The Khandha Paritta Verse (ai generated)

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(A chant of loving-kindness for all serpent clans)

 

Pāli

English Translation

Virūpakkhehi me mettaṁ

My loving-kindness be with the Virūpakkha clan of serpents,

mettaṁ erāpathehi me

my loving-kindness be with the Erapatha clan,

chabyāputtehi me mettaṁ

my loving-kindness be with the Chabyāputta clan,

mettaṁ kaṇhāgotamakehi ca

and my loving-kindness be with the Kanhagotama clan.

apādakehi me mettaṁ

My loving-kindness be with the footless creatures,

mettaṁ dvipādakehi me

my loving-kindness be with the two-footed creatures,

catuppadehi me mettaṁ

my loving-kindness be with the four-footed creatures,

mettaṁ bahuppadehi me

my loving-kindness be with the many-footed creatures.

mā maṁ apādako hiṁsi

May the footless creatures not harm me,

mā maṁ hiṁsi dvipādako

may the two-footed creatures not harm me,

mā maṁ catuppado hiṁsi

may the four-footed creatures not harm me,

mā maṁ hiṁsi bahuppado

may the many-footed creatures not harm me.

sabbe sattā sabbe pāṇā

May all beings, all breathing things,

sabbe bhūtā ca kevalā

all creatures without exception,

sabbe bhadrāni passantu

see only good fortune,

mā kiñci pāpamāgamā

and may no harm ever befall them.

appamāṇo buddho

The Buddha is immeasurable,

appamāṇo dhammo

the Dhamma is immeasurable,

appamāṇo saṅgho

the Sangha is immeasurable.

pamāṇavantāni siriṁsapāni

But these creeping things have their limits:

ahi-vicchikā satapadī

snakes, scorpions, centipedes,

uṇṇanābhī sarabhū mūsikā

spiders, lizards, and rats.

katā me rakkhā kataṁ me parittaṁ

I have created a protection for myself, I have performed a safeguard.

paṭikkamantu bhūtāni

May all living beings retreat.

sohaṁ namo bhagavato

I bow to the Blessed One,

namo sattannaṁ sammāsambuddhānaṁ

I bow to the seven Supreme Buddhas.

The Jataka Tale of the Khandha  Paritta

The story behind the Khandha  Paritta verse is from the Khandha  Paritta Jataka, found in the Pali Canon. The Buddha told this tale to teach monks to cultivate loving-kindness towards all living beings.

The Origin (The Present Story)

Once, while the Buddha was residing at Jetavana monastery in Savatthi, a monk was chopping firewood near the furnace hall. A snake slithered out of a rotting log and bit the monk's toe, causing him to die instantly.

News of the monk's death spread, and the other monks went to the Buddha to inform him. The Buddha said, "O monks, had that monk cultivated loving-kindness towards the four clans of Nāga serpents, the snake would not have bitten him." He then explained that even wise ascetics in the past, long before a Buddha appeared, used loving-kindness towards these serpent clans as a form of protection. The Buddha then proceeded to tell a story from the past.

The Story from the Past

In a time long ago, when King Brahmadatta reigned in Benares, the Bodhisatta (the future Buddha) was born into a Brahmin family. Upon reaching adulthood, he renounced the world to become a hermit. He meditated diligently, attaining higher knowledge and meditative states. He built a hermitage in the Himalayas, and many other hermits became his disciples.

However, the area was home to many venomous snakes, and they bit several of the Bodhisatta's disciples, who then died. The disciples went to their teacher, the Bodhisatta, to tell him of their predicament.

The Bodhisatta gathered all the ascetics and said, "If you cultivate loving-kindness towards the four clans of Nāga serpents, no snake will bite you." He then taught them the Khandha  Paritta verse, which is a loving-kindness chant directed at the four serpent clans: Virūpakkha, Erapatha, Chabyaputta, and Kanhagotama. The chant also extends loving-kindness to all creatures—those with no feet, two feet, four feet, and many feet—and asks that they cause no harm. Finally, it reminds one to contemplate the immeasurable virtues of the Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha.

By following the Bodhisatta’s instructions, the ascetics were freed from all danger from venomous snakes.

Conclusion of the Jataka

After telling the story, the Buddha concluded:

"The ascetics of that time are now my disciples today. The teacher (the Bodhisatta) was none other than myself."

Thus, the Khandha  Paritta is a sacred verse centered on cultivating loving-kindness and reflecting on the virtues of the Triple Gem to protect oneself from harm from venomous creatures, a practice that has been effective since ancient times.

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#Khandha ParittaJataka #Khandha Paritta #PaliCanon #JatakaTales #Buddhism #Buddha #LovingKindness #SnakeProtectionChant #Chanting #Pali 

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