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Lecturer Name:- Mr. A.B. Mediwaka

Content

Introduction

List of Buddhist Rituals and Ceremonies in Sri Lanka

Complete account of Pirit or Paritta Chanting

Evolution of term Paritta

Significance of Paritta

The way of performing

Conclusion

Bibliography
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Introduction

Traditional rituals, customs and ceremonies play an important role in Sri Lankan

society and are being handed over from generation to generation over the rich and long

history of the country. Most of these traditional and religious customs, rituals and

ceremonies are connected with the day to day lives of the people in the social and

religious affairs.

Sri lanka as the home of Theravada form of Buddhism which emphasizes the

Four Noble Truth and Eight Noble Path, does not highly recommend the devotional and

blind-faith religious rituals or ceremonies. But in practical, by the reason of expectation

of people to believe something in order to prevent certain invisible miseries, it was

needed to develop some kind of practices and ceremonies according to the needs of

people. All the festivals and ceremonies that are been existing in Sri Lankan society, are

the outcomes of so called necessities which are hardly visible within the canonical texts.

With the development of Popular Buddhism in Sri Lanka over hundred years,

festivals and ceremonies have been evolved. It seems likely devotional approach to the

realization the teaching of the Buddha. Although the Buddha often stressed the

importance of unshakable confidence or aveccappasda in the Triple Gem, he did not

encourage the wrong kind of emotional attachment to the teachings. However the

ceremonies which are going to be roughly elucidated in this study are the religious

needs that are expected from a religion by its followers. Therefore though some

festivals and ceremonies are based on the mere faith, no one can condemn them as

traditional, conventional or unsophisticated practices. It seems like the psychological

complementation of people.
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According to the scholastic conception the rituals and ceremonies undertaken

and performed by Sri Lankan Buddhist can be broadly classified under three heads:

I. Acts performed for the acquisition of merit (e.g., offerings made in the

name of the Buddha) calculated to provide a basis for achieving Nibbana,

release from the cycle of becoming (samsara); such acts of merit are, at

the same time, expected to offer semi-temporal rewards of comfort and

happiness here and in the heavenly worlds in future lives. These

supplementary forms of religious activity have arisen out of a natural

need to augment the more austere way followed by the world-

renouncing disciples.

II. Acts directed towards securing worldly prosperity and averting

calamities through disease and unseen forces of evil,

e.g., Pirit chanting, Bodhi-Pja, etc.

III. Those rituals that have been adopted from folk religion. Hence these are

mainly semi-religious in character like the tovil ceremonies. They derive

their power and authority primarily through the superhuman power of

the Buddha and also through the hosts of spirits, who are, as it were,

commanded by invoking the power of the Buddha or of the Three

Refuges; the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha as a whole.1

In this study it will be elucidated one of the well prominent festivals

known as Pirit Chanting, and how it is performed by Buddhist in order to

prevent some evil disturbances and invisible obstacles with the canonical and

commentarial references.

1 Kariyawasam A.G.S. (1995). Buddhist Ceremonies and Rituals of Sri Lanka. Buddhist Publication Society,

Kandy, pp ix, x.
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List of Buddhist Rituals and Ceremonies in Sri Lanka

Pj or Veneration

Bodhi Pj or the veneration of Bodhi Tree

Aavisi Pj or the veneration of twenty eight Buddhas

Tesatta Pj or the veneration of seventy three kinds of knowledge

Sathbudu Vandan Pj or the veneration of seven Buddhas etc.

Poya Day activities

Observing Precepts

Dhamma Discussion

Meditation

Dhamma sermons

Dna or Almsgiving

Sath dina dna or seven day almsgiving

Mathaka dna

Dhammadna

Abhayadna

Pnsukla or Funeral

Paritta Chanting

niya Desan

Sati Pirita

Seth Pirita

Thun vela Pirita

Agulimla Pirita

Doradaka Asna etc.

Perahera or Processions

Kandy Esala Perahera or Kandy Procession

Mihidu Mah Perahera

Kelaniya Perahera

Monastic Ceremonies

Observing Vassa

Kahia Ceremony

Uposatha Observation

Monastic Ordination

High-Ordination
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Complete account of Pirith or Paritta Chanting

Evolution of term Paritta

Paritta chanting is a very popular ceremony among Sri Lankan Buddhists. The

term paritta itself implies the meaning as the protection of all around,2 and it is a

collective term entitling a set of protective chants or runes granted by the Buddha for

the use of both laymen and bhikkhus. This ceremonial recital is regarded as the

prevention from all forms of evil and danger (vipatti), including disease, the evil

influence of the planets, evil spirits etc.

"Paritta" in Pali, "paritrana" in Sanskrit and "pirit" pronounced pirith in Sinhala

mean principally protection. Paritta suttas describe certain suttas or discourses

delivered by the Buddha and regarded as affording protection. This protection is to be

obtained by reciting or listening to the paritta suttas. The practice of reciting or listening

to the paritta suttas began very early in the history of Buddhism. The word paritta, in

this context, was used by the Buddha, for the first time, in a discourse known as

Khandha Paritta in Culla Vagga of the Vinaya Pitaka, and also in the Anguttara Nikaya

under the title "Ahi (metta) Sutta". This discourse was recommended by the Buddha as

guard or protection for the use of the members of the Order. The Buddha in this

discourse exhorts the monks to cultivate mett or loving-kindness towards all beings.

