An Exposition of the Ratana Sutta

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An Exposition of the Ratana Su a A

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An Exposition of

The Ratana Sutta

byBhikkhu Pesala


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An Exposition ofThe Ratana Sutta

byBhikkhu Pesala

Latest Edition Nov 2012Bhikkhu PesalaAssociation for Insight MeditationYou may print copies of this book for your own use.

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ContentsAn Exposition of the Ratana Sutta..........................................1

Ratana Sutta Pi Text........................................................1The Discourse on Precious Jewels..........................................4

Explanation of the Discourse..................................................7

Verse 1: May All Deities Listen Attentively.......................7Verse 2: Request to Deities to be Heedful..........................7Verse 3: The Buddha is Incomparable...............................8Verse 4: Nibbna is the Supreme Bliss...............................8Verse 5: The Path Gives Instant Benefits...........................9

Verse 6: Noble Ones Are Worthy of Offerings...................9Verse 7: Arahants Have No Mental Suffering.................10Verse 8: Having Stable Morality......................................11Verse 9: Not Reborn an Eighth Time...............................11Verse 10: Free from Doubt...............................................11Verse 11: Scrupulous Integrity.........................................12Verse 12: Dhamma Leads to Arahantship.......................13Verse 13: The Buddha is Excellent...................................13

Verse 14: The Arahants Are Not Reborn..........................14The Unborn......................................................................15Verses 1517: Salutation to the Triple Gem.....................16

Buddha Images.....................................................................18

The Value of the Triple Gem............................................19


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1

An Exposition of the Ratana SuttaThe Buddha taught this discourse to Venerable nanda

when Vesl was plagued by disease, famine, and evil spirits.Venerable nanda walked around inside the walls of Vesl

sprinkling holy water om the Buddhas almsbowl and recitingthis Ratana Su a.

Ratana Sutta Pi Text1. Yndha bhtni samgatni,

Bhummni v yni antalikkhe,Sabbeva bht suman bhavantu,Athopi sakkacca suantu bhsita.

2. Tasm hi bht nismetha sabbe,Me a karotha mnusiy pajya,Div ca ra o ca haranti ye bali,Tasm hi ne rakkhatha appama .

3. Ya kici vi a idha v hura v,Saggesu v ya ratana pata,

Na no sama a hi Tathgatena,Idampi Buddhe ratana paita,Etena saccena suva hi hotu!

4. Khaya virga amata pata,Yadajjhag sakyamun samhito,Na tena dhammena sama hi kici,Idampi Dhamme ratana paita,

Etena saccena suva hi hotu! 5. Ya Buddha seho parivaay suci,

Samdhimnantarikaamhu,Samdhin tena samo na vijjati,Idampi Dhamme ratana pata,Etena saccena suva hi hotu!


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2 An Exposition of the Ratana Su a

6. Ye puggal aha sata pasa h,Ca ri etni yugni honti,Te dakkhieyy sugatassa svak,

Etesu dinnni mahapphalni,Idampi Saghe ratana pata,Etena saccena suva hi hotu!

7. Ye suppayu manas dahena,Nikkmino Gotama-ssanamhi,Te pa ipa amata vigayha,Laddh mudh nibbuti bhujamn,

Idampi Saghe ratana pata,Etena saccena suva hi hotu! 8. Yathindakhlo pahavi sito siy,

Catubbhi vthehi asampakampiyo,Tathpama sappurisa vadmi,Yo ariya-saccni avecca passati,Idampi Saghe ratana pata,Etena saccena suva hi hotu!

9. Ye ariya-saccni vibhvayanti,Gambhra-paena sudesitni,Kicpi te honti bhusappama ,Na te bhava ahama diyanti,Idampi Saghe ratana pata,Etena saccena suva hi hotu!

