The Preliminary Formula for Revering the Buddha
Though most of one's devotions are made in English (etc.), it may be good to retain this short sentence (see below) in Pali. It is very ancient and found several times in the Suttas. Here is one example of its use:
Thus have I heard: At one time the Lord was staying near Savatthi in the Jeta Grove at Anathapindika's monastery. Now at that time the brahman Janussoni was leaving Savatthi early in the day in an all-white carriage (drawn by four white) mares. The brahman Janussoni saw the wanderer Pilotika coming in the distance and seeing him he spoke thus to the wanderer Pilotika: "Now where is the revered Vacchayana (Pilotika's clan-name) coming from so early in the day?"
"Sir, I am coming from the presence of the Samana Gotama."
"What do you think about this, Vacchayana? Has the Samana Gotama lucidity of wisdom? Do you think him wise?"
"But who am I, sir, that I should know whether the Samana Gotama has lucidity of wisdom? Surely only one like Him could know whether the Samana Gotama has lucidity of wisdom."
"Undoubtedly it is with lofty praise that the revered Vacchayana praises the Samana Gotama."
"But who am I, sir, that I should praise the Samana Gotama? Praised by the praised is the revered Gotama, chief among devas and men..."
When this had been said, Janussoni the brahman got down from his all-white carriage (drawn by four white) mares, and having arranged his upper cloth over one (his left) shoulder, having bowed down to the Lord three times with his hands in añjali, he uttered these inspired words: "Namo tassa Bhagavato Arahato Samma-sambuddhassa! Namo tassa Bhagavato Arahato Samma-sambuddhassa! Namo tassa Bhagavato Arahato Samma-sambuddhassa!"
— translated by Dr. I.B. Horner in Middle Length Sayings (P.T.S.) Vol I, p 220, 222.
Evidently this sentence expressive of praise and devotion was quite widely known, as several lay people, some Buddhists and others not, some brahmans and at least one king, uttered these inspired words. So when today we chant these words, it is a sound that rings back through the ages to the Buddha-time. We may chant as the brahman did:
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma-sambuddhassa
three times in Pali while recollecting its meaning silently, or use may be made of a method of chanting which translates this formula, interspersing the Pali with English, like this:
Namo tassa bhagavato[4]
I (we) wish to revere with body, speech and mind that Lord apportioning Dhamma
arahato
that One far from defilements
samma-sambuddhassa
that One Perfectly Enlightened by himself.
(Repeat the Pali and English three times. This is according to an old Thai method of chanting, frequently heard today in that country's schools.)
These three epithets of Gotama the Buddha express the three great qualities of Enlightenment. BHAGAVATO shows the Great Compassion (mahakaruna) of the Buddha and this we should recollect first as loving-kindness and compassion is the necessary base for our own practice of Dhamma. ARAHATO represents the Purity (visuddhi) of the Buddha, a purity unforced and ever-spresent to be approached by us through the practice of the Precepts. SAMMA-SAMBUDDHASSA stands for the quality of Wisdom (pañña), the Unsurpassed Perfect Enlightenment (anuttara samma-sambodhi) which distinguishes a Buddha from all other men. Here, "Samma" means "perfect," "sam" stands for "by himself," and "Buddhassa" is "to the Enlightened" or "to the Awakened."
