in front, Ananda behind,
A raha11ts in the four quarters a nd universal protectors (lokapiil[f) o n all sides.
The i.hird part of the p oem comprises long continuous benedictions. The concluding
stanza in the poem is customariiy r ecited during the distribution of paritta water and thread at
·the conclusion of the ritu'1J.17

Origin and Deveiopment of .Paritta

The earliest o ccu rrence of the word paritta is To be .met with in the Vinaya Ciel!avagga1
and the A1iguttara11ikiiya.e A monk is said to have died of snake bite, and when tbe matter was
reported , Buddha says lhel such an unfortunate incident would not have happened if the monk
had prac~ised meliiP :owards all snakes. H e then enjoins that monks should practise mettii
1owards all clans of snakes and s uffuse themselves with benevolent thoughts for the sake of
self-protection (alta-pariitaya).
Buddha's admonllion to the monks advocated the active cult ivation of mettii,
the psychologiciil powe·· or
which was capable of subduing even t he most ferocious opponent .
l ts efficacy is \\dl attested in ::i number of episodes in the Pali Canon. Metta is one of the four

16 Wells, p. 291, fa. 1.

17 See below p. 34.
.a,
l Vin., vol. p. 109.
2 A., vol. Il, p. 72.
3 Skl. maltrt, benevoltnce, compassion, loving kindness.
12
,-
I
t
brahmavi/iiiras, a nd Buddha has always extolled the virtue of practising it. ln 1·:.i~
Mettiinisa1nsasutta which meaningfully fo llows K!taml/Japaritta in the Paritra texr enumernt corr
eleven advantages of the practice o r metta. 011e of them is that a person practising met pur1
cannot be harmed by fire, poison or weapons . J'v/ti11oratlzaptira{1i' and Vis11ddhimagga~ ci~ whi
instances where monks were protected by th~ power of meuii from these agenrs of dcstrucriov acq
Uttarii upiisikii could not be burnt by bornng oil, Sumyuuabhri1)uka C17lasivauhe.ra was na
affected by p oison, and SaJ7/cicca siima/.1era could not be wouuded by a sword. Moreovci
VisuddhimaggaG records how a cow feeding its young c.:alf with in tense love was not harmed b\ tru1
a hunter's weapon because of the power of meua. Niiliigiri the infariated elephant wru
insta ntaneo usly tamed by the Buddha with this all-em bracing meffii. Such is rhe power of tlti! thr
well developed mental phenomenon, and Buddhists firmly believe in its efficacy to ward 06
danger. Again, according co an episode in the Papaifcnsiidc:nii a monk who w:!.s listening l o th~
AriyavaJT1Sasutta was bitten by a poisonous snake. Althcugh be was aware cf ii he continuec
listening witu rapt attention and faith. The poison spread and the puin became intense. He
t l1 en reflected on the un blemished purity o f fUs virtuous conduct (slla) from rhe time of lligher we
ordination (upasampada). Great satisfaction and delight (piti) arose within him when be realised of
the spotless nature of his characrer. This healthy psychological change acted as an a:itidoc~ SiI
and he was immediately cured. Tt is further reported that he developed one-pointedness of th'
mind (cittekaggarii) and attained Arahantsh.ip immediately. The Kuliirnkajataka is anoch.er.
very fine illustration of the prophylactic efficacy of the practice of virtue. According to thisi be
MaghamafJavaka (Bodhisalta) and his friends could not be crushed by the king's elephant and!
the king inqu ired whether they possessed a charm which protected t hem. Tile Bod!tisalfa! Pt
replied that they observed the five precepts, cultivated benevolence (mettii), gave a lms and did! su
social service and that these were the mantra and paritta which they possessed.~ N o bet te~
rn
illustrat ion is needed of the concept that active cultivmion of virtue is pari1ta. di

Again rcllection on the Klrandliapar itta cogently suggests that thc Buddha advised the; w
active culti vation of mettii, in t his case particularly towards all snakes. to make sure that forest'
dwelling monks we re well protected from a danger to which they wc:rc constantly exposed! k
Wit11 Lhe p ass"ge of time, however, rhe injunction itself came to be popularly regarded as a so rt h
of mantra the mechanical repetition cl' which was believed LO ensure pro tection.
I 0

Though the KhandlwpariLta can be co11sidered as lhe mosr ancient of the parirtas. the l:
Kara~1iyame1tasutta has superscuc<l the former in importance. because it enjoins the cultivation 1 t
of boundless benevolence towards a ll being:-. ....... human. celestial and animal, known and
1
unknown, near and far, friendl y and hostile. past, prcsen. and. future without any restriction ;
whereas the Khandhaparitta is concerned only with a panit:ular ~p<'cies, I.e. reptiles. T hcrcforc..j
lhc l<m·a~1iyamettasutta with its greater comprehensiveness form-; part of l he mahapinta, the.
r.!cil<:tion of which is indispensable for al l parirta ceremonies.

4 A., vol. V, p. 33.

5 p. ] 3,
!'.) ibid.
!
7 MA., voi. I, p. 78.
8 J., vol. I, p. 200. .Bodhisallo avoca : Deva aii1io am/lfikam manta 11iima 11a1tlti. amhe pa110 til!IS0111(tttfi'
ja11ci pii{lalfl no lumlima, adilmom niidfyiima. micc/16 na cariima. 11111:.iiviitfal/1 ita kathema, majjam 11a-
pivii111a, mett11111 bluil'ema, <lii11a111 dema, 11wzga111 sama111 karoma, pnkkluv.1~1iyo klla1Jiima, sof11111
kiirema, oynm amhaknq1 111a11to en pal'ittall ea vnddh/11 c:iri.

I
 While mettii forms half the core theme of pariua, sacca (truth) forms the other and
~~ complementary moiety. Paritta assumes that Truth, when solemnly declared with sincerity and
:~ purity, has the inherent power of bringing abOLLt desired benefits. This is not a. new conception
lQ'' which originated in Bucldhism, for long before the rise of Buddhism, Indian rhought was well
acquainted with the idea that Truth i~ the source and instrumen t of' great p ower.
'j
!t The heated hatchel does not burn the innocent for" the true-minded having covered bis.
bf ·trne self by truth grasps the heated hatcher-he i~ not burnt and he is deljvered." 9
afi " l e is truth which makes the earth bear aU beings, truth which makes the sun rise. I1 is
.il through truth rhat winds blow and that waters flow. "Jo
1 1l1
1-ei "On truth all the worlds rest and immortality depends on truth." 11
:q
(r!; It may also be noted in passing that this idea has continued in Sanskrit epic litera ture as

+.
!t

:~
well. For instance Damayanti resorted to an asseveration of truth when faced with the dilemma
0 f iaentifying her Nala.
12 Sa vitri rescued Satyaviin from Yama by the power of truth.u:

Similarly Sitii had recourse to this means to demonstrate the p urity of her virtuc.H
le-
:Iii Such are som e of ancient Indian beliefs in Truth and its p ower. Buddhism accepts the
~ pelief that Truth has p ower and this conviction forms an essential basis of parifla.
:Jj
A1iguli111iilasurta of the Majjhimallikaya 16 furnishes one of the earliesi instances in the
d
Pali Canon where truth has been thus utilised. The Arahanr Angulimiila takes pity on a woman
n
j
. suffering the throes of Jabour pains, and avers : " Smee my birth as a noble Arahartt I have
never intentionally deprived a being of life. May you be well sister and may you have an easy
delivery by the power of this rruth," and the woman is said to have gained immediate relief
:l' which enabled her to deliver her child safely.

i)ti Similarly in d1e Macchajcitaka1 s ihe .Rodhisatta is deeply moved by lhe misery of his
t kinsmen during a severe drought and prays lO Pajjun11c, the god of rain. He declares that be
has never eareo or killed a living creature, even though he has been born among those who feed
on one another. By the power of this tmth he implores Pajjun11a to produce rain. Jt is said thal
:-. his prayer was granted ; the rains poured down, thus putting an end to their misery. Nowadays
this invocation to Pajjunna forms the Rain-parilta (Sinh : viisi pirita) though it is not formally
included in the Paritta text.
The Ralanasutta which, according to tradition, was recited to rescue Vesiili from the triple
scourge ordrought, famine and epidemic, also embodies the sam e theme. l t enumerates the
-:. noble qualities of the Buddha, Dhamma and Sa1igha as infallible truths and invokes blessings by
their power.

9 Ch., Up. VI, 16.

10 Naradasmtti, p. 93, v. 213.
11 Sana1s11ja1iya, p. 170.
12 Mbb., V<maparva11, sec. LVII.
13 Mbb., Vanapurva11, sec. CCLXLVL
14 Rcimaya11a, Bk. VI, Cantos CXV!Il-CXX.
15 M.,vol.ll,p.97.
16, .I. vol. I, p. 331.
 t • •

14.

Though not included in the Paritta text tl1ere are 1rurny episodes in PaLi canouicaI and i

commentarial literature which centre round saccakiriyii or the asseveration of truth. The
Km,zhadlpi'lya11ajiitaka11 records a sn:;;.ke-bire cure by an asseveration of truth. According to the
Sambuliijarakal~ Satr.iJUiil cures Sanlmsena of a skin disea:;e by s.1ccakiriy£i. Many more relevant
1
episodes could be cited, bu t these will suffice.19
The Angulimii/asuiuz records •h~ plain and simple asseveration of rruth withom any
accompanying ritual paraphernalia. Bur the SuppiirakajiiTaka displays signs of the gradual
growth of a ritual. During a storm, the ship in which the llodhisarta was travelling, ran into
grave peril. In order to avert che impending danger of being wrecked, the Bodhisatta p urified I
himself with a bath of seemed watei-, put on new clothes, and taking a vessel filled with water
in both hands de:;lured : "I do not recollect having intemioually deprived even a single living
being of life ever sin~e I reached the age when I was able to exexc ise the powers of discretion.
By the power oftltis truth may the ship be safe.'' Tt is said that Lhe ship escaped danger and sailed
l
j
away safely.
In tltis way there began rhe gradual development of a rite around the idea of th.e l J

l
asseveration of truth. T he seemed bath and fresh clothes belong to the orders of preliminary
puri:ficatory rites, while the bowl of water forms part and parcel of Lhe ritual prop er. The present l
paritta ritual h.as come a long way from these early beginniags as will be seen later on. However,
the belief in the power o f met ta and sacca forms the basic strncture of the parifta ritual.
The Vaf]zsat1happakiisi;zi20 (circa, IOthcentury A.D.) records that the Buddha protected the
island of Lanka by
reciting what is called mahaparitta, but no further information is available Jl
iu this context ro j udge what comprised this great paritta. According Lo the present tradition
of Sri Lanka the Ratana. Metta and Malziimangalasuctas form a special group known as
mahapirit, which is recited invariably in all paritta ceremonies. learned Buddhist monks assert
that t he Ratana, ;vfetra and Dhajagga are the sullas which were earlier regarded as mahapirit .
and this contention is furthe r supported by a passage ~n the Diglla A f/hakarhfi'll which records 4

I
this triad as a special group ro be recited prior to the Afiiniifiyasutta. Though it is not possible i
to ascertain exactly when lhe replacement of Dhajagga by the Maluimanga/a rook place, the I
Ba~1a pirit katikiivata~~ mentions the new triad for the first time. 23 However t he change see.t;nS l
to reveal a significant social change, especially when it is remembered that rituais, in general,
bear a definite relationship to social conditions and aspirations of the people concerned.
The Dhajar;gasutia refers w a mythical war between the suras and asuras, where Lhe suras
are advised to look :u the banners of their leaders to overcome cowardice and boost courage.
T he sutta then goes a step further Lo add that rellection on the virtues of rhe JJudd!w, Dhamma
and Sa1igha is a far more effec t ive m~ans of banishiJ1g fear. Th.is triad 1s a never-failin g source
of inspiration to all, including the leaders themselves . The lvfnhiimmiga!asulfa, on the other
ha.nd, spel ls o ut a lofty code or et hics for the promotion of lhe Buddhist way o f life.

17 J .. vol. TV, p . 31.

18 J., vol. V, p. 88.
19 A(1{/a/J/11itajiitaka J. vol. l. p. 2159; Supp!lrakajtitaka J., vol. CV, J'. 142 ; .'vfugapakk!tajiitaka J., vol.
VT, p. 2, etc.
20 p. 81.
21 Vol. ill, p. 969.
22 PSPP•. p. 274.
23 Perhaps. Sarat.iankara Sangliaraja, Lli~ great reformer of the 18lb century was responsi ble for this chaoge

J
 1 J-

Reflection ou the constituent parts of the earlier maha.pirir group shows that they
pjvot :round the following important themes, namely religion (virtues of the Buddha, Dhamma
and Sanglia in the Ratanasutta),interpersonal relations (a.JI-embracing benevoience in Mertasutta) ;:;{<
aua :political leadership (inspiration from leadershlp in DhajaggaswtaJ. It appears quite / / · 1
meaningful that a ceremony which purports to promote wordly prosperity, should repeatedly
stress the importance of these three aspects which are so vital fo; social harmony and coherence.

