Ratana Sutta

 

Of all beings here assembled;

Whether from the earth or from the sky,

May the minds of all these beings be uplifted,

May they be able to understand what is said.[1]

 

May all of these beings attend closely:

Be loving and kind towards this generation of humans,

Who day and night, bring you offerings.

Therefore, protect them carefully.

 

Whatever wealth there is here or in the future,

Even the most precious jewels in the heavens,

None is equal to the Truth-Finder.

This is the sublime jewel of the Buddha

By understanding this, let there be happiness.

 

That Withering, Unclenching, Undying, Blissful State,

That state of mental composure attained by the Sakyan Sage;

There is no other state equal to that state,[2]

 

This is the sublime jewel of the Dhamma

By understanding this, let there be happiness.

 

That which the Buddha, the highest being, praised as perfect;

The Samādhi which is known as uninterrupted,[3]

A Samādhi equal to this cannot be known.[4]

 

This is the sublime jewel of the Dhamma

By understanding this, let there be happiness.

 

Those eight kinds of [awakened] persons praised by the mindful,

[Together making] these four pairs;

Those students of the Blissful One are worthy of offerings,

Those to whom what is offered bears great fruits;[5]

 

This is the sublime jewel of the Saṅgha,

By understanding this, let there be happiness.

 

Those who are steadily intent,

The greedless [followers] in Gotama’s footsteps,

Who have arrived, entered and plunged into the Deathless,

And are delighting in the Unbinded bliss, obtained for free;[6]

 

This is the sublime jewel of the Saṅgha,

By understanding this, let there be happiness.

 

Just as a pillar of Indra which is firmly set into the earth,

Does not waver on account of the four winds;

This is an analogy for the people of Truth,

Those who have unwavering vision of the awakened understandings;[7]

 

This is the sublime jewel of the Saṅgha,

By understanding this, let there be happiness.

 

Those who make clear these awakened understandings,

Which exquisitely teach truly profound wisdom;

However much they fall into negligence,

They cannot take up an eighth [lifetime];[8]

 

This is the sublime jewel of the Saṅgha,

By understanding this, let there be happiness.

 

Following [the arising of] that blissful vision

Three qualities are given up;

Belief in personal identity, perplexity,

And the marsh of [blind] religious observances.[9]

Risen above and freed from the four lower planes,

Incapable of committing any of the six great crimes;[10]

 

This is the sublime jewel of the Saṅgha,

By understanding this, let there be happiness.

 

Whatever unwholesome action one performs,

By way of body speech or mind;

One is incapable of concealing it,

This incapacity is said [to testify] that one has seen [the Dhamma];[11] 

 

This is the sublime jewel of the Saṅgha,

By understanding this, let there be happiness.

 

Like the old growth forest is the highest,

And the summer season is the hottest;

These are like the truest Dhamma,

Which leads to Nibbāna, the Unsurpassed Well-being;[12]

 

This is the sublime jewel of the Dhamma

By understanding this, let there be happiness.

 

The best, most excellent knowledge,

Which imparts the highest, the most sublime nutriment,

This is the unsurpassed truest Teaching;[13]

 

This is the sublime jewel of the Buddha;

By understanding this, let there be happiness.

 

The old fades away and nothing new comes to be,

Their minds are free from future becoming;

The seeds of craving all crushed, incapable of growth,

The sages blown out just like a lamp;[14]

 

This is the sublime jewel of the Saṅgha,

By understanding this, let there be happiness.

 

[Spoken by Sakka, Leader of the Devas:]

 

 

Of all beings here assembled,

Whether from the earth or from the sky,

All show loving reverence to the Fully Realized[15] Buddha,

Respected by Devas and Humans;

Let there be happiness.[16]

 

Of all beings here assembled,

Whether from the earth or from the sky,

All show loving reverence to the Fully Realized Dhamma,

 Respected by Devas and Humans;

Let there be happiness.

 

Of all beings here assembled,

Whether from the earth or from the sky,

All show loving reverence to the Fully Realized Saṅgha,

Respected by Devas and Humans;

Let there be happiness.