The Ratana Sutta is a Buddhist discourse found in the Pali Canon’s Sutta Nipata (Snp 2.1). The Ratana Sutta is chanted daily throughout Theravada Buddhist countries as a protective chant and blessing. We chanted this paritta to bless all who are affected by the coronavirus pandemic and all who face any form of evil, negativity, sickness or fear of death. In brief, the background story of the discourse is as follows.
The city of Vesāli was afflicted by a famine, causing many deaths. Because of the presence of decaying corpses, the evil spirits began to haunt the city; a pestilence followed this. Afflicted by these three fears of famine, evil spirits and pestilence, the rulers of Vesāli sought the help of the Buddha who was then living at Rajagaha.
Followed by a five hundred monks, including the Venerable Ananda, his attendant disciple, the Buddha came to the city of Vesali. The moment Buddha set foot in the city of Vesali, there was a torrential downpour which swept away the putrefying corpses, ridding the city of filth.
Thereupon the Buddha delivered this Jewel Discourse (Ratana sutta) and instructed Venerable Ananda to tour the city, reciting the discourse as a mark of protection to the people of Vesali. The Venerable Ananda followed the instructions and sprinkled the sanctified water from the Buddha’s own alms bowl.
As a result, the city was freed of the evil spirits; the pestilence subsided, and the famine ended. Thereafter the Venerable Ananda returned with the citizens of Vesali to the Public hall where the Buddha and his disciple monks had assembled. There the Buddha recited the same Jewel Discourse to the gathering, whereupon eighty-four thousand citizens attained fruits of the path.
In the Jewel Discourse (Ratana sutta), Buddha invokes the true and exclusive virtues of the Triple Gem; Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha and makes a firm determination, or an asseveration based on this truth (saccādhiṭṭhāna) which is sometimes called the Act of Truth (saccakiriya). Owing to the power of truth contained within the Jewel Discourse (Ratana sutta) the protection it affords pervade hundreds of thousands of millions of solar systems.
9. Ratana Suttaṁ: The Jewel Discourse
1. Yānīdha bhūtāni samāgatāni
Bhummāni vā yā niva antaḷikkhe
Sabbeva bhūtā sumanā bhavantu
Athopi sakkacca sunantu bhāsitaṁ
Whatever beings are assembled here, whether on the earth or in the sky, may all these beings have happy minds. Listen closely to my words.
2. Tasmā hi bhūtā nisāmetha sabbe
Mettaṁ karotha mānusiyā pajāya
Divā ca ratto ca haranti ye baliṁ
Tasmā hi ne rakkhatha appamattā
Pay attention all you beings. Show kindness to those humans who, by day and by night, offer much merit to you. Therefore, guard them diligently.
3. Yaṁ kiñci vittaṁ idha vā huraṁ vā
Saggesu vā yaṁ ratanaṁ paṇītaṁ
Na no samaṁ atthi Tathāgatena
Idampi Buddhe ratanaṁ paṇītaṁ
Etena saccena suvatthi hotu
Whatever treasure in this world or in other worlds; or whatever precious jewel is in the heavens, none is equal to the Buddha. In the Buddha is this precious jewel. By this truth may there be well-being!
4. Khayaṁ virāgaṁ amataṁ paṇītaṁ
Yadajjhagā Sakyamunī samāhito
Na tena Dhammena samatthi kiñci
Idampi Dhamme ratanaṁ paṇītaṁ
Etena saccena suvatthi hotu
The calm Sakyan sage found the undefiled dispassionate, deathless, Nibbāna; there is nothing equal to that state. In the Dhamma is this precious jewel. By this truth may there be well-being!
5. Yaṁ Buddhaseṭṭho parivaṇṇayī suciṁ
Samādimānantarikaññamāhu
Samādhinā tena samo na vijjati
Idampi Dhamme ratanaṁ paṇītaṁ
Etena saccena suvatthi hotu
That purity praised by the Buddha called concentration with immediate result; that concentration has no equal. In the Dhamma is this precious jewel. By this truth may there be well-being!
6. Ye puggalā aṭṭha sataṁ pasatthā
Cattāri etāni yugāni honti
Te dakkhiṇeyyā Sugatassa sāvakā
Etesu dinnāni mahapphalāni
Idampi Saṅghe ratanaṁ paṇītaṁ
Etena saccena suvatthi hotu
The Eight Persons praised by the wise, these Four Pairs are the gift-worthy disciples of the Well-Gone-One. Gifts given to them yield abundant fruit. In the Saṅgha is this precious jewel. By this truth may there be well-being!
7. Ye suppayuttā manasā daḷhena
Nikkāmino Gotama sāsanamhi
Te pattipattā amataṁ vigayha
Laddhā mudhā nibbutiṁ bhuñjamānā
Idampi Saṅghe ratanaṁ paṇītaṁ
Etena saccena suvatthi hotu
Those who are well trained, freed from all defilements, and with minds firm in Gotama Buddha’straining, upon attaining Nibbāna, they plunge into the Deathless, freely enjoying the liberation they have gained. In the Saṅgha is this precious jewel. By this truth may there be well-being!
