Burmese script rendering of Pali phrase for a Tattoo

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I’m looking for the Myanmar (Burmese) script rendering of the Pali phrase:

paccattaṃ veditabbo viññūhi

from the Dhamma-guṇa formula:

svākkhāto bhagavatā dhammo … opanayiko paccattaṃ veditabbo viññūhi

Could someone provide:

  1. The phrase in standard Myanmar-script Pali as used in Burmese chanting books (paritta/vandanā books).

  2. If possible, the spelling from the Chaṭṭha Saṅgāyana (Sixth Council) edition.

  3. A scan, photo, PDF page, or citation from a Burmese source showing the phrase in Myanmar script.

I’m specifically looking for a sourced Myanmar-script version rather than a transliteration generated from Roman Pali.

Thank you.

With mettā,

Yam

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This isn’t for a tattoo is it?

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:grinning_face::grinning_face::grinning_face:
Not a bad idea, Bhante!

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:see_no_evil_monkey: Oh no. What have I done :face_with_hand_over_mouth:

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Welcome to the forum!

I’d be really curious to know if the transliteration on SuttaCentral.net is wrong, or isn’t the standard. There is an older way of writing Pali in Sinhala that differs from modern standard Sinhala. Is that similar to Burmese?

Perhaps Ven. @cintita knows a source of scans of the Chaṭṭha Saṅgāyana.

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To make it easier, here’s a spot where this text appears

And it is rendered as

ပစ္စတ္တံ ဝေဒိတဗ္ဗော ဝိညူဟီ

ETA: Unlike Thai and Sinhala, Aksharamukha doesn’t seem to offer alternate orthography for Burmese

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dear Yam I am curious what made you interested to ask? With Metta

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Dear Bhikkhu Khemarato,

Your intuition is strong, Bhante.

Yes, it is for a tattoo. It would be placed above the waist and in a location that is rarely visible to others. My intention is one of reverence rather than decoration; I find these words especially profound and meaningful.

I have the sense that you may have some reservations about this. If so, would you be willing to share your reasons? I would genuinely value your perspective.

Please forgive me if my request is inappropriate or has caused any offence.

With metta,
Yam

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Thankyou for your help, Bhante. Much appreciated.

with mettā

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Hi Dan,

Bhikku Khemarato was correct, it would be for a tattoo. I was struggling to find the Burmese script.

With mettā

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I do. And I am!

I don’t doubt your sincerity but I think you have misunderstood both reverence and decoration.

While the feeling of reverence is, of course, deeply personal, the expression of reverence is inherently social (see Émile Durkheim, etc). By choosing how to express your reverence (the language of it) you are choosing which symbolic community your reverence belongs to.

Tattooing what you personally find “meaningful” on yourself is a uniquely Western cultural practice: a form of self-expression which I would call “decoration.”

I assume that by “reverence rather than decoration” what you meant is that you aren’t trying to look cool but that you genuinely want to become more Buddhist.

If I’m wrong and your goal really is cultural appropriation, … well then… I can’t really help you there!

But if I’m right and your goal is to draw closer to Buddhism, then I suggest you would be better served expressing your reverence in a way legible to the Buddhist community.

The suttas and subsequent Buddhist traditions of Asia preserve for us many beautiful ways to embody our reverence. These ways were honored by our forebears and have proven effective at transforming hearts. You could, for example, build an altar in your home. Offer flowers and incense to Buddha statues. Go to a nearby temple on the moon days. Chant the itipi so…paccattaṃ veditabbo viññūhī’ti every day…

While I’m not an expert on Burmese culture specifically (if anyone here is, please feel free to chime in!) I believe most Asian Buddhists would be uncomfortable with tattoos of holy words or icons. If you want to become friends with them, they’re going to find out about your tattoos sooner or later!

Again: acts of reverence are inherently social. The question is: with whom are you trying to socialize?

No offence taken at all! Thank you for coming here and asking! :blush: I hope you’ve found us friendly?

Getting such a tattoo wouldn’t break any of the five precepts, so don’t worry about it too much! My reservations are practical not ethical. If you’re still really set on getting it, don’t let me stop you!

If your goal is to commit yourself more fully to your Buddhist practice: I salute you! :saluting_face: I just think there are more effective ways to embody that intention than getting a tattoo. :blush:

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OUCH! That would hurt! Tattoos are dukkha, is what I’d imagine the Buddha would say.

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I respectfully beg to differ, Bhante. Thailand and Japan have long-standing traditions of tattooing oneself with Buddhist motifs. Of course, you hit upon a nuance when you say,

Perhaps what you find issue with is individual, personal expression vs. established cultural expressions initiating one into a group?

I would ask @Yam: Why Burmese script particularly, especially since you don’t seem to read it(?) What Bhante said about cultural appropriation is real–even if unconsciously done.