2 Parisamantato tyati rakkhatti parittam

Mah tejavantatya samanta to sattnam bhayam upaddavam upasaggam catyti rakkhatti parittam

Antaryam pariharantam tyatti parittam

Paritov sabbpaddavato tyatti parittam

Significance of Paritta

It is certain that paritta recital produces mental well-being in those who listen to

them with intelligence, and have confidence in the truth of the Buddha's words. Such

mental well-being can help those who are ill to recover, and can also help not only to

induce the mental attitude that brings happiness but also to overcome its opposite.

Among the parittas described in the Book of Protection (Pirith Potha in Sinhala), five

parittas specifically discoursed by the Buddha to cure illnesses. These five suttas are;

1. Factors of Enlightenment (Maha Kassapa Thera Bhojjhanga)

2. Factors of Enlightenment (Maha Moggallana Thera Bhojjhanga)

3. Factors of Enlightenment (Maha Cunda Thera Bhojjhanga)

4. Discourse to Girimananda Thera (Girimananda Sutta)

5. Discourse at Isigili (Isigili Sutta)

In addition to this remedy and positive aspect, paritta is also chanted for the

attainment of general success.3 In the domestic and social life of the Sri Lankan

Buddhists, there is no important function can be considered complete without this

ceremony. The paritta ceremony consists in the ritualistic chanting of certain Pli texts

selected from the canonical scriptures. These extracts are collected and arranged in a

particular order in the Book of Parittas, or Pirit-Pota, known in Pli as Catubhnavra

which was organized as follows.

One line has eight letters, four lines become one verse. Then one verse

has thirty two letters. One banavara consists two hundred verses which each

have thirty two letters. In this way one banavara has eighty thousand letters and

four banavaras have 32,000 letters.

3 sampatti, siddhi
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Originally, in India, those who listened to paritta sayings of the Buddha understood

what was recited and the effect on them was correspondingly great. The Buddha himself

had paritta recited to him, and he also requested others to recite paritta for his own

disciples when they were ill. This practice of reciting paritta is still in vogue in Buddhist

lands. The habit of listening to the recital of paritta suttas among the Westerners too is

growing slowly but steadily.

As well as several factors is said to be combine to contribute towards the efficacy of

paritta recitals. Such as;

The Power of Truth

Paritta recital is a form of saccakiriya, i.e., an asseveration of truth. Protection

results by the power of such asseveration. At the end of the recital of each sutta, the

reciters bless the listeners with the words, "by the power of the truth of these words

may you ever be well."4

The Power of Virtue

Several discourses of the Book of Protection describe the virtuous life. The

starting point in Buddhism is sila (virtue). Standing on the firm ground of sila one

should endeavor to achieve a collected mind. If it is true that virtue protects the

virtuous, then a person who listens to the recital of paritta suttas intelligently, in a

reflective mood, with complete confidence in the Buddha's words, will acquire so

virtuous a state of mind as would enable him to dominate any evil influence, and to be

protected from all harm.

4 etena sacca vajjena sotti te hotu sabbada

The Power of Love

The reciters of the paritta are expected to do so with a heart of love and

compassion wishing the listeners and others weal and happiness and protection from

all harm.

The Power of Sound

It is believed that the vibratory sounds produced by the sonorous and

mellifluous recital of paritta suttas in their Pali verses are soothing to the nerves and

induce peace and calm of mind; they also bring about harmony to the physical system.

The way of performing Maha Pirita

Maha Pirita is a ceremony which has much more ritualistic activities. When this

kind of chanting is undertaken, a special pavilion called the pirit mandapaya is

constructed for the purpose. If the ceremony is to be performed in a private home, this

pavilion is put up in a central room of the house. Generally it would measure about

twelve by twelve feet and is gaily decorated with frond, banana arbor, tissue paper,

tinsel, etc. Its roof is covered with a white canopy from which are hung small cuttings of

are banyan leaves, betel-nut flowers, betel twigs, tender twigs of the iron-wood or

N tree, etc. six water pots on which opened coconut racemes are kept or placed on

either side of the entrance and other corners. Six lighted coconut-oil lamps are also

placed upon the coconut racemes.

A Pirit Mandapa A Coconut Raceme

In the center of the pavilion is a table usually a round one, on which a clean white

cloth is spread. Upon it are strewn puffed rice (vilanda), broken rice (sun-sal), white

mustard (sudu-aba), jasmine buds (saman kakulu), and panic grass (tana). These five

varieties, known as lada-pas-mal, are regarded as having a sanctifying and purifying

power in combination and are hence used for ritualistic purposes at Buddhist

ceremonies.

