The Jinapañjara: the Buddhas and the great disciples stationed at every part of the body and every direction, forming a cage of protection.
- When chanted
- Chanted for protection, and among the most widely recited texts in Thailand; printed here in the roman-script appendix.
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
ชินบัญชร is the Victor's cage or lattice — a structure built out of holy beings, with the reciter inside it. Like the Buddhamaṅgala verses earlier in the book, it works by placing figures at fixed points, but where those used the compass this one uses the body.
It is printed in roman script in the appendix, and is probably the best known text in this book outside the daily services.
Meaning and purpose
It begins with the whole company arriving: the Buddhas, having come to the seat of victory, having conquered Māra with his mount, those chief among men who drank the excellent nectar of the four truths. Then the twenty-eight, beginning with Taṇhaṅkara, all established upon my head.
The stationing then becomes anatomical and precise: the Buddha on the head, the Dhamma in the two eyes, and onwards through the body, with named disciples assigned to shoulders, chest, limbs. Recited attentively, it is a guided tour of one's own body with a protector placed at each stop.
The closing verses say what has been built and what it does: by the power of the Buddha, of the Dhamma, of the Sangha, the host of enemies is conquered and dangers are conquered — guarded by the power of the true Dhamma, I live in the Victor's cage. The last line is in the present tense, and describes a place the reciter is now inside.
The chant
As the book prints it: page 310 and page 311 →
page 310jayāsanāgatā buddhā jetavā māraṃ savāhanaṃ
The Buddhas, having come to the seat of victory, having conquered Māra with his mount,
catusaccāsabhaṃ rasaṃ ye pivimsu narāsabhā.
those chief among men who drank the excellent nectar of the four truths.
taṇhaṅkarādayo buddhā aṭṭhavīsati nāyakā
The twenty-eight Buddhas, leaders beginning with Taṇhaṅkara,
sabbe patiṭṭhitā mayhaṃ matthake te munissarā.
all those lords of sages are established upon my head.
sīse patiṭṭhito mayhaṃ buddho dhammo davilocane
The Buddha is established on my head, the Dhamma in my two eyes,
saṅgho patiṭṭhito mayhaṃ ure sabbaguṇākaro.
the Saṅgha, the mine of all virtues, is established in my breast.
hadaye me anuruddho sārīputto ca dakkhiṇe
Anuruddha is in my heart, Sāriputta on my right,
koṇḍañño piṭṭhibhāgasmiṃ moggallāno cavāmake.
Koṇḍañña at my back, and Moggallāna on my left.
dakkhiṇe savane mayhaṃ āsuṃ ānandarāhulo
In my right ear are Ānanda and Rāhula,
kassapo ca mahānāmo ubhāsuṃ vāmasotake.
and Kassapa and Mahānāma are both in my left ear.
kesanto piṭṭhibhāgasmiṃ suriyo va pabhaṅkaro
At the end of my hair behind, like the radiant sun,
nisinno sirisampanno sobhito munipuṅgavo.
sits Sobhita, endowed with splendour, chief of sages.
kumārakassapo thero mahesī cittavādako
The elder Kumārakassapa, great seeker, eloquent speaker,
so mayhaṃ vadaneniccaṃ patiṭṭhāsi guṇākaro.
that mine of virtues is ever established in my mouth.
puṇṇo aṅgulimālo ca upālī nandasīvalī
Puṇṇa and Aṅgulimāla, Upāli, Nanda and Sīvalī —
therā pañca ime jātā nalāṭe tilakā mama
these five elders are become the auspicious marks upon my forehead
sesāsīti mahātherā vijitā jinasāvakā
The remaining eighty great elders, victorious disciples of the Victor,
etesīti mahātherā jitavanto jinorasā
these great elders, conquerors, true sons of the Victor,
jalantā sīlatejena aṅgamaṅgesu saṇṭhitā.
blazing with the power of virtue, are established in each of my limbs.
ratanaṃ purato āsi dakkhiṇe mettasuttakaṃ
The Ratana Sutta is before me, the Metta Sutta on my right,
dhajaggaṃ pacchato āsi vāme aṅgulimālakaṃ.
the Dhajagga behind me, the Aṅgulimāla on my left.
khandhamoraparittañca āṭānāṭiyasuttakaṃ
The Khandha and Mora parittas and the Āṭānāṭiya Sutta
ākāse chadanaṃ āsi sesā pākārasaṇṭhitā.
are a canopy in the sky; the rest stand as a rampart.
jinanānā varasaṃyuttā sattapākāralaṅkatā
Joined with the manifold excellence of the Victor, adorned with seven ramparts,
vātapittādisañjātā bāhirajjhattupaddavā.
may the troubles born of wind and bile and the rest, outward and inward,
asesā vinayaṃ yantu anantajinatejasā
go without remainder to their end, by the boundless power of the Victor,
vasato me sakiccena sadā sambuddhapañjare.
while I dwell about my business, always in the cage of the Fully Enlightened One.
jinapañjaramajjhamhi viharantaṃ mahītale
As I dwell in the midst of the Victor's cage upon the earth,
sadā pālentu maṃ sabbe te mahāpurisāsabhā.
may all those great and noble ones ever protect me.
iccevamanto sugutto surakkho
Thus well guarded, well protected,
jinānubhāvena jitupaddavo
by the power of the Victor troubles are conquered,
dhammānubhāvena jitārisaṅgho
by the power of the Dhamma the host of enemies is conquered,
saṅghānubhāvena jitantarāyo
by the power of the Saṅgha dangers are conquered,
saddhammānubhāvapālito carāmi jinapañjareti.
guarded by the power of the true Dhamma, I live in the Victor's cage.