VEN. E. DHAMMAPALA
How Should We Chant Suttras?
By Ven Dr K Sri Dhammananda Nayaka Maha Thera
Paritta Chanting is the recital of some of the Suttras uttered by the Buddha in the Pali Language for the blessings and protection of the devotees. It is a well known Buddhist practice conducted all over the world, especially in
Theravada Buddhist countries where the Pali Language is used for recitals. You recite these particular discourses of the Buddha with faith and confidence. Simply by reciting, you will get some sort of blessings. We recite these Suttras to bless you. You get the blessing if you develop devotion and confidence in your mind. But that blessing is just like taking two Panadols when you have a headache. After a few hours, you get back the headache. That’s the nature of this kind of blessing. Just to calm your mind, to reduce fear from your mind and develop some sort of confidence in your mind. At the primary and initial stage this blessing is very important. However, you must evolve to the next level. You must understand the main purpose of all these discourses or Suttras. The Buddha did not introduce them just for recital. Just to recite without doing anything, certainly not. It is like this. When you are sick, you go to a Doctor or a Sinseh (Chinese doctor). He gives you a prescription, the names of so many medicines. You return home and go on reciting the names of all these medicines, thinking you can cure your sicknesses without buying the medicine, without consuming the medicine. You just recite every day the names of the medicine.