10. Sahva ssa dassana-sampadya,Tayassu dhamm jahit bhavanti,Sakkya-dihi vicikicchitaca,Slabbata vpi yada hi kici.Cath apyehi ca vippamu o,Chaccbhihnni abhabbo ktu,Idampi Saghe ratana pata,Etena saccena suva hi hotu!


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Ratana Su a Pi Text 3

11. Kica pi so kamma karoti ppaka,Kyena vc uda cetas v,Abhabbo so tassa paicchdya,

Ababbat diha-padassa vu ,Idampi Saghe ratana pata,Etena saccena suva hi hotu!

12. Vanappagumbe yath phussitagge,Gimhna-mse pahamasmi gimhe,Tathpama dhamma-vara adesay,Nibbna-gmi parama hitya,

Idampi Buddhe ratana pata,Etena saccena suva hi hotu! 13. Varo vara varado varharo,

Anu aro dhamma-vara adesay,Idampi Buddhe ratana pata,Etena saccena suva hi hotu!

14. Khna pura nava na hi sambhava,

Vira a-ci yatike bhavasmi,Te kha-bj aviruhicchand,Nibbanti dhr yathya padpo,Idampi Saghe ratana pata,Etena saccena suva hi hotu!

15. Yndha bhtni samgatni,Bhummni v yni va antalikkhe,

Tathgata deva-manussa-pjita,Buddha namassma suva hi hotu! 16. Yndha bhtni samgatni,

Bhummni v yni va antalikkhe,Tathgata deva-manussa-pjita,Dhamma namassma suva hi hotu!

17. Yndha bhtni samgatni,

Bhummni v yni va antalikkhe,Tathgata deva-manussa-pjita,Sagha namassma suva hi hotu!


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The Discourse on Precious Jewels1. Whatever beings are assembled here, whether

terres ial or celestial, let all such beings behappy; and let them a entively listen to what issaid.

2. Therefore, O beings, pay a ention; radiateloving-kindness towards mankind who day andnight bring offerings to you. Protect them,therefore, with earnestness.

3. Whatever easure there is here or in the otherworld, or whatever precious jewel is in theheavenly realms, yet there is none comparablewith the Tathgata. This precious jewel is in theBuddha. By this uth may there be peace!

4. The sage of the Sakyans of a anquil mind,realised that cessation which is passionless,

immortal and excellent. There is nothing equalto that state. This precious jewel is in theDhamma. By this uth may there be peace!

5. The supreme Buddha praised pure meditationwhich gives instantaneous results. There isnothing equal to that meditation. This precious jewel is in the Dhamma. By this uth may there be peace!

6. Eight individuals are praised by the wise. Theyconsist of four pairs. They are the disciples of theBuddha, worthy of offerings. Whatever is offeredto them yields abundant uit. This precious jewel is in the Sagha. By this uth may there be peace!


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The Discourse on Precious Jewels 5

7. Those who are eed om desires are wellestablished in the teaching of Gotama with stableminds. They have a ained to that which should

be a ained, having plunged into immortalnibbna. They enjoy the Peace obtained withoutprice. This precious jewel is in the Sagha. Bythis uth may there be peace!

8. Just as a ci gate-post xed in the earth is notshaken by the winds om the four directions,even so, do I declare to be a good man he who

thoroughly perceives the noble uths. Thisprecious jewel is in the Sagha. By this uth maythere be peace!

9. Those who clearly comprehend the noble uthswell taught by him who is endowed with pro-found wisdom, however exceedingly heedlessthey may be, do not take birth for the eighth time.

This precious jewel is in the Sagha. By this uthmay there be peace!10. Three conditions are forsaken on the acquisition

of insight, namely, (i) self-view, (ii) doubt, and(iii) a achment to rites and ceremonies. He iscompletely ee om the four lower realms andis incapable of commi ing the six heinous crimes.

This precious jewel is in the Sagha. By this uthmay there be peace!11. Whatever evil deed he or she commits, either by

body, speech, or mind, one who has seen the Pathis incapable of concealing it. This precious jewelis in the Sagha. By this uth may there be peace!


