Ratanasutta

Khuddakapāṭha 6

Basic Passages 6

Ratanasutta

Gems

Yānīdha bhūtāni samāgatāni,

Whatever beings have gathered here,

Bhummāni vā yāni va antalikkhe;

on the ground or in the sky;

Sabbeva bhūtā sumanā bhavantu,

may beings all be of happy heart,

Athopi sakkacca suṇantu bhāsitaṁ.

and listen carefully to what is said.

Tasmā hi bhūtā nisāmetha sabbe,

So pay heed, all you beings,

Mettaṁ karotha mānusiyā pajāya;

have love for humankind,

Divā ca ratto ca haranti ye baliṁ,

who day and night bring offerings;

Tasmā hi ne rakkhatha appamattā.

please protect them diligently.

Yaṁ kiñci vittaṁ idha vā huraṁ vā,

There’s no wealth this life or the next,

Saggesu vā yaṁ ratanaṁ paṇītaṁ;

no sublime gem in the heavens,

Na no samaṁ atthi tathāgatena,

that equals the Realized One.

Idampi buddhe ratanaṁ paṇītaṁ;

This sublime gem is in the Buddha:

Etena saccena suvatthi hotu.

by this truth, may you be well!

Khayaṁ virāgaṁ amataṁ paṇītaṁ,

Ending, dispassion, the undying, the sublime,

Yadajjhagā sakyamunī samāhito;

attained by the Sakyan Sage immersed in samādhi;

Na tena dhammena samatthi kiñci,

there is nothing equal to that Dhamma.

Idampi dhamme ratanaṁ paṇītaṁ;

This sublime gem is in the Dhamma:

Etena saccena suvatthi hotu.

by this truth, may you be well!

Yaṁ buddhaseṭṭho parivaṇṇayī suciṁ,

The purity praised by the highest Buddha,

Samādhimānantarikaññamāhu;

is said to be the “immersion with immediate fruit”;

Samādhinā tena samo na vijjati,

no equal to that immersion is found.

Idampi dhamme ratanaṁ paṇītaṁ;

This sublime gem is in the Dhamma:

Etena saccena suvatthi hotu.

by this truth, may you be well!

Ye puggalā aṭṭha sataṁ pasatthā,

The eight individual persons praised by the good

Cattāri etāni yugāni honti;

are the four pairs of the Holy One’s disciples;

Te dakkhiṇeyyā sugatassa sāvakā,

they are worthy of religious donations,

Etesu dinnāni mahapphalāni;

what’s given to them is very fruitful.

Idampi saṅghe ratanaṁ paṇītaṁ,

This sublime gem is in the Saṅgha:

Etena saccena suvatthi hotu.

by this truth, may you be well!

Ye suppayuttā manasā daḷhena,

Dedicated to Gotama’s dispensation,

Nikkāmino gotamasāsanamhi;

strong-minded, free of sense desire,

Te pattipattā amataṁ vigayha,

they’ve attained the goal, plunged into freedom from death,

Laddhā mudhā nibbutiṁ bhuñjamānā;

and enjoy the quenching they’ve freely gained.

Idampi saṅghe ratanaṁ paṇītaṁ,

This sublime gem is in the Saṅgha:

Etena saccena suvatthi hotu.

by this truth, may you be well!

Yathindakhīlo pathavissito siyā,

As Indra’s pillar rooted in earth

Catubbhi vātehi asampakampiyo;

is not shaken by the four winds,

Tathūpamaṁ sappurisaṁ vadāmi,

I say a true person is like this,

Yo ariyasaccāni avecca passati;

who sees the noble truths in experience.

Idampi saṅghe ratanaṁ paṇītaṁ,

This sublime gem is in the Saṅgha:

Etena saccena suvatthi hotu.

by this truth, may you be well!

Ye ariyasaccāni vibhāvayanti,

Those who fathom the noble truths

Gambhīrapaññena sudesitāni;

taught by the one of deep wisdom,

Kiñcāpi te honti bhusaṁ pamattā,

do not take an eighth life,

Na te bhavaṁ aṭṭhamamādiyanti;

even if they are hugely negligent.