'The replacement of the Dhajaggasutta by the Mahamaizgalasutta seems to tell the tale of
a Changed social order. So long as Sri Lanka had her own rulers whose avowed duty it was to
protect Buddhism and the Buddhist way of life, inspiration from p olitical leadership was
meariingful to the masses. Once Sri Lanka lost her sovereignry and be.came the subject of a
foreign power, inspiration from political leadership Jost its relevance. Under such circumstances
it becomes much more meaniugful that an effort be made lo retain one'c; own culluraJ identity
by the preservation of one's own cherished ideas and ideals. The need for this may have been
felt with greater lLrgency because the alien domination was reinforced by purposeful efforts at
religious conversion. Therefore, perhaps, the obsolete Dhajagga was dropped from the
mahapirit group. Its place was taken by the Mahiimangalasutta which emphasizes a code of
social .ethics of a very high moral order. T o withstand the impact of a p olitical and cultural
.revolution perpetrated by a great foreign power, the Buddhists may have tried to fortify themselves
withmorai strength hence the inc:Jusjon of the Maham01igalasutta in the group of mahapirit.
 Cl-JAPTl!R II

Historical Evidence for Prevalence of Paritta as a Ritual

The rudimentary beginnings of the paritta in K.handhasutta1, aud Aligulimiilasutta 2, have
:already been noted. It is now proposed to tabulate the available data from Pa li and Sinhala
sources regarding Lhe prevalence of paritta as a tirual, adhering as far as possible to the
{;hronological order of these records. As some of t hese records contain both early and late
material chronological details of each work need to be given due consideration.
Milindapaiiha (Circa, first century B. C.)3,
The l'tlilindapaiiha~ mentions six suttas, namely, Raranasutta. K.l1andhaparitta, Moraparitta
.Dliajaggaparitta, Afaniifiyaparitta and A.ligu/imii/aparitta as parittas approved by the Buddha .
it also discusses the following problems which reveal that paritta had already started to make an
Impact 011 society as an effective means for ensuring peace and protection :
(a) Can paritta avert death ?
(b) How does paritta become effecti ve '?
(c) When is parltra effective and when is it not ?
From these poims of popular interest which have come within the purview of the
Mililldapanha, it is reasonable to surmise that the paritta may have already become a healing
ritual. Rational believers are puzzled over the relationship between paritta and kamma. Hence
t he query whether paritta can turn away death, and if so how. T hose who were more sceptical
have inquired after rhe mechanism of its operation. But it seems likely that those who had had
it chanted and gained faith in its efficacy at times, wished Lo know under what circumstances
it would be effective and under what it would not. The entire discussion, togetl:ler with the
traditional explanation given, shows that the paritta had alread y become a ritual performed
at times of crisis. But it does not reveal any information regarding its organisation as a ritual.
Vinayavinicchaya (4-5th century A.D.)
The Vf11a.yavinicchaya affords the information that paritta water and thread were supplied
to devotees on request. The ritual Jays dovm that the paritta thread shottld be moistened with
Paritta water before ic is handed over :
Parittodakasuttani vutte dethiiti kenaci
jalam hatthena ciiletvii. majjitvii p ana suttakal71-
diitabbaf!1 bhikkhuna katvii. Lesa111 eva ea santalcarrz
attano udaka111 tesa111 smtam vii deti dukkafaf!'15.
According to tradition the author of the Vinayavi11icchayc1 is a senior contemporary of ,
Buddhaghosa. lf the traditional view is a ccepted i Lfollows that Lhe Vinayavinicchaya is o lder ,
than the Pali comtucntaries. This leads to the conclusion lhat the earliest references to parilla
wat er and thread are found in the Vinayavinicchaya.

I A., vol. li, p. 72 ; Yin., vol. ll, p. 109.

2 M .. vol. II, p. 97.
3 But the pas.~e relcvauc co tile discussion may be ac least a co uple o f cencuries later.
W' ' ..l ~ 4 p.150.
f17 \q 1rt 5 vv. 491-492. Tr. lf someone makes a request for paritta water and thread, the monk should stir the water •
''\..\.v " with. his hand. moisten the thread aud hand over (lit. giving them full pJss~sio n). It is wrong, however.
r tt' to give away one·s own (i.e. a mcnl<'~) water and thread. (Wh~veT wishes to 11:et Parilla protectioo
should provide ;;oater and ell.read).

l
 17

'Pali Commentaries (Sth century A.O.)

J>ara.matthajotika-rhe Commentary on K.huddakapa~ha 6
· The commenrary o n Ratanasutta gives the following account regarding its origin. Tn
order.tl:o save 1.he great city of Vesiili from famine, plague and demoniac iufine11ces the Buddha
ca~ed .Ananda to recice Ratanasutta along the streets of Lhe city and sprinkle water Irom the
Buddha's alms bowi. No sooner did the demons come in contact with this water than lhey
:fled and . the epidemic subsided . The people then constructed an assembly hall in the city,
anemt~d-it..with all perfumes, tied a canop y above, decorated it in various ways and prepared a
seat fori:he Buddha. After the Budd.ha S?.t himself on t his seat, the monks, members of the
· royalty and the common subjects occupied appropriate seats. Sakka, king of the gods, arrived,
·'l acco.m.J?anied by his celestial retinue. Ananda also joined this congregation, together with the
city fo1]<, after mal'..ing Lhe city safe and sec.:ure by reciting Ratanasutta. Then the Buddha
t preached the same sutta to this entire assembly, and He repeated it for seven consecutive days.
He farther recommended the recitation of paritta to avert simiJar calamities in the fulure, making
J~ use of ritual paraphernalia employed i11 folk rituals.

~· Th.is episode is traditionally recounted as the first paritta ritual. The imporLant rilualistjc
fea~ observable here are the ritual water, the decorated hall p rovided with a canop y, and
chanting continued for seven days .
.Dbammapadatthakathi\-Commen Lary on D hanunapada
.Dighiiyukumiiravatrhu of the Dhammapada commemm-y7 provides 1urther evidence
regarding the development of the paritta ritual. Tn this episode, the Buddb.a demonstrates a
. ritualistic device to avert the untimely death of a Brahm.in's child. The Buddha advised the
1 Brahmin to constrnct a l/WTJ{lapa (p~viJion ) at the entrance to his house, set up a small seat

(pf/!iikii) in the cemre, arrange eight or sixtee1J seats around it and cause the Buddhist monks
' to occupy them and chant paritfa for seven days cominuously. After a ll preparations had been
l , made in accordance with the Buddha's instructions, the child was placed on the centre seat and
1 the monks sat round him and chanted paritta for seven days and seven nights without intem1ption.
On the seventh night the Buddha. too joined the recitati01i. TI1e demon Avarudd!taka who had
come to seize the cl1ild found no opportunity. as the mighty Gods too had flocked round the
Buddha and his disciples who were reciting paritta, and he went away disappointed. Thus the
.:-hild was saved and he enjoyed longevity and was named Ayuvaf{efhanakumiira.
The consrrnction of a special m(JJJ(lapa or pavilion with seats for the monks inside it
1f chantingparitta for seven days and nights continuously, while the child who needed protection
remained inside the m(Jf)tjapa occupying a central seat-these are certainly advanced ritual
features not found in the Vesiili episode.
S umaitgalaviliisini-Com.mentary on DighanikAya
The commentary on Atiinii1iyasutra8 gives a graphic description of the paritla as a ritual.
· In view of its importance, and in order to give a complete pi et ure, tt free transla tion of the passage
' is given below :
"These arc the preliminaries (parikamma) for the paritta : Afaniifiya should
er not be recited first. For seven days the Metta, Dhajagga and Ratana suttas should
r, be recited. Thereafter if (the demon) releases (the :patient) it is well and good. if
111
- ----
6 Kh. A .. p. 164.
7 Dh. A., vol. II, pp. 235-239.
8 DA., vol. ID, p. 969.
18

he docs not, the Afantl{iya should be chanted. A monk recicing the iitaniifiya;
should not partake of p ::i.stries or meat, 9 and he should not live in the cemetery, for;,
the demons (amanussii, fir. non-humans) may get a chance (to harm). The site
of the ritual i;hould be purified by anoinriug it with fresh cowdung. A clean scat
must be prepared for the monk to sit 0 11. 10 When the monk is led out from the temple
for reciting the paritta, he should be sun·ounded by men armed with shields and!
weapons. Paritta should not be recited 111 the open air. It si:.ou1d be recited with
i:he doors and windows closed, surrounded by anned men.u The monk reciting the.
paritta must have his mfr1d filled with mettii.12 F irst !he layrnco should be made tor
repeat the Jive precepts after the monk and U1en pa:ilfa simu1d be recited. Jf the
patient is not released even by these methods he should be made IO lie on the cetiya·
(pagoda) premises. There a n offering of a seat must be made (asa11apiija1?1 kliretvii)
oil lamps shoLtld be lit and the ceriya premises should he swept. Then Mangalaswuv.
should be recited. An assembly of a.II monks1s mttst be summoned (The demon"
should then be addressed thus). ' There is an old tree in t he temple premises. Th~
community of monks expects your ar;ival there.' The demon. will be obliged to
attend the assembly.14 Then the patient who ls possessed by the demon should b
questioned : 'What is your name ?' When the name (of the demon) is announce~
he should be addressed b)' name : ' So-and-so, che merit resulting from the offerings
of incense, garlands, seat and alms belong to you . J.'rfahii11:a11galagii£11a have been
recited by ll1e monks to please you. Through respect for the monks you shoul
release the patient: ff the demon still does not release the patient, the gods 1 ~ shoul~
be informed as follows : 'Do you know this demon does not obey us. We therefore
CMi)' out the Buddha ·s orders.' So saying pariua should be recited. These ar
the preliminaries fot- laymen.

If it happens to be a monk who is possessed by a demon, seats should be was he

and an assembly of :1.11 m onks should be summoned. Merit of the offerings of tncense
garlands, etc., should be declicarcd to tile demon and the paricta should be recited.
These are th.e preIiminaries for monks."

This passage shows a marked development of the parit ta as a ritual from the earlier accouutj
of Vesiili and Dighiiyukumiira. The idea of preliminary rites is fully accepted. Paritta lastin
for seven days is known. The A!iinii/iya is recommended for recitation as a last reson. Th
germinal stage of the presenl dt~y devadiitay<i (mes:;enger to the gods) and doralca1ia asna (sermo11
at the t hreshold) is also seen in rhe message seat ro the amanussa (demons, lit. non-humans
and deva1ifa (deities). Arriclcs of worship such as incense, garlands <1nd oil lamps have hce
utilised. It is also obvious lhat paritta is begi nning lo replace occul t practices.

9 DAT., vol. IU, p. 208 : Fish, ghet! and fried cak~ too should he avoided.
10 ibid. Personal cleanliness of the monk is also desired.
11 ibid. This forms ext'crnal prvtecriou.
12 ibid. This forms internal p1 ..Jtcction.
l 3 ibid. p. 209. Living in the temple or in the village.
14 ihid. Through fear of Buddha's command and kings' command.
15 ibid. yakkliaseniifiatfn!t•n.
 19

Chronicles
Mnhlivalpsa (6tb century A.D.)
The Mahiiva111sa which ends with the reign or Mahiisena does not refer to any p01itta
ritual conducted by a king. However, in the episode of the first colonisation of Lanka 'by
Vijaya, it is said that the god Uppalavcv.1~w. on the-insitructions of Sr:tkka, protected Vi}aya and
his followers with parilta thread by the power of which the yalc9as were uuable to harm them.1 6
This is undoubtedly an anachronism appended to the legend of Vijaya after the parilla had gained
popularity as a prophylactic ritual. I t is noteworthy that the Dipavmrzsa makes no mention of
paritla in this context.
During the enshrining of relics in tJ1e Great Stupa by Duf!hagiima~l monks are said to
have recited the dhamma in chorus. T his was called. ganasajjhayanii. 17 If the paritta had been
known at that time, it was a most fitting occasion to have had it recited. T herefore,
it is reasonable to surmise that paritta was not in vogue at the time of Duffhagiima(li's r eign.
However, gQ!Jasajjhiiyanii or recital of the dluimma in unison by the monks was performed. on
auspicious occasioos.18
C,;ilavamsa
l The first recorded instance of a paritta ritual conducted by a king occurs in the )
Ciilavamsa. 19 King Upatissa I caused it to be performed when the country was vexed by a famine Vi/
j -·and-plague during the 4th century A.D. The king came to know for the .first time about the
recitation of the Ratanasutta by lnanda in the rescue of Vesiili, and resolved to perform a similar j 1~ 1 (
hl-;1

ritual. An image or
the Buddha was fashioned out of gold, with a stone alms bowl filled with +-
water placed on the palms. This was mounted on a chariot and taken round the city streets.
The king and his subjects observed 11posatlta vows. The king went :!.long t he streets
of the city acc0mpa.nied by the monks reciting Ratana:mtta and sprinkling water from the
Buddha's alms bowl. It is reported that heavy rains came after the ritua l, and t hat the famine
- and plague subsided. The king also decreed that this ritual be :perfomed during calamities of
his nature.
Aggabodhi I V (626-641 A.D.) is said to have had the paritta recited several times.!lO
By the reigu of Sena II (851-885) the Ratanasutta had gained such prominence that he
had it inscribed. on a gold plute and celebrated the occasion with a great festival. He caused
the Abhidlzamma too to be recited. T hen he safeguarded. his subjects against the danger of plague J
by having paritla recited and paritta water sprinkled. 21
·i In the lOth century Kassapa V (913-923) also had a paritta ritual performed by the three
~ fraternities in order to save his subjects from. the perils of famine an.d plague. 22 I t is also
4- recorded that Kassapa recited the Abltidhamma with the grace of a Buddha, sitting in a mat)rjapa
adorned with jewels, and sun·ounded by monks.23

