When chanted

Chanted after the salutation at the opening of a Seven Tamnan service.

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 Seven Tamnan is the shorter of the two great paritta collections, and the book prints its opening block separately so that all three of its running orders can refer back to it.

Nine lines, one statement to a line, as in the Twelve Tamnan printing. Other printings in this book group the three and mark the repetition at the end of each round.

Meaning and purpose

I go to the Buddha for refuge; to the Dhamma; to the Saṅgha. Then the same three a second time, and a third.

Setting each on its own line changes the pace rather than the sense, and in a service meant to run for an hour or more that slowness is not incidental.

Why refuge opens a protective chanting is worth asking, because everything that follows will be asking for safety. The tradition is careful about where safety is sought from, and states the answer before making any of the requests.

The chant

As the book prints it: page 164 and page 165 →

page 164 page 165