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12. As the tops of ees blossom during the rst heatof the summer, so the sublime doc ine leadingto nibbna was taught for the highest goal. This

precious jewel is in the Sagha. By this uth maythere be peace!13. The excellent one, the knower of the excellent,

the giver of the excellent and bringer of excel-lence has expounded the excellent doc ine. Thisprecious jewel is in the Buddha. By this uthmay there be peace!

14. With the old extinct, nothing new to be repro-duced, the mind detached om future birth they have des oyed the seeds of existence. Theirdesires do not spring up again and those wiseones go out even as this lamp. This precious jewel is in the Sagha. By this uth may there be peace!

15. Whatever beings are assembled here, whetherterres ial or celestial, let us salute the Buddha.The Tathgata is honoured by gods and men.May there be peace!

16. Whatever beings are assembled here, whetherterres ial or celestial, let us salute the Dhamma.The Tathgata is honoured by gods and men.May there be peace!

17. Whatever beings are assembled here, whetherterres ial or celestial, let us salute the Sagha.The Tathgata is honoured by gods and men.May there be peace!


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Verse 2: Request to Deities to be Heedful 7

Explanation of the DiscourseVerse 1: May All Deities Listen AttentivelyDeities are similar to wealthy people they are so busy

indulging in pleasures that most of them have li le time forthe ardent practice of the Dhamma. Venerable Moggallnasometimes visited the celestial realms, to stir up the deities whowere being heedless. The discourse therefore begins by request-ing the deities to pay a ention to the words of the Buddha.

Those deities who are good Buddhists will pay respectful

a ention when virtuous monks or lay Buddhists recite the holystanzas. If one begins by practising loving-kindness, beingswill be more inclined to pay a ention.

Verse 2: Request to Deities to be HeedfulThe second verse asks all the deities to radiate loving-

kindness towards mankind, and to protect them with earnest-

ness. If people are virtuous, practise loving-kindness, and arerespectful towards others, it is only natural that good peoplewill reciprocate in a similar fashion. This verse thereforerespectfully requests the deities to have love and compassionfor human beings who daily make offerings to them.

In Buddhist coun ies, people o en set up shrines to deities,and make offerings of food, owers, or incense morning andevening. Modern town-dwelling folk may not understand thevalue of this practice, but if they read the Buddhas discoursesthey will realise how o en the deities are mentioned. The deitiesused to visit the Buddha every night to discuss the Dhamma, butthey do not like to approach most human beings, because ordinaryhuman beings seem noisy, dir , and gross to them. A shrineshould be in a suitable place and kept clean. A er bathing, piousBuddhists make offerings to the Buddha, practise meditation,and recite some discourses and verses. The deities will alwaysprotect pious people who honour the Buddha in this way.


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Verse 3: The Buddha is IncomparableThe third verse states that there is no dei or human being

comparable to the Buddha. Whatever gives joy and delight isregarded as a precious easure. Whatever is exceedingly rare and beautiful is a jewel. In Burma, men refer to a good wife as Agenuine ruby. A genuine ruby is very hard to nd among somany other stones. It does not lose its lus e, even if dropped inthe dirt; it is hard-wearing and does not get scratched easily; it isnot easily des oyed even by re. A good wife who puts up withan ill-tempered husband is a genuine ruby, and equally precious.

No-one has as much patience as the Buddha, who showedunlimited compassion, even when abused and mis eated, byteaching the sublime Dhamma that could save wicked people

om hell. He tolerated evil-minded monks like Sunakkha aand Devada a, and did everything in his power to reform them.

Verse 4: Nibbna is the Supreme Bliss

This verse shows the special quali of nibbna. Because itis not born, nibbna is not subject to impermanence, decay, anddeath. Being unconditioned, it is far superior to any other kindof pleasure or bliss.

