The introductory verses to the discourse on the great gathering, on how rare the sight of a Buddha is.
- When chanted
- Chanted immediately before the Mahāsamaya 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
Nine units, and they open not with the gathering but with its occasion: hard to come by, and not often, is the sight of that Fully Awakened One, and hard the arising of the Teacher in a world grown blind.
The rarity is what explains the crowd. The deities came because such a thing does not happen often.
Meaning and purpose
The setting is given exactly as the discourse gives it — among the Sakyans at Kapilavatthu, in the Great Wood — and the reason for coming is stated twice: to see that Awakened One, and to see the spotless Sangha of bhikkhus. The community is named alongside the teacher.
From world-systems reckoned in ten ways the deities came. The introduction supplies the scale before the discourse begins its hundred and sixty-seven units of naming them.
And the purpose given for reciting is unusual: for the gladdening of the hosts of devas. Not for the reciters' merit, and not for their protection — the chant is offered to the audience the discourse describes.
The chant
As the book prints it: page 175 →
page 175ทุลละภัง ทัสสะนัง ยัสสะ สัมพุทธัสสะ อะภิณหะโส
Dullabhaṃ dassanaṃ yassa sambuddhassa abhiṇhaso
Hard to come by, and not often, is the sight of that Fully Awakened One,
โลกัมหิ อันธะภูตัส์มิง ทุลละภุปปาทะสัตถุโน.
Lokamhi andhabhūtasmiṃ dullabhuppādasatthuno.
and hard the arising of the Teacher in a world grown blind.
สักเกสุ กะปิละวัตถุส์มิง วิหะรันตัง มะหาวะเน
Sakkesu kapilavatthusmiṃ viharantaṃ mahāvane
Dwelling among the Sakyans at Kapilavatthu, in the Great Wood,
ตันทัสสะนายะ สัมพุทธัง ภิกขุสังฆัญจะ นิมมะลัง.
Tandassanāya sambuddhaṃ bhikkhusaṅghañca nimmalaṃ.
to see that Awakened One and the spotless Sangha of bhikkhus,
ทะสะธา สังคะเณยยาสุ โลกะธาตูสุ เทวะตา
Dasadhā saṅgaṇeyyāsu lokadhātūsu devatā
from world-systems reckoned in ten ways the deities came,
อะเนกา อัปปะเมยยา วะ โมทะมานา สะมาคะตา.
Anekā appameyyā va modamānā samāgatā.
many, past measuring, gathered together and rejoicing.
ตาสัง ปิยัง มะนาปัญจะ จิตตัสโสทัคคิยาวะหัง
Tāsaṃ piyaṃ manāpañca cittassodaggiyāvahaṃ
Dear to them and agreeable, bringing elation to the mind,
ยัง โส เทเสสิ สัมพุทโธ หาสะยันโตติ เม สุตัง.
Yaṃ so desesi sambuddho hāsayantoti me sutaṃ.
was what that Awakened One taught, gladdening them — so I have heard.
เทวะกายัปปะหาสัตถัง ตัง สุตตันตัง ภะณามะ เส.
Devakāyappahāsatthaṃ taṃ suttantaṃ bhaṇāma se.
For the gladdening of the hosts of devas, let us recite that discourse.