Āṭānāṭiyasutta — Reader

The Āṭānāṭiya Protection

Āṭānāṭiyasutta

1. The First Recitation Section So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha, on the Vulture’s Peak Mountain. Then, late at night, the four great kings—with large armies of spirits, centaurs, gnomes, and dragons—set guards, troops, and wards at the four quarters and then, lighting up the entire Vulture’s Peak with their beauty, went up to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side.

1. Paṭhamabhāṇavāra Evaṁ me sutaṁ— ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati gijjhakūṭe pabbate. Atha kho cattāro mahārājā mahatiyā ca yakkhasenāya mahatiyā ca gandhabbasenāya mahatiyā ca kumbhaṇḍasenāya mahatiyā ca nāgasenāya catuddisaṁ rakkhaṁ ṭhapetvā catuddisaṁ gumbaṁ ṭhapetvā catuddisaṁ ovaraṇaṁ ṭhapetvā abhikkantāya rattiyā abhikkantavaṇṇā kevalakappaṁ gijjhakūṭaṁ pabbataṁ obhāsetvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu.

Before sitting down to one side, some spirits bowed, some exchanged greetings and polite conversation, some held up their cupped palms toward the Buddha, some announced their name and clan, while some kept silent.

Tepi kho yakkhā appekacce bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu, appekacce bhagavatā saddhiṁ sammodiṁsu, sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu, appekacce yena bhagavā tenañjaliṁ paṇāmetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu, appekacce nāmagottaṁ sāvetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu, appekacce tuṇhībhūtā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu.

Seated to one side, the Great King Vessavaṇa said to the Buddha, “Sir, some high spirits have confidence in the Buddha, some do not. Some middling spirits have confidence in the Buddha,

Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho vessavaṇo mahārājā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “santi hi, bhante, uḷārā yakkhā bhagavato appasannā. Santi hi, bhante, uḷārā yakkhā bhagavato pasannā. Santi hi, bhante, majjhimā yakkhā bhagavato appasannā.

some do not. Some low spirits have confidence in the Buddha, some do not. But mostly the spirits don’t have confidence in the Buddha.

Santi hi, bhante, majjhimā yakkhā bhagavato pasannā. Santi hi, bhante, nīcā yakkhā bhagavato appasannā. Santi hi, bhante, nīcā yakkhā bhagavato pasannā. Yebhuyyena kho pana, bhante, yakkhā appasannāyeva bhagavato.

Why is that? Because the Buddha teaches them to refrain from killing living creatures, stealing, lying, sexual misconduct, and consuming intoxicants of beer, wine, and liquor. But mostly they don’t refrain from such things.

Taṁ kissa hetu? Bhagavā hi, bhante, pāṇātipātā veramaṇiyā dhammaṁ deseti, adinnādānā veramaṇiyā dhammaṁ deseti, kāmesumicchācārā veramaṇiyā dhammaṁ deseti, musāvādā veramaṇiyā dhammaṁ deseti, surāmerayamajjappamādaṭṭhānā veramaṇiyā dhammaṁ deseti. Yebhuyyena kho pana, bhante, yakkhā appaṭiviratāyeva pāṇātipātā, appaṭiviratā adinnādānā, appaṭiviratā kāmesumicchācārā, appaṭiviratā musāvādā, appaṭiviratā surāmerayamajjappamādaṭṭhānā.

They don’t like that or approve of it. Sir, there are disciples of the Buddha who frequent remote lodgings in the wilderness and the forest that are quiet and still, far from the madding crowd, remote from human settlements, and fit for retreat. There dwell high spirits who have no confidence in the Buddha’s dispensation.

Tesaṁ taṁ hoti appiyaṁ amanāpaṁ. Santi hi, bhante, bhagavato sāvakā araññavanapatthāni pantāni senāsanāni paṭisevanti appasaddāni appanigghosāni vijanavātāni manussarāhasseyyakāni paṭisallānasāruppāni. Tattha santi uḷārā yakkhā nivāsino, ye imasmiṁ bhagavato pāvacane appasannā.

