Praise of the Saṅgha
Morning chanting

Praise of the Saṅgha

Saṅghābhithuti

The morning chant in praise of the Saṅgha — the community of disciples who have practised well and seen the truth for themselves.

When it is chanted

Chanted after the praise of the Dhamma, closing the set of three praises in the morning service.

Many people find their teachers coming to mind while chanting it, which fits the meaning well: saṅgha here means the community of those whose practice has borne fruit, not an institution.

Background

The chant lists four marks of how the disciples practise: they practise well, straightforwardly, for the sake of true knowledge, and with integrity. It then identifies them as four pairs of persons, eight individuals — those entering each of the four stages and those who have reached their fruit.

The closing lines say they are worthy of offerings, of hospitality, of gifts and of respect: an unsurpassed field of merit for the world. "Field of merit" is an image — giving to people of integrity is like sowing seed in good ground.

All of this wording comes from the Dhajagga Sutta. The Thai liturgy arranges it and ends, as in the two previous chants, with an expression of homage.

Pali

  1. Yo so supaṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho That Saṅgha of the Blessed One's disciples practises well,
  2. Ujupaṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho practises straightforwardly,
  3. Ñāyapaṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho practises for the sake of true knowledge,
  4. Sāmīcipaṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho practises with integrity:
  5. Yadidaṃ cattāri purisayugāni aṭṭha purisapuggalā that is, the four pairs of persons, the eight individuals.
  6. Esa bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho This is the Saṅgha of the Blessed One's disciples,
  7. Āhuneyyo pāhuneyyo dakkhiṇeyyo añjalikaraṇīyo worthy of offerings, of hospitality, of gifts and of respect,
  8. Anuttaraṃ puññakkhettaṃ lokassa the unsurpassed field of merit for the world.
  9. Tamahaṃ saṅghaṃ abhipūjayāmi I worship that Saṅgha.
  10. Tamahaṃ saṅghaṃ sirasā namāmi I bow my head to that Saṅgha.

Where it comes from in the Tipiṭaka

Click to read the actual page it refers to

Other chants

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