Eight lines of homage, each opening with the word namo, closing in a wish for well-being and for strength in the task at hand.
- When chanted
- Chanted in the paritta service among the opening homages.
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
Every one of the eight lines begins with นะโม, homage, and the chant is named for that. It is the most compressed of the opening homages: eight statements, no narrative, no argument.
Two of the eight are unusual in this book, because what they salute is not a person or a community but a form of words.
Meaning and purpose
The first three are conventional and quick: homage to the Worthy One, the great Seeker; to the supreme Dhamma, well proclaimed by him; to the great Saṅgha, pure in virtue and in view.
Then it turns to the utterance itself. Homage, duly made, to the Triple Gem that is begun with a syllable; homage too to that threefold object, which has passed beyond all that is low. What is honoured here is the formula, not only what the formula names — which is precisely the premise a protective chanting rests on, stated openly for once.
The last two verses say what the homage is for, and they ask two different things. By the might of this homage, may there be well-being at all times. And then, more narrowly: by its power, may I be mighty in the undertaking. The second is the practical one — not safety in general but strength for the thing being done now.
The chant
As the book prints it: page 79 and page 80 →
page 79นะโม อะระหะโต สัมมาสัมพุทธัสสะ มะเหสิโน
Namo arahato sammāsambuddhassa mahesino
Homage to the Worthy One, the Perfectly Awakened, the great Seeker;
นะโม อุตตะมะธัมมัสสะ ส๎วากขาตัสเสวะ เตนิธะ
Namo uttamadhammassa svākkhātasseva tenidha
homage to the supreme Dhamma, well proclaimed by him here;
นะโม มะหาสังฆัสสาปิ วิสุทธะสีละทิฏฐิโน
Namo mahāsaṅghassāpi visuddhasīladiṭṭhino
homage also to the great Saṅgha, pure in virtue and in view;
นะโม โอมาต๎ยารัทธัสสะ ระตะนัตตะยัสสะ สาธุกัง
Namo omātyāraddhassa ratanattayassa sādhukaṃ
Homage, duly made, to the Triple Gem that is begun with the syllable oṃ;
นะโม โอมะกาตีตัสสะ ตัสสะ วัตถุตตะยัสสะปิ
Namo omakātītassa tassa vatthuttayassāpi
homage too to that threefold object, which has passed beyond all that is low;
นะโม การัปปะภาเวนะ วิคัจฉันตุ อุปัททะวา
Namo kārappabhāvena vigacchantu upaddavā
by the power of this homage, may misfortunes depart;
นะโม การานุภาเวนะ สุวัตถิ โหตุ สัพพะทา
Namo kārānubhāvena suvatthi hotu sabbadā
by the might of this homage, may there be well-being at all times;
นะโม การัสสะ เตเชนะ วิธิมหิ โหมิ เตชะวา.
Namo kārassa tejena vidhimhi homi tejavā.
by the power of this homage, may I be mighty in the undertaking.