To give them confidence, may the Buddha please learn the Āṭānāṭiya protection for the guarding, protection, safety, and comfort of the monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen.” The Buddha consented with silence. Then, knowing that the Buddha had consented, on that occasion Great King Vessavaṇa recited the Āṭānāṭiya protection.

Tesaṁ pasādāya uggaṇhātu, bhante, bhagavā āṭānāṭiyaṁ rakkhaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ bhikkhunīnaṁ upāsakānaṁ upāsikānaṁ guttiyā rakkhāya avihiṁsāya phāsuvihārāyā”ti. Adhivāsesi bhagavā tuṇhībhāvena. Atha kho vessavaṇo mahārājā bhagavato adhivāsanaṁ viditvā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ āṭānāṭiyaṁ rakkhaṁ abhāsi:

“Hail Vipassī, the glorious Clear-eyed One! Hail Sikhī, sympathetic for all beings!

“Vipassissa ca namatthu, cakkhumantassa sirīmato; Sikhissapi ca namatthu, sabbabhūtānukampino.

Hail Vessabhū, cleansed and fervent! Hail Kakusandha, crusher of Māra’s army!

Vessabhussa ca namatthu, nhātakassa tapassino; Namatthu kakusandhassa, mārasenāpamaddino.

Hail Koṇāgamana, the brahmin who has lived the life! Hail Kassapa, everywhere free!

Koṇāgamanassa namatthu, brāhmaṇassa vusīmato; Kassapassa ca namatthu, vippamuttassa sabbadhi.

Hail Aṅgīrasa, the glorious Sakyan! He taught this Dhamma that casts aside all suffering.

Aṅgīrasassa namatthu, sakyaputtassa sirīmato; Yo imaṁ dhammaṁ desesi, sabbadukkhāpanūdanaṁ.

Those in the world who are quenched, truly discerning, not backbiters; such people being great of heart and intrepid,

Ye cāpi nibbutā loke, yathābhūtaṁ vipassisuṁ; Te janā apisuṇātha, mahantā vītasāradā.

revere that Gotama; he who is helpful to gods and humans, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, great of heart and intrepid.

Hitaṁ devamanussānaṁ, yaṁ namassanti gotamaṁ; Vijjācaraṇasampannaṁ, mahantaṁ vītasāradaṁ.

Where rises the sun— Aditi’s child, the great orb— with whose rising night’s umbra also ends,

Yato uggacchati sūriyo, ādicco maṇḍalī mahā; Yassa cuggacchamānassa, saṁvarīpi nirujjhati;

and of whom, when sun has risen, it is said to be the day— there is a deep lake, an ocean of flowing waters.

Yassa cuggate sūriye, ‘divaso’ti pavuccati. Rahadopi tattha gambhīro, samuddo saritodako;

That’s how they understand that lake there, as an ocean of flowing waters. From here that is the eastern quarter, so the people say.

Evaṁ taṁ tattha jānanti, ‘samuddo saritodako’. Ito ‘sā purimā disā’, iti naṁ ācikkhatī jano;

That quarter is warded by a great king, glorious, the lord of the centaurs; his name is Dhataraṭṭha.

Yaṁ disaṁ abhipāleti, mahārājā yasassi so. Gandhabbānaṁ adhipati, ‘dhataraṭṭho’ti nāmaso;

He delights in song and dance, honored by the centaurs. And he has many mighty sons all of one name, so I’ve heard.

Ramatī naccagītehi, gandhabbehi purakkhato. Puttāpi tassa bahavo, ekanāmāti me sutaṁ;

Eighty, and ten, and one— all of them named Indra. After seeing the Awakened One, the Buddha, Kinsman of the Sun,

Asīti dasa eko ca, indanāmā mahabbalā. Te cāpi buddhaṁ disvāna, buddhaṁ ādiccabandhunaṁ;

they revere him from afar, the one great of heart and intrepid. Homage to you, O thoroughbred! Homage to you, supreme among men!

