The formula by which somebody declares themselves a lay follower of the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha.
- When chanted
- Spoken before the Sangha by a lay person formally taking up the position of a follower.
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
อุบาสก is a male lay follower, and this is the sentence that makes somebody one. It is the lay counterpart of ordination: short, spoken once, and enough.
Its position in the book, immediately after the words for leaving the training, is not accidental. The two sentences are the two ends of the same doorway.
Meaning and purpose
The clause that distinguishes it from an ordinary going for refuge is the one about time. สุจิระปะรินิพพุตัมปิ — though he attained final Nibbāna long ago. The declaration is made in full knowledge that the person being followed is not available.
That concession appears throughout this book wherever an offering or a commitment is made, and it is never softened. What is being joined is a teaching and a community, with a founder who is gone.
The rest is a plain statement of position: refuge in the Blessed One, in the Dhamma, and in the community of monks. Said once, in front of witnesses, it is all that is required of a lay follower by way of formality for the rest of their life.
The chant
As the book prints it: page 303 →
page 303เอสาหัง ภันเต, สุจิระปะรินิพพุตัมปิ, ตัง ภะคะวันตัง สะระณัง คัจฉามิ, ธัมมัญจะ ภิกขุสังฆัญจะ, อุปาสะกัตตัง สังโฆ ธาเรตุ.
Esāhaṃ bhante, suciraparinibbutampi, taṃ bhagavantaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi, dhammañca bhikkhusaṅghañca, upāsakattaṃ saṅgho dhāretu.
Venerable sirs, I go for refuge to that Blessed One, though he attained final Nibbāna long ago, and to the Dhamma and to the community of monks. May the Saṅgha remember me as a lay follower.