Everyone ies their best to nd happiness in all kinds of sensual pleasures. One might think that a millionaire wouldhave the greatest happiness possible, but if one were to wakeup a millionaire who was sleeping soundly, so that he couldenjoy pleasures again, he might be angry. For him at thatmoment, sleeping soundly is far superior to enjoying sensualpleasures. Sound sleep is the highest bliss that can be enjoyed by ordinary people. The Noble Ones can enjoy nibbna, whichis far superior. While enjoying nibbna, they are not asleep they are fully conscious, but the mind is perfectly at rest, likethe mind of the sleeping millionaire who is not even dreaming.

The Sage of the Sakyans means the Buddha Gotama.


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Verse 6: Noble Ones Are Worthy of Offerings 9

Verse 5: The Path Gives Instant BenefitsHere, the special qualities of the Noble Eightfold Path are

shown. One who s ives hard in insight meditation must sufferphysically and mentally to abandon the ve hindrances andgain deep concen ation. One may gain and lose concen ationmany times, and experience mental anguish due to thestubbornness of the un ained mind. However, on a ainingthe Path, all those s uggles are in the past, and the ardentmeditator immediately experiences the bliss of Fruition. Therst time a meditator a ains nibbna, the Path consciousnessis only momentary, and only two or three moments of Fruitionconsciousness arise, so the experience is very brief and subtle.Some may not know what the experience was. Many maymistake some other rened delight experienced in meditationfor the Path and its Fruition.

The point is that if one practises the Path, the benets followat once. Even before a aining nibbna, the ardent meditator

can enjoy many benets such as non-remorse, joy, condence,and contentment. One does not have to wait until a er deathfor the results they follow immediately in proportion to theeffort that one puts into the practice. It is like picking wild uits one can eat as much as one wishes, and carry some home toeat later. If one knows where to nd them, wild uits are verydelicious, and also completely ee!

Verse 6: Noble Ones Are Worthy of OfferingsThere are four stages of the Path S eam-winning, Once-

returning, Non-returning, and Arahantship. These four pathsalso have four uits. Thus there are four pairs of persons or eightindividuals. The benet of offerings made to individualsincreases according to their spiritual development. It is notewor-thy that the Discourse on the Analysis of Offerings makes nodistinction between monks and nuns, or between those goneforth and householders. The benet of gi s to individuals Dakkhivibhaga Su a, Su a 142, M.iii.253.


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depends solely on their moral puri and spiritual powers condence, effort, mindfulness, concen ation, and wisdom. If anyone is ying hard to meditate, which means they are s iving

to remove mental delements, then they are worthy of offerings,and gi s to them bear abundant uit. If they have a ained specialinsights, then the uits of offerings to them are special too.

To be worthy of offerings, a monk must be ee om craving.If he is avaricious, donors will not nd delight in giving to him.The aining rules prohibit a monk om asking for anything

om anyone unless invited to accept.

He is not called a bhikkhu because he begs omothers. By following the entire aining he becomesa bhikkhu, and not by such begging. (Dhp v 266)

Verse 7: Arahants Have No Mental SufferingThis verse emphasises the special qualities of the Arahant.

Being fully accomplished in morali , concen ation, and wisdom

the Arahant can enjoy the priceless bliss of nibbna. EvenS eam-winners and Once-returners have to suffer due to a ach-ment to sensual pleasures. Non-returners have no lust or anger, but they still experience mental suffering such as restlessness.The suffering of Arahants is limited to physical hardship only.They feel cold and heat, hunger and thirst, bodily discomfort andphysical pain, but they do not suffer mentally. In the Mahpari-nibbna Su a the Buddha said that his body is worn out and iskept going only with difficul , and the only time his body is atease is when he abides in the signless concen ation of mind.

To avoid physical discomfort and to dwell at ease, theArahants meditate whenever there is nothing else to be done,such as Sagha business, aining pupils, or teaching Dhamma.

