Cattāri Brahmavihārā

As usual, when I first determined to listen to a Dhamma talk my mind rebelled but, much like going to the boxing gym, I never regret having done so. The Venerable Ajahn Achalo responded to a student’s request for advice on Hour to brighten the mind in the face of seemingly unending oppression and he recommended chanting more.

Interestingly, one of the things that he highly recommends is chanting Itipiso 108 times daily which is a practice I already keep. However, I’m cases of extreme negativity and oppression by petas he advised us to chant the parittha or gatha below:

Jinapañjara Gāthā
The Victor’s Cage

Jay’āsan’āgatā Buddhā

Jetvā Māraṁ savāhanaṁ

Catu-saccāsabhaṁ rasaṁ

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:

Taṇhaṅkar’ādayo Buddhā

Aṭṭha-vīsati nāyakā

Sabbe patiṭṭhitā mayhaṁ

Matthake te munissarā.

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

Sīse patiṭṭhito mayhaṁ

Buddho dhammo dvilocane

Saṅgho patiṭṭhito mayhaṁ

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

Sāriputto ca dakkhiṇe

Koṇḍañño piṭṭhi-bhāgasmiṁ

Moggallāno ca vāmake.

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

Dakkhiṇe savane mayhaṁ

Āsuṁ Ānanda-Rāhulo

Kassapo ca Mahānāmo

Ubh’āsuṁ vāma-sotake.

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

Kesato piṭṭhi-bhāgasmiṁ

[Kesante piṭṭhi-bhāgasmiṁ]

Suriyo-va pabhaṅkaro

Nisinno siri-sampanno

Sobhito muni-puṅgavo.

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

Kumāra-kassapo thero

Mahesī citta-vādako

So mayhaṁ vadane niccaṁ

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, & Sīvalī—have arisen as auspicious marks at the middle of my forehead.

Sesāsīti mahātherā

Vijitā jina-sāvakā

Etesīti mahātherā

Jitavanto jin’orasā

Jalantā sīla-tejena

Aṅgam-aṅgesu 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.

Ratanaṁ purato āsi

Dakkhiṇe Metta-suttakaṁ.

Dhajaggaṁ pacchato āsi

Vāme Aṅgulimālakaṁ.

Khandha-Mora-parittañca

Āṭānāṭiya-suttakaṁ

Ākāse chadanaṁ 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.

Jinā nānā-varasaṁyuttā

[Jināṇābala-saṁyuttā]

Sattappākāra-laṅkatā

Vāta-pitt’ādi-sañjātā

Bāhir’ajjhatt’upaddavā

Asesā vinayaṁ yantu

Ananta-jina-tejasā.

Excellently bound in many ways by the Victor,

[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

Viharantaṁ mahītale

Sadā pālentu maṁ 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.

Dhammānubhāvena jitārisaṅgho.

Saṅghānubhāvena jit’antarāyo.

Saddhammānubhāva-pālito

carāmi jina-pañjare-ti.

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.