TheDivineMantraby

AjaanLeeDhammadharo

Translated by

ṬhānissaroBhikkhu(GeoffreyDeGraff)

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Copyright 2018 Ṭhānissaro BhikkhuThis work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 Unported. To see a copy of this license visithttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/. “Commercial” shall meananysale,whetherforcommercialornon-profitpurposesorentities.

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I havewritten this book,TheDivineMantra, as a means of drawing to puritythosewhopracticetheDhamma,becausethechantgivenherebringsbenefitstothosewhomemorizeandreciteit,inasmuchasitdealsdirectlywithmattersthatexistineachofus.Normally,onceweareborn,wealldwellinthesixproperties.These properties are brought together by our own actions, both good and evil.Thisbeingthecase,thesepropertiescangiveagreatdealoftroubletothosewhodwell in them, like a child who can be a constant nuisance to its parents.Repeating this chant, then, is likenourishingand trainingachild tobehealthyandmature;whenthechildishealthyandmature,itsparentscanrestandrelax.Repeatingthischantislikefeedingachildandlullingittosleepwithabeautifulsong:theBuddhaguṇa,therecitationoftheBuddha’svirtues.

Thepower of theBuddhaguṇa can exert influence on the properties in eachindividual,purifyingthemandinvestingthemwithpower(kāya-siddhi),justasallmaterialpropertiesexertgravitationalpullononeanothereverysecond.Oryoumightmakeacomparisonwithanelectricwire:Thischantislikeanelectriccurrent, extending to wherever you direct it. It can even improve theenvironment,becauseitalsoincludesthechantoftheKapilahermit,whosestoryrunsasfollows:

TherewasonceahermitwhorepeatedthischantinateakforestinIndia.Asaresult,theforestbecameaparadise.Thetreestookturnsproducingflowersandfruit throughout the year. Thewaterswere crystal clean. Any diseased animalthathappened topass into the forest anddrink thewaterwouldbe completelycured of its illness. The grasses and vineswere always fresh and green. Fierceanimals that normally attacked and ate one anotherwould,when entering theforest,livetogetherinpeaceasfriends.Lifewasjoyousforanimalsinthisforest.Thesmellofdeadanimalsneverappearedbecausewheneverananimalwasabouttodie, itwouldhavetogoanddieelsewhere.ThisforestiswheretheBuddha’sancestors, the Sakyan clan, later established their capital, Kapilavatthu, whichstillstandstodaywithinthebordersofNepal.

All of thiswasdue to the sacredpowerof the chant repeatedby theKapilahermit.Andthisishowhedidit:First,hefacedtheeastandrepeatedthechantdayandnight for sevendays; the secondweek,he facednorth; the thirdweek,south; and the fourth week, west. The fifth week, he looked down toward theearth;thesixthweek,heraisedhishandsandliftedhisfacetothesky,madehisheartclear,andfocusedonthestarsastheobjectofhismeditation.Theseventhweek,hepracticedbreathmeditation, keepinghisbreath inmindand letting itspreadoutineverydirectionthroughthepowerofamindinfusedwiththefourSublimeAttitudes:goodwill,compassion,empatheticjoy,andequanimity.ThusthechantwasnamedTheDivineMantra.

When all of this was related to me while I was in India, I couldn’t helpthinking of the Buddha, whowas pure by virtue of the peerless quality of hisheart to the pointwhere hewas able to invest the properties in his bodywithpower,makingthemmorepurethananyotherpropertiesintheworld.Hisrelics,

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forexample,haveappearedtothosedevotedtohimand,Ihaveheard,comeandgoontheirown,whichisverystrangeindeed.

Allofthesethingsareaccomplishedthroughthepowerofapureheart.Whenthe heart is pure, the properties also become pure as a result. When theseproperties exist in the world, they can have a refreshing influence on theenvironment—because all properties are interrelated. If we Buddhists set ourmindsontrainingourselves inthisdirection,wecanbeapowerful influencetothegoodinproportiontoournumbers.Butifwedon’ttrainourselvesandinsteadrun about filling ourselves with evil, our hearts are bound to become hot anddisturbed.Theflamesinourheartsareboundtosetthepropertiesinourbodieson fire, and theheat fromthese inner fires is certain to spread inalldirectionsthroughouttheworld.

As this heat gathers and becomes greater, it will raise temperatures in theatmosphere around the world. The heat from the sun will become fiercer.Weatherwillbecomeabnormal.Theseasons,forexample,willdeviatefromtheirnormalcourse.Andwhenthishappens,humanlifewillbecomemoreandmoreofahardship.Theultimatestageofthisevilwillbethedestructionoftheworldbythefiresattheendoftheeon,whichwillconsumetheearth.

All this fromourownthoughtlessness, lettingnaturebyand largegoaheadand follow this course—which shows that we’re not very rational, becauseeverythinghasareason,everythingcomesfromacause.Theworldweliveinhastheheart as its cause. If theheart is good, theworld is sure to be good. If theheartiscorrupt,theworldissuretobecorrupt.

Thus,inthisbookIhavewrittendownthewaytotraintheheartsoastoleadtoourhappinessandwellbeinginthecomingfuture.

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PartI:Homage

Topayrespectto,andaskforgivenessof,theBuddha’srelics,relicsoftheNobleDisciples,Buddhaimages,stupas,theBodhitree—allofwhichareobjectsthatall

Buddhistsshouldrespect,bothinwardlyandoutwardly:

Arahaṁsammā-sambuddhobhagavā.TheBlessedOneisWorthy&RightlySelf-awakened.

Buddhaṁbhagavantaṁabhivādemi.IbowdownbeforetheAwakened,BlessedOne.

( B O W D O W N )

Svākkhātobhagavatādhammo.TheDhammaiswell-expoundedbytheBlessedOne.

Dhammaṁnamassāmi.IpayhomagetotheDhamma.

( B O W D O W N )

Supaṭipannobhagavatosāvaka-saṅgho.TheSaṅghaoftheBlessedOne’sdiscipleshaspracticedwell.

Saṅghaṁnamāmi.IpayrespecttotheSaṅgha.

( B O W D O W N )

[Namotassa]bhagavatoarahatosammā-sambuddhassa.