Part 18 - The Ratana Sutta

We have said in Chapter 31 that a five rendering into Myanmar of the Ratana Sutta is given under the Chapter on the Triple Gem.

Now, we reproduce the late Koezaung Sayadaw’s rendering below:

(The Pāli text of Ratana Sutta is not reproduced in this English translation. The very elaborate and ornate Myanmar style of the translation is also reduced to simple English prose with care being taken to include its essential features.)

Reflecting on the many noble qualities of the Buddha such as: the ten kinds of Perfection (pāramīs) of three grades, i.e. Ten Perfections in the ordinary degree, Ten Perfections in the higher degree, and Ten Perfections in the superlative degree; the five kinds of selfsacrificing liberality (mahā-pariccāga);the three types of conduct (cariya), i.e. conduct aimed at the welfare of the world, conduct aimed at the welfare of kinsmen, and conduct aimed at the Buddhahood–all of which the Buddha-to-be had taken upon Himself since the day He wished for Buddhahood and received the assurance of future Buddhahood from the mouth of Buddha Dīpaṅkarā, who was the fourth Buddha to arise in this aeon in which four Buddhas appeared.

And reflecting on the memorable events of the Bodhisatta’s conception at His last existence, His birth in Lumbinī Park, His great renunciation, His great endeavour involving six harrowing years of self-mortification, His noble victory over the five kinds of killers (māra) and His Perfect Self-Enlightenment as the Buddha, having attained the all-knowing wisdom seated on His Throne of Victory at the foot of the Bodhi Tree, His delivering of the Dhammacakka-pavattana Sutta at the Migadāvana Park, and the nine supramundane dhammas.

Prelude to the Ratana Sutta

Having established a compassionate mind towards all beings in trouble, like the mind of the Venerable Ānanda in reciting the Ratana Sutta around the three walls that guarded the city of Vesali through the three watches of the night.

Let us recite the Ratana Sutta:

Whose benign authority all the devas living in the million world-systems gladly acknowledge; and the recital of which alone had the immediate effect of stamping out the three scourges of plague, demons and famine in the city of Vesālī.

(This is the prelude to the Ratana Sutta. The first part in Pāli prose beginning with “Yānīdha...” be found in the Commentary on the Dhammapada, Volume Two, Pakiṇṇaka vagga, Attanopubbakamma vatthu. The second part concerning the Ratana Sutta is in two stanzas composed by ancient teachers. The sutta begins as uttered by the Buddha, from the stanza beginning with “Yānīdha bhūtani...” The last three stanzas were uttered by Sakka, King of Devas)

(The Sutta begins thus:)

1. May all the devas belonging to the earth and to the celestial realms, who are assembled here, be happy. Moreover, let them listen to this discourse respectfully.

2. O ye devas! All of you who have assembled here to hear the discourse, pay attention to what I am going to say. Bestow your loving-kindness on human beings. By day or by night, they bring offerings to you. Therefore, protect them without remiss.

3. Whatever treasure there be, either in this human world or in the worlds of nāgas or garudas, or the celestial worlds, there is no treasure that can equal the Tathāgata. This is the incomparable quality in the Buddha that excels all worldly treasures, By this truth, may all beings be well and happy, both here and in the hereafter.

4. The great Sakyan sage, with the tranquillity, which is the outcome of the Ariya Path, has comprehended Nibbāna, the element of extinction of defilements, the end of attachment, the deathless. This is the incomparable quality in Nibbāna that excels all worldly treasures. By this truth, may all beings be well and happy, both here and in the hereafter!

5. The Perfectly Self-Enlightened One, the Supreme Buddha, extolled concentration that is the outcome of the Ariya Path. This concentration has been declared by the Buddhas as instantly beneficial. There is the incomparable quality in the concentration associated with the Ariya Path since it is by far superior to the concentration pertaining to Fine Material Jhāna or Non-Material Jhāna. By this truth, may all beings be well and happy, both here and in the hereafter!

