Chanting in fearful times

A discussion on all aspects of Theravāda Buddhism
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3ball
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Chanting in fearful times

Post by 3ball »

I had an especially terrifying flight the other day. Is there a good short chant I can do in times of peril? Especially something from the suttas? Thanks!
Babadhari
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Re: Chanting in fearful times

Post by Babadhari »

sorry to hear about your scary experience,

i came across this at http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/auth ... on.html#s5
Invitation (aradhana)

Vipatti patibahaya -sabba sampatti siddhiya
Sabba dukkha vinasaya — parittam bratha mangalam
Vipatti patibahaya -sabba sampatti siddhiya
Sabba bhhya vinasaya — parittam bratha mangalam
Vipatti patibahaya -sabba sampatti siddhiya
Sabba roga vinasaya — parittam bratha mangalam

That from misfortune I may be free
That all good luck should come to me
And also from anguish to be free
Chant "THE PROTECTION" I invite thee.

That from misfortune I may be free
That all good luck should come to me
Also from all fear to be free
Chant "THE PROTECTION" I invite thee.

That from misfortune I may be free
That all good luck should come to me
And also from sickness to be free
Chant "THE PROTECTION" I invite thee.
Aflame with the fire of passion, the fire of aversion, the fire of delusion.
Aflame, with birth, aging & death, with sorrows, lamentations, pains, distresses, & despairs ......

Seeing thus, the disciple of the Noble One grows disenchanted. SN 35.28
santa100
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Re: Chanting in fearful times

Post by santa100 »

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3ball
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Re: Chanting in fearful times

Post by 3ball »

Thanks so much for the suggestions!
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Sam Vara
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Re: Chanting in fearful times

Post by Sam Vara »

A good rule of thumb is that if you can remember any Pali, then the most terrifying bit of the experience is safely in the past, or the future.
Babadhari
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Re: Chanting in fearful times

Post by Babadhari »

Sam Vara wrote:A good rule of thumb is that if you can remember any Pali, then the most terrifying bit of the experience is safely in the past, or the future.
:clap:
Aflame with the fire of passion, the fire of aversion, the fire of delusion.
Aflame, with birth, aging & death, with sorrows, lamentations, pains, distresses, & despairs ......

Seeing thus, the disciple of the Noble One grows disenchanted. SN 35.28
plwk
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Re: Chanting in fearful times

Post by plwk »

The Three Recollections/Contemplations of the Triple Gem
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html
'Indeed, the Blessed One is worthy & rightly self-awakened, consummate in knowledge & conduct, well-gone, an expert with regard to the world, unexcelled as a trainer for those people fit to be tamed, the Teacher of divine & human beings, awakened, blessed.'
For when you have recollected me, whatever fear, terror, or horripilation there is will be abandoned.

"If you can't recollect me, then you should recollect the Dhamma:
'The Dhamma is well-expounded by the Blessed One, to be seen here & now, timeless, inviting verification, pertinent, to be realized by the wise for themselves.'
For when you have recollected the Dhamma, whatever fear, terror, or horripilation there is will be abandoned.

"If you can't recollect the Dhamma, then you should recollect the Sangha:
'The Sangha of the Blessed One's disciples who have practiced well... who have practiced straight-forwardly... who have practiced methodically... who have practiced masterfully — in other words, the four types of noble disciples when taken as pairs, the eight when taken as individual types — they are the Sangha of the Blessed One's disciples: worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of respect, the unexcelled field of merit for the world.'
For when you have recollected the Sangha, whatever fear, terror, or horripilation where is will be abandoned. Why is that? Because the Tathagata — worthy & rightly self-awakened — is devoid of passion, devoid of aversion, devoid of delusion. He feels no fear, feels no terror, feels no dread. He doesn't run away."
The Pali version below omits the scriptural parts above of '"If you can't recollect the Dhamma...For when you have recollected.."
"Itipi so bhagavā arahaṃ sammā sambuddho vijjā caraṇa sampanno sugato lokavidū anuttaro purisa damma sārathi satthā deva manussānaṃ buddho bhagavā"ti"

"Svākkhāto bhagavatā dhammo sandiṭṭhiko akāliko ehipassiko opanayiko paccattaṃ veditabbo viññūhī"ti.