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I’m sorry. Who are you?

The สักยันต์ sak yan tradition in Thailand is a very specific and different thing than just getting any random Buddhist words or images tattooed on you at a parlor. It has specific forms and formula and must be done by someone within the lineage.

And in Japan, I am unaware of any specifically-Buddhist tattooing tradition, outside of a few criminal gangs. Do you have a citation for this claim?

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Pardon me. I’m @knotty36. We’ve interacted before on this forum, perhaps you’ve forgotten.

Yes, indeed, Bhante. And I appreciate the difference, which is why I said,

But I wasn’t equating the two, in any case. The point I was addressing was whether

which I don’t think is necessarily accurate. Because individualized, Buddhism-themed tattoos do exist in those countries, outside of those narrow traditional contexts–admittedly, perhaps as part of the postmodern trend of Westernization, but, nevertheless, I don’t know if it’s a widespread source of offense for “most Buddhist Asians.” (Well, at least no more offensive than postmodern Westernization as a whole.)

No, strictly anecdotal evidence: having lived in all these countries, in and around Buddhist circles.

To your point though, I have met very parochial Chinese Buddhists who were offended at Japanese iconographic tattoos, but they were also offended by my existence as a Hīnayānist.

I just think we all need to learn that the world is more complicated than what we think it to be–especially these days.

In fact, I have a very good Chinese friend who studies Buddhism at Oxford, self-identifies as a Sarvāstivādin (oddly, Hīnayāna Buddhism is immensely more popular among young Chinese intellectuals than native Chinese traditions), and has a cutsie, Japanese manga-style tattoo of a seated Buddha/Bodhisattva icon on his forearm. I know he would not be offended, nor do I think that his own has been a great cause for offense for him back home. I could ask, though.

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I didn’t say offense. That’s a higher bar than what I said.

Although a strong social stigma towards the art remains salient in all three nations due to the historical connection to criminality, a new, younger generation with greater access to the internet and the outside world has been able to adopt a tattoo culture

From Tattoos in East Asia: Conforming to Individualism | Wittenberg University East Asian Studies Journal

So, yes, attitudes (especially among “the kids these days”) are Westernizing. Tattoos are no longer illegal in Japan! So that’s huge progress! :joy: But there is still a “salient social stigma” with tattoos as a whole (let alone of holy things), at least from the research I can find.

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Indeed. My apologies. I see now you said “uncomfortable.” A little uncomfortability is good, though, no? From time to time. Western monastics, single mothers, children’s rights: all of these things shook up traditional societies, made people uncomfortable at first.

As did Ajahn Buddhadāsa’s concept of “nibbāna for everyone”: individualized, personalized liberation outside the sanctioning of tradition and institution?! This tattoo of @Yam’s sounds to me like it could be much the same thing.

Thank you for the engagement, though I’m far more interested in what you said, Bhante, about cultural appropriation. I would like to hear why @Yam wants it in Pāli, and in Burmese script particularly. Is there a personal connection there? Perhaps it’s none of my business, but it’s just that I do see potential ground for legitimate offense there.

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Thank you for sharing, Bhante. My apologies for the late reply; I’m currently travelling in India.

I assume that by “reverence rather than decoration” what you meant is that you aren’t trying to look cool but that you genuinely want to become more Buddhist.

While reading your message and reflecting on my choice of words, I realised that I misspoke. Tattoos are inherently decorative, regardless of the reason behind them. That being said, the decorative nature is not the driving force in this instance.

I’m not trying to become more Buddhist through the tattoo itself. Rather, a reminder to maintain sila, imprinted on the body, would be very beneficial for me.

You could, for example, build an altar in your home. Offer flowers and incense to Buddha statues. Go to a nearby temple on the moon days.

I partake in all of these practices, they are opportunities, and sadhana that I hold very dear. I understand and agree that the best way to pay homage to the Three Gems is to walk the path. However, I am also covered in tattoos from a long time ago. So, instead of having ink simply mark this human vessel that I am so fortunate to have, I would like there to be something meaningful—something that is genuinely part of my life and that I can use as a reminder of the Three Gems.

It may be a Western practice, as you say. Even so, I do feel that my intentions are respectful.

Thank you for coming here and asking! :blush: I hope you’ve found us friendly?

Thank you for being so helpful and detailed in your responses. I have found this space to be very friendly indeed. I must say, I didn’t realise this forum was as in-depth and active as it is. I probably would have approached things slightly differently if I had known :sweat_smile:. However, I’m very glad to have stumbled across this forum; there is a wealth of knowledge and community here.

Thank you again, Bhante. :folded_hands:t3:

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Thankyou for your input @knotty36. Very interesting.

There are 4 Burmese teachers that I am eternally grateful to - Ledi Sayadaw, Mahasi Sayadaw, Saya Thetgyi and Sayagyi U Ba Khin.

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