Abstract

This dissertation entitled ‘A Model of the Chanting of Paritta in Theravada Buddhism’ has three objectives: 1) to study a model of chanting of Paritta, 2) to study the development of Paritta and 3) to propose a desirable model of chanting of Paritta in Theravãda Buddhism. This is a documentary research.

In the study, it was found that the model of chanting of Paritta appeared in the Buddha’s time, after realization of the Four Noble Truths; first, the Buddha decided to preach Dhamma, Dhammacakka and other Sutta to people and then, second, He showed a type of chanting of Paritta. Later on, His disciples followed His teachings and propagated those Suttas through varieties of chanting respectively.

In fact, all Suttas are not types of praying root; they are not in such ways because none of them has been chanted. Such chanting originated after the advent of the word ‘Desanã’ which has a root in Pãlĩ ‘Uddesa’ such as ‘Pãtimoka+Uddesa’ = Pãtimokkhuddesa meaning the chanting of Pãtimokkha, Bhãnavãra, Sajjhãya, Ñatti, Samgĩti, all these have been chanted by Sangha in earlier stage, in chanting it must begin with Ãnanda’s words‘ Evamme sutam’.(Thus have I heard) as far as the chanting of Paritta is concerned, it basically refers to 12 Suttas, Mangalasutta, etc. for instance. It is said that such chanting of Paritta is to study Pãli in Tipitaka, learning by heart, verbally asking for power to get rid of danger of suffering, harm and diseases.

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There clearly appeared a lot of the development of chanting of Paritta in the Buddha’s times which actually began with a study and then became the welfare of Dhamma, namely, the chanting of Paritta aiming at verbally asking for getting rid of dangerous situations in the City of Vaisãlĩ, the chanting of Paritta for extension of age and later on became the development of Buddha-mantra, Veda-mantra and Veja-mantra so as to provide an auspicious words. By and large, it is believed that the chanting of Paritta could yield a magic and sacred result leading to welfare and blissful birth bringing about happiness and calm including the protection of all dangers to the chanter and hearer and it also could be used to protect religious properties, religious teaching and religious follower.

In chanting of Paritta, it means the verbal recitation of the Buddha’s teachings in Pãli but one just recites them in their own languages without incorrect alphabet. In the present, there are five functions requiring the chanting of Paritta: 1) chanting is done in morning and evening daylily (this was not available in the Buddha’s time), 2) chanting is done in the auspicious ceremony, 3) chanting is done to devoting to departed one, 4) chanting is done in the ceremony where offering is made to a monk on behalf of the dead and chanting is done is Royal ceremony.

In the chanting of Paritta,. The chanting of Paritta becomes an elementary and later lead to many bodies of Dhamma, precepts, concentration and wisdom. Although, such chanting of Paritta is performed in a short period of time like an elephant’s moving of its ears and a snake’s sticking out of its tongue, yet, it could yield a hefty of benefit such as a case of Bhaddaravaggĩyas who were listing to the chanting of Paritta and then reaching the noble attainment of Dhamma in the Buddha’s time.

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