..续本文上一页 into perfect practice, one shall never suffer failure or frustration. One shall always be blessed and blissful. loc. cit.]. This sutta is a complete manual for building up a successful and stable life, without any need for supplication to a power besides oneself. It provides for a many tiered religio-cultural build-up by man for man.
Thus out of the three suttas or tun såtraya which constitute the major corpus of the Paritta Recital, Mangala and Metta which we have discussed so far, far from being benedictory or invocatory in themselves, are prescriptive in character in that they lay down, with meticulous care, all details as to how a Buddhist should build up his social and religious stature so that he may keep his head up while those around are falling [sabbattha-m-aparàjità]. The Mangala Sutta spells this out in detail. It provides for a tremendous socio-cultural uplift.
The Metta Sutta, on the other hand, is religio-ethical in that it builds up one”s personal character with a very high spiritual quality, i.e. if only one were to diligently practice and live up to the ideals prescribed therein. One who does so becomes indescribably successful firstly in his social life here. It is borne out by the presence of such adjectives with a prescriptive tone and emphasis like being ”efficient” [sakko], ”honest and upright” [ujå ca såjå ca], ”courteous and polite in speech” [suvaaco], ”gentle” [mudu], and ” humble” [anatimànã]. At the same time, it also guarantees complete spiritual success for oneself in this very life. Such a one, it is said, will not come to lie in a mother”s womb, literally [na hi jàtu gabbha-seyyaü puna ” r ”etã ti], i.e. be born in saüsàra any more. Our idea that this phrase implies the termination of life in saüsàra is supported by a similar usage in the Dhaniya Sutta [Sn.v. 29] where the Buddha says of himself as follows: Nàhaü puna upessaü gabbha-seyyaü .
We shall now endeavour to show through further scanning that the third of this triad, namely the Ratana Sutta uniquely stands out as our primary paritta or benedictory and invocatory chant. It uses the phrase ” May there be success and well-being by virtue of this truth ” [etena saccena suvatthi hotu] 3 times in the name of the Buddha, twice in the name of the Dhamma and 7 times in the name of the Sangha. It not only has a very valid basis on which to legitimize such a claim but also its phraseology etena saccena suvatthi hotu, in its very structure, indicates this. It fixes upon the Ratanattaya or the Holy Triple Gem as the basis for all invocations for personal well-being or svasti [Pali : sotthi or suvatthi]. It eulogizes and fixes upon the greatness and uniqueness of the Buddha, Dhamma and the Sangha, and on the strength of that invokes happiness and well-being on the supplicant [Idam ” pi buddhe...dhamme...saïghe ratanaü panãtaü etena saccena suvatthi hotu.]. This kind of esteemed trust in the tisaraõa is accorded a very high position in the Buddhist scheme of salvation as is clear from the Dhammapada [vv.190 - 92] which refer to it as a sine qua non of Buddhist spiritual build up [Yo ca buddha¤ ca dhamma¤ ca saïgha¤ ca saraõaü gato... etaü saraõaü àgamma sabba-dukkhà pamuccati].
It is such understanding with a depth of conviction which builds into oneself such self-confidence to withstand all assaults which come in life, physical and mental, coming both from within and without. It is not enough hearing from others, a chanting monk or a taped cassette, say that ” Nothing anywhere, in any world, equals the Buddha in his greatness ” [Yaü ki¤ ci vittaü idha và huraü và Saggesu và yaü ratanaü paõãtam Na no samaü atthi tathàgatena], but also feel it so within himse…
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