8. Yathindakhīlo paṭhaviṁ sito siyā
Catubbhi vātebhi asampakampiyo
Tathūpamaṁ sappurisaṁ vadāmi
Yo ariyasaccāni avecca passati
Idampi Saṅghe ratanaṁ paṇītaṁ
Etena saccena suvatthi hotu
As a stone post firmly grounded in the earth, cannot be shaken by the four winds, so is the superior person, I say, who clearly sees the Noble Truths. In the Saṅgha is this precious jewel. By this truth may there be well-being!
9. Ye ariyasaccāni vibhāvayanti
Gambhīrapaññena sudesitāni
Kiñcāpi te honti bhusappamattā
Na te bhavaṁ aṭṭhamaṁ ādiyanti
Idam’pi Saṅghe ratanaṁ paṇītaṁ
Etena saccena suvatthi hotu
Those who comprehend the Noble Truths, well taught by the Buddha of deep wisdom, no matter how negligent, would not take an eighth existence. In the Saṅgha is this precious jewel. By this truth may there be well-being!
10. Sahāva’ssa dassana sampadāya
Tayassu dhammā jahitā bhavanti
Sakkāyadiṭṭhi vicikicchitañ ca
Sīlabbataṁvā’pi yadatthi kiñci
Catūhapāyehi ca vippamutto,
Cha cābhiṭhānāni abhabbo kātuṁ
Idampi Saṅghe ratanaṁ paṇītaṁ
Etena saccena suvatthi hotu
For one who has attained to right view, three fetters are at once abandoned: self-centred view, doubt and clinging to wrong practices. Freed from the four planes of misery, he is incapable of committing the six major wrong-doings that lead to hell. In the Saṅgha is this precious jewel. By this truth may there be well-being!
11. Kiñcā’pi so kammaṁ karoti pāpakaṁ
Kāyena vācā uda cetasā vā
Abhabbo so tassa paṭicchādāya
Abhabbatā diṭṭha padassa vuttā
Idampi Saṅghe ratanaṁ paṇītaṁ
Etena saccena suvatthi hotu
Though he might do some evil deed by body, speech or mind, he cannot hide it; such is impossible for one who has seen the Dhamma. In the Saṅgha is this precious jewel. By this truth may there be well-being!
12. Vanappagumbe yathā phussitagge
Gimhānamāse paṭhamasmiṁ gimhe
Tathūpamaṁ Dhamma varaṁ adesayi
Nibbāṇagāmiṁ paramaṁ hitāya
Idampi Buddhe ratanaṁ paṇītaṁ
Etena saccena suvatthi hotu
Like woodland groves in blossom in the first heat of summer, is the sublime Dhamma taught by the Buddha leading to Nibbāna, and giving the highest happiness. In the Buddha is this precious jewel. By this truth may there be well-being!
13. Varo varaññū varado varāharo
Anuttaro Dhamma varaṁ adesayi
Idampi Buddhe ratanaṁ paṇītaṁ
Etena saccena suvatthi hotu
The excellent Supreme Buddha, the knower of Supreme Nibbāna, the giver of Supreme Nibbāna, the bringer of Supreme Nibbāna, taught the excellent Dhamma. In the Buddha is this precious jewel. By this truth may there be well-being!
14. Khīṇaṁ purāṇaṁ navaṁ natthi sambhavaṁ
virattacittā āyatike bhavasmiṁ
Te khīṇabījā avirūḷhicchandā
Nibbanti dhīrā yathāyaṁ padīpo
Idampi Saṅghe ratanaṁ paṇītaṁ,
Etena saccena suvatthi hotu
The liberated ones ’old kamma is destroyed with no new arising, their minds not drawn to future birth. Their old seeds destroyed with no more growing. The Arahants fade out just as this lamp has done. In the Saṅgha is this precious jewel. By this truth may there be well-being!
15. Yānīdha bhūtāni samāgatāni
Bhummāni vā yāniva antaḷikkhe
Tathāgataṁ devamanussa pūjitaṁ
Buddhaṁ namassāma suvatthi hotu
Whatever beings are assembled here, whether on the earth or in the sky, we respectfully worship the Buddha, honored by gods and humans. May there be well-being!
16. Yānīdha bhūtāni samāgatāni
Bhummāni vā yāniva antaḷikkhe
Tathāgataṁ devamanussa pūjitaṁ
Dhammaṁ namassāma suvatthi hotu
Whatever beings are assembled here, whether on the earth or in the sky, we respectfully worship the Dhamma, honored by gods and humans. May there be well-being!
17. Yānīdha bhūtāni samāgatāni
Bhummāni vā yāniva antaḷikkhe
Tathāgataṁ devamanussa pūjitaṁ
Saṅghaṁ namassāma suvatthi hotu
Whatever beings are assembled here, whether on the earth or in the sky, we respectfully worship the Saṅgha, honored by gods and humans. May there be well-being!
Etena saccena suvatthi hotu!
By this truth, may there be well-being!
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