Parritta chants and charms/spells (mantras, dharanis, or words/verses)

Discussion
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What is the difference between parritta chants and charms/spells (mantras, dharanis, or words/verses)?

Did the Buddha agree bhikkhus/anyone to use charms/spells (mantras, dharanis, or words/verses) for protection? (Cf.: Buddhism and Animism - Discussion - Discuss & Discover)

I consider parritta chants and charms/spells are just the same practices to ward off misfortune or danger? Any suggestions/disagreements?

Please indicate EBT references. Thanks

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This introduction to the Paritta Protective Verses was from Sayadaw U Sīlānanda: https://vdpzoom.com/pali/pdf/ParittaSutta%20Silananda.pdf

INTRODUCTION

“Uggaṇhātha, bhikkhave, āṭānāṭiyaṃ rakkhaṃ. Pariyāpuṇātha, bhikkhave, āṭānāṭiyaṃ rakkhaṃ. Dhāretha, bhikkhave, āṭānāṭiyaṃ rakkhaṃ. Atthasaṃhitā, bhikkhave, āṭānāṭiyā rakkhā bhikkhūnaṃ bhikkhunīnaṃ upāsakānaṃ upāsikānaṃ guttiyā rakkhāya avihiṃsāya phāsuvihārāyā”ti. (Dīgha Nikāya 32).

“Monks, learn the Āṭānāṭiya protection, study the Āṭānāṭiya protection, hold in your hearts the Āṭānāṭiya protection. Monks, beneficial is the Āṭānāṭiya protection for security, protection, freedom from harm and living in ease for monks, nuns (bhikkhunis) and male and female lay followers”.

With these words the Buddha exhorted His monks to learn the Āṭānāṭiya protection for their protection and thus began the tradition of chanting the Sutta (discourses) for protection and good results. The Sutta chanted for protection, etc., is also known as ‘Paritta’ which means “the Sutta that protects those who chant and who listen to it against dangers, calamities, etc., from all around.” Through the ages other Suttas were added to the list of ‘Suttas for chanting’. Thus we find in Milindapañha and the Commentaries by the Venerable Buddhaghosa the following nine Suttas mentioned as Parittas: Ratanasutta, Mettāsutta, Khandhasutta, Morasutta, Dhajaggasutta, Āṭānāṭiyasutta. Aṅgulimālasutta, Bojhaṅgasutta and Isigilisutta.

The collection presented here includes the first eight Suttas and in addition, Maṅgalasutta, Vaṭṭasutta and Pubbaṇhasutta, thus comprising altogether 11 Suttas, with further addition of introductory verses at the beginning of each Sutta. These are the 11 Suttas chanted everyday in every monastery and nunnery and in some houses of lay people in all Theravāda Buddhist countries. This collection is known in Myanmar as ‘The Great Paritta’, not because the Suttas in this collection are long ones, but probably because they have great power, if chanted and listened to in a correct way, could ward off dangers and bring in results.

CHANTING OF AND LISTENING TO THE SUTTAS

Since these Parittas are meant for protection and other good results, it is important that they are chanted and listened to in a correct way. There are some conditions to he fulfilled by both the chanters and the listeners so as to get the full benefits of the Paritta. In fact, there are three conditions for the chanters to fulfill and another three for the listeners:

The three conditions for the chanters are:

  1. They must have learnt and chant the Suttas correctly and fully without any omission,
  2. They must understand the meaning of the Suttas being chanted, and
  3. They must chant with the heart filled with goodwill and loving-kindness.

The three conditions for the listeners are:

  1. They must not have committed the five most heinous crimes, namely, killing one’s own father, killing one’s own mother, killing an Arahant, causing the blood to be congealed in the body of the Buddha by wounding Him, and causing schism in the Saṅgha.
  2. They must not have the ‘fixed wrong view’, the view that rejects kamma and its results.
  3. They must listen to the chanting with confidence in the efficacy of the Suttas in warding off the dangers and bringing good results. (When people listen with confidence they do so with respect and attention, so listening with respect and attention is implied in this condition.)

Only when these conditions are fulfilled do people get full benefits from the Parittas. Therefore, it is important that when the Parittas are being chanted, people should listen to the chanting with confidence, respect and attentiveness. Moreover, the chanting of Parittas for benefits is a two way action. Those who chant are like those who give out something, and those who listen are like those who take what is given; if they do not take what is given they will not get the thing. In the same way if people do not listen to the chanting, but just let other people chant and themselves do something else, they surely are not taking what is given and so they will not get the benefits of the chanting.

