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To: alt.pagan.magick
From: "Mayallbehappy" 
Subject: Book of spells
Date: Wed, 24 Sep 2003 08:20:38 +0200

Book of spells

Venerable Sir or Lady,

May we and all our relatives be safe and secure
May we and all our relatives be happy at heart
May we and all our relatives want to prevent and abandon doings that lead to
someones downfall.
May we and all our relatives want to do doings that lead to blessings.

Blessed Be everyone and merry meet.

Sutta Nipata II.1 - Ratana Sutta - The Jewel Discourse - Translated from the
Pali by Piyadassi Thera.
For free distribution only. Read an alternate translation by Thanissaro
Bhikkhu
Note: This sutta also appears at Khp 6.
From The Book of Protection, translated by Piyadassi Thera (Kandy: Buddhist
Publication Society, 1999). Copyright ©1999 Buddhist Publication Society.
Used with permission.
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The occasion for this discourse, in brief, according to the commentary, is
as follows: The city of Vesali was afflicted by a famine, causing death,
especially to the poor folk. Due to the presence of decaying corpses the
evil spirits began to haunt the city; this was followed by a pestilence.
Plagued by these three fears of famine, non-human beings and pestilence, the
citizens sought the help of the Buddha who was then living at Rajagaha.
Followed by a large number of monks including the Venerable Ananda, his
attendant disciple, the Buddha came to the city of Vesali. With the arrival
of the Master, there were torrential rains which swept away the putrefying
corpses. The atmosphere became purified, the city was clean.

Thereupon the Buddha delivered this Jewel Discourse (Ratana sutta[1]) to the
Venerable Ananda, and gave him instructions as to how he should tour the
city with the Licchavi citizens reciting the discourse as a mark of
protection to the people of Vesali. The Venerable Ananda followed the
instructions, and sprinkled the sanctified water from the Buddha's own alms
bowl. As a consequence the evil spirits were exorcised, the pestilence
subsided. Thereafter the Venerable Ananda returned with the citizens of
Vesali to the Public hall where the Buddha and his disciples had assembled
awaiting his arrival. There the Buddha recited the same Jewel Discourse to
the gathering:



1. "Whatever beings (non-humans) are assembled here, terrestrial or
celestial, may they all have peace of mind, and may they listen attentively
to these words:

2. "O beings, listen closely. May you all radiate loving-kindness to those
human beings who, by day and night, bring offerings to you (offer merit to
you). Wherefore, protect them with diligence.

3. "Whatever treasure there be either in the world beyond, whatever precious
jewel there be in the heavenly worlds, there is nought comparable to the
Tathagata (the perfect One). This precious jewel is the Buddha.[2] By this
(asseveration of the) truth may there be happiness.

4. "That Cessation, that Detachment, that Deathlessness (Nibbana) supreme,
the calm and collected Sakyan Sage (the Buddha) had realized. There is
nought comparable to this (Nibbana) Dhamma. This precious jewel is the
Dhamma.[3] By this (asseveration of the) truth may there be happiness.

5. "The Supreme Buddha extolled a path of purity (the Noble Eightfold Path)
calling it the path which unfailingly brings concentration. There is nought
comparable to this concentration. This precious jewel is the Dhamma. By this
(asseveration of the) truth may there be happiness.

6. "The eight persons extolled by virtuous men constitute four pairs. They
are the disciples of the Buddha and are worthy of offerings. Gifts given to
them yield rich results. This precious jewel is the Sangha.[4] By this
(asseveration of the) truth may there be happiness.

7. "With a steadfast mind, and applying themselves well in the dispensation
of the Buddha Gotama, free from (defilements), they have attained to that
which should be attained (arahantship) encountering the Deathless. They
enjoy the Peace of Nibbana freely obtained.[5] This precious jewel is the
Sangha. By this (asseveration of the) truth may there be happiness.

8. "As a post deep-planted in the earth stands unshaken by the winds from
the four quarters, so, too, I declare is the righteous man who comprehends
with wisdom the Noble Truths. This precious jewel is the Sangha. By this
(asseveration of the) truth may there be happiness.