6. There are these eight individuals whom the ariyas praise. They are the four pairs of ariyas at the four stages of Path knowledge, each with magga and phala knowledges. These noble disciples of the Buddha deserve choicest offerings by those aspiring to enlightenment. Such offerings made to them yield abundant fruit. This is the incomparable quality in the Sangha consisting of these eight pairs of ariyas that excels all worldly treasures. By this truth, may all beings be well and happy, both here and in the hereafter!

(The rendering by the Koezaung Sayadaw includes 108 classes of ariyas (not mentioned in this English Translation.) The way the number 108 is obtained is explained here. Leaving aside the four ariyas who have attained the four maggas, there are the four ariyas who have attained the four phalas. Of these four, there are three kinds of sotāpatti-phala attainers: (a) the one who has just one rebirth to undergo, (b) the one who has to undergo from two, three to six rebirths, (c) the one who has no possibility of rebirth beyond the seventh existence. Now, the four sotāpatti-phala attainers are of four categories according to the way of practice by which they have attained it. The three kinds (a, b, c above) into the four modes of practice makes twelve classes of sotāpatti puggala, Stream-Enterers at the fruition stage.

There are two distinct phases in meditation for Insight: up to the dispelling of the hindrances (nīvaraṇas) is the patipadā-khetta, ‘the period of practice’; from that stage upwards till the attainment of Path-knowledge is the abhiññā-khetta, ‘the period of special apperception’, (having gained Insight). In ‘the period of practice’, a yogi, who can dispel the hindrances without trouble, is called ‘one who has facile practice’; a yogi, who can dispel the hindrances with difficulty, is called ‘one who has difficult practice.’ In ‘the period of special apperception’, a yogi with Insight, who attains magga (Path-knowledge) quickly, is called ‘a quick attainer’; a yogi with Insight, who attains magga tardily, is called ‘a slow attainer’. Thus there are these four modes of practice for each of the three kinds of sotāpatti-phala attainers, making 12 classes of sotāpatti-ariyas. With the Once-returners or sakadāgāmī-puggala, there are three kinds, such as kāma-sakadāgāmī, rūpa-sakadāgāmī and arūpa-sakadāgāmī. These three kinds multiplied by the four modes of practice makes twelve classes of Once-returners or sakadāgāmī-puggala.

With the Non-returners or anāgāmī-puggala, there are five kinds, such as: (i) antarā parinibbāyī anāgāmin (ii) upahacca parinibbāyī anāgāmin, (iii) sasaṅkhāra parinibbāyī anāgāmin (iv) asaṅkhāra parinibbāyī anāgāmin (v) uddhaṃsota akaniṭṭhagānū anāgāmin. The anāgāmī-ariyas dwell in five Pure Abodes or Suddhā- vāsa Brahma realm, out of which five classes of anāgāmin dwell in Avihā realm, five in Atappā realm, five in Sudassā realm, five in Sudassī realm, and four (i.e. these other than uddhaṃsota-akaniṭṭhagāmī anāgāmin) in Akaniṭṭha realm, thus making twenty-four classes of anāgāmī-puggala.

The arahats are of two kinds: Sukkhavipassaka arahat and Samathāyānika arahat. The former refers to those ariyas who attain arahatta-phala without achieving jhāna but through Insight development alone; the latter to those ariyas who use jhāna and consequent psychic powers as the vehicle of attaining arahatta-phala.

Adding up the four ariyas, we have:

Sotāpannas 12 kinds of phala attainers
Sakadāgāmin 12 kinds of phala attainers
Anāgāmin 24 kinds of phala attainers
Arahat 2 kinds of phala attainers
Magga attainers 4 kinds of phala attainers
[total:] 54

In gaining magga-ñāṇa, an ariya may, at the moment of the arising of magga-ñāṇa, either have his consciousness led by faith (saddhā) or wisdom (paññā). Thus there are two basic categories of ariyas, either of whom make up the above 54 classes. That is why it is said that there are altogether 108 classes of ariyas.)

7. Those arahats-ariyas, who strive with steadfast minds under Buddha Gotama’s teaching, are released from the defilements. They have their mind well settled on Nibbāna, the deathless Element. Having attained arahatta-phala, they enjoy the bliss of Nibbāna without having to incur any expense. This is the incomparable quality in the arahat that excels all worldly treasures. By this truth, may all beings be well and happy, both here and in the hereafter!