If they have no desire, why do the Arahants bother to eat?Why dont they just fast to death and get ee om suffering assoon as possible? That would amount to aversion to the dailyhardships of life such as searching for food, clothing, and shelter.


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Verse 10: Free om Doubt 11

The Arahants are ee om aversion and laziness, so they do whatthey must to maintain life, but have no a achment to life at all.

Verse 8: Having Stable MoralityHere, the S eam-winner is compared to a ci gate-post. A

huge post of stone or hardwood sunk deeply into the groundwould not topple or break even if s uck by a heavily-laden bullock cart, so how could the wind move it? Though he or shestill has something to learn, a S eam-winner has rightlyunderstood the Four Noble Truths so has a ained stabili inthe Buddhas teaching. The condence of a S eam-winner inthe Triple Gem never wavers, so they never look for otherteachers. Their morali is stable too a S eam-winner willnever violate the precepts even on pain of death.

Because they still have some a achment to sensual pleas-ures, they may suffer sorrow and grief just like other people, but they will always be devout Buddhists.

Verse 9: Not Reborn an Eighth TimeThis is a special quali of S eam-winners. One who has

understood the uth taught by the one endowed with profoundwisdom (the Buddha) can never be totally heedless again. At most,they will take rebirth seven more times before a aining Arahant-ship. They are so well established in the practice of the Path thatthey inevitably progress om day to day, and om life to life.

Verse 10: Free from DoubtFurthermore, the S eam-winner has abandoned three

things: self-view, doubt, and a achment to rites and ceremonies.Due to stable morali , a S eam-winner cannot be reborn inthe four lower realms, and is incapable of commi ing any of the six heinous crimes.

Killing ones mother, killing ones father, killing an Arahant, drawing the blood of a Tathgata, causing a schism in the Sagha, or abandoning theBuddhas teaching for another religion.


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Self-view means egoism the belief in the existence of aso-called person or being, a self or a soul, me or you. The insightof the rst path totally eradicates this deluded way of perceiv-

ing the mental and physical processes, which are ever-changing,as a stable enti .Doubt means scepticism about the Dhamma taught by the

Buddha. Having realised nibbna, the S eam-winner is fullyconvinced of the Buddhas enlightenment, the uth of theDhamma, and the special virtues of the Noble Ones.

A achment to rites and ceremonies means taking refuge inrituals instead of practising morali , concen ation, andwisdom. Since a S eam-winner knows the right path of practiceto get ee om suffering, he or she will not look for any otherkind of refuge om suffering. They will not bathe in holyrivers or follow pseudo-religious practices that have nothingto do with puri ing the mind, but they will be keen meditators.

The four states of misery are: animal rebirth, hungry ghosts, jealous gods, and hell. A S eam-winner is only reborn as ahuman being, deva, or brahma in any future existences untilthe a ainment of parinibbna.

Verse 11: Scrupulous IntegrityAnother special quali of a S eam-winner is ansparent

hones and scrupulous integri . Although they are not yetee om greed, ha ed, and delusion, S eam-winners are

completely ee om immorali . A monk who is a S eam-winner may sometimes fall into offences due to heedlessness, but when reminded that such an action is an offence against a

aining rule laid down by the Buddha, or realising this byhimself on reection, he does not conceal it, but makes amendsin the prescribed way. One who wishes to a ain S eam-winning should be equally scrupulous, seeing fear in the

slightest fault.For example: to eat a er midday is an offence for a bhikkhu.Each mouthful taken is an offence to be confessed(pci iya).


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Verse 13: The Buddha is Excellent 13

If he thinks it is before midday when it is not, it is still an offence.If it is before midday, but he thinks it is a er midday, or he isdoubtful, it is an offence of wrong-doing(dukkaa). A S eam-

winner would not take a single morsel of food if he thought itwas a er midday, as to do so would be shameless. Due tounmindfulness he might do so, but a erwards he wouldconfess his offence. S eam-winners have a keen desire to followthe aining rules and readily confess their offences if they dofall into any they are not disobedient.

