Friday, May 3, 2013

Jinapañjara Gāthā / The Victor's Cage

jay'āsan'āgatā buddhā
jetvā māra savāhana
catu-saccāsabha rasa
ye pivisu narāsabhā

The Buddhas, noble men who drank the nectar of the four noble truths, having come to the victory seat, having defeated Māra together with his mount:

tahakar'ādayo buddhā
aṭṭha-vīsati nāyakā
sabbe patiṭṭhitā mayha
matthake te munissarā

These Buddhas - 28 leaders, sovereign sages beginning with Taṇhaṅkara - are all established on the crown of my head.

sīse patiṭṭhito mayha
buddho dhammo dvilocane
sagho patiṭṭhito mayha
ure sabba-guākaro

The Buddha is established in my head, the Dhamma in my two eyes, the Saṅgha - the mine of all virtues - is established in my chest.

hadaye me anuruddho
sārīputto ca dakkhie
koṇḍañño piṭṭhi-bhāgasmi
moggallāno ca vāmake

Anuruddha is in my heart, and Sārīputta on my right. Koṇḍañña is behind me, and Moggallāna on my left.

dakkhie savane mayha
āsu ānanda-rāhulo
kassapo ca mahānāmo
ubh'āsu vāma-sotake

Ānanda & Rāhula are in my right ear, Kassapa & Mahānāma are both in my left ear.

kesante piṭṭhi-bhāgasmi
suriyova pabhakaro
nisinno siri-sampanno
sobhito muni-pugavo

Sobhita, the noble sage, sits in consummate glory, shining like the sun all over the hair at the back of my head.

kumāra-kassapo thero
mahesī citta-vādako
so mayha vadane nicca
patiṭṭhāsi guākaro

Elder Kumārakassapa - great sage, brilliant speaker, a mine of virtue - is constantly in my mouth. 

puṇṇo agulimālo ca
upālī nanda-sīvalī
therā pañca ime jātā
nalāe tilakā mama

These five elders - Puṇṇa, Aṅgulimāla, Upālī, Nanda, & Sīvalī - have arisen as auspicious marks at the middle of my forehead.

sesāsīti mahātherā
vijitā jina-sāvakā
etesīti mahātherā
jitavanto jinorasā
jalantā sīla-tejena
agamagesu saṇṭhitā

The rest of the 80 great elders - victorious, disciples of the Victor, sons of the Victor, shining with the majesty of moral virtue - are established in the various parts of my body.

ratana purato āsi
dakkhie metta-suttaka
dhajagga pacchato āsi
vāme agulimālaka
khandha-mora-parittañca
āānāiya-suttaka
ākāse chadana āsi
sesā pākāra-saṇṭhitā

The Ratana Sutta is in front, the Metta Sutta to the right. The Dhajagga Sutta is behind, the Aṅgulimāla Paritta to the left. The Khandha & Mora Parittas and the Āṭānāṭiya Sutta are a roof in space. The remaining suttas are established as a rampart.

jināābala-sayuttā
satta-pākāra-lakatā
vāta-pitt'ādi-sañjātā
bāhir'ajjhatt'upaddavā
asesā vinaya yantu
ananta-jina-tejasā

Bound by the Victor's authority & strength, seven ramparts arrayed against them, may all misfortunes within & without - caused by such things as wind or bile - be destroyed without trace through the unending Victor's majesty.

vasato me sakiccena
sadā sambuddha-pañjare
jina-pañjara-majjhamhi
viharanta mahītale
sadā pālentu ma sabbe
te mahā-purisāsabhā

As I dwell, in all my affairs, always in the cage of the Self-awakened One, living on earth in the middle of the cage of the Victors, I am always guarded by all of those great noble men.

iccevamanto sugutto surakkho
jinānubhāvena jit'upaddavo
dhammānubhavena jitārisagho
saghānubhāvena jit'antarāyo
saddhammānubhāva-pālito carāmi jina-pañjareti

Thus am I utterly well-sheltered, well-protected.
Through the power of the Victor, misfortunes are vanquished.
Through the power of the Dhamma, the enemy horde is vanquished.
Through the power of the Saṅgha, dangers are vanquished.
Guarded by the power of the True Dhamma,
I go about in the Victor's Cage.

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