8. Just as a pillar at the city gate, firmly fixed in the ground, is unshaken by the fierce winds from the four quarters, even so do I declare that the ariya who perceives the Four Ariya Truths through his first Path-knowledge is unshakable under all worldly conditions. This is the incomparable quality in the Stream-Enterer that excels all worldly treasures. By this truth, may all beings be well and happy, both here and in the hereafter!

9. Those Stream-Enterers have perceived the Ariya Truths clearly, being well-taught by the Buddha, possessor of most profound knowledge. However exceedingly forgetful they might be, they do not take birth for an eighth time. This is the incomparable quality in the Stream-Enterer that excels all worldly treasures. By this truth, may all beings be well and happy, both here and in the hereafter!

10. & 11. At the instant of the arising of Stream-Entry Knowledge, the three defilements of wrong view concerning this body of five aggregates (which arises in twenty ways), eight kinds of doubts and sixteen kinds of uncertainty, and the wrong belief in misguided practices outside the Ariya Path, should there be any, are discarded once and for all. Although certain defilements still remain in him, he is absolutely freed from the four miserable states of apāya. He is also incapable of committing the six gross evil deeds, i.e. the five evil deeds and following other teachers (than the Buddha.) This is the incomparable quality in Stream-enterer that excels all worldly treasures. By this truth, may all beings be well and happy, both here and in the hereafter!

12. In case, through being heedless, the Stream-Enterer commits an evil action by deed, word or thought, he is incapable of concealing it. That quality of being incapable of concealing any misdeed, that the Stream-Enterer, who has seen Nibbāna and becomes endowed with it. This has been pointed out by the Buddha. This is the incomparable quality in the Stream-Enterer that excels all worldly treasures. By this truth, may all beings be well and happy, both here and in the hereafter!

13. Just like the forest in spring time, the first month of the hot season has its tree tops ablaze with blossoms, is a scene of delight, so also the Doctrine, delightful in word and in meaning, leading to Nibbāna, has been delivered by the Buddha for the highest benefit (of Nibbāna). This is the incomparable quality in the Doctrine that excels all worldly treasures. By this truth, may all beings be well and happy, both here and in the hereafter!

14. The Excellent One, the Knower of the Excellent Element of Nibbāna, the bestower of the Supramundane to the three spheres, the One who has embraced the Old Path of eight constituents, the peerless Buddha, has explained the excellent Doctrine comprising ten stages (events). This is the incomparable quality in the Buddha that excels all worldly treasures. By this truth, may all beings be well and happy, both here and in the hereafter!

15. To arahats, there the old kamma is extinct (beyond the present existence), no new kamma is created. Their mind is not attached to any future existences. They have completely destroyed the seeds of existence. They do not hanker after continued existence. Just as the lamp is extinguished, these wise ones have their aggregates extinguished. This is the incomparable quality in the arahat that excels all worldly treasures. By this truth, may all beings be well and happy, both here and in the hereafter!

16. Devas belonging to the earth and to the celestial realms are assembled here. We all pay our homage to the Buddha whose coming to the world is most auspicious. May this good deed bring peace and happiness to all beings.

17. Devas belonging to the earth and to the celestial realms are assembled here. We all pay our homage to the Dhamma whose proclamation in the world is most auspicious. May this good deed bring peace and happiness to all beings.

18. Devas belonging to the earth and to the celestial realms are assembled here. We all pay our homage to the Sangha whose presence in the world is most auspicious. May this good deed bring peace and happiness to all beings.

Concluding Stanza: An earnest wish

Let the devotees recite Ratana Sutta beginning with ‘Yānīdha....’ to this Stanza on Earnest wish, and the three scourges will be kept at bay as in ancient Vesālī. Do not go after newfangled ways of reciting other Pāli compositions. This discourse, uttered by the Buddha Himself, will prove efficacious to those who recite it with due faith. Accordingly, may those wishing to be free from all troubles recite Ratana Sutta which is most excellent.