The hymn answering the recollection of the Buddha — salutation, refuge, the surrender of one's life, and a request for pardon.
- When chanted
- Chanted in the evening service immediately after the recollection of the Buddha's qualities.
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 first of the three hymns of the evening service, and the one that sets their pattern. All three are eighteen verses; from the fifth onward they run word for word alike, changing only their object. Understanding this one is understanding all three.
Its shape has three parts: an opening stanza in ornate metre, then a series of short couplets that grow steadily more personal, and then — marked on the page by an instruction rather than by a word — a change of posture and of voice.
Meaning and purpose
The opening is in a register found nowhere else in the daily services: joined to the highest qualities, in whose being purity and higher knowing and compassion have come together, who awakened the good folk as the sun awakens the lotus. Then the salutation, made with the head.
What follows turns personal in a way the morning service never does. The Buddha is named the first of the objects of recollection; then พุทธัสสาหัส๎มิ ทาโส วะ — I am the Buddha's servant, the Buddha is my lord and master; then the surrender of this body and this life; then นัตถิ เม สะระณัง อัญญัง, for me there is no other refuge. Nothing in these lines is hedged.
The last movement is announced by a rubric printed in the book rather than by anything chanted: หมอบลงพร้อมกันแล้วสวดลดเสียงเบาลง — prostrate together, then chant with the voice lowered. What is said in that lowered voice is not praise but the request for pardon, in the same words the book uses elsewhere for asking forgiveness of the Triple Gem. The day's last act of the service is to ask to be excused the day.
The chant
As the book prints it: page 52 and page 53 →
พุทธ๎วาระหันตะวะระตาทิคุณาภิยุตโต,
Buddhvārahanta-varatādiguṇābhiyutto,
The Buddha, joined to the highest qualities, arahantship foremost among them,
สุทธาภิญาณะกะรุณาหิ สะมาคะตัตโต,
Suddhābhiñāṇa-karuṇāhi samāgatatto,
in whose being purity, higher knowing and compassion have come together,
โพเธสิ โย สุชะนะตัง กะมะลังวะ สูโร,
Bodhesi yo sujanataṃ kamalaṃva sūro,
who awakened the good folk as the sun awakens the lotus,
วันทามะหัง ตะมะระณัง สิระสา ชิเนนทัง.
Vandāmahaṃ tamaraṇaṃ sirasā jinendaṃ.
that Peaceful One, Lord of Conquerors, I salute with my head.
พุทโธ โย สัพพะปาณีนัง สะระณัง เขมะมุตตะมัง
Buddho yo sabbapāṇīnaṃ saraṇaṃ khemamuttamaṃ
The Buddha, who is for all breathing things the refuge, safe and supreme,
ปะฐะมานุสสะติฏฐานัง วันทามิ ตัง สิเรนะหัง.
Paṭhamānussatiṭṭhānaṃ vandāmi taṃ sirenahaṃ.
the first of the objects of recollection — him I revere with my head.
พุทธัสสาหัส๎มิ ทาโส วะ พุทโธ เม สามิกิสสะโร
Buddhassāhasmi dāso va buddho me sāmikissaro
I am the Buddha's servant; the Buddha is my lord and master.
พุทโธ ทุกขัสสะ ฆาตา จะ วิธาตา จะ หิตัสสะ เม.
Buddho dukkhassa ghātā ca vidhātā ca hitassa me.
The Buddha destroys suffering, and brings about what is for my welfare.
พุทธัสสาหัง นิยยาเทมิ สะรีรัญชีวิตัญจิทัง
Buddhassāhaṃ niyyādemi sarīrañjīvitañcidaṃ
To the Buddha I surrender this body and this life,
วันทันโตหัง (ตีหัง) จะริสสามิ พุทธัสเสวะ สุโพธิตัง.
Vandantohaṃ (tīhaṃ) carissāmi buddhasseva subodhitaṃ.
Revering him, I shall walk on by the Buddha's own true awakening.
นัตถิ เม สะระณัง อัญญัง พุทโธ เม สะระณัง วะรัง
Natthi me saraṇaṃ aññaṃ buddho me saraṇaṃ varaṃ
For me there is no other refuge; the Buddha is my refuge, the best of them.
เอเตนะ สัจจะวัชเชนะ วัฑเฒยยัง สัตถุสาสะเน.
Etena saccavajjena vaḍḍheyyaṃ satthusāsane.
By the speaking of this truth, may I grow in the Teacher's dispensation.
พุทธัง เม วันทะมาเนนะ ยัง ปุญญัง ปะสุตัง อิธะ
Buddhaṃ me vandamānena yaṃ puññaṃ pasutaṃ idha
Whatever merit I have gained here in revering the Buddha —
สัพเพปิ อันตะรายา เม มาเหสุง ตัสสะ เตชะสา.
Sabbepi antarāyā me māhesuṃ tassa tejasā.
by the power of it, may all obstacles for me come to nothing.
กาเยนะ วาจายะ วะ เจตะสา วา,
Kāyena vācāya va cetasā vā,
By body, by speech, or by mind,
พุทเธ กุกัมมัง ปะกะตัง มะยา ยัง,
Buddhe kukammaṃ pakataṃ mayā yaṃ,
whatever wrong has been done by me towards the Buddha —
พุทโธ ปะฏิคคัณหะตุ อัจจะยันตัง,
Buddho paṭiggaṇhatu accayantaṃ,
may the Buddha accept that transgression,
กาลันตะเร สังวะริตุง วะ พุทเธ.
Kālantare saṃvarituṃ va buddhe.
that in time to come I may be restrained towards the Buddha.