16 Mv. eh. 7, vv. 9, 14.

17 Mv., eh. 31, v. SG.
18 But the Tiuipava171sayc1 which is a much later work states thatpiril was chanted tbrvughou t tbe night aftc1·
relics were enshrined in the Great Stiipa ; this is obviously an anachronism. p. 200.
19 ev.. eh. 37, vv. 189-198.
20 Cv.• eh. 46, v. 5.
21 Cv., eh. 51, vv. 79-81.
22 Cv.. ell. 52, v. 80.
23 Cv., eh. 52, v. 4.9.
4-A49437
.:,...1 ~""( "'t.tcrf~ ~ <\· Pq,c vr ,f-
t~i~t'- l(l.1 l·ttP'~-c.i/(.f~·.e~ P~'''<
I /~kl'- ·hW1:-.
 Parakramabalm I ( 1153- 1186) is said to have built a permanent building called the
Pctficasalfatima11dira fo r paritta ceremonies and distribution of paritta water and th.read. 24

During the reign of Part1kramabahu II (1263- 1271) a great heat wave had swept over
Lanka with the threat of a severe famine. The king had several religious ceremonies performed
in honour of the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha, celiyas and bodhi t.rees. In addition he caused
a great conununity of monks to recite the paritta and bear the Tooth Relic round the city. It is
recorded tha.t the rains came down and averted the disaste.r.~s

Lastly, t·he Ciilava111sa records lb.at Kfrfisri Rajasi111ha ( 1747-1782) honoured Buddhist
111on~s with the four requisites and had the paritta and other salutary texts recited by them.

Vmpsatthappakiisini (t000-1250 A.D.)

The impact of paritta by the time of Va111satthappakasini had been so strong, that a paritta
ritual has been anachronistically added on to the legend of the Buddha's visit to Lanka as well.
According to this, after driving away th.e yakkha.s, the Buddha recited the mahiiparitta and tied a
protective injunction.. 2a

Pillimuttakavinayavinicchaya (12th century)

This work27 enjoins that monks should recite paritta for sick patients in an appropriate
manner when requested by laymen. It emphasises that the thread should be moistened with
water before being handed over. When exorcising a demon, a palm leaf ( tiilapa1.11Ja) or a paritta
thread should be tied on the hand or leg of the patient before reciting parilla. The text then
repeats the same passage as foW1d in the Digl:a AtrhakathiJlS which describes the ritual practices
associated with paritta.

luscri ptlons
The paritta is also mentioned in some of the i11scriplions of Sri La uka. The slab
insc:-iption of Kassapa V (Circa A.D. 929- 939) lays down that only rhose who are familiar with
the Catubhii~iaviiraptifi should be H.dmitted to the 0t:der.~!1 This is the first insta nce when such tt
1..ondition had been laid down as a pre-requisiLe for ordination. Tl1e Tablets of Malii11da 1V
at Mihintale (Circa A.D. 975-99 1or997- 1013)a0 enjoi.n that monks should recite and practise
111ec pirit (Pali metta paritta) before partaking of their mornng meal.al The Rock Jnscription uf i
Pariikramabahu I (Circa I 153- 1186) decJares tltaL morJcs and novices are not permitted to enter ;
the village at unusual hours except l'or some special purpose. A jourucy to recite paritta at an ,
:i.ppoinLed place is exempted from this. rule. 32 An inscription of Nissa1ika111alla (ll 87- 1196) ,

24 Cv., eh. 73, v. 73.

25 Cv., eh. 87, vv. l-10.
';6 Va111sattlr11ppakiisi11i pp. 81, 95. dfpm·arassa rakk/1a11aUftiiya pan1tar11 kt1frii ii11at11 b1111d/1itl'ii . • . •
27 pp. lJ-J 2.
28 DA.• vol. ill. p. 969.
'
j

29 EZ., vol. I, p. 55.

30 EZ., vol. I, p. 78.
31 EZ., vol. I, p. 99.
3.'2 EZ.• vol. ll, p. 278.
 21

A.D.), on one of the columns of the Niss01ikalatam~ujapa, establishes beyond doubt that this
wtJJ.refapa was used for the purpose of chanting paritta. T he inscription which was partially
read in 1903:is was subsequently fully deciphered in 1915.84 It runs as follows :
"maitrin loka siisana sanahii /oka vfJslnfa PUf.lyak,~etra kofa ayatana
11issaf!1/ca lata mcn.u/apaye hitidii pirit (asana kiu;la) ma"

Tr. This (is the pavilion for the hearing of)pirit what time (His Majesty), seated in the
Sanctuary, the" Nissanka Flower-trial Hall," provides in loving-kindness a field
of merit for the peace of the world-dwellers and (he Buddhist faith.

1t is clear from this inscription that the royal sponsor was himself p resent within the
mtIJJefapa. This had been a custom prevalent i n the 5tb century too, for, Prince Dfghiiyu is said
to have been placed in the centre of the m~efapa on Buddha's instructions, when paritta was
recited to give him long life.ali

Though meagre this inscriptional evidence is very valuable as it reveals the impact that the
paritta had made on royalty. By convention, the p aritta had been welded into the routine of
, i he daily life of the monks and novices. It had also forged a very strong bond between the
Buddhist clergy and the laity, to the extent that it had even caused the relaxation of some general
and stringent monastic rules.

• Sinbala Literature
The classical Sinhala literature provides ample evidence of the popularity of paritta
as a rituaJ.36 As the material is too copious only those data which mark a further development
" from ideas gathered through Pali sources will be discussed here.

The Prayogaratniivall which is a medical treatise compiled by Mayurapiida, the author

-0f Pujaviiliya, during the reign of Pariikramabiihu II (1236-1271), prescribes the recitation
of paritta for infant diseases. It was believed that various demons affi.ict infants at different
stages of their growth du..-ffig the first year. These demons should be appeased with appropriate
offerings. Then the infant should be held over medicinal incense for a few minutes (osu dum di)
and finally he should be bathed after pirit has been chanted (pirit karavii niivam1). The chanting
of what is called biilagrahadosa pirit, i.e. paritta which is intended to ward off the evil influences
of bad p lanetary combinations on children, is repeatedly recommended.37 The VaidyacintiimC11Jl
which is a medical treatise written by a Tam.ii specfalist during the 15th century also prescribes
the chanting of pirir for infant ailments. lt also recommends pirit for yak~a-preta-roga-cikitsa,
i.e. for curing of diseases caused by demons and ghosts.

The Da!ada Sirita which is a Sinhala work based on DiiJhiivairisa composed by Devrad
Dampasailginavan (king's minister of justice ?) in the reign of Partikramabahu I V during the 14th
century, recommends as follows : " When kings go into occupation of a new palace, the Tooth

33 Arclweological Survey of Cey/011, Annual Reports, 1903, pp. 18-20.

34 Archaeological Survey of Cey/011, 1911-1912, Cey/011 Sessional Papers 1915, p. lOO.
35 Dh. A., vol. [[, pp. 235-239.
36 Ptl}avaliya (13th cen.), pp. 63, 64, 442 ; Sl11hala .Bodhil'al?'lsaya (14th cen.), p. 213 ; Da}ada Sirita (14th
ccn.), pp. 50-51 ; Sa1iga Sara(1a (13th ccn.), p. 8 ; Tl11ipavamsaya (13th cen.) 1 p. 200 ; etc., etc.
37 Prayogaratnavali, pp. 20-25.
22

Relic and the Bowl Relic should be taken in first along with the Sangha who will recite paritta
sprinkle piril pall (paritta water) to protect the place before it is occupicd."89 Again, it
recommends that the Tooth Relic should be taken in procession along the streets of the city in a
beautifully decorated chariot drawn by an auspicious eleph.ant, with virtuous monks chanting
paritta, holding the pirit huya (paritta thread) and sprin.\:ling piric pii11 from. a silver vessel.so ·

Paritta is also chanted during the preparation of medicinal oils, most probably to heighten 1
their curative effect. The Sneha Satakaya, also caJted 1Je/1ei Tel Pota, attributed to the 18th-19th
century, recommends the recitation of paritta during the preparation of divyiingauiidi tailaya
with paritta thread tied aU rou.nd.*o According to the Au~adha Muktiilzaraya, during the
preparation of he11ariija tai!aya too, paritta should be chanted and paritta thread shoukl be
drawn all rcund..u

Conclusions
A survey of the above material from original sources shows that the paritta may
have become a ritual prevalent among laymen, perhaps on a small scale, during th.e early centuries
of the Christian era. Hence the critical and rational queries raised in the MilindapaJ1/za. It was
recognised by royalty as a prophylactic r itual for public welfare for the first time during the 4th
century A.D. ( Upatissa I). The erection of a temporary mm:uf.apa for this ritual was known by '
the 5th century A.D:u The employment of ritua l accessories such as water, incense, garlauds l
and thread, and the observance of preliminary puriftcatory rites, were also known by the 5th.
century A.D. 48 The construction of a permanent building for recitation of the paritla by King:;
Pariikramabii.llil II shows that the ritual had become an integral part of the life of Sinhala '
Buddhists by the 12th century A.D. Its usefulness in paediatrics and in the preparation of!
medicines, shows that the chanting of paritta was beginning to replace Brahmanical ocult j
practices, and to grow in importance as a multi-purpose ritual exercising great influence on t b.e!
lives of an unsophisticated people. -t

I
4
•

38 Da/adii Sirita, p. 50. Rajadaruva11 mtillg a praveia vana kala pa/am11m da/mlii ptitra dl1</111va11mzsi! vaef!
mahas01iga11a lavii pirit karavii pil'itpa11 isl'(i amk kara tunur11vam1/a ptija kara prav€ia va1111va ist'i.
39 ibid.
40 p. 17, v. 137.
r.irit p11ravd mi/ va!a tida vedahu /anga i1ida 110/asi17e
mu/ bu/at ran pa1i<!uru sadami.!1 uluru diga p11da kara111i11e
41 p. 9, v. 66.
viyan biiiida u{la s11ddha vilasi11 plrit huya 11.:ifu adi1111ii

sot1di11 mantara pirit kiyamin beltet td siila lipa tiyun/1€

42 Db. A., vol. U, p. 237.
43 Kh. A .. p. 164 ; D lo.. vol. Ill, p. 969.
 CHA.PTER V

Paritta as practised in Sri Lanka Today

I n thjs chapter an attempt is made to give a detailed description ofparitta as it is praclised
in Lanka t oday. As this is a ceremony which can be performed with varying degrees of
complexity three broad variancs of tl'\e ceremony will be o ut lined which represents a fair cross
section from t he simplest to the most elaborate. The fourth set OLLt below is only a substitute
ceremo11y conducted by laymen :

(1) Sessional paritta (Sinhala : varupirUa) ;

(2) All-night paritta (Sinhnla : tispiiye pirita) ;
(3) Seven-day paritta (Sinhala : hat davase/smi pirita)
(4) Paritta recited by laymen (Sinhala : gihi pirira).

The common factor which nms lbrough all these various forms is the recitation of
suttas from the Paritta text which have been already discussed (See pages 5-11 ). Th_iS
is the indispensable feature in a paritta ceremony. Intelligent monks and laymen believe thar
paritta recited even by oneself, while reflecting on the meaning of the suttas, and conductiny
oneself according to the precepts of vjrtue is as effective as paritta recited -with ceremonial
Paraphernalia, if not more so. Elements of current folk magical practices are absorbed into the
paritta ceremony as external embellishments to satisfy the anxiety of the masses, who hope fot
magic to work at times of disaster. The efficacy ofparitta nevert.beless does not depend on thr
accom1ianying ritual. lt is the practice among devoted Buddhists to recite one of the suttas
belonging to the mahiiparitta group every day either individually or collectively together wilb
membc:rs of the family. at evening iueditation or at bed time.

1. Varn 1•irita (Sessional Paritta)

This is generally conducted in three, five or seven sessions each lasting approximately
one hour, there being two sessions each day m orning and evening. The ceremony can starl
either with a morning session or witb a n evening session. Three-session ceremonies are quite
common, and those lasting for five or seven sessions are less frequent. These are sometimes
substitutes for all-night ceremonies which cannot be performed due t o lack of personnei, time.
and, most often, money.