REFERENCES

Except the introductory verses, the Suttas are found in the Piṭakas as follows:

(Reference numbers are page numbers of Sixth Buddhist Council Edition except those of Jātakas which are given by Jātaka numbers).

  • Preliminary => composed by compilers.
  • 1. Maṅgalasutta => Khuddakapāṭha, 3-4; Suttanipāta, 308-9.
  • 2. Ratatasutta introductory passage => Dhammapada Aṭṭhakathā,ii. 272,
    following two verses => composed by compilers,
    remaining text => Khuddakapāṭha, 4-7; Suttanipāta, 312-5.
  • 3. Mettāsutta => Khuddakapāṭha, 10-12; Suttanipāta, 300-1.
  • 4. Khandhasutta => Vinaya. iv. 245; Aṅguttaranikāya, i. 384; Jātaka no. 203.
  • 5. Morasutta => Jātaka no. 159.
  • 6. Vaṭṭasutta => Cariyapiṭaka, 415.
  • 7. Dhajaggasutta => Saṃyuttanikāya, i. 220-2.
  • 8. Āṭānāṭiyasutta verses 104-109 => Dīghanikāya, iii. 159.
    verses 102, 103, 110-130 => composed by compilers.
    verse 131 => Dhammapada, verse 109.
  • 9. Aṅgulimālasutta => Majjhimanikāya, ii. 306.
  • 10. Bojjhaṅgasutta original Suttas => Saṃyuttanikāya, iii. 71, 72, 73.
    Verses here => composed by compilers.
  • 11. Pubbaṇhasutta verse 153 => Khuddakapāṭha, 5; Suttanipāta, 312.
    verses 162-4 => Aṅguttaranikāya, i. 299.
    the rest => composed by compilers.

THE USE OF THE PARITTAS

Although the Parittas are for chanting in general, some of the Parittas are to be practiced as well. Only the Ratanasutta, Morasutta, Vaṭṭasutta, Āṭānāṭiyasutta, Aṅgulimālasutta and Pubbaṇhasutta are meant for chanting only; the others are for both chanting and practicing. And there are specific uses for the Parittas although generally they are meant for protection against dangers. The specific uses can be obtained from the introductory verses of each Sutta. They are, in brief, as follows:

  1. Maṅgalasutta => for blessings and prosperity,
  2. Ratanasutta => for getting free from dangers caused by disease, evil spirits and famine,
  3. Mettāsutta => for suffusing all kinds of beings with loving-kindness,
  4. Khandhasutta => for protecting against snakes and other creatures,
  5. Morasutta => for protection against snares, imprisonment and for safety,
  6. Vaṭṭasutta => for protection against fire,
  7. Dhajaggasutta => for protection against fear, trembling and horror,
  8. Āṭanāṭiyasutta => for protection against evil spirits, and gaining health and happiness,
  9. Aṅgulimālasutta => for easy delivery for expectant mothers,
  10. Bojjhaṅgasutta => for protection against and getting free from sickness and disease,
  11. Pubbaṇhasutta => for protection against bad omens, etc., and gaining happiness.

LOVING-KINDNESS

Never before has the need for loving-kindness been so much felt as in these days. Violence is rampant throughout the world. If we cannot and do not reduce violence, the world will be a living hell for all inhabitants. Therefore it is imperative that we do something to at least reduce violence even if we will not be able to wipe it out from the world altogether. The practice of loving-kindness fortunately for us can help us achieve that aim; we can help reduce violence with the practice of loving-kindness and make things better for all beings.

SHARING MERITS

‘Sharing Merits’ is always a pleasant act to do whenever we do meritorious deeds. When Parittas are chanted in sonorous tones and listened to with devotional faith, the immediate benefits they bring are serenity, calm, peacefulness and joy. Generations have enjoyed these benefits and many others of Paritta and Mettā for many many years. These benefits are for us too if we chant, listen to and practice them in a correct way. May all beings enjoy the benefits of Paritta and Mettā following the instructions given here.

U Sīlānanda, Aggamahāpaṇḍita USA, 1998

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Interestingly, Buddhist Monastic Code is a good resource for this, as it deals with when it’s appropirate for a monk to make “parittas”. Here’s a few relevant bits:

DN 2 contains an even more detailed description of inappropriate means for gaining a livelihood. The ideal bhikkhu, it says, [abstains from] crow-skills; predicting life spans; giving protective charms; casting horoscopes— he abstains from wrong livelihood, from “animal” arts such as these."