"Supaṭipanno bhagavato sāvaka saṅgho. Ujupaṭipanno bhagavato sāvaka saṅgho. Ñāyapaṭipanno bhagavato sāvaka saṅgho. Sāmīcipaṭipanno bhagavato sāvaka saṅgho. Yadidaṃ cattāri purisa yugāni, aṭṭha purisa puggalā, esa bhagavato sāvaka saṅgho āhuneyyo pāhuneyyo dakkhiṇeyyo añjali karaṇīyo anuttaraṃ puññakkhettaṃ lokassā'ti."
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3ball
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Re: Chanting in fearful times

Post by 3ball »

Sam Vara wrote:A good rule of thumb is that if you can remember any Pali, then the most terrifying bit of the experience is safely in the past, or the future.
That's pretty funny, but I'm not so sure! The first thing that came to my lips was a Christian prayer like I would say as a kid. I just struck me I didn't have the words. I know Buddhism shouldn't be about comfort, but apparently at that moment that was all I was prepared for.
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3ball
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Re: Chanting in fearful times

Post by 3ball »

Looks great plwk, but I'm having trouble believing "horripilation" is a real word!
Babadhari
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Re: Chanting in fearful times

Post by Babadhari »

horripilation: the erection of hairs on the skin due to cold, fear, or excitement

its a new one one for me
Last edited by Babadhari on Wed Dec 25, 2013 3:08 am, edited 1 time in total.
Aflame with the fire of passion, the fire of aversion, the fire of delusion.
Aflame, with birth, aging & death, with sorrows, lamentations, pains, distresses, & despairs ......

Seeing thus, the disciple of the Noble One grows disenchanted. SN 35.28
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3ball
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Re: Chanting in fearful times

Post by 3ball »

Yes, I know how to google, I guess I should have included a winky smilie or something.
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Sam Vara
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Re: Chanting in fearful times

Post by Sam Vara »

3ball wrote:
Sam Vara wrote:A good rule of thumb is that if you can remember any Pali, then the most terrifying bit of the experience is safely in the past, or the future.
That's pretty funny, but I'm not so sure! The first thing that came to my lips was a Christian prayer like I would say as a kid. I just struck me I didn't have the words. I know Buddhism shouldn't be about comfort, but apparently at that moment that was all I was prepared for.
Yes, there is a serious point in there. When really stressed, the mind seems to want to revert to what is familiar and has been known for a long time. It takes serious training to stop people panicking in emergencies, for example. For most of us, irrational animal mentality lies below the surface of good intentions and plans; I have no illusions about myself, having been there and surprised myself at how little my mind could help me.

I once took a tour of a recently decommissioned prison in Malaysia. They showed us the gallows where they had actually hanged people within the last couple of years. It turned out that our guide had assisted with the executions - I found this simultaneously chilling and fascinating, as he was so matter-of-fact about it. I asked how condemned people behaved in their last moments. He said that most of them broke down and shouted out when they saw the rope and trap-door. I asked him what they shouted. He said "Most of them shout 'Mummy!'".

In the light of this, your Christian prayer is understandable, isn't it? I guess the best we can do is to exert effort now, so that the crises can be handled more easily.
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3ball
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Re: Chanting in fearful times

Post by 3ball »

That's a terrifying story.

I think you're right that something short and elemental is the right strategy. Anything that requires a lot of mental work is going to just fly out the window in some moments when I really need it. Right now I'm leaning toward:

Anicca vata sankhara
Upada vaya dhammino
Upakituva nirujihanti
Tesang vupasamo sukho

All conditioned things are impermanent
Their nature is to arise and pass away.
To live in harmony with this truth
Brings the highest happiness.

And just "Anicca vata sankhara" when I need to.
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Nicholas Weeks
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Re: Chanting in fearful times

Post by Nicholas Weeks »

Here is a pdf of Book of Protection - Pali in first 120 pages, then English translation begins:

https://www.bps.lk/olib/bp/bp216s_Piyad ... ection.pdf
Good and evil have no fixed form. It's as easy to turn from doing bad to doing good as it is to flip over the hand from the back to the palm. It's simply up to us to do it. Master Hsuan Hua.
skandha
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Re: Chanting in fearful times

Post by skandha »

Contemplate on this verse, "Dhammo have rakkhati dhammacāriṁ", "Dhamma surely protects one who practices Dhamma" from Thag 4.10
A true master of knowledge has passed beyond all that is known and become dispassionate towards all vedanās.
- Sn 529
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