Idampi saṅghe ratanaṁ paṇītaṁ,

This sublime gem is in the Saṅgha:

Etena saccena suvatthi hotu.

by this truth, may you be well!

Sahāvassa dassanasampadāya,

When they attain to vision

Tayassu dhammā jahitā bhavanti;

they give up three things:

Sakkāyadiṭṭhī vicikicchitañca,

substantialist view, doubt, and any

Sīlabbataṁ vāpi yadatthi kiñci.

attachment to precepts and observances.

Catūhapāyehi ca vippamutto,

They’re freed from the four places of loss,

Chaccābhiṭhānāni abhabba kātuṁ;

and cannot do six things.

Idampi saṅghe ratanaṁ paṇītaṁ,

This sublime gem is in the Saṅgha:

Etena saccena suvatthi hotu.

by this truth, may you be well!

Kiñcāpi so kamma karoti pāpakaṁ,

Even if they do a bad deed

Kāyena vācā uda cetasā vā;

by body, speech, or mind,

Abhabba so tassa paṭicchadāya,

they are unable to conceal it;

Abhabbatā diṭṭhapadassa vuttā;

this, it’s said, is the inability
of one who has seen the truth.

Idampi saṅghe ratanaṁ paṇītaṁ,

This sublime gem is in the Saṅgha:

Etena saccena suvatthi hotu.

by this truth, may you be well!

Vanappagumbe yatha phussitagge,

Like a tall forest tree crowned with flowers

Gimhānamāse paṭhamasmiṁ gimhe;

in the first month of summer;

Tathūpamaṁ dhammavaraṁ adesayi,

that’s how he taught the superb Dhamma,

Nibbānagāmiṁ paramaṁ hitāya;

leading to extinguishment, the ultimate benefit.

Idampi buddhe ratanaṁ paṇītaṁ,

This sublime gem is in the Buddha:

Etena saccena suvatthi hotu.

by this truth, may you be well!

Varo varaññū varado varāharo,

The superb, knower of the superb, giver of the superb, bringer of the superb;

Anuttaro dhammavaraṁ adesayi;

taught the superb Dhamma supreme.

Idampi buddhe ratanaṁ paṇītaṁ,

This sublime gem is in the Buddha:

Etena saccena suvatthi hotu.

by this truth, may you be well!

Khīṇaṁ purāṇaṁ nava natthi sambhavaṁ,

The old is ended, nothing new is produced;

Virattacittāyatike bhavasmiṁ;

their minds have no desire for future rebirth.

Te khīṇabījā avirūḷhichandā,

Withered are the seeds, there’s no desire for growth,

Nibbanti dhīrā yathāyaṁ padīpo;

those attentive ones are extinguished like this lamp.

Idampi saṅghe ratanaṁ paṇītaṁ,

This sublime gem is in the Saṅgha:

Etena saccena suvatthi hotu.

by this truth, may you be well!

Yānīdha bhūtāni samāgatāni,

Whatever beings have gathered here,

Bhummāni vā yāni va antalikkhe;

on the ground or in the sky:

Tathāgataṁ devamanussapūjitaṁ,

the Realized One is honored by gods and humans!

Buddhaṁ namassāma suvatthi hotu.

We bow to the Buddha! May you be safe!

Yānīdha bhūtāni samāgatāni,

Whatever beings have gathered here,

Bhummāni vā yāni va antalikkhe;

on the ground or in the sky:

Tathāgataṁ devamanussapūjitaṁ,

the Realized One is honored by gods and humans!

Dhammaṁ namassāma suvatthi hotu.

We bow to the Dhamma! May you be safe!

Yānīdha bhūtāni samāgatāni,

Whatever beings have gathered here,

Bhummāni vā yāni va antalikkhe;

on the ground or in the sky:

Tathāgataṁ devamanussapūjitaṁ,

the Realized One is honored by gods and humans!

Saṅghaṁ namassāma suvatthi hotūti.

We bow to the Saṅgha! May you be safe!

Ratanasuttaṁ.