Jinapañjara Gāthā: The Victor’s Cage

Posted in Inspirational Verses, Joy, Meditation, Theravāda

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Jayāsanāgatā Buddhā Jetvā Māraṃ savāhanaṃ
Catu-saccāsabhaṃ rasaṃ Ye piviṅsu 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;

Taṇhaṅkarādayo Buddhā Aṭṭha-vīsati nāyakā
Sabbe patiṭṭhitā mayhaṃ Matthake te munissarā

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

Sīse patiṭṭhito mayhaṃ Buddho dhammo dvilocane
Saṅgho patiṭṭhito mayhaṃ Ure sabba-guṇākaro

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 dakkhiṇe
Koṇḍañño piṭṭhi-bhāgasmiṃ Moggallāno ca vāmake

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

Dakkhiṇe savane mayhaṃ Āsuṃ Ānanda-Rāhulā
Kassapo ca Mahānāmo Ubhāsuṃ vāma-sotake

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

Kesato piṭṭhi-bhāgasmiṃ Suriyova pabhaṅkaro
Nisinno siri-sampanno Sobhito muni-puṅgavo

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 mayhaṃ vadane niccaṃ Patiṭṭhāsi guṇākaro

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

Puṇṇo Aṅgulimālo ca Upālī Nanda-Sīvalī
Therā pañca ime jātā Nalāṭe tilakā mama

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

Sesāsīti mahātherā Vijitā jina-sāvakā
Etesīti mahātherā Jitavanto jinorasā
Jalantā sīla-tejena Aṅgamaṅgesu 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.

Ratanaṃ purato āsi Dakkhiṇe Metta-suttakaṃ
Dhajaggaṃ pacchato āsi Vāme Aṅgulimālakaṃ

The Ratana Sutta is in front, the Metta Sutta to the right. The Dhajagga Sutta is behind, the Aṅgulimāla Paritta to the left.

Khandha-Mora-parittañca Āṭānāṭiya-suttakaṃ
Ākāse chadanaṃ āsi Sesā pākāra-saṇṭhitā

The Khandha and Mora Parittas and the Āṭānāṭiya Sutta are a roof in space. The remaining suttas are established as a rampart.

Jinānāvara-saṃyuttā Sattap-pākāra-laṅkatā
Vāta-pittādi-sañjātā Bāhirajjhattupaddavā
Asesā vinayaṃ yantu Ananta-jina-tejasā

Bound by the Victor’s authority and strength, seven ramparts arrayed against them, may all misfortunes within and 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 Viharantaṃ mahītale
Sadā pālentu maṃ 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 jitupaddavo
Dhammānubhavena jitārisaṅgho
Saṅghānubhāvena jitantarāyo
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.