Dūratova namassanti, mahantaṁ vītasāradaṁ. Namo te purisājañña, namo te purisuttama;

You examine us skillfully; the non-humans bow to you. We’ve been asked many a time, ‘Do you bow to Gotama the victor?’

Kusalena samekkhasi, amanussāpi taṁ vandanti; Sutaṁ netaṁ abhiṇhaso, tasmā evaṁ vademase.

And so we ought to declare: ‘We bow to Gotama the victor, accomplished in knowledge and conduct! We bow to Gotama the awakened!’

‘Jinaṁ vandatha gotamaṁ’, ‘jinaṁ vandāma gotamaṁ; Vijjācaraṇasampannaṁ, buddhaṁ vandāma gotamaṁ’.

It’s where the departed go, they say, who are backbiters and calumniators, killers and hunters, bandits and cheats.

Yena petā pavuccanti, pisuṇā piṭṭhimaṁsikā; Pāṇātipātino luddā, corā nekatikā janā.

From here that is the southern quarter, so the people say. That quarter is warded by a great king, glorious,

Ito ‘sā dakkhiṇā disā’, iti naṁ ācikkhatī jano; Yaṁ disaṁ abhipāleti, mahārājā yasassi so.

the lord of the gnomes; his name is Virūḷha. He delights in song and dance, honored by the gnomes.

Kumbhaṇḍānaṁ adhipati, ‘virūḷho’ iti nāmaso; Ramatī naccagītehi, kumbhaṇḍehi purakkhato.

And he has many mighty sons all of one name, so I’ve heard. Eighty, and ten, and one— all of them named Indra.

Puttāpi tassa bahavo, ekanāmāti me sutaṁ; Asīti dasa eko ca, indanāmā mahabbalā.

After seeing the Awakened One, the Buddha, Kinsman of the Sun, they revere him from afar, the one great of heart and intrepid.

Te cāpi buddhaṁ disvāna, buddhaṁ ādiccabandhunaṁ; Dūratova namassanti, mahantaṁ vītasāradaṁ.

Homage to you, O thoroughbred! Homage to you, supreme among men! You examine us skillfully; the non-humans bow to you.

Namo te purisājañña, namo te purisuttama; Kusalena samekkhasi, amanussāpi taṁ vandanti;

We’ve been asked many a time, ‘Do you bow to Gotama the victor?’ And so we ought to declare: ‘We bow to Gotama the victor,

Sutaṁ netaṁ abhiṇhaso, tasmā evaṁ vademase. ‘Jinaṁ vandatha gotamaṁ’, ‘jinaṁ vandāma gotamaṁ;

accomplished in knowledge and conduct! We bow to Gotama the awakened!’ Where sets the sun— Aditi’s child, the great orb—

Vijjācaraṇasampannaṁ, buddhaṁ vandāma gotamaṁ’. Yattha coggacchati sūriyo, ādicco maṇḍalī mahā;

with whose setting the day also ends; and of whom, when sun has set, it is said to be night’s umbra—

Yassa coggacchamānassa, divasopi nirujjhati; Yassa coggate sūriye, ‘saṁvarī’ti pavuccati.

there is a deep lake in that place, an ocean of flowing waters. That’s how they understand that lake there, as an ocean of flowing waters.

Rahadopi tattha gambhīro, samuddo saritodako; Evaṁ taṁ tattha jānanti, ‘samuddo saritodako’.

From here that is the western quarter, so the people say. That quarter is warded by a great king, glorious,

Ito ‘sā pacchimā disā’, iti naṁ ācikkhatī jano; Yaṁ disaṁ abhipāleti, mahārājā yasassi so.

the lord of the dragons; his name is Virūpakkha. He delights in song and dance, honored by the dragons.

Nāgānañca adhipati, ‘virūpakkho’ti nāmaso; Ramatī naccagītehi, nāgeheva purakkhato.