9. "Those who realized the Noble Truths well taught by him who is profound
in wisdom (the Buddha), even though they may be exceedingly heedless, they
will not take an eighth existence (in the realm of sense spheres).[6] This
precious jewel is the Sangha. By this (asseveration of the) truth may there
be happiness.

10. "With his gaining of insight he abandons three states of mind, namely
self-illusion, doubt, and indulgence in meaningless rites and rituals,
should there be any. He is also fully freed from the four states of woe, and
therefore, incapable of committing the six major wrongdoings.[7] This
precious jewel is the Sangha. By this (asseveration of the) truth may there
be happiness.

11. "Any evil action he may still do by deed, word or thought, he is
incapable of concealing it; since it has been proclaimed that such
concealing is impossible for one who has seen the Path (of Nibbana).[8] This
precious jewel is the Sangha. By this (asseveration of the) truth may there
be happiness.

12. "As the woodland groves though in the early heat of the summer month are
crowned with blossoming flowers even so is the sublime Dhamma leading to the
(calm) of Nibbana which is taught (by the Buddha) for the highest good. This
precious jewel is the Buddha. By this (asseveration of the) truth may there
be happiness.

13. "The Peerless Excellent one (the Buddha) the Knower (of Nibbana), the
Giver (of Nibbana), the Bringer (of the Noble Path), taught the excellent
Dhamma. This precious jewel is the Buddha. By this (asseveration of the)
truth may there be happiness.

14. "Their past (kamma) is spent, their new (kamma) no more arises, their
mind to future becoming is unattached. Their germ (of rebirth-consciousness)
has died, they have no more desire for re-living. Those wise men fade out
(of existence) as the flame of this lamp (which has just faded away). This
precious jewel is the Sangha. By this (asseveration of the) truth may there
be happiness.

15. "Whatever beings (non-human) are assembled here, terrestrial or
celestial, come let us salute the Buddha, the Tathagata (the perfect One),
honored by gods and men. May there be happiness.[9]

16. "Whatever beings are assembled here terrestrial or celestial, come let
us salute the perfect Dhamma, honored by gods and men. May there be
happiness.

17. "Whatever beings are assembled here terrestrial or celestial, come let
us salute the perfect Sangha, honored by gods and men. May there be
happiness."


Notes
1. Ratana means precious jewel. Here the term is applied to the Buddha,
Dhamma, and Sangha. [Go back]
2. Literally, in the Buddha is this precious jewel. [Go back]
3. Literally, in the Dhamma is this precious jewel. [Go back]
4. Literally, in the Sangha is this precious jewel. [Go back]
5. Obtained without payment; 'avyayena' (KhpA). [Go back]
6. The reason why it is stated that there will be no eighth existence for a
person who has attained the stage of sotapatti or the first stage of
sanctity is that such a being can live at the most for only a period of
seven existences in the realm of sense spheres. [Go back]
7. Abhithanani; i. matricide, ii. patricide, iii. the murder of Arahants
(the Consummate Ones), iv. the shedding of the Buddha's blood, v. causing
schism in the Sangha, and vi. pernicious false beliefs (niyata micca
ditthi). [Go back]
8. He is a sotapanna, stream-enterer, one who has attained the first stage
of sanctity. [Go back]
9. The last three stanzas were recited by Sakka, the chief of Devas (gods)
(KhpA). [Go back]
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Revised: Wed 25 June 2003 ;
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/khuddaka/suttanipata/snp2-01a.html

Well as a psychiatic patient or as a person with a sick mind do I have a
weakness in all of this. I have not verified the Dhamma, nor do I see it. I
just know some texts and hope that they are true.
I try to raise the thought "I ll enjoy this after death" when offering water
to the Buddha for purification, but I am afraid that I sometimes forget to
ask it back. Then (I did this twice) I sprinke the water on the house and
recite the Sutta later because I havent memorized it. The rest do I for
example flush in the toilet to bless the beings in the sewer.

May all beings be safe and secure
May all beings be happy at heart
May all beings want to prevent and abandon doings that lead to someones
downfall.
May all beings want to do doings that lead to blessings

with mudita
Ratana Mata