Invitation
The layman wishing to have the ceremony performed goes to the monastery and invites
the monks. G enerally he takes with him a small gift to the monks according to hi.<; means, some
tea, sugar, fruits. fruit cordial or some such appropriate item. Together with this he offeri; a
sheaf of betel leaves to the chief monk , greets him respectfully kneeling at his feet and makes bis
intention known. If the layman·s need is not very urgent the monk will fix a convenient date1
but if the matter be urgent as in the case of a dying man, immediate arrangements are mad~.

31
P repar:1tion
Preparation for the sessional pmitta is quite sjmple. The verandah or the sitting room
is swept clean, a few chairs, according to the number of mo11ks invited. are placed in a row and
I
covered with a clean white sheet. A small table is placed in front, also covered with a clean
cloth. A small pot or jug of strained water, covered wit.ha wl1ite kerchief is also placed on the
table. A sm all coconut oil lamp, a tray of fresh flowers and a ball of white thread complete the ,
essentiaJ ritual objects on the table. Water mixed with turmeric is lightly sprinkl.ed all ovei-
tbe house to ensure ritual cleansing. If available a few grains of paddy roasted till it has popped
(pori or vilai1da), mustard seeds and rice are sprinkled on the table and around the place where
the chairs are arranged.

At the entrance to the house a basin of water and a towel a re placed for washing and wiping
the feet of the monks on a rrival Some light refreshments such as orange juice, king coconut
water o r tea and betel leaves are kept handy in the house to serve the monks at the end of the
ceremony.

Preparation being thus complete, an elderly male goes to fetch the monks from the temple :
the monks are conveyed in a car if one is available ; jf not, the monks are conducted in a ,
procession, on foot, or they come on their own at the appointed hour.

The Ceremony Begins

When the monks arrive a young male member of the household washes and dries their
feet at Lhe entrance. If the're are two boys, one washes and the other dries, but tbis task is never
performed by a female as it is improper for a monk to be touched by a female. As the monks
enter nud occupy the seats prepared for Lhem, ev~rybody present respectfully greets them.1 Soon,
two monks busy themselves converting the ball of white thread into a Lhree str~nd skein by a
special simple method ; this is then wrapped round a rolled up betel leaf. The loose end of the
thread is tllcn tied round the pot of water. The oil lamp is lit aud incense is b11rnt. After these
preliminaries are compieted the ceremony begins.

All the members of the family sit down in front of lhe monks on mats spread 1.rnt on Lhe
ground, the person for whose special benefit the ceremony ls perfom1ed-a sick child or
a pregnant woman-occupying t he cemral position. All clasp their hands in salutation. One
of the monks, generally the most senior, requests t he devotees to recite the namaskiircrya. 2 After
this he administers pa11sil, (Pali, paficasila) i.e. he leads tbcm in reciting the fonnulae confessing

1 Tho acl is called miidinava-Sec Reynolds, pp. 24-25.

1 i.e. 'the salutation: .Vwno tassa Bltagm•uto Araf1att> Summiisambuddl1ussu. " f bow to the 'Blessed
One, the Worthy One, the Fully Enlightened Oac" repeuted thrice.
 33

faith in the Buddha, Dhamma and Smigha thrice. and the 5 precepts.s When this is completed
thi: monks take hold of the three strand thread , now called pirit mi/a, i.e. paritta r.hread,d the end
of which is already tied round the pot of water. The rolled up betel leaf round which the thread
is wound is handed over to the devotees. who. one by one. unwind the thread a nd take hold of
it with hands clasped in salutation. The thread is gradually unwrapped to reach everybody, and
care is taken to see that it does not touch the ground , and tb.at nobody treads or jumps over it.
Thus, when aU taking part in the ceremony are connected by this thread, the monks starl reciting
the paritta sutlas in chorus. The suttns generally chosen for recitation are as follows : -

(i) Namaskrm1
(ii) lti pi so JJhagavii . ...
Sviikkhato Bliagavaili dhanm10 .. ..
Supafipanno .Bhagavato stil'C1kasa1/gho5
(iii) M alziima1igalas11ttao
(iv) Mettasutta
(v) Ratanasuttu
(vi) Mahiijinapalfiarn
(vii) Ciilajinapailjara
(viii) Benedictory refrains.

lf the ceremony is performed for the benefit of a pregnant woman, the A1igulimiilasu11a is also
recited.

At the end of the recitation the Lhread is r:olled back and placed on the pot of water. The
monks are served with hot tea or coffee, or fruit juice, and specially prepared chews of bete I
leaves. The devotees pay homage to them prior to departure.

3 Budclham saraiwm gacchiimi

Dhammam sarai10111 gaccizumi
So1lghalfl sora!fattz gaccl1aml
D111iyam pi Buddltam . •. .... . pc . • . . .. •.
Tatiyam pi Budtlha1;1 .... .. , .pe ....... ,
Tr. I take refuge in the Buddha, Dhamma and Swiglu1
F or the second time I take .. . ,
For the third time I take
pii(11itipii;a verama{ti sikkMpadam smnridiy(imi
adi11nidiinfi
kiimesu micchticiirii .. ..
m11sifviida
surii111erayamajjapa11iiidn/ffzii11ci
Tr. I take upoo myself the vows of abstaining frcm kHling.
stealing, illicit sex, falsehood, und all typcscr
intoxicants.
4 parittasuttaka is mc11liooed in J. vol. l . pp. 396, 399.
5 D., vol. II, p. 93. Formulae extolling the \'irtues of Buddha, Dhamma and Sarigha.
G Sec above pp. 5- J1 for this and following suttas.
34

The same procedure is repeated for all sessions, be they three, five or seven. At the
concluding ceremony a few more formulae are a dded to the recitation, to ded icate merit to
departerl relatives, deities, demons. niigiis and all living beings. Tb.e deities and nagiis are further
requested to protect the people and the dispensation of the Buddha. 7
The loud choral recitation ceases and a reverent atmosphere of fresh hope and well-being
pervades. Respectfully the chief devotee rolls back the thread a nd hands it over to the monks .
The person for whom the ceremony is special1y performed is then summoned near the monks.
OM monk pours paritta water into his or her cupped hands while all the monks recite the
foJJowing formula in unison :-
Bharatu sabbam01igalat11
rakkhant11 sabbadewuii
sabbabuddhiinubhiiwma/sabbadhamn1iim1bhiire11a/sabbasa1ighii11uhhiive11a
sadii sotthi bhavantu te
lcc!titarr1 patthita111 tuylta1J1
khippam eva samiijhatu
rnii te bhavatvantariiyo
sukhi dighiiyuko b/iava
Tr. " May yours be all good fortune. May all gods protect you. By the blessings of all
Buddh!!~ (Dhamnia :!.~ d. Sa::6l:a) n~:is ye~ be v;::.11 arrd l1appy. May all your wishe;s
and aspirations come to fruition immediately. May you have no danger to encounter.
May you be happy and may you live long."
Reverentially the devotee receives the water, drinks some of it and puts the rest on his face
a nd head. Generally the water is not wiped, it is left to dry on the skin.
After distributing the sacred parilfa water to a few in this manner t h.e monk takes a piece
of paritta thread about a foot in length by breaking .it wW1 his bands. No implement is ever
used to cut it. This is moistened with paritta water and then tied on the right wrist or :mn of
the devotee while reciting the following formula :
Sabbe Buddha balappattii
paccekiinafi ea ya111ba/aJtt
arahant{maif ea tejena
rakkha111 bandhiimi sabbaso

7 (a) ldai!l vo Mti11am hotu

sukhirii !io11tu 11a1ayo
Tr. May this merit accrue to yo ur relatives, ma.y they be happy !
(b) Ettuvatii ea mnhehi
sambhaca111pult1iasa111pada111
sabhe deva/bh11tci(sattii anumodantu
sabbasampattisiddhiyii
Tr. May all gods. non-human beings and creatures share in the merit wt: haw lhu~ accumulated ;:iad
promote aJJ blessings !
(c) Akosauha ea bhumma{f/;ii
deva 11iiga ma/1' iddhlka
puf£1i111r1 /ulfl anumodiMi
cira1ri rakklia11t11 siisa11a111f desana111/ma111 paiw11
Tr. May the gnds aacl 110,f{(IS .:f mi~hty ? Owers residing in space and i:hosc inhabiting 011 earth, rejoice
in this merit and tnl:ly they pro tect for a lnng time tbc J ispens:nion (of t he "Budtlhn), the teach ings
(of the Buddba), myself and all others !

.t.
 35

Tr. "AllBuddhas have attained great powers, and so havePaccekabuddhas and Arahants.
By the majesty of their powers I tie a protection valid in all respects."

MonJ<s are permitted to tic the paritta thread only on males. In the ca1;e of females a layman
ties it while the monks recite the formula.

After the distribution of parilfa water and thread the monks are served hot tea or fruit
juice and betel leaves and U1cy depart. Neighbours who wish to have paritta water and thread
are also welcome to receive them. if there is water r,emaining, it is disposed of the following
day or the day after, generally in a place where nobody treads.

This is the simplest fonn of the parilta ceri:!mony. But there arc.: occasions when paritta
suttas are simply recited without any accompaning ritual of water or thread. Such is paritta
recited at the bedside of a dying person. Also where it is inconvenient to have ceremonial
paraphernalia, suttas alone are recited, as in the case of welcome accorded to State guests,
farewells to distinguished persons at their place of departure.

2. TL' Paye Pirita (The All-Night Paritra Ceremony)

Preparation for 1his is m uch more elaborate and it is Hsual1y considered an expensive
undertaking. Much n1oney is spent on entertaining guests and as a matter of fact the all-night
paritta ceremony bas become a socio-religious festival among wealthy Buddhists.

:[\{o.nks are h"1Viled in the same manner as described above (See p. 31). Invitations are
also sent ont to friend s and relatjons. About a week before the scheduled date the house is
given a thorough deaning ; cobwebs are swept out, the floor is mopped and if mats are used in
the household they are washed and dried.

MaQQ'apa
A temporary pavilion called the p irit mal}(fapa is erected for this ceremony in a convenient
room in the household. The living room is generally chosen for this purpose. The material
used for it varies witb taste, personnel and money a vailable. Cloth, paper or tender coconut
leaves (gok kola) are generally used. The shape of the mav.(lapamay be a square or an octagon,
the framework is made of strips of light wood. It is also possible to hire wooden frames, and the
decoration may be done according to iod.ividual taste. Once the frame is set up the amateur
artist gets ample opportunity to display his imaginative talent. Sometimes paper cut into most
exquisite patterns with floral designs or t raditional motifs adorns the parittama~ujapa. Sometimes
only tender coconut leaves are used together with strip~ of plantain trunks and habara (Diospyros
ovalifolia) Jeavcs as accessories. Decoration with this material requires great traditional skill.
It is an art which merits special protective measures because there are only a few at present who
are versatile in this ancient and intrfoate art.

Entrance and Its Direction

A ma]Jcjapa usually bas one main entrance, bi1t if space permits, it may h ave four openings
on the four sides but only one serves the purpose of an entrance. It is considered auspicious
to have the ;main cntmnce facing the east or north, but this may be disregarded where convenience
demands otherwise
5-A 4!!437
UQu Viyana (The Canopy)
Tue mm.ufapa bas a white canopy made of freshly laundered cloth (piruvata) supported
'I
by a network of twine irtlersecting to form squares of approximately 8 inches in stzc. On this
net~ork, at regular interva ls, are hung certain kinds of tender leaves. The varieties traditionally
used are said to be the fo llowing : -
Niigavalli Tender betel leaves (Piper betel)
Niigapallava Tender ironwood leaves (Mesuaferrea)
Niigalatii Another variety of betel leaves ?
Puvak ma/ Arecanut fiowers (Areca cateclm)
According to some informants siviya dalu, tender leaves of the Piper chawya 1 and gammiris
palul<cin, tender leaves of black pepper (Piper nigrwn), are also used as traditionally recognised
.decor for the canopy. \.\ l1en it is difficult to secure these varieties, especially in towns, substitutes
such as Bo (Ficus rcligio}a) and nuga (Ficus bengalensis) !eaves are used.
A row of rings made of tender king coconut leaves (Cocos nucifera, variety with pink
epicarp) runs along the periphery of the canopy on the inner side of the ma~1(lapa for the
thread (piric huya) to pass through when the ceremony begins.
Arrangements inside Mm}t;iapa
A table of convenient size is placed in the centre,
and chairs a re placed all round alongside the framework
of tbc maT;f/apa. A minimum of 8 :ind a maximum of 16
chairs may be used , the exact number chosen being
determined by the size of the 11u11Jrjapa.2 But an odd
number of chairs is never used. A small table lower in
height is placed next to the other table beside the main
entrance. All the chairs and the two tables are covered
over with freshly laundered white cloth.
fudrak ila
T he two centre chairs directly opposite the main
entra nce are cnllcd yuga pU!u, twin chairs. They are
tied together and in the centre of the joint is fixed the
structure called indrakfla. Riijagaha is anoLhcr desig-
nation commonly used fo r the same object ; rarely, it is
also referred to as kapa~aha .
Tbe indrakllu (fig I) is made with a straight freshly
cut branch of a sziriya tree (Tlzespesia populnea) about 6
feet in length. ft is covereu over witli a stilTwhitc new
cloth pleated lengthwise and is tied ou to the branch in a
couple of places so as ro leave the cloth pllITing out in
between the kno ts. A t lhe top, the cloth opens out to
form a sort ofa •fan.' Sometimes a tbin red border is
sewn on the outer edge of the ' fan. ' Behind this
structure stands a small nrccanut palm with a full y
opened coconut flower . Sometime::. the ran-shape I
structure and the coconut flower are tied ou to tbc are -
anu t plnnt itself. ;\fter tbe indra!clla is set up women The Jndrakllo
are nor allowed to enter tht: parirtamm:ujapa.
1 Trimcn, vol. m, o. 426. Figure l.
2 Db. A., vol. JI, p. 236. a/l!ta va so/asa va iisan ini panflupell'!i.
 37
J(aran~uva (The Casket of Relics)
A place is arranged on the right hand side of the twin chairs above the level of the heads
of the monks, to keep the casket containing the relics of the Buddha. If it is very difficult to
fix such a pJace the casket is deposited on the centre table itself. But it is always considered better
to place the relics on a higher Jevel.

run l{alas
Eight pun kalas or vases of plenty as Coomaraswamy calls them,s are placed round the
ma~ujapa one at each corner , if it is octagonal in shape. Kalasa literally means a pot, but when
used for ritual purposes it means a new clay pot in which a coconut flower is placed together
witb a small coconut oil la mp.

