(7) The Maha-Mangala Sutta

The next sutta is Maha-Mangala sutta.^[1] The Mahamangala sutta is included in that ancient anthology of the pali canon called “A collection of Discourses” (suttanipata).

The title, the Maha-Mangala sutta has 3 parts: they are Maha, Mangala and sutta. The word–Mangala popularly means a Blessing and sutta means a rule in ancient literature such as “like Sanskrit and Buddhism.” MahaMangala sutta is the fourth sutta of the Culavagga. The mangal sutta is highly esteemed / venerated in amongst the Burmese as a MahaMangala sutta–The discourse of the great auspecious. It is considered that, once Lord Buddha was requested by a certain diety to explain about, “what where the highest blessing for a human”. Then the Lord explained 38 items which described the highest Blessings on auspicious. Maha Mangala sutta is based on these 38 items. This concept is also found in Mahamangala Jataka. The Mahamangala Jataka is a incident of the Rajagaha city. A great gathering took place in a royal palace to solve a problem. The problem regarding great men. But, no one could solve the problem. Finally, a man named Sakka thought at the problem can be solved by a blessed man in the society. The blessed man was non other than Lord Buddha (Jataka). Then at the night sakka went to that man and questioned him about omen, then Lord Buddha delined 38 types of Blessing in the 12th stanza.

Maha means great and it is used as an prefix to give more importance to the term Mangala Sutta.

And terms mangala sutta^[2] was discussed earlier in the topic. The total concept consists of 38 Omens in 12th stanzas. They will be discussed as following:

1. “Not cultivating fools, but cultivating wise men, worshiping those that are to be worshiped. This is the highest Blessings.”

We should not entertain or give importance or to be associated with the fools and the evils ones. Rather we should entertain and associate with the wise community of the society. We should worship those who are worthy of worshiping like great and honest men but not to the wrong ones. Then we can achieve the actual Blessing.

2. “To live in a suitable country. To perform good deeds through the study of ones self, this the highest Blessing.”

We should live in a good place but every time it is not possible for each and every one that they might act as a chance to evolve in a good place. But one can make the place good by his own deeds in a society. We should always strive to do good to our spiritual existence. We always should take lessons from our previous mistakes and must not repeat it. Thus we can achieve the highest Blessing.

3. “Great learning and skill, well learn disciplined and well spoken words this is the highest Blessing.”

¹¹ Khuddaka-patha. No. 5; Sn. 46 under the title Mangalasutta; cf. Mahamangala Jataka No. 452.

If we want to achieve the highest Blessing, then we need to train our mind spiritually by good learning, we should be skilled and disciplined, one should not use any abusive words which may carry wrong massege to the society. Finally all those things which are to be done of to make a dream society. Where we can achieve the highest Blessing.

4. “Waiting on mother and father, protecting the child and wife, and a quite calling, the this is the highest Blessing.”

First of all we should support our family and our parents as we were supported in our childhood. As they brought us up in proper way with great care and love. So we should always be supporting them in their older ages and not only that, we should also support our wife and children, then we can build a society where each and every one will be concerned for each other. Thus we can achieve the highest Blessing.

5. “Giving alms, living religiously, protecting relatives, blameless deeds, this is the highest blessing.” We should involve our-selves in charity. But the fact is that we should not entertain each and every one who is asking for help and money, we should give it to the eight persons at the right place. Then we need to concentrate to live a religious life. We should protect our relatives and do some good for them. Thus we can achieve the highest Blessing.

6. “Ceasing and abstaining from sin, refraining from intoxicating drinks, preservance in the Dhamma, this is the highest Blessing.”

Ceasing and abstaining from sin means avoiding evil and abstaining from evil and avoiding means not only the physical avoidance also the mental avoidance, one can act like a good person but he is not a good at all if he is not good by mind.

In an auxiliary, we should avoid intoxicating which effects badly in our mind (like wine). Then we can preserve the Dharma to achieve the highest Blessing.

7. “Reverence and humility, contentment and gratitude, the hearing of the dhamma at due season. This is the highest Blessing.”

The term reverence means proper veneration of Lord Buddha, Dhamma respecting to parents and teacher, wise people. In fact we give high regards to those people who are worthy of it. And the term humility means the one who is down to earth, having no pride and the contentment means the acceptance of the situation and condition as they come, with sporting attitude and without grumbling. And the gratitude means remembering what others have done for our ownselves. Apart from this we need to maintain timely hearing of the dhamma. Thus we can achieve highest Blessing.

8. “Patience and pleasant speech, intercourse with Samanas, religious conversation at due season, this is the highest Blessing.”

The term patience can be elaborately explain as the virtues of bearance, forgiveness and tolerance. We should keep patience and give pleasant speech to conquer over others heart by right consciousness and, not by fraud. There is no better company than holy person, whose specious spirit is the purifying Ora. And we should continue our religious conversation with these type of people at right time, then we can achieve the highest Blessing.

9. “Penance and chastity, discernment of the noble truths and the realization of Nibbana, this is the highest blessing.”

The term penance and chastity means ascetic practices which can be explained as the tormant of owns body, self control, as with the restrained one self-faculty. We need to understand what are the noble truth. If you want to realize Nirmana, then you need strong determination to the right way and we can achieve it following the teaching of the Lord Buddha. Thus, we can achieve the highest Blessing.

10. “He whose mind is not shaken (when he is) touched by the things of the world, (lokadhamma). (but remains) free from sorrow, free from defilement, and secure, this is the highest Blessing.”

One who truly follows Lokadhamma, his mind does not waver when touched by wordly condition, his mind is free from sorrow, free from defilement and secure. We as ordinary people should try to develope more equanimity towards wordly condition, then we can achieve the highest Blessing.

11. “Those who, having done such (things), are undefeated in every respect, walk in safety every where, there is the highest Blessing.”

Those who are following the above way of life as Buddha taught us, then can we be undefeated in every respect, invincible every-where, they have perfect feeling and perfect happiness and security. That is their highest Blessing.

Conclusion:

The mangala sutta appears in the khuddaka nikaya. On the preaching of this sutta, countless devas were present and countless being realized the truth. It is the devas who were never at rest or satisfied until the controversial point was finally settled. They appeal to the superior wisedom that is Lord Buddha and were brought near him. Themangala sutta is often recited and forms one of the commonised paritta whose inclusion in a book is considered as a great merit.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Buddha defines the highest blessing to the deity-Text by Grimblot in Journal Asia tique, t. Xviii (1871), p. 229, and by childers in kh. Patha p. 4; translation by Gogeuly in the Ceylon Friend, 1839, p. 203, by childers in kh. Patha, p. 4; and by L. Feer in Journal Asiatique, t. Xviii (1871), p. 296.

[2]:

Khuddaka-patha. No. 5; Sn. 46 under the title Mangalasutta; cf. Mahamangala Jataka No. 452.