Verse 12: Dhamma Leads to ArahantshipAlthough a S eam-winner is ee om the lower realms, he

or she should not be complacent. Although the terrible sufferingof rebirth in the lower realms has been des oyed, any kind of life is inex icably bound up with suffering. Even deities suffer

om envy and unfullled desires. The Sakkapaha Su amentions a certain celestial mins el(gandhabba) who composedsongs in praise of the Buddha, Dhamma, and Sagha, and thusgained permission for Sakka to question the Buddha. As areward, Sakka allowed him to get the female dei he longedfor. His song tells of his unrequited love, so even celestial beingssuffer om much the same mental anguish as human beings do.

Verse 13: The Buddha is ExcellentThis verse praises the excellence of the Buddha who has

le us his excellent teaching out of compassion. Havings uggled for aeons to gain the perfection of wisdom, he enablesothers to gain the same liberation om suffering much moreeasily and quickly than he did.

As an explorer nds an oasis in the desert, and a erwardswith great compassion guides others along that hazardous pathdirectly to the oasis, so that they can enjoy the cool shade and

life-giving water it provides, not content with enjoying theoasis by himself, the Buddha laid down signposts and helpedanyone he met to nd the excellent path to nibbna.


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Verse 14: The Arahants Are Not RebornAll living beings are s ongly a ached to life, and take

delight in it as long as happiness lasts. Even when terriblesuffering comes, they think that existence is be er thannon-existence, and are very much a aid of death. They arealways doing kamma by body, speech, and mind mostlywith a view to enjoying pleasure and happiness. Due to thesevolitional actions, rebirth is inevitable for them. Their whole-some kamma will lead to happiness, but their unwholesomekamma will lead to suffering.

As for the the Arahants and the Buddhas, they have u erlyput an end to kamma that would lead to rebirth. Any kammathey did before gaining Arahantship will give its results in theirnal existence. They cling to nothing whatsoever, so they arenot born again. Since they are not born again, they never againhave to undergo the suffering of birth, aging, disease, and death.

When asked, Does the Tathgata exist a er death the

Buddha replied, The question does not apply. When asked,Does the Tathgata not exist a er death the Buddha replied,The question does not apply.

If a candle ame goes out and we ask, Where did it go did it go to the East, or to the West? Did it go up into the sky,or down into the earth. The answer is that the question doesnot apply. The ame did not go anywhere, it just went out.

Nibbna is not like heaven, nor is it the annihilation of a being. It is the annihilation of the suffering caused by cravingand ignorance. Belief in a continuous being or person, a self ora soul, is the reason why some people ask this question, whichhas no direct answer. If one rightly understands that the so-calledself is just an illusion, then one wont need to ask, What happensto the Buddha and the Arahants a er theirparinibbna?

Various erroneous doc ines have arisen since the Buddhastime. Some schools of Buddhism posit a special realm inhabited by Buddhas and Bodhisa as. Allegedly, they emanate physical


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The Unborn 15

forms into this world of form to teach the Dhamma out of compassion for humani . The Dalai Lama is said to be theemanation form of the Bodhisa va of Great Compassion

Chenrezi (Avalokatevara). Such teachings are incompatiblewith the Buddhas teaching on not-self and rebirth.These ideas are very similar to the ideas of God in other

religions. They only go to prove how s ong is the clinging of living beings to the idea of a self or a soul, a person or a being.However, this idea is just a delusion arising om misperceptionsof permanence in what is impermanent. Such ideas are readilyaccepted by the ignorant who have neither scriptural learningnor deep experiences in meditation. Ignorance is perpetuated

om one generation to the next. The cycle of ignorance andcraving leading to suffering is the wheel of Dependent Origination,or sasra, which, being circular, has no beginning and no end.

