The Catu-Bhanavara-Pali (critical study)
by Moumita Dutta Banik | 2017 | 50,922 words
This study deals with the Catu-Bhanavara-Pali, (lit. “Text of the Four Recitals”) which in Buddhism is popularly known as “The Book of Protection”. This text, in the Pali language, represents a recital of the Dhamma meant for protection and deliverance from evil and sorrows as well as promoting welfare and well-being. The spreading time of Catubhan...
The first Bhanavara (Introduction)
The Catu-Bhanavara-Pali or ‘the text of the four recitals’ or ‘the Great Book of protections [Maha-Pathaka] is recited in the temples and houses in Sri Lanka and Myanmar ceremonially to ward off evils and bring good luck.
The word catu Bhanavara in pali is grammatically made of three different words catu + bhana + vara. Catu means four, 'Bhana' means reciting or preaching the verses of the scriptures and vara means a section of the scripture. The 'Bhanavara' consists of 8000 syllables. In this text, there are four such Bhanavaras.
This book was composed in Sri Lanka for a particular purpose with the influence of the Mahayana which had a strong hold in the Abhayagiri Vihara of Sri Lanka. The Mahavihara monks of Anuradhapura would have made this a counter part of the Mahayani Dharanis.
The first Bhanavara deals with 16 topics such as:
(1) First Saranagamana (i.e. to take refuge in the Buddha, dhamma and sangha).
(2) Second ‘Dasasikkhapada’, this sutta help us to aloof from all possible sins.
(3) Third Samanera panha deals about general questions which arise in the mind of a novice or Samanera.
(4) Fourth Dvattimisakara deals of about 32 types of bodily impurities.
(5) Fifth is ‘Paccavekkhana’,
(6) Sixth is ‘Dasadhamma sutta’ which tells about the nature of ten virtues.
(7) The seventh is Mahamangala sutta'.This sutta was preached at Jetavana and it tells about the 38 mangalam or auspicious (Factors).
(8) The eighth is Karaniya metta sutta' the practice of metta bhavana.
(9) The ninth is ‘Ratana sutta” power of Gems of Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha.
(10) The tenth is ‘khandha paritta’ the protection of the aggregates of Paritta.
(11) The eleventh is the Mettanisamsa sutta.
(12) The twelveth is the Mitanisamsagatha' which deals with ten advantages of Friendship.
(13) The thirteenth is the Mora Paritta.
(14) The fourteenth is the Canda Paritta where as the
(15) Fifteenth is the suriya paritta in which when Rahu seized them, this particular sutta protected them from Rahu.
(16) The 16th sutta is the Dhajagga paritta sutta in which the Dhajagga Paritta or crest of Banner tells us how we overcome from fear, panic and sight of mutilated dead bodies.