The three recollections — of the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha by their standard qualities — which open the blessing given at a meal offering.
- When chanted
- Chanted by monks at the offering of a meal, before the food is taken, and at ceremonies where a blessing is given.
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
ถวายพรพระ names the occasion rather than the text: the blessing offered by the monks. These three verses open it, and the sequence continues on the pages that follow with the eight verses of victory and the blessings after them.
The three are the standard recollections, and a reader will have met all of them already — they are the same qualities the three praises at the front of the book set out at length. Here they are compressed into one sentence each. No closing is printed for the chant, because what follows it is a continuation rather than a new thing.
Meaning and purpose
The first verse is the recollection of the Buddha: such indeed is the Blessed One — worthy, perfectly enlightened by himself, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, well-farer, knower of the worlds, unsurpassed trainer, teacher of gods and men, awakened, blessed. Nine epithets, said without pause.
The second gives the Dhamma its six qualities and the third gives the Sangha its four ways of practising and the honour due to it. Across all three, nothing whatever is asked for. The chant is entirely description.
That is what makes it a blessing rather than a request. What is offered to those present is recollection — the qualities named aloud — and the blessing is held to follow from the recollecting. Chanted over a meal about to be eaten, it puts the reason for the meal into words before anyone touches it.
The chant
As the book prints it: page 44 →
อิติปิ โส ภะคะวา, อะระหัง สัมมาสัมพุทโธ, วิชชาจะระณะสัมปันโน สุคะโต โลกะวิทู อะนุตตะโร ปุริสะทัมมะสาระถิ, สัตถา เทวะมะนุสสานัง พุทโธ ภะคะวาติ.
itipi so bhagavā, arahaṃ sammāsambuddho, vijjācaraṇasampanno sugato lokavidū anuttaro purisadammasārathi, satthā devamanussānaṃ buddho bhagavāti.
Such indeed is the Blessed One: worthy, perfectly enlightened by himself, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, well-farer, knower of the worlds, unsurpassed trainer of those to be tamed, teacher of gods and humans, the Awakened One, the Blessed One.
ส๎วากขาโต ภะคะวะตา ธัมโม, สันทิฏฐิโก อะกาลิโก เอหิปัสสิโก, โอปะนะยิโก ปัจจัตตัง เวทิตัพโพ วิญญูหีติ.
svākkhāto bhagavatā dhammo, sandiṭṭhiko akāliko ehipassiko, opanayiko paccattaṃ veditabbo viññūhīti.
Well proclaimed by the Blessed One is the Dhamma: visible here and now, timeless, inviting one to come and see, leading onward, to be known for themselves by the wise.
สุปะฏิปันโน ภะคะวะโต สาวะกะสังโฆ, อุชุปะฏิปันโน ภะคะวะโต สาวะกะสังโฆ, ญายะปะฏิปันโน ภะคะวะโต สาวะกะสังโฆ, สามีจิปะฏิปันโน ภะคะวะโต สาวะกะสังโฆ, ยะทิทัง: จัตตาริ ปุริสะยุคานิ, อัฏฐะ ปุริสะปุคคะลา, เอสะ ภะคะวะโต สาวะกะสังโฆ, อาหุเนยโย, ปาหุเนยโย, ทักขิเณยโย, อัญชะลีกะระณีโย, อะนุตตะรัง ปุญญักเขตตัง โลกัสสาติ.
supaṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho, ujupaṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho, ñāyapaṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho, sāmīcipaṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho, yadidaṃ: cattāri purisayugāni, aṭṭha purisapuggalā, esa bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho, āhuneyyo, pāhuneyyo, dakkhiṇeyyo, añjalīkaraṇīyo, anuttaraṃ puññakkhettaṃ lokassāti.
The Sangha of the Blessed One's disciples has practised well, has practised uprightly, has practised rightly, has practised properly — that is, the four pairs of persons, the eight kinds of individuals. This Sangha of the Blessed One's disciples is worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of reverent salutation, the unsurpassed field of merit for the world.