Prayer Texts
The following list of prayers are mostly derivations and works based off regular Buddhist chanting you may find online. Most of them are not Suttas (The Words of the Buddha) but merely aspirations that are written by laypeople. You can find many authentic Suttas online, on various websites like buddhanet.net or our ti-ratana.org.
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Those which are English translations of Suttas are marked as so.
The One Who Attained Nibanna's Bliss
Our Lord Buddha, the Tathagata who’s attained Nibanna’s bliss, Consecrated be your name, Your Eternal Dhamma, Teacher of Gods and Men. And if by deeds, speech or thought heedlessly, I have done anything wrong, forgive me, O Teacher, most wise. To avoid evil, do good – purify the mind, that is your teaching and so lead us on your path.
And by this truth, may all beings be well and happy.
Say Sadhu (it means "well done", or "well said")
Meal Prayers
Lord Buddha, I honor all living beings, who gave their lives and time with effort to bring this meal I have before me. I thank them by your name. Living by Dhamma, this food I before me, I eat, not for greed, but to fulfil my hunger, to acquire the strength and energy for me to live, and eventually walk the path towards the final salvation of Nibanna.
Say Sadhu
The Essence of the Doctrine - Our Version of Taking Refuge
The traditional way of taking refuge is saying the you take refuge in the triple gem (Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha) three times each. You can find the Three Refuges text easily online. But we think that this would be a good addition to that, as it lets those taking refuge understand, in essence what Buddhism is.
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I believe in the Lord Buddha, the King of Kings, Teacher of Heaven and Earth; and in the Dhamma, His word and teaching, his community the Sangha. Which he discovered under the Bodhi Tree.
Born in the Gardens of Lumbini, he lived a life of luxury in the palace, then witnessed the four sights: an old man, sick man, dead man and a monk. He left his wife, the palace and his child to remove all desires. He practiced self torture and almost died. He then found the middle path, which teaches the practice of moderation, and then gained enlightenement, realizing the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold path.
There is suffering, but there are causes, and there are ends to it, and hereforth are the ways: Right understanding, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness and right concentration. To do good, avoid evil and purify the mind, that is the teaching of all Buddhas.
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I believe in the Holy Triple Gem, the Perfectly Enlightened Buddhas the vast Assembly of Boddhisatva’s and vow to walk the middle noble eightfold path to eventually attain the supreme bliss of Nibanna.
The Buddha Speaks of the Loving Kindness Sutta (Metta Sutta)
This is what should be done By one who is skilled in goodness, And who knows the path of peace: Let them be able and upright, Straightforward and gentle in speech, Humble and not conceited, Contented and easily satisfied, Unburdened with duties and frugal in their ways. Peaceful and calm and wise and skillful, Not proud or demanding in nature.
Let them not do the slightest thing that the wise would disapprove of. Wishing: In gladness and in safety, May all beings, with no exceptions be well and happy. Whatever living beings there may be; Whether they are weak or strong, omitting none, The great or the mighty, medium, short or small, The seen and the unseen, Those living near and far away, Those born and to-be-born — May all beings, with no exceptions be well and happy!
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Let no one deceive another, Or despise any being in any state. Let no one through anger or ill-will wish harm upon another. Even as a parent protects with their life their child, maybe their only child, So with a boundless heart Should one cherish all living beings; Radiating kindness over the entire world: Spreading upwards to the skies (heavens), And downwards to the depths (hells); Outwards and unbounded, Freed from hatred and ill-will.
Whether standing or walking, seated or lying down Free from drowsiness, One should sustain this recollection. This is said to be the sublime abiding. By not holding to fixed views, The pure-hearted one, having clarity of vision, Being freed from all sensual desires, does not come again to be born into a womb.