Lada Pas Mii!

Five items of ritual import called lada pas mal (Pali, lajapaficama11i puppltiini, literally
meaning five kinds of ftowen; with roasted paddy as the filth) are used to sprinkle on the table
and inside the ma~u)apa. The five items are as follows:-
Ela aba white m ustard (Sinapis alba)
l taiia panic grass (Hexeropogon contortus)
Vilaiida or pori roasted paddy grains (similar to pop corn)
Picca kuppi jasmine buds (Jasmlnum officinale)
Sun sahal broken rice

PiiJl Kajaya (TI1e Pot of Water)

A ne\\• clay pot o r a well polished brass pot full of clean strained water is placed on the
small table. A fully open coconut flower is placed in the pot , or its mouth is covered with a
white kerchief. Often the whole pot is beautifully decorated with tender coconut leaves.
So.metim-=s bottles 0f medicinal oil, talismans, and ever: small pots co;:itaicing sand and pebble~
are placed (Hl this table. The belief is that during the ceremony these objects get blessed and
charged with power ; medicines and t alismans are t hereby rendered more effective. Sand and
stones are used as charms t o protect newly built Jiouses.

On the bigger table are placed a vase or tray of fresh flowers , white thread twisted into
three strands and wrapped round the panicle of an arecanut flower, a small coconut oil lamp,
and some hai1dun kiri pan (li t. sandal-milk-water).

Haudun Kiri Pan

This mixture is prepared as a purrn.catory agent to be used by the monks prior to
commencement of the ceremony. By custom it is never prepared by a female. A man scrapes
some coconut on to 3 plantain leaf and squeezes it to obtain about half a cup of milk. Into it
he adds some sandalwood paste, a piece of raw turmeric and the ju:ice of a lime which has been
baked under hot ashes.

Again, as a puriftcatory measure the whole house is lightly sprinkled over with /calla diyara
i.e. water mixed with turmeric powder.

3 Coomara:;wamy, Yaksns, II, pp. 61-63.

38

Tbe entire maTJ<lapa is beautifully lit up, or illuminated with small coloured bulbs if
electricity is available.

Directly opposite the house a small cnciosurc made of tender coconut leaves is placed
at a height of about 5 feet. It is called the pa/ran piila,' oillamp hut', or ma! pt1la, 'ilower hut.'
Inside it are placed a few betel leaves on which flowers of various colours arc neatly arranged.
A clay lamp with coconut oil, inc.:ense and camphor are also kept ready to be ignited at the time
of the commencement of the ceremony. Once lit the lamp is kept burning until the end of the
ceremony.

Plenty of food and soft drinks are provided, and the household is a beehive of activity.
F riends and relatives start arriving from early evening. Very close relatives and helpers would
have already arrived one or two days previously. Nobody comes empty handed to attend a
paritta ceremony. Pots of cur<l, tjns of biscuits, great big pineapples, excellent bananas and
bunches of king coconuts4 are among the most popular gifts that are brought. Usually an
all-night pariua ceremony is followed by mid-day alms offered to the monks on the following
day. The gifts thus brought are utilised at the alms-giving ceremony and for entertaining
visitors and .neighbours.

.A..ll visitc~ ~,1;'ho come tc pr:.rticiputc in th~ parit!a cerer:-iony are g~~erilly entertained either
with dinner or with light refreshments.

T he Ceremony Begin;;
The chief householder or his deputy goes to fetch the monks from the lemple around
half past eight in the evening. Tl1e monks are generally conducted in a procession accompanied
by drummers and other traditional musicians, headed by tbe chief hOi.LSeholder carrying the
casket of relics on h.is head surmounted by a canopy held in place by four other laymen. 1
Nowadays, since cars are freelv avajlablc, this traditional and colourful part of the ceremony is
fast disappearing. T he Parilla text and the Pirit lmya are also conveyed from the temple.

When the monks arrive t11eir feet are washed and dried at the entrance as described in 1
the account of the scssional ceremony. A person belonging to the washerman commuitity
then spreads a Jong, narrow white cloth called pavii(la from the entrance of the house L1p to the
entrnnce of tbe marpj.apa. The chief householder (or bis deputy) ceremonially conveys the casket
of relics placing it on his head, and deposirs it in the mal)tjapa, 011 the shel f prepared for it. The
m onks follow him to t he mat1(la pa, walking on the p iiva(la.

Everybody present pays homage to the monks. From the time of arrival up to the time
when che monks take their seals in the mal)<;/apa, there is sustained and loud drumming
accompanied by the shrill notes of a wind pipe.

After the casket of relics is deposited in place. and the ola leaf manuscript of th~ Pnritta
text and the pirit !mya are also placed on che centre table, the monks take their seatf according-
to senio1ity 5 •

4 Tue warec of the tender nut is consiuereJ co p::>sscss spacial he.1lth-giviag properties.
5 Seniority is rnckooed from lbc dnte of receiving the higher ordination, upasarnpatlii.
 39

The pirit /111ya is an important ritual object consisting of a thick white cord several yards
long, wrapped round a large beautifuJJy fashioned bobbin made of sandalwood a bout 18 inches
loner. lt is always kept in tk mon:istery and is taken to all-night paritra ceremonies to which
the"monks of the temple are inviLed.

Tbe chief householder offers a tray of betel leaves to the monks aud formally invites them
to chant the parirra. The oii lamps on lhe pun kalas are lit and sticks of burning incense are
placed on the coconut flowers which adorn the kalas. Th~ monks purify themselves by rubbing
their hands with haiidu11 kiri pii11. Lada pas ma/ are lightly sprinkled inside the maiJ(.apa. The
oil lamp in the paha11 piila opposite the J1ouse is also lit and incense is burnt there.

All devotees sit on mats with hands clasped in salutation aud recite the namaskara, after
which the chief monk ad ministers pafica sila. He rhen formally inquires of the chief householder
, the objective in performing the ceremony. I t mny be the death anniversary of a parent in which
case the ceremony is a memorial :>crvici:: performed for the purpose of dedicating merit t o the
deceased. Or il may be the approaching wedding of a son or a daughter, or lhe constrnction
of a new bottsc:, and the ceremony is performed for the purpose of invoking blessings. When
the objective is made known the monk delivers a shor t sermon (anusiisanii) and commends the
householder for spending his time, energy and money on a worthy cause and in the furtherence
~ of a noble objective. The episode regarding the rescue of Vesali by chanting the Ratanasutta
is customarily related with a view to illustrating ilie p otency of paritta and Buddha's
- -commendation of it. The story of how Prince Dighiiyu gained longevity by th:: p ower ofparitta
~-
is another favour.i le theme. lt is emphasised that the ceremony which is being presently
performed has had a long history, the present performance being the repetition of an age long
tracLition. T he monk concludes his short sermon with the assurance that this ceremony
(pii71kama, ' meritorious deed ') performed with faith and piety will bri11g b lessings to all ta.king
part during this present life and in all lives to come. The chief householder and the other
·devotees then formally in'.'ite the monks ~:i.therd in the: m:;~;;?apa to commence the ,jha11tillg 1..>i
be parilta, by reciting thrice a standard verse which runs as fo llows : -

Vipattipa/ihiihaya sabbasampattlsiddlziyii
sabbadukkhavinasiiya paritta111 briitha mmigala1?t
sabbabhayavi11iisiiya paritta1ri bnitha mailgala111
sabbarogaviniisiiya parittairi bn7tha mangala111
Tr. " Be pleased to recite the 11oble parirza, for the warding off of calamities, the
accomplishment of all prosperity and the destruction of a ll sorrow, fear and
iJl-health."

The drummers now start to beat their drums in a prescribed beat (magul bera) for a few
minutes. Simultaneously with its dramatic conclusion the m onks start chanting the paritta
in chorus. The suttas chanted are as follows :
,' (1) Samantii cakkavii/esu J twitation to the gods to come and listen
to the paritta
(2) Namaskiira Salotation to Duddha
(3) Pa(.iccasamuppiida D ependent origination (optionan
(4) lli pi so Bhagava Adoration of Buddha
(5) Svakklliito Adoration of Dlzamma
40

(6) Supappanno Adoration of Sangha

(7) Jayama1igafagiitliii Invocation of blessings by the power or
Buddha
(8) Bliavotu sabbamailgalam Benedictory refrains
(9) Nakkliattayakkhablnitiinarri do.

The chanting up to this point is called pirit pe kirima i.e. performance of rites preliminary
to paritta. This stops for a while and drummers start beating their drums again. All the monks
stand up and tic tbc pirit huya in the manner described below, while reciting the following
formula:-
Sabbe Buddha balappatta
paccekii.nmi ea yal]1 ba/m'fl
arahantiinaii ea tejena
rakkham bandhirmi sabbaso
Tr. " All Buddhas have attained great powers. and so have Paccekahuddhas and
Arahanrs. By the majesty of their powers I tie this protection valid all round."
It is tied connecting the casket of Relics, the Paritta text, the pot of water and the indrakila
It is then taken up to the canopy and passed through the rings ma<le of tem.ier king coconut leaves
fixed on the periphery of the canopy. in a clockwise directi on. 'When it has fu1Jy encircled thei
canopy it is brought down and passed through the hands of all the monks before it is finally placed
back on the table. The pirit niila, i.e. the three-strand thread wrapped round the panicle of an,
arecanut flower is connected to the pirit huya at some point acnr the canopy. It is taken o ut of'
the mQlJgapa and given to the devotees who are sitting around. Unwinding the skei.1 they pass
round, each person holding the thread with hands clasped in salutation, taking care not to let
the thread touch the ground. Thus, by means of this paritta thread all devotees get connected ;
with the Buddha represented by the relics6 , the Dhamma represented by the Parirta text, the:
Sangha represented by the monks, and the indraklla, the symbolism of which will be considered
later on.

After the p frit liuya and the piric nu/a are thus arranged. drumming ends and the monlcs.
resume chanting in chorus. This pJ1ase is called maliapirila or the great parilta and it includes
the recitation of the following suttas : -
(1) Mahiimmigalasutta (or Dlwjaggasutta) ;
(2) Ratanasutta ;
(3) Karw.iiyamettasutta f
(4) Benedictory refrains (ym11 dunnimirca,,1 ... . , dukkhappatrii .. . . , sabba buddlzi
balappattii . . .. ).

The mahapirita is considered to be the most important phase of the ceremony :rnd tht
maximum number of devotees gather t o listen to it. After t he mahapirita is over, !he piri1 nii/,1
is folded and placed lnu:k on the centre Lable in the ma(1(iapa or on a kalas:z. The visitors art
now entertained with refreshments, many of Lbe guesrs go away while close frie!1dS a1~d relative'
remain all njghc.