…
As noted in the section on wrong livelihood, above, a bhikkhu is forbidden from giving protective charms, or paritta. However, the Commentary to Pr 3 applies the above pattern surrounding cloths and sneezes to instances when lay people, for the sake of good luck, ask a bhikkhu to chant paritta or make paritta-water. Whether this is allowable or not, it says, depends on the way in which the invitation is phrased and the ceremony arranged. If they ask him to do these things for an ill person, he should not accept the invitation (as it would count as a way of practicing medicine); but if they simply ask him to do so for good luck, he may. If, when he is invited to their home, they ask him to make paritta-water, he may stir the water with his hand or touch the string attached to its vessel only if the lay people provide these things. If he provides them himself, he incurs a dukkaṭa. The Commentary’s allowances on this topic are controversial, and not all Communities follow them.

However, the Canon clearly allows a bhikkhu to chant a paritta protection for himself. Cv.V.6 allows him to protect himself from being bitten by snakes through suffusing the four royal families of snakes with an attitude of good will (mettā) and to make a self-protection, stipulating the paritta to be chanted (AN 4:67). DN 32 and Sn&2:1 (= Khp 6) contain similar charms for protecting oneself against the depredations of unruly spirits. And, as noted above, one is allowed to recite a self-protective charm if a brush fire is approaching.

What is worth noting here is that all of these parittas stake their power on skillful qualities in the mind of the person chanting them: good will, respect for the Triple Gem, and truthfulness. Thus, other self-protective charms that stake their power on skillful qualities of mind would seem to be allowable under the Great Standards. Charms based on unskillful mental states, such as the desire to bring harm to whatever is threatening one’s safety, would not. One might also argue that charms staking their powers on other principles—such as the Mahāyāna charms whose powers are said to come from the supposed magical qualities of words and syllables or from the power of an external being—would also not be allowable, but this is a controversial point.

Bi Pc 50 forbids nuns from teaching “Tiracchānavijjāvācana”, though with the caveat:

Non-offenses
There is no offense:
if she teaches protective verses;
dhāraṇaṁ vāceti,
if she teaches verses for the purpose of protection;
guttatthāya parittaṁ vāceti,

Also for reference, here’s DN2, Tiracchānavijjā described in full:

Wrong Crafts

This includes such fields as augury, omenology, divining portents, interpreting dreams, divining features of men and women, divining holes in cloth gnawed by mice, fire offerings, ladle offerings, offerings of husks, rice powder, rice, ghee, or oil; offerings from the mouth, blood sacrifices, limb-reading; geomancy for building sites, fields, and cemeteries; exorcisms, earth magic, snake charming, poisons; the lore of the scorpion, the rat, the bird, and the crow; prophesying life span, chanting for protection, and divining omens from wild animals…

This includes reading the marks of gems, cloth, clubs, swords, spears, arrows, bows, weapons, women, men, boys, girls, male and female bondservants, elephants, horses, buffaloes, bulls, cows, goats, rams, chickens, quails, monitor lizards, rabbits, tortoises, or deer.

This includes making predictions that the king will march forth or march back; or that our king will attack and the enemy king will retreat, or vice versa; or that our king will triumph and the enemy king will be defeated, or vice versa; and so there will be victory for one and defeat for the other.

This includes making predictions that there will be an eclipse of the moon, or sun, or stars; that the sun, moon, and stars will be in conjunction or in opposition; that there will be a meteor shower, a fiery horizon, an earthquake, or thunder in the heavens; that there will be a rising, a setting, a darkening, a brightening of the moon, sun, and stars. And it also includes making predictions about the results of all such phenomena.

This includes predicting whether there will be plenty of rain or drought; plenty to eat or famine; an abundant harvest or a bad harvest; security or peril; sickness or health. It also includes such occupations as arithmetic, accounting, calculating, poetry, and cosmology.

This includes making arrangements for giving and taking in marriage; for engagement and divorce; and for scattering rice inwards or outwards at the wedding ceremony. It also includes casting spells for good or bad luck, treating impacted fetuses, binding the tongue, or locking the jaws; charms for the hands and ears; questioning a mirror, a girl, or a god as an oracle; worshiping the sun, worshiping the Great One, breathing fire, and invoking Siri, the goddess of luck.