In the center of the table is the filtered water pot around which the three-

stranded sacred thread called Paritta Cord (pirith huya) is orientated towards the

Indrakhla or Rjagaha. And then this thread is drawn round the interior of the pavilion

and when the chanting commences it is held by the chanting monks and given over to be

held by the person or persons for whose benefit the ceremony is held. A palm-leaf copy

of the Pirit-Pota, regarded as more sanctified than the printed one, occupies a significant

place on the table, representing the Dhamma. Consequently, while the printed copy is

used for the legibility of its script, the palm-leaf copy is regarded as indispensable on the

table. The other important item that is brought inside the pavilion is the casket

containing the bone-relics of the Buddha (dhtu-karanduwa), representing the Buddha.

This is placed on a separate decorated table on a side within the pavilion.

Casket

Indrakhla or Rjagaha Pirit Water Pot

On the evening of the day on which the chanting takes place, a few members

from the particular household go to the temple in order to conduct the monks. The

monks would come in a procession in single file in order of seniority, attended by

drumming. At the head of the procession is carried the relic casket, borne on the head of

a layman, under an umbrella or a canopy. The beating of drums continues throughout.

As the monks enter the home, a layman washes their feet while another wipes them.

They walk to the pavilion on a carpet of white cloth (pavada) and take their seats

around the table. The relic casket, Pirit-

Pota, and the bhikkhus thus come

together, representing the Triple Gem,

the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the

Sangha, respectively.

Piruvn Poth Vahanse

Before the commencement of

the ceremony proper, the usual time

of which is around 9 p.m., the monks

are welcomed and requested to

perform the ceremony by being

offered a tray in which betel leaves,

betel-nut, cardamoms, nutmeg, cinnamon, etc., are nicely arranged, the ingredients

being those taken for the chew of betel.

This invitation is usually extended by the chief householder if it is in a private

home. Otherwise some leading lay devotee would do it. One of the senior monks present
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would accept the invitation on behalf of the entire Sangha and, in order to make the

invitation formally valid, he would get the lay devotee to repeat after him the following

Pali stanza requesting the monks to begin the ceremony:

"Please recite the noble paritta for the avoidance of all misfortune, for

the attainment of all success, and for the destruction of all sufferings... fears

and illnesses."5

Next he would explain the

significance of the occasion in a short

address. This is followed by ceremonial

drumming (magulbera vdana), as a

ritualistic preamble to the ceremony,

serving both as an invitation to the gods and an offering of sound (sadda-pja). The

monks too commence the chanting by reciting a stanza that invites all the divine beings

of the universe to the ceremony:

"May the divine beings of the entire universe come here to hear the good

doctrine of the King of Sages that confers both heavenly happiness and the

freedom of Nibbana."6

From the commencement of the chanting until its conclusion the following

morning, the pavilion is not vacated. The mahapirita with which the chanting begins, is

5 Vipattipatibhya - sabba sampattisiddhiy sabbadukkha.. bhaya.. roga vinsya - parittam

bruthamangalam

6 Samant cakkavlesu Atrgacchantu devat Saddhammam Munirjassa Sunant

saggamokkhadam
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chanted in a rhythmic manner by all the monks, numbering about ten or twelve, seated

in order of seniority. The rest of the discourses are chanted by two or four monks. The

ceremony is concluded the following morning with the recital, once again, of

the mahapirita at which ceremonial drumming takes place once more. This drumming is

also performed at the recital of important discourses like the Dhammacakkappavattana

Sutta and the tanatiya Sutta. Once the chanting is concluded, convenient lengths of the

thread, sanctified by the chanting, are snapped off and tied around the wrists or the

arms of those assembled. A little of the sanctified water is given to everyone for

drinking.

Conclusion

Mah paritta has been become one of the most significance Buddhist festivals

due to its charismatic and blessed results that many people are experiencing in their

stressful lives styles. Specifically the paritta is capable for consoling people and it is

considered as a psychological treatment to the mind which is naturally sought some

invisible protection.

But the serious complication which is found regarding the performance of Mah

Paritta is people are not critically aware of the ritualistic activities and they do some

acts without conscious. Therefore in this study my attention focused on the correct way

of performing a Maha Paritta in a house or common place.

Bibliography

Primary Sources

Sri Rahula Anunayaka Thera A. (2005). Piruwana Poth Wahanse. Ebood PDF Version.

The Commentary, Paramattha Jotik, Ebood PDF Version.

Secondary Sources

Ananda K. Komaraswamy. (1956). Mediaeval Sinhalese Art. Pantheon Books, New York.

Adikaram. E.W. (1946). Early History of Buddhism in Ceylon. Migoda, Sri Lanka.

Kariyawasam A. G. S. (1996). Buddhist Ceremonies and Rituals of Sri Lanka. Buddhist

Publication Society, Kandy.

Sarachchandra. E.R. (1966). The Folk Drama of Ceylon, 2nd ed. Department of Cultural Affairs,

Sri Lanka Government.

C.W. Nicholas and S. Paranavitana. (1961). A Concise History of Ceylon. Ceylon University

Press, Colombo.

Rev.Narada Maha Thero (1997), The Buddha and His Teachings, 2nd ed, Singapore Buddhist

Meditation Center, Singapore.

Online References

Stanford Encyclopedia of Buddhism, 2015

http://www.dharmanet.org, 2000