6 Vbh. /, ,, p. 431-tU1iit11su Iii //ii1iis11 B!tddlui fhiui va homi. "The presence of the relics is equivalcot to
the presence of the Buddha:'
 41

Throughout the ceremony the monks are supplied readily with plain tea or fruit juice
whenever the necessity arises. A couple of men are specially entrusted •vith the task of attenctiug
00
the monks. A neatly arranged plate of raisins, candy (sukiri and Lalsiikiri), jaggery and ginger
is placed on the table inside the ma1g/apa so that the monks can help themselves whenever they
need to whet their throats during the chanting.
After the mahapirita all the monks except tvvo, leave. These two monks continue the
chanting and this phase is called the yuga pirita, i.e. twin pariita. Seeton I V of the Parilla
text, commonly called sulra defamt, is chanted during this period. This y uga pirita generally
stares around 11.00 p.m. and goes on till about 3.00 a.m., the monks being relieved in pairs, every
hour.
When the yuga pirita comes to a close, the drumming starts again . Four monks enter
the mai:u/apa and the two who were there leave. No sooner does the d rumming cease tha n the
monks start chanting the Ar.anafiyasutta. This is a sutta particularly recommended by y akkha
leaders for recitation by Buddhist monks to bring stubborn and vicious demons (yakkhas)
under control. As stated earlier, the commentary on this sutta 7 requires that monks reciting it
should abstain from eating pastries and meats (piffhaf!1 vii ma171sa111 va),and should avoid visiting
cemeteries because demons (amanussci, lit. non-humans) would find opportunities to harm them
(otiirarri labhanti). Th()ugh not all the tractitional observance,<; recommended in the commentary
are adhered to at present, recitation of the Atiinati_va is still treated with special care and
attention. Parents would take care to see that childn::n do not go o ut of the house during its
recitation. In some areas much noise is made by striking metal betel trays wjth arecanut cutters
or by jingling bunches of keys. The monks too recite the Ap:iniifiya mttch louder than the other
suttas. The sutta itselflays down that it should be r ecited very loud.8 In short, the tone of the
ceremony during th.is phase, is suggestive ofits purpose, namely exorcism. This sut ta is populary
known as the hamara which means ' the conclusion.'
After the hamara aro und 5.00 a.m., all the monks assemble in the ma(1if,apa again and the
following suttas are recited :
(1) Kara~z iyamettasutta Expression of universal
s
benevolence
:s
(2) Ya/'71 dun11im:itta1J1 Benedictory refrains
(3) Dukkhappattii. ea do.
(4) Sahlie buddha Formula for tying the
protective thread
(5) MahiijinapaFljara Great cage of the Conqueror
(6) Afavisi piriia Parilla of 28 .Budd1ias
(7) Mahiijayammigalagiithii The great poem for success
and prosperity
(8) Cctiyapiijii (e.g. Vand1imi cetiyw71) Stiipa worship
(9) Patthana gathii (e.g. Jm inli puFitzakammena) .. Aspiration
(10) Upa.fjhayii gu~1ut1arfJ Aspiration
(11) Samiikaragiinlma (kayena vacc"i.) Prayer fo r remission
(12) Okasa dvarattayena Prayer for remission

to 7 DA. vol. lll, p. %9.

D. vol. Ill, o. 205 : ujjhaperabbarn vikka11dita&bam viravitabbam. PSPP.• v. xxx.
42
The ceremony conies to an end <1r ou11d 5.30 a .m. with the dist;ibution of parltta water
and t hread. A monk takes some water from the decorated pot into a smaller container. The
chief ho useho lder, or the person fo r whom the ceremony is specially pt!rformed. is summoned
near the entrance to the mm:ujapa. All monks recite rhree stanzas from the Ratanasutta extolling '
the virrues of the JJuddlw, J)/wmma and Sai1glza. Ya17z lcii'i.ci vltta111~, Yari1 hwldhaseuho,J 0 and
Ye puggalii11 , a re the tluee stanzas traditionally chosen for tbis occasion. This is followed by
benedictory refrains such as Sabbil~vo vivajja11tu . ..... , Bharai!t sabhammigala111 . ..... ,
Nakkhattayakkhabhiitiinc;17-i. ... i 2 During this recitation one monk slowly pours paritta w:iter
into the hands of lhe devotee who reverentially sips some of it and rubs the rest on l1is face and
head. After the chief householder. others follow suit. Then the monk takes a piece of the
p irit niila moistens it with the paricra water and ties it ro u nd the chief householder's forearm or
wrist. lti pi so bhagava . ..... (i.e. adoration of the Buddha), and Sahba huddhii balappatlii . . . .
(a benedictory refrain) arc recited while tying the thread. Olher male devotees fo llow su:it.
T he monks then return to the monastery, and the morning meal. is generally prepared and
sent to the monastery. But if it is intended to conclude the ceremony ,.,.'ith the morning meal
(hil dane) it is offered to the monks in the house itself. Nearly aiways an ail-night paritta
ceremon y is followed by a mid-day offering of alms to the monks.
Seats for the monks at the almsgiving consist of cushions arranged a long th<.! walls of the
dining room and covered with white cloth. The meal is also arranged on a white cloth spread
o n a mat in front of the sears. T he inilividual dishes are covered with discs cut out of banana
leaves, and the whole array of dishes is co vered \\'i th a white cloth.
M onks are conducted arom1d L0.30 a.m. While dru m music is going on, rhei.r feet ar:e
washed and dried at the entrance. The monks occupy the seats according to seniority and the
d rumming ceases when all have sat down. First of all, a meal is offered to the .Bnddha by p lacing
foo d and drink in fro nt of the relics (buddhap uja) and all devotees sit down with hands clasped
in salutation. One monk. generally the seniormost, requests the devotees to say the namaskiira
T he devotees generally get permission for themselves by merely saying•• May it please yo u Sirs"
(a vasarayi) and start reciting the formula Namo tassa bhagaMto . ... etc. The mook then· gives'
pansil and the devotees ' take ' by repeating the same, and offer the buddhapiijii with t.lle
appro priate stanza, 11amely,

Adhivasetu no hhante piinlya111/bhojana11i parikappita111

i
anukampa.72 upiidiiya patig{1ahiitu-m-uttama 1
T r . " Please accept Revercned Sir the drink and food which has been prepared
Out of sympathy (for us) may the Noble One accep t (this offering)."

After this the monk delivers a short sennou extolling the nobility of the meritorious d eeds
performed so far, from the p revious night onward s. Merit of paritta a nd dana (char ity) are
illustrated with episodes taken from the Canon. At the end, the alms are fonnally dedicated to
lhe Sangha by repeating the follow.ing formula thrice :
l ma111 bhikklza111 saparikkl:iira111 bliikkliusmiglzu.ssa dema

9 Sn., v. 224.
JO Sn., v. :!26.
11 Su., v.227.
12 See above fortranslation. p , 25
r
I

43

Tr. "Vle give this abns together with other requisiles to th~ Community of monks." is
After this formal declil:atioo the devotees get up and starr serving the monks. The meal js
1 mcovered and water is offered first of all. Both males and fc::mal.e ~ can take parl in serving the
roeal. With quiet dignity, the monks partake of the meal which cousists of rice and curry,
followed by a dessert. Fruits, sweetmeats, curd and treacle arc served a s <iessert The meal is
concluded before noon and gifts of requisite& are formally presented. lt i.s customary to offer
some appropriate useful gift to each of the monlo: UL the end of a siii1ghlkadcina, i.e. an alms-giving
dedicated to the emirt: Community of monks. Betel leaves 10gethcr with the accompanying
ingredients arr: also offered.
Then follows the punF!iim1modana. the dedication of merit A special r.itual is performed
to dedicate ir•.:rit rn the departed relatives. The chief householder takes a jug of water togeth er
with anolher empty bowl placed on a plate or a tray. Generally the bowl chosen for lhis purpose
jssmal1erthan the jug as the wat.erpouredinto the bowl must overfiowits brim. The housebokler
holds the jug of water above the bowl and pours it out slowly as the monks recite the following:-
U1111ame udakarri vatfha171yaihii ni11naf}1 pavattati
evam eva ilo di1111nf!l peta11a111 upakappatu
Yathii varfraha piira paripurenti sagaram
e\lam eva ito dinna;rz petii.nam upakappatu
Tr. "Rain water fallen on high ground flows down to lower levels. Sirnil~rly may
what is given from here reach the departed ones. Just as swollen rivers fill
up the ocean, even so may the merit d edicated from here reach th'..: departed
ones."
While the monks recite thus, the householder slowly pours the waler from the jug into the bowl
and it is so timed that when the monks recite the formula for the third time the small bowl is
overflowing witb water.
Merit is then d edicated to the relatives with follov.ting formula too, recited thdce by the
whole congregation of monks and iaymen : -
l da/'/1 me iiati11a11z hoiu, sukhita homu fiiilayo u
Tr. "May this merit accrue to my relatives, May they be well and happy."
On occasions when the water ritual is not enacted, the above formula alone is repeated
thrice.
Merit is then dedicated to the gods, spirits and all creatures :
E1tiivatii ea amlzehi samblzatal]1 punfiasam.padarri
sabbe deva/bhurii1&,/sattii anumodanru sabbasamyattisiddhiyii.
Tr. " May the merit accumulated by us as a result of these good deeds be shared by
all dt:ities, all non-human beings and all creatures, <llld may they ensure
prosperity (for us)."

J 3 By• other requisites' is meant otber appropriate gifts offered to the monks at the end of the meal, such as
robes, towels, bowls, slippers, umbrellas, fans , soap etc.
14 The monl~s re.cite this formula as Idalfl Yo natiu:up hotu . ... meaning• May this merit accrue to your
relatives . .. . " The subsequent formulae for the dedication of merit too are recited in unison by
both monks and laymen.
15 Several meanings are recorded ill Kh. A., p. 166 : idlta panti amanussesu d11f(habbo.
 l
I
44

Likasatrhii
••
ea bhummattha
••
deva niirrii
0
mahiddhikii
pufiiiarl'I. tarn anumoditvii ciran1 rakklzantu sasanaf'}1/desanam/marri parmrz
Tr. "May all deities and niigas of mighty power, residing in the air and ou earth,
accept this merit and protect the dispensation of tbe Buddha, teachings of
the Buddha, me and all others."
T11is is geflerally followed by the aspiration. The mouk says in Sinhala : " As a result
of the noble meritorious deeds performed, such as listening to the paritta, offering alms etc., may
all devotees who took part directly and indirectly, attain to greater and greater prosperity day
by day. Having enjoyed health, wealth and good fortune during a long span of life may you
al1 be born in eelesriai spheres. May you never suffer birth in any woeful state. After having
enjoyed human and celestiai pleasures for a very long time may you attain the deathless tra11quility
of Nirvana during the dispensation of the Future Buddha , Maitreya."
16
f\Jl devotees present rejoice in these words and exclaim" siidhu sad/tu sadhu."
The ceremony is over, the m onks recei.ve obeisance from everybody present, and they
depart, taking wit h them the casket of relics, the Prn·itta text and the pirit huya.
Now ~:tarts tbe :;c:::iul :l:>pcct of the ceremony. AH visitc:s a!ld neighbours are entertained
to lunch. No t:abies are set up, it is customary to sit on roats and enjoy the meal .
The washermen and the drummers are fed in a separate corner of the verandah. AU others sit
together on mats without any distinction and heartily enjoy a very sumptuous meal.
Paritta water and thread are freely given without ceremony to anybody who wants it. ,
Everybody is in a happy and relaxed mood. The chief householder and his wife are generally ,
very tired, but the foti.gue is only physical due to lack of sleep the previous night and the amollnt
of work put in for pie_para1iou of food and entertainment. But mentally they are very happy
that they have sm;cess!\1!ly carried through a great meritorious performance, a performance
which grants prosperity for the p resent and security for the future.

Disposal of Material
TrnditionaUy t.!1~ pcdlla ma"l'J<lapa: is not dcmolfahed until one and a half days pass, but
17

1
there is no hard and fast rule regarding the disposal ofmaterial with the exception of the coconut
fl o:"en;. PGritta water an:.l. thi-ead are generally kept until the third day and neither is disposed
of Jn a rilace where people tread . Any food remaining from dishes that were formally dedicated
to tbe S.'.J.1ig/;a with tbc formula beginning Imam bhikkha11i is carefully thrown away. Such
food, however clean, is never used for entertai ning lay devotees. tt may be given to an animal
though ; beggars ~llso pr.rtake of it. The idea is that anything o[ered to the monks with thaL
special rormula beloi:gs t o the Community and it is not proper for a layman lo partake of it
hereafter.
.The coconut flowers which adorned the pot of water and the indrakila arc carefully stored
.a way ma very high place, generally the ceiling, of the house. They are believed to bring good
lucl.c and prosperity. Villagers carry them to the fields with great delight, and there hoist the.111
on iong sticks and plant them in the middle of the field. The belief is suong that this ensures a
boLmtiful liurvest a nd fr\:cdtHn from pestilence. ~
16 The Buddhist equivalent o f Christian' Amen.'
17 wn vanivczk, three se~sions, i.e. evening of the same uay pl us tbe morning and evening of the following
d::iy.
 45

The oil lamp in the pa!ian piila outside t he ho use continues ro be lit for three consecutive
nights. The pahan p iila itself i~ not generally removed ; ir is allowed lo wilher there.

3. S ati P irita (T he Seven Day Paritta Ceremony)

The seven day pariua ceremony is cuRtomarily K.nown as bwzavirlr (lit. paritta discourse),
and is mostly held in monastcri~s. But there is nothing TO prevent the performance of such a
ceremony in a private household if all facilities can be provided. A ma~u;lapa is constructed
in the same manner as for the all-night ceremony. but with more durable material. The indrakila
described above is a ritual object particularly set up for seven day ceremonies, even though it is
used for all-nigbt ceremonies as well.
Lay supporters (dayakay6) raise funds for U1e ceremony by public subscription, and they
appoint a commillec of capable men to be in charge or various duties connected with the
ceremony.
As a seveu day pariua ceremon y is a joint effort o f the clergy and the laity it calls for greater
co-operation and co-ordination of du Lies. Therefore, t rnditi on has drawn up a ba(wpirit
katikiivata,i.e. a convention incorporating the duties oflaymen and clergy regarding a bm;1apirita1 •
It is convenient to summarise the content of this convention here, as it gives a clear picture of the
roles played by resµective parlicipants and the proceedings approved by tradition.