The cessation of suffering can be realised by eradicatingignorance and craving. The S eam-winners are sure to a ainthe end of suffering within a limited number of lives, becausethe root cause of self-view has been eradicated by them, and itis only a ma er of time before any remaining craving andignorance are rooted out.

The UnbornThus have I heard: At one time the Blessed One was dwelling

at Sva h in the Jeta Grove, Anthapiikas monastery. Then

on one occasion the Blessed One taught, ins ucted, roused, andgladdened the monks with talk on nibbna. Having made theminds of the monks pliable and ready to listen to the Dhamma,the Blessed One u ered the following solemn statement:

There is, monks, the unborn, unbecome, uncreated,and unconditioned. If there were not the unborn,unbecome, uncreated, and unconditioned, it wouldnot be possible to point out the born, become,created, and conditioned. Because, monks, there is


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the unborn, unbecome, unmade, and unconditioned,therefore the refuge om the born, become, created,and conditioned can be pointed out. (Udna)

Verses 1517: Salutation to the Triple Gem

The Ratana Su a concludes by inviting all beings present terres ial and celestial to pay homage to the Buddha,Dhamma, and Sagha. The Sagha means the Noble Ones(ariyasagha), whether monks, nuns, or lay disciples. TheCommentary, says that these last three verses were recited by

Sakka, the king of Tvatisa.When Buddhists pay homage to bhikkhus, novices, or nuns,

they always bow three times. When they do this, they shouldreect: I pay homage to the Omniscient Buddha, I pay homageto the excellent Dhamma, and I pay homage to the Noble Ones.The bhikkhus, novices, or nuns may or may not be Noble Ones.They are o en just ordinary monastics with no special a ainments.

However, because they are wearing the robes permi ed by theBuddha, and are ordained according to the Vinaya rules laiddown by the Buddha, they are representatives of the ue Buddha,the ue Dhamma, and the ue Sagha. A devotee can thereforeget great benet if his or her mind is focused on the Triple Gem.

Even an old or badly damaged stone statue of the Buddha,or a photograph of an image should be eated with respect because it serves as a reminder of the Triple Gem, which isdenitely worthy of homage. We pay homage to what itrepresents the Triple Gem not the image or statue, whichis only stone, wood, or paper.

If non-Buddhists fail to show respect to an image of theBuddha, or even if they show disrespect by des oying it,Buddhists should not get upset. Any unwholesome kammawas done only by the perpe ators, and only they will get theresults. The statue is just stone. What it represents to us is notdamaged in the least by the actions of others. If Buddhists do


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Verses 1517: Salutation to the Triple Gem 17

get upset and angry on seeing such disrespect shown to theTriple Gem, they will make unwholesome kamma. It is becausethey have not rightly understood about the ue Buddha, the

ue Dhamma, and the ue Sagha, but are a ached to a pieceof stone, or at least to a misconception that they hold regardingthe sacredness of that piece of stone.

Similarly, lay Buddhists should dismiss unwholesomefault-nding thoughts regarding the imperfect morali of monks, novices, or nuns. Such unskillful thoughts would greatlydiminish the effectiveness of paying homage. One should purithe mind while performing meritorious deeds. All beings arethe owners of their kamma and will inherit its results. If themind is deled and dis acted at the time of offering gi s orpaying homage, the kamma will be much less effective.

The recipients should also puri their minds at the time of accepting gi s or homage. The gi s and homage are offeredto the Noble Sagha, not to any individual. If a monastic failsto reect wisely, he or she is incurring a debt that will have to be paid off later. Having misused the offerings of the faithful,shameless monks will have to repay the debt for many lifetimes.When making use of the gi s offered by the faithful, monksand nuns should reect wisely, and work tirelessly for the benet of socie by studying, preserving, teaching, explaining,and practising the Buddhas teaching.