This includes rites for propitiation, for granting wishes, for ghosts, for the earth, for rain, for property settlement, and for preparing and consecrating house sites, and rites involving sipping water and bathing, and oblations. It also includes administering emetics, purgatives, expectorants, and phlegmagogues; administering ear-oils, eye restoratives, nasal medicine, ointments, and counter-ointments; surgery with needle and scalpel, treating children, prescribing root medicines, and herbal bandages.

So, to me it’s obvious that Ajahn Thanissaro’s quite correct that it is a controversial topic.

I think, chanting specific affirmations (even many secular psychotherapic communities use these things) to align yourself, to calm yourself, might’ve always been a part of the practices.

But these things can quickly turn into standard folk spellcraft.

And to what extent these things are said to affect others, whether the power of these practices stem from others, or if these things can be chanted for others is a nuanced topic.

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DN 32 (= T 1245:毘沙門天王, not in DA) indicates 38 yakhas:

  1. Inda, Soma, Varuna, Bharadvaja, Pajapati, Candana, Kamasetth, Kinnughandu, Nigahandu,
  2. Panada, Opamanna, Devasata, Matali, Cittasena and Gandhabba, Nala, Raja, Janesabha,
  3. Satagira, Hemavata, Punnaka, Karatiya, Gula, Sivaka, Mucalinda, Vessamitta, Yugandhara,
  4. Gopala, Suppagedha, Hiri, Netti, Mandiya, Pañcalacanda, Alavaka, Pajjunna, Sumana, Sumukha, Dadamukkha.

See: Atanatiya Sutta: Discourse on Atanatiya

It is likely the earliest set of protective devas developed as a group for protecting Buddhist followers, although the term ‘dhammapala’ is not yet present in the text.

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If one read the Jataka, there is a trope called “the power of truth”. One may invoke miracle or extraordinary happening just by saying something true. Usually it was something special, such as not angry at all even when one’s limb cut off. Or when someone has no regret giving away one’s eyes.

This also happened in the sutta:

*“Ever since I was born in the noble birth, sister, I don’t recall having intentionally taken the life of a living creature. By this truth, may both you and your baby be safe.” (*Aṅgulimālasutta)

Some of the paritta actually follow this principle. For example in the Ratana Sutta

There’s no wealth this life or the next, no sublime gem in the heavens, that equals the Realized One. This sublime gem is in the Buddha: by this truth, may you be well!

In later development, mantra/ dharani were made using this principle. If you know that some truths are so powerful, why not use it as mantra?

The first one is the famous “ye-te mantra”, this mantra is used to create a relic inside a stupa. There is no more need to search for the rare genuine Buddha’s relic or Arhat’s relic, just inscribe this mantra on a metal plate.

ye dharmā hetuprabhavā hetuṃ teṣāṃ tathāgato hy avadat
teṣāṃ ca yo nirodha evaṃvādī mahā­śramaṇaḥ

if a faithful son or daughter of a noble family, who has built in an uninhabited place a stūpa‍—even one no bigger than a gooseberry fruit, with a central pillar the size of a needle and a parasol the size of a flower of the bakula tree‍—inserts into it this verse of dependent arising which is the dharmadhātu, he or she will generate the merit of Brahmā. (Pratītya­samutpāda­sūtra)

Of course in the more later development, the words themselves are regarded as magical, and then the mantra and dharani created have unknown/meaningless/nonsensical words. But generally they can be traced back to coherent sentences, usually saying praise, qualities, or truths.

Or maybe they were originally just mnemonics to aid memorization. Who knows.

One practice I observed from Cambodian monks, they create mantra by inverting the traditional chant.

Na mo bud dha ya - ya tha bud mo na

And that’s invoking the power of truth.

About the power of others: gods, Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, etc. Obviously we have seen many mantras/ dharanis/ texts/ prayers invoking other-power. If it’s not allowed, then why there is Atanatiya Sutta?

What is obviously not allowed is invoking the power of lower realm beings, such as asura, preta/ hungry ghosts, and other demonic beings.

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It seems to me they are just the power of superstitious beliefs and practices, not the power of truth.

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Oh that’s gorgeous, never thought of that that way.

On the so called “magical” - well, sometimes people could think of something like prayer as magical or superstitious. Atheist me, when practiced metta meditation the first time, saw the mind change, and relationship with a “difficult person” changed, ceased affecting me (like the world was different). That experience made me realise that prayer could be causal, because the mind changes. It depends. prajnadeva post “by power of this truth” like “when that person was angry at me that time I did not anger” recollecting would server as reminder of possibility of non affliction, which could be shared.

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