Duties of tbe Laymen

Lay supporters wishing to have a seven day pm'itta ceremony performed should respectfully
commurricate their intention to the chief m o nk of the temple and invite al least 25 monks. They
should make arrangements to supply the monks with all requirements for seven d ays, such as
regular meals, refreshments, lodgings, sanitary facilities, transport etc. F r om the commencement
of the ceremony one or more responsible laymen should be appointed to carry out each of
the following duries :
(1) to serve the monks in the maJ;t{iapa ;
(2) to provide drum music at proper times ;
(3) to maintain orderly behaviour among devotees ;
(4) to take messages for yugapirit ;
(5) to look after the safety of the monks ;
(6) to arrange for a devadiitayii 2
(7) to organise orderly collection of subscriptions, keep accounts and set them aside
t for temple use ;
(8) co prevent unruly gathering, drinking of Jiquor and gambling in the immediate
neighbourhood ;
(9) to co-ordina te processions, lf a ny, coming. from neighbouring villages ;
l
j
(10) to distribute without partiality all gifts donated by the devotees, among monks,
with the consent of the committee of monks.
11
a

l Ba11apirit katikavata was forrrudly constituted by a 30 member committee headed by Ven. Tibhatuvave
Sri Siddhartha Slllnc111gala, Yell. Va/arcika Ratw1ajoti Subillta, and Ven. A1111kka11e Sa1ig/wrakklti/.Ci
Sartn.1aiikaraT/ieras in J 906. See PSPP. pp. xi, 273-284.
2 See below p. 46.
46

D uties of the Monks

A monk should not accept an invitation for a seven day paritta ceremony without first
consulting his teacher and preceptor. After proper acceptance it is his obligation to attend the
ceremony punctually.

Monks should advise Ll:le laymen regarding tile construction of the ma~1</apa, arrangements
for lodgings, procedure of the ccrcmoiiy, ancl they should also train the devadtilayii, the messenger
to the gods. f o all dealings witb the laity monks should keep at a respectable d istance aloof
from them. Their behavi0t~r sho uld iu 110 way engender <lisrespcct in the Laiiy.

When participating in the ceremony monks should conduct themselves with pious <lignity
and decorum. In cbantirrgparirta rhey should not try to excel one auorher as if in a competition.
They sl10uld not band themselves into groups and indulge in frivolo us talk. In all matters they
should work \vith un.ity, amity and dignity. When one's mrn comes for yugapirit etc. oa.e
should diligent ly attend to one's duty witho ut offering excuses of ill health.. In case of genuine
ill health, the monk in char ge of arrangements must be notified eurly so that alternative
a rrangements could be made without inconvenience.

First Day
An ac;scmbly of a11 monks participating in the ceremony is convened in the morning of
the day sched uled for rhe ceremony to begin. With the unanimous consent of the Sangha,
monks are appojntcd to carry o LJt the following duties :
(1) to preside at the opening 5ession ;
t2) to 'vrite the ~·ihara asna, i.e. llie message from the monastery, and the deviilapara,
i.e. lctte1· to the shrine of gods ;
(3) to supervise the role of devadtitayii, the messenger to the gods ;
(4) to play the role of anu§iisaka bhik,vu, i.e. to admonish the gods ;
(5) lo deliver ser mons (more than one may be appointed for the different days) ;
(6) to ar range a time! table for yugapirit, giving names, dates and t imes ; and attend
to the puri.ficatory measures of the ma~1{lapa (tevava bhik~u).

All this is formally written down in the form of a document and signed by the chief
incumbent. A committee representing the Sangha is then appointed lo deal with all aspects and
problems of lhis joint arrangement of the Sang/ta and laity. The office bearers mentioned earlier
are also included in this comm itLcc. The main task of this body is to cnsw·e t hat all proceedings
are carried out smoothly. Should any differences of opi ni.on arise a.mong the sponsors or
members of the lay committee, it is t he duty of the Sa1igha committee to intervene and settle
disputes amicably. The committee also has to bear the responsibility of making alternative
a rrangements in case the time table already fixed cannot be strictly followed due ro unavoidable
circumstances. In short the committee has to ensure the smooth uninterrupted performance
of the ceremony by eliminating all shortcomings and making adequate provision for any
emergencies .

Devadiitaya-The Messenger to the Gods

At lhe time preliminary arrangements are made for the paritta ceremony a young boy
about ten ye~rs old is chosen to play the role of the messenger to the gods. Generally a handsome
smart boy with a good clear voice is selected. A princely costume is made ready for him, and
it consists of ::i. bright silk dhoti, a beautifully embroidered jacket, a pointed 2olden crown, and
 47

plenty of jewellery. The boy memorises the dorak.a{ia asna (lit. Lhc message at the threshold)
and practises it daily to be able to deli ver ic freely on the seventh day of the ceremony. From
rhe commencement of tl1e ceremony he has to rcsjdc in the monastery ancl a lso wail upon the
monks chan1ingperiua, He is lreated with special attention by the laity throughout the pcdod
of the ceremony.

The Ceremony Begins

Monks enter the m01:ujapa walking on the piiYiiefa one after the other, in the !>ame m anner
as for the all-night ceremony, after having had their feet washed a nd dried at the entrance.
The relic casket leads the procession of m onks ; the pirit huya ancl the paritra text are also taken
nJong. Drum music got.:S on continuously until all m onks have taken their seats.
After' giving' pansil to the devotees the monks themselves clasp their hands in salutation
and recite the following sunas :
( I) Pa[iccasamuppada Dependent origination
(2) Anekajati.va111siira;'}1 F ir st words of the Buddha expressing joy
(3) Iii pi so bhagava Adoration or Buddha
(4) Sviikkfiiiro Adoration uf Dhamma
(5) Su1TJafipa11110 Adoratjon of Sa1igha
(6) Jayammigalagiitha Invocation of blessings by the majesty of
Buddha ·s victory over fierce oppo nents
(7) Bhal'atu .rabbammigalam · Benedictory refrain
(8) Nakkhatra yakkhablrr1tana111 Benedictory refrain

When these eight suttas are chanted, drums beat again for a while, after whicb the monks
resume chantiag the following :
(9) Karaofyametta Sutta Universal bene,:olence
(JO) Ratanasuua (stanzas 3-14) I nvocation of blessings by the power of
Buddha, JJ!zamma and Smig!za
(11) Y alJ1 dun11imitta11z Benedicto ry refrain
(12) Dukkltappattii ea 11iddukkhii Benedictory refrain
(13) Sabbe Buddha Formula used for t ying paritta thread

While reciting the last stanza all monks get up and connect the pirit huya with the relic
casket, paritta rext, pot of water and the indrakila and draw it through the rings in the canopy
in a clockwise direction to make a complete circle as in the case of the all-night ceremony. One
monk sprinkles paritfa water in and around rhe maJJ,<f.apa. Drums beat again for a while and the
monks sit down again anti chant the following with hands clasped in salutation :

{14) Namo tassa bhagarnto Salutation to Buddha

(15) l ti pi so bhagava
(16) B uddham jivitapariyama,,1
(1 7) Svakkhiito blwgavata
(18) D/zammCIT'fl jil'i1apariya11ia111
(19) SupaJ,ipanno
(20) Swigha111 jil'itapariyantam
(21) Buddha dhammii ea
Adoration of Buddha
Confession of faith in Buddha for life
Adoration of Dhamma
Confess ion of faith in IJ!iamma for life
Adoration of Sangha
Confession of faith in Smigha fo r life
Jnvocatioo of Buddha and Dhamma to
release one's mind from evil
48

Proceedings up lo this point are d cscri bed as pirita pe kirlma in Sinhala, which means the
I
performance of preliminary rites. The monks then wet th1::ir hands with haFzdun kiri pii11 and this
icself is another purificatory measure. The two monks who are scheduled co start the chanting
the following morning occupy the two centre chairs (yuga pu fu) and the others formally invite
them to chant paritta, with the following stanza :
Vipat tipa f ibclluiya sabbasampattisiddhiya
sabbadukkhaviniisiiya parittam briir!za ma1igalarn
sabbabhayaviniistiya pariilarJi bnitlta mangalarr1
sahharogaviniisiiya pariuarri bnitha mQ/ig alaf?t
T r. " Please chant the auspicious paritta to ward o lf adversity and rnvne prosperity.
Please chant the auspicious paritla lo dispel all suffering, fear and disease."
Drums beat for a while after which the two monks occupying t he two centre chairs start
chanting the following suttas :i
(1) Namaskiiraya
(2) Sara~1iigamana
{3) Namaskt'iraya
(4) Dasa silo
(5) Siimanerapai1ha
(6) Dvatli1J1Sakiira
(7) Paccavekkhw.1ii
(8) Dasadhmnmasutta.
Then all monks join to cbam the rnahapirira which consists of the following suttas :

I
(1) Mahama1igalasutta
(2) Raranasutta
(3) Kar111.11yamettasutta
(4) Maliiijayamaiigalngiitlza (giifl1as I, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8 and 9 only
(5) Benedictory refrains.
I
All monks leave except the two continuing the yuga pirita. Every hour o r every two hours
the monks are relieved by two others and chanting goes on continuously. Thrice a day morning,
noon an<l evening the mahapiriia is chanted by all monks and each of these sessions is heralded
1
by drum music. T his pattern of yugapirit and mahapirit is repeated until the 6ch day
Third Day I
Distribution of paritta water starts on the third day e vening. Apart from this everything
else goes on in the same manner up to the sixth day with non-stop chanting.
Sixth Day
This is a special day. Tn the eve ning the ma~1rjapa is redecorated with fresh flowers I
and leaves. The lada pas ma! is removed and a fresh supply is sprinkled. The leaves o n the
canopy and the coconut flowers in the k alas are changed. After redoing the ma1ufapa in this
manner a monk anno unces siiLra de.fanii, which means suuas chanted o n this day are di1Tercnt
tl) chose which have becu chanted so far. The seven s1mas which form :in appendix to
Cawhliiii:taviirapii/i are chanted in t he order in which they are arranged in t he paritta tex1.
Beating of drums heralds this sucra desanti.

3 See above p. 5-11.

 49

Sefenth Day
As on other days mahapirita is chanted by all monks in the morning and two monks
continue the yugc1 pirita. Around 9 a.m. all lhe monks assemble in rbe ma~1(lapa a gain, and all
hold the pirit huya. Yuga pirila is temporarily stopped, and the t wo monk.~ sit silently in their
seats. The monk who bas been appointed to write the deviilapata, i.e. the letLer to the shrine of
the gods, takes his stand on the right side of the table and announces t he a lmanac (lita kiyavana11ii~
i.e. the year, monlb, day, date, hour, moment and planetary conjunctions of the moment. Theo
the anusiisaka bhik$u. the monk who is appointed to admonish the gods, stands on the left
side of the table and starts writing the i•ibiira asna, rbe message from the monastery. 'J-ie
then reads out what he wrote. Tue former then writes out the devalapata while standing there
itself and reads it out. Once the task of writing out the rwo messages is over all except two leave
and yuga pirita resumes.

Vi!lara AsnaG
Thjs is a long document run ning Lo about Lwo and a half printed pages. The rncssngc in
short is as follows :

"Today u paritfa ceremony takes place in this monastery. The Community

of monks w1animously requests that all deities residing ju varjous shrines, temples
etc. (a long list is mentioned by place names and this makes the document quire long)
come and listen to the mangalasutta etc. and share in the merit thereof. They
must not disobey the orders of the Community of monks and they must come
together with their retinues.'·

Deviii apatas
This is a shorter document and it is an individual invitation to the gods residing in a
particular shrine close lo the monastery where the ceremony is conducted. Its message is as
follows·-

"Today piril js bejng chanted jn this monastery which is clcsc to such and
such a shrine of the gods. Tbe Community of monks desires that all gods residing
in this deviila should come without except.ion together with their retinues. Tbey
must come without disobeying the order of the Community."

Before evening five palm leaf copies of these t\vo documents are made. ln the evening
monks assembk again in or around the niatu),e1pa and screen off a portion of it or the whole
mat;1~lapa. They take the messenger to the gods too into the enclosure, now fully dressed in
his special princely costume with crown on bead. Here the monks tie the devalakada. the pingo
for the abode of gods. lt is also called hemakada, the golden pin go. One copy of each docume"nt
is left in tbe 111Gf.1{/apa. The other four copies are rolled up_ SJJriuklcd o ver with turmeric wate1
and lightly ful1UgRted with burning illcense. After this ritual cleansing, the scrolls are placed
in the small pingo decorated with sprigs of betel leaves (bulat palukiiu) aud arecanut .flowers.
t The messenger il> accompanied by two, four, or eight attendants called dora1upalayo- they are
J . boys around Len years of age,drcs~ed ii1 beautifui dhoti and jacket, but not as grandly as ttc

4 rsrr. p. 284.
5 ibid. p. 2~7.
 50

messenger. They carry swords and stand as guards on either side of the messenger. The
anU.Siisaka bhik$u, the monk designated t o a dmonish the gods, 'gives' pansil to the messenger,
his attendants and the retinue accompa11ying him to the deviilaya,aud gives them paritta water.
He then hands over to the messenger a small decanter of paritta water, oil, flowers, incense
and other articles of worship .Finally he entrusts to him the hemakada containing the message
to be delivered to the gods.