It is largely due to the efforts of the Sagha that the Buddhasteachings have lasted as long as they have. Each generation of monks and nuns has a du to revive, puri , and reinvigoratethese ancient teachings so that they will remain pure for the benet of future generations.

The Vinaya rules laid down by the Buddha have beenrightly described as the vitali of the Buddhas dispensation(Vinayo nma ssanassa yu). As long as the Vinaya rules are Said by Mahkassapa at the beginning of the First Buddhist Council, instating his reasons for asking Venerable Upli to recite the Vinaya rules rst, before going on to question Venerable nanda about the Dhamma.(Vinayapiaka Ahakath, Prjikakaa).


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respected by the Sagha, then the Buddhas teaching willremain pure. Without the monastic Sagha, there will be noVinaya discipline, and the Buddhas teachings will soon

disappear om the world.Nowadays, many Buddhist parents are reluctant to let theirsons join the Sagha. They want them to be doctors, but it isfar more important to heal the mind than the body.

Buddha ImagesImages and pictures of the Buddha are just imitations of

the physique of the Buddha.

Images, pictures, and pagodas conceal the real Buddha;sermons conceal the real Dhamma; shameless monks concealthe real Sagha.

Burmese sculptors make Buddhas images in Burmese s le;likewise Chinese and Indian sculptors carve in their own s les.The real intention is to make people think of the Buddha andadore him even more.

Mahgandhayon Saydaw, a famous teacher of the Dhamma omMandalay, Burma. Long a er his demise, his study monastery is still ahighly respected cen e of learning.


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The Value of the Triple Gem 19

The lai will respect the Buddhas dispensation only if themonks respect it, and if all Buddhists respect it, non-Buddhistswill respect it.

Foreigners and modern young intellectuals will hold incontempt Buddhist monks who do not behave properly andlive loosely. Devotees will also lose condence in them. Themonks will suffer om disgrace, and when they die they willgo to hell.

The female quail risks her life to guard her eggs. Themythical samari bird guards its feathers with its life. WeBuddhist monks should maintain our moral precepts at therisk of our lives.

You, monks! If you can teach, and if you are weak inmorali , you will be like a ee that does not bear sweet uit.If you are good at preaching but cannot properly keep theprecepts, you will be like the owers with no agrance.

Monks, if you receive alms om others and live the life of an average good person, you are not doing your du satisfac-torily.

The Saydaw was responsible for aining thousands of young monks in the Dhamma and Vinaya. He admonishedthem as above and maintained s ict discipline in his monastery.Any monks guil of wandering off into town without permis-sion were sent away om his monastery.

My own preceptor, the late Venerable Mahs Saydaw, was

also s ict, and regularly admonished his disciples to behavewell. During his life-time no bhikkhus were permi ed to acceptmoney in his meditation cen e. Any monks who were foundto be accepting money were sent away.

The Value of the Triple GemGems are very precious due to their great rari . In 2010, a

rare pink diamond was sold at Sothebys for 29 million.Anyone could live quite comfortably for the whole life withthat much wealth.


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If you understand about the value of the ue Buddha, theue Dhamma, and the ue Sagha, then you can live comfort-

ably for the whole life. Wholesome volition (kusala kamma),

arises in the mind, and no ma er where you are the mind goeswith you. Merely by thinking in a skilful way and reectingon the above-mentioned special qualities of the Triple Gem,one has a way of accumulating boundless wholesome kamma.

Therefore, memorize this Ratana Su a, and recite it regu-larly in Pi while reecting on the meaning as explained inthis short booklet. Even if you are living in a place where thereare no monks or nuns to invite for alms, you can keep thisprecious gem discourse in your heart to reect on at any time.

No external robbers can steal this gem om you, but wewary of the internal robbers the mental delements of greed,ha ed, and delusion. Only these internal robbers can steal yourmorali , sereni , and wisdom.

An Exposition of the Ratana Sutta

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Transcript of An Exposition of the Ratana Sutta