The prefatory verse to the discourse on faith in what is foremost, and what such faith brings.
- When chanted
- Chanted immediately before the Aggappasāda Sutta, introducing it.
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 introduction turns entirely on one word, อัคคะ, the foremost, which it uses in almost every line. The discourse it introduces does the same.
What it sets up is a proportion rather than a story: faith in the best yields the best.
Meaning and purpose
The premise is put first and is broader than the Buddhist case: whatever things are reckoned foremost, in this way and that, of all those, by the highest and foremost measure. The argument begins with the general idea of a superlative.
Then the application: for beings who have faith in the foremost as foremost, it brings foremost state — and the three named as foremost are the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha.
The purpose clause is the sharpest phrase in it: so that faith may rest on the foremost alone. The verse is not recommending faith in general. It is recommending that faith be placed carefully, and the discourse that follows is the argument for where.
The chant
As the book prints it: page 112 →
page 112ยานิ ยาน๎ยัคคะภูตานิ สัมมะตานิ ตะถา ตะถา
Yāni yānyaggabhūtāni sammatāni tathā tathā
Whatever things are reckoned foremost, in this way and that,
เตสัง เตสัง หิ สัพเพสัง อัคคัญญุตตะมะโกฏิยา.
Tesaṃ tesaṃ hi sabbesaṃ aggaññuttamakoṭiyā.
of all those, by the highest and foremost measure —
อัคคะโต ตัปปะสันนานัง สัตตานัง อัคคะตาวะหัง
Aggato tappasannānaṃ sattānaṃ aggatāvahaṃ
for beings who have faith in the foremost as foremost, it brings foremost state:
พุทโธ ธัมโม จะ สังโฆ จะ อิจเจตัง ระตะนัตตะยัง.
Buddho dhammo ca saṅgho ca iccetaṃ ratanattayaṃ.
the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha — such is the Triple Gem.
อิมะมัตถัง ปะเวเทนตา สาธูนัง อัคคะกามินัง
Imamatthaṃ pavedentā sādhūnaṃ aggakāminaṃ
Making this matter known to good people who long for the foremost,
อัคเคเยวะ ปะสาทัตถัง ตัง สุตตันตัง ภะณามะ เส.
Aggeyeva pasādatthaṃ taṃ suttantaṃ bhaṇāma se.
so that faith may rest on the foremost alone — let us recite that discourse.