The procession sets out with drums beating. The messenger is flanked by his attendants ~
and surrounded by people carrying swords, fio.gs und banners. Sometimes the procession is i
organised on such a grand scale as to take the messenger on elephant back (Plate VIlI) or ina •·
beautifully decorated cart. vtany of the devotees going in the procession carry Rags and ~
banners, and cerernonial articles such as flowers, oil and incense. They take a circuitous route ~
and arrive at the shrine indicated in the letter. There they worship, offer flowers, light oil ~
lamps and burn incense. The messenger to Lhe gods recites Jayamari!Ialagiitha and enters the
inner cbambe of the sbrine and reads out the message in a loud clear voice. After this he
, deposits the four copies meant for the four guardian deities . . .. Dh$farii$fra, Virti{lha, Viuipa!qa '/
and Vai.fra;•ar,ia in four places. As there are no specia l shrines dedicated to them, generally
I the four copies are hung on the fo ur sides of the bodhi Lree. The m ission is now fulfilled and
the procession returns to the parittama~zefapa.

When ihe procession of the messenger departs and the sound of drums can no longer I
be ~.eard the mon~s in the ma~1~apa chant mahapirit and distribute paritta water. When the I
bcaung of drums is heard again on the return journey of the messenger, two monks start I
chanting Mahiisamayasutta which includes an enumeration of the Buddlla's celestial retinue.

When the messenger a rri ves his feet are washed and dried at the entrance to the hall.
A piivfu/a is spread and he walks on it up to the e ntrance to the parittama~uJapa. There he stands
at t he threshold holding the doorposts on either side. His attendants stand behind him clasping
their hands :in salutation. They are given paritta water to drink and the parirta thread to
hold and the m11.siisaka bhik~u stands up and asks the following question :
" Aie there people at the entra nee to this beautifol decorated mmglapa? ·~

Me<:...senger replies : -
" There a rc people a t the entrance to t11is beautiful a'harma maJJ<f.apa which.
is built to resemble a celestial mansion, elegantly ciecorated by men of pure faith.

The monk questions :

" Has the messenger retllrncd who went to invile the great gods 1"

Messenger replies :
" The messenger to the gods who was instructed by the pious virtuous monks
assembled in this beautiful ma!Jrjapa, has returned. The messcn~er who bad
\ledicated himself for this mission, and who bad prepared himself with devotion for
seven days has fulfilled ills obligatio11 and returned together with his retinue."

The monk questions again :

"Have tl1e gods come beaded by Vai.frava{W who adorns the lotus throne of .
va riegated beauty? ''
 Messenger replies l
" Gods have come together with their retinues to listen to the noble doctrine
in order to gee rid of all sorrow. Gods endowed with majestic power, splendour and
might, gods who dwell on mountains, plateaux and plains, and those residing io tbc
atmosphere, gods of greater and lesser powers .... they have all come."
After giving this reply, the messenger goes on to deliver the doraka<fa asna, the messa~
at the threshold for which be bas been specially trained.

!
;I
J)Oraka~aAsnae (Message at the Threshold)
The full text of this message is almost impossible to translate. The rhetorical Janguaee
is so highly ornate and the vocabulary so pedantic and Sanskritised that it is extremely difficult
to understand the actual message without m aking a pl'oper study of its text. The whole speech
abounds in much alliteration and rhymes so 11s to create a sort of mystic glow round the message
and the messenger as well.
Though the text of the message :would nm into two full printed pages hs essence is that
all gods of mighty power incl uding the four great guardfan gods have come together with their
retinues.
When the messenger finishes this announcement of the ard val of the gods, the anusiisakti
monk whose duty is to admonish the gods starts his impressive speech. This is p.o sccoud to the
former in its oratorial ostentation.

Anusasanava' (Admonition)
An abridged version of the admonition is as follows :-
" Pious monks have chanted the Maiigalasuua preached by the Blessed One.
of supreme virtue, knowledge and majesty. May th e gods rejoice a nd shar e in the
merit produced ~hereby.
For seven days and seven nights faithful devotees have honoured and attended
on the Buddha, Dhfimma and Sangha. May the gods rejoice and share in the merit
produced thereby.
Alms were offered to the monks who are direct descendants of Siiriputta and
Moggal/iina. May the gods· rejoice and share in the merit produced thereby.
All gods in the sphere of sense pleasures and in the sphere of form including
Sakra, Brahma, Vi$t1U and Maheivara also must share in the .m@cit.
All gods residing
• •
on mounta ins such as Meru, Yugandhara etc. also .inust
•: .. tit ~
share m the ment. , .
,• ··.· .
Gods presiding over the nine planets dwelling in celestial abodes in space also
must share in the merit.
Twenty seven gods presiding over 27 constellations ....
Gods presiding over Sd Lanka- Vrpalavan:uz, Sumana, Kiirtikeya, Vibh~aQa
and deities of the 4 shrines ....

6 PSPP., p. 288
7 ibid. D. 29(\,
6-A 49437
. 52

Deities presiding over Kajailgala . . . Vepulla etc. . .

Guardians of the eight directions such as Indra, Soma, Agni etc. ... .
T wenty eighi leaders of Yak~as such as lndra, Soma. VarU1Ja. Bhiiradvaja,
.,
· ··! !

Prajiipati etc . . ...

Group deities (ga~zadevarii sucb as A-ditya, Vasu etc.. ... )
Hosts of bhutas (non-human beings) such a s Pu$padanta, Urvasya etc. .. ..

All deities residing in bodhi t rees, stupas, shrine rooms, villages, groves,
monasteries, cities. fo rests, woodlands, lakes: rivers, seas, celestial a bodes etc .... .
Deities resid ing in huge tre~s such as banyan, rose apple. margosa etc. etc ........ .
Deities residing in rivers such as Gmigii, Yamuna etc... .. ...
Goddess MaTJimekhalii of great beauty .......
Earth goddess...... ..
Goddess SarasvatI...... ..
Demons headed by Yepaci1ti... .....
Great nagas such as Sankhapa!a, Mahiikala etc .........
Numerous gods residing in water, land, trees, mountains etc.........

May all these gods mentioned above rejoice and share in t he meritonous
deeds performed and attain to greater glory and prosperity. Sharing in the mi::rit
in this manner they should consider it their duty to reprimand and hold in check the
malevolent demons who are ill disposed towards these devotees who have performed
this meritorious deed. Let them remove all ills such a s physical and mental ailments
arising from unfavo urable planetary conjunctions. Let them promote longevity,
health. wealth and prosperity. J
If there are any stubborn malevolent demons who do not listen to the advice
of gods, for the purpose of bringing them under contro l, monks would chant the
A/iinii/iyasutta which bas been recommended by the F our Great Guardian Deities
themselves, and it can by no means be ignored by the demons.

Guard and guide these pious devotees. Ward off all evil befalling them from
c lima tic vicissitudes, enemies, demons, wild animals, venomous snakes, unfavourable
planetary movements, evil dreams, wicked omens, quarrels and hostile arguments.
Bring them all success, prosperity and happiness."

When this admonition is over peop le m ake offerings of various appropriate articles such
a& robes, bowls, umbrellas, slippers, books. towels, soap etc. etc. to the m onks. They also
&how their appreciation of the messenger by showering various gifts on him coo. A subscription
bowl also goes round among the devotees and all make small contributions according to their
means.
The t ime is now set for the Atanii/iyasutta. Four monks seat themselves, two on either
side with two Paritta texts a nd chant the sutta. Special effort is made for distinct cnuncfatioo
of words, and chanting is done with grelt vigour and intonation.

At dawn all monks assemble in the maJJ<Japa and their entry is heralded by the beat of
drums. They chant in chorus the mahapirita and benedictory refrains. One monk then conducts
a short sermon o utlining the meritorious deeds performed so far. He then ' gives ' merit by
 :advising the devotees to share the merit with gods and all living creatures, a nd to aspire co attain
Nibblina in tne dispensation of the future Buddha Maitreya, after having enjoyed human and
celestial pleasures for a long time, and never b.a.ving to suffer birth in a state of woe.

Tho ceremony ends with the distribution of paritta water and thread as before. Usually
the ceremony is followed by a great almsgiving and the p roceedings are the same as those
described in connection with the all-night ceremony.

4. <?ilrl Pirita (Paritta recited by laymen)

Sometimes overnight paritta ceremonies are performed by laymen, almost in th.o same
manner as monks do, with of course a few minor modifications. I t 1s really a substitute for the
traditional tis piiye pirita chanted by monks, adapted for convenience and economic reasons.
The gfhi pirit is quite popular in remote rural areas where it is ver y difficult and expensive to
provide transport and dweUmg facilities for monks who have to be gathered from a number of
.temples scattered over an extensive area to suffice for an overnight paritta ceremony.

A TnalJ~apa is erected in the same manner as for the orthodox ceremony, but an indrakrla
is never constructed. The m Jtu}.apa may be artistically decorated, or simple and austere.
Whatever the embellishments, 1t is imp:>rtant to have an enclosed area, demarcated at least by
.a white cloth, drawn like a p.ir Lp:!:. I t is surmounted with a white canop y where the traditional
ritual accessories are hung. lnstead of chairs, cushions or pillows are arranged inside the
.matJrftzpa. They are covered with white sheets. The centre table is of an appropriate height.
The casket of relics, the ola-Jeaf Paritta text and the pirit huya are replaced by a Buddha picture
; ·or statue, a printed Paritta text and a ball of white thread respectively. Drum music too is
~erally omitted. it may be employed if conveniently available. All other appurtenanoes
:tUch as the piin ka[aya, pun kalas, lada pas mal, pahan pala etc. are utilised.

In the '1i!lages th.e:e a~ m..,~ whc are specially tt~ned for reciting pirit. Yot:.ng bof!
with a good clear voice are chosen for training if they show sufficient aptitude and interest.
Almost every village has a leader among these reciters and it is he who does the anusasana at
the beginning of the ceremony, and the anumodanii at the end. Only elderly men p1rticipate
in paritta ceremonies. As a rule women never take p J.rt. They aro not even p~rmittcd to step
inside the enclosure once it is set apart for the ceremony.

The reciters bathe and wear fresh clean white garments to ensure ritual purity. They
have ao early vegetarian dinner before the ceremony about 7.00 p.m. Fish or dry fish may be
included in the dinner, but as a rule meat is not served. The more orthodox reciters prefer to
forego the dinner altogether, as such abstention marks a closer approximation to monastic
conduct.

Before entering the ~{lapa they anoint themselves with lime juice as a further pudficatory
measure. After sitting down inside the m4f.Jr)apa, the leader administers panca srla to th e reciter&
1.and the de votees sitting around. Thereafter, the ceremony is conducted in the same manner
1as by monks........the maha pirit, yuga pirit and harniira are all recited similarly. The ceremony is
concluded with the distribution of paritta water and thread. A morning meal is served to the
reciters like an upiisaka dana (i.e. alms offered to lay Buddhists who have observed t he eight
precepts}, and it is fol.lowed by the traditional dedication of merit (puniianumodanii) and thi
'tlobte aspiration (patthana).
 REFERENCES TO LITERATURE
ORIGINAL PAL[, SAHSKRIT AND SlNHALA SOURCES

Texts a ml Translation.:.

Abaddhasfmavi11i$caya, ed. K . Upasena, Colombo, 1925.

Abltid!1ii11appadiplk6, ed. W. Subhuti, Colombo, 1921.
Abhidhii11appadipika Sanna, T. Paiiiiiirnoli T1ssa, S!ltyasamuc;aya Printing Press, (C..>!O:n)o), 18.15.
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Ajitagama, e<l. N. R. Bhatr, 2 voh.. Pondicherry, I 964 - l967.
Amarakosa, ed. H. T. Colebrooke. Calcutta, 1807.
Allekortha Ti/aka of Mahipa, ed. M. M. Pa tkar, Poona . 19-1-7.
A1ig111tara11ikiiya, eu. R. MOLris and E. HarJ y, 5 vols .. PT.S.. London. 1885 - 190'J .
Alig11ttara11ikiiya Afllwkathii Ma11orathap1ira11r, ed. M. Walleser and H. Kopp, 5 vols., PT.S.. London,
1924-L956.
Alwttitii, tr. K . T. Telang, SBE., vol. 8, Oxford, 1908.
Apadrnw, ed. M. E. Lilley. 2 vols .. PTS., Lo:idon, 1925-192.7.
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A11ad1i1wAataka, ed. J. S. Speyer,'.! vols .. S t. Petersberg, 1902, 1906.
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Da(adii S irita, ed. V. R atnasuriya, CJ!ombo, 1949.
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169
i/O
1-[a/'{lsa Swuleiaya, <ld. C. S. Godakumburc, Colo•n i,o, l953.
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 171
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