I have endeavored to keep as close as possible to the original wording of the text without making it too literal a translation on the one hand, and a word for word translation on the other, and have avoided translating the Pali stanzas into verse (except the stanzas of discourses No. In the essay on the Value of Paritta an attempt is made to show what paritta means to a Buddhist. The Maha-samaya sutta and the Atanatiya sutta ending the book may appear to some as pointless, but a careful reader will no doubt appreciate their relevance. If one patiently and painstakingly studies these discourses, he could gather a good knowledge of the essentials and fundamental teachings of the Buddha. Then comes the "Four-fold reflection of a Monk," and finally the "Ten Essentials (Dhammas)" to be reflected upon by one who has gone forth to live the holy life. This is followed by the "Questions to be Answered by a Novice" and the "Thirty Two Parts of the Body" which is really a type of meditation on the constituent parts of one's body. The novice is expected to observe the ten precepts. The precepts are ten, and not five which are the basic principles of the lay follower. The fact that the book was meant for the novice is clear from the prefatory paragraphs that precede the discourses. The twenty four discourses are selected from the five Nikayas or the original Collections in Pali containing the Buddha's discourses. The idea was that those novices who are not capable of studying large portions of the "Discourse Collection" (sutta pitaka) should at least be conversant with the Book of Protection. The Book of Protection which is an anthology of selected discourses of the Buddha compiled by the teachers of old, was originally meant as a handbook for the newly ordained novice. Protective Discourse to Angulimala (Angulimala Paritta).Discourse on the Analysis of the Truths (Saccavibhanga Sutta) Discourse to Bharadvaja, the farmer (Kasibharadvaja Sutta) Setting in Motion the Wheel of Truth (Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta) Discourse to Girimananda Thera (Girimananda Sutta) Factors of Enlightenment (Maha Cunda Thera Bhojjhanga) Factors of Enlightenment (Maha Moggallana Thera Bhojjhanga) Factors of Enlightenment (Maha Kassapa Thera Bhojjhanga) The Sun Deity's Prayer for Protection (Suriya Paritta) The Moon Deity's Prayer for Protection (Canda Paritta) The Peacock's Prayer for Protection (Mora Paritta) The Advantages of Friendship (Mittanisamsa) Discourse on Advantages of Loving-kindness (Mettanisamsa) Protection of the Aggregates (Khandha Sutta) Discourse on Loving-kindness (Metta Sutta) Discourse on the Ten Dhammas (Dasa-dhamma sutta) The Four-fold Reflection of a Monk (Paccavekkhana) The Thirty two Parts of the Body (Dvattimsakara) Questions to be Answered by a Novice (Samanera Pañha) The Ten Training Precepts (Dasa-sikkhapada) Maha Kassapa delights in this teaching and is cured. Maha Kassapa who was suffering from a painful illness and finding that the illness is improving teaches him the seven factors of enlightenment(Bhojjhanga). Ananda and tells him to go and pass them to Ven. The Lord Buddha teaches the ten contemplations to Ven. Ananda requests help from the Lord Buddha because Ven. The monk verified that it was indeed the ancient pali language and the boy were chanting it in an ancient style which no longer existed in world. On the Poya or lunar Observance day, he would sometimes chant for two hours.ĭhammaruwan's foster father started making amateur recording of the chanting and invited prominent scholar monk to listen. From the age of about two, before he could read or write, he spontaneously started to chant the ancient Buddhist scriptures in the original pali language, known only to a few scholar monks.Įach day, somewhere around two o'clock in the morning, after sitting in meditation with his adopted and devoted Buddhist foster father for about twenty to forty minutes, he would spontaneously start to chant pali suttas. Dhammaruwan Story :ĭhammaruwan was born in a small village near Kandy, Sri Lanka in November, 1968. The recording quality is poor, but I tried my best to filter it and make it of better quality. One of the best Pirith Chanting I heard was by a small boy call Dhammaruwan, which is something special.