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Refuge

"Buddha"m sara.na"m gacchaami..."

Handa maya"m buddhassa bhagavato pubba-bhaaga-nama-kaara"m karoma se:: Now let us chant the preliminary passage in homage to the Awakened One, the Blessed One:

(ALL): [Namo tassa] bhagavato arahato sammaa-sambuddhassa. (Three times.): Homage to the Blessed One, the Worthy One, the Rightly Self-awakened One.

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(LEADER): Handa maya"m sara.na-gamana-paa.tha"m bha.naama se:
(ALL): Buddha"m sara.na"m gacchaami.: I go to the Buddha for refuge.
Dhamma"m sara.na"m gacchaami.: I go to the Dhamma for refuge.
Sa"ngha"m sara.na"m gacchaami.: I go to the Sa"ngha for refuge.
Dutiyampi buddha"m sara.na"m gacchaami.: A second time, I go to the Buddha for refuge.
Dutiyampi dhamma"m sara.na"m gacchaami.: A second time, I go to the Dhamma for refuge.
Dutiyampi sa"ngha"m sara.na"m gacchaami.: A second time, I go to the Sa"ngha for refuge.
Tatiyampi buddha"m sara.na"m gacchaami.: A third time, I go to the Buddha for refuge.
Tatiyampi dhamma"m sara.na"m gacchaami.: A third time, I go to the Dhamma for refuge.
Tatiyampi sa"ngha"m sara.na"m gacchaami.: A third time, I go to the Sa"ngha for refuge.

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(LEADER): Handa maya"m sacca-kiriyaa gaathaayo bha.naama se:
(ALL): N'atthi me sara.na"m añña"m Buddho me sara.na"m vara"m Etena sacca-vajjena Sotthi me hotu sabbadaa.: I have no other refuge,
The Buddha is my formeost refuge.
Through the speaking of this truth, may I be blessed always.
N'atthi me sara.na"m añña"m Dhammo me sara.na"m vara"m Etena sacca-vajjena Sotthi me hotu sabbadaa.: I have no other refuge,
The Dhamma is my formeost refuge.
Through the speaking of this truth, may I be blessed always.
N'atthi me sara.na"m añña"m Sa"ngho me sara.na"m vara"m Etena sacca-vajjena Sotthi me hotu sabbadaa.: I have no other refuge,
The Sa"ngha is my formeost refuge.
Through the speaking of this truth, may I be blessed always.

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(LEADER): Handa maya"m mahaa-kaaru.nikonaati-aadikaa-gaathaayo bha.naama se:
(ALL): Mahaa-kaaru.niko naatho Atthaaya sabba-paa.nina"m Puuretvaa paaramii sabbaa Patto sambodhim-uttama"m. Etena sacca-vajjena Maa hontu sabbupaddavaa.: (The Buddha), our protector, with great compassion,
For the welfare of all beings,
Having fulfilled all the perfections,
Attained the highest self-awakening.
Through the speaking of this truth, may all troubles cease to be.
Mahaa-kaaru.niko naatho Hitaaya sabba-paa.nina"m Puuretvaa paaramii sabbaa Patto sambodhim-uttama"m. Etena sacca-vajjena Maa hontu sabbupaddavaa.: (The Buddha), our protector, with great compassion,
For the benefit of all beings,
Having fulfilled all the perfections,
Attained the highest self-awakening.
Through the power of this truth, may all troubles cease to be.
Mahaa-kaaru.niko naatho Sukhaaya sabba-paa.nina"m Puuretvaa paaramii sabbaa Patto sambodhim-uttama"m. Etena sacca-vajjena Maa hontu sabbupaddavaa.: (The Buddha), our protector, with great compassion,
For the happiness of all beings,
Having fulfilled all the perfections,
Attained the highest self-awakening.
Through the power of this truth, may all troubles cease to be.

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(LEADER): Handa maya"m khemaakhema-sara.na-gamana- paridiipikaa-gaathaayo bha.naama se:
(ALL): Bahu"m ve sara.na"m yanti Pabbataani vanaani ca, AAraama-rukkha-cetyaani Manussaa bhaya-tajjitaa.: Many are those who go for refuge
to mountains, forests,
Parks, trees, & shrines:
People threatened with danger.
N'eta"m kho sara.na"m khema"m N'eta"m sara.nam-uttama"m, N'eta"m sara.nam-aagamma, Sabba-dukkhaa pamuccati.: That is not the secure refuge,
That is not the highest refuge,
That is not the refuge, having gone to which,
One gains release from all suffering.
Yo ca buddhañca dhammañca Sa"nghañca sara.na"m gato, Caattaari ariya-saccaani Sammappaññaaya passati:: But a person who, having gone to the Buddha,
Dhamma, & Sa"ngha for refuge,
Sees the four Noble Truths
with right discernment:
Dukkha"m dukkha-samuppaada"m, Dukkhassa ca atikkama"m, Ariyañc'a.t.tha"ngika"m magga"m, Dukkhuupasama-gaamina"m.: Stress, the cause of stress,
The transcending of stress,
And the Noble Eightfold Path,
The way to the stilling of stress.
Eta"m kho sara.na"m khema"m Eta"m sara.nam-uttama"m, Eta"m sara.nam-aagamma, Sabba-dukkhaa pamuccati.: That is the secure refuge,
That is the highest refuge,
That is the refuge, having gone to which,
One gains release from all suffering.

Revised: Wed 16 May 2001