The prefatory verse to the five subjects for constant recollection, on what reflecting on them accomplishes.
- When chanted
- Chanted immediately before the constant reflections, introducing them.
A note on this chant. The book prints this chant in Pali only, with no Thai translation. The English here is a working translation prepared for this edition — it is not the book's own, and has not yet been checked by a teacher.
Historical background
The five reflections — ageing, sickness, death, separation, and ownership of one's kamma — are printed elsewhere in this book without an introduction. This verse introduces the printing that follows it.
Its claim is functional rather than devotional: the reflections do something, and the verse says what.
Meaning and purpose
The Buddha is named by an unusual epithet — he of the five stainless eyes — and the number is not accidental. Five eyes, five themes, made known to those fit to be trained.
The condition attached is the part worth noticing: those themes, rightly practised by those who do the Teacher's bidding, accomplish rightly each its own purpose. Each of the five has its own purpose, and it is accomplished only where the reflection is done properly.
That is a more careful claim than most prefatory verses make. It does not say that reciting the five brings anything about; it says that practising them does, and that the recitation which follows is the exposition that sets them out.
The chant
As the book prints it: page 106 →
page 106ยานิ เว ปัญจะ ฐานานิ ปัญจะนิมมะละโลจะโน
Yāni ve pañca ṭhānāni pañcanimmalalocano
The five themes which he of the five stainless eyes
เวเนยยานัง ปะกาเสสิ อะภิณ๎หัง ปัจจะเวกขิตุง
Veneyyānaṃ pakāsesi abhiṇhaṃ paccavekkhituṃ
made known to those fit to be trained, to be reflected on constantly —
สัมมานุกะริยะมานานิ สัตถุสาสะนะการิภิ
Sammānukariyamānāni satthusāsanakāribhi
those themes, rightly practised by those who do the Teacher's bidding,
ตัง ตัง อัตถะวะสัง สัมมา สาธะยันติ ยะถาระหัง.
Taṃ taṃ atthavasaṃ sammā sādhayanti yathārahaṃ.
accomplish rightly each its own purpose, as is fitting.
เตสัมปะกาสะกัง ธัมมะปะริยายัง ภะณามะ เส.
Tesampakāsakaṃ dhammapariyāyaṃ bhaṇāma se.
Let us recite the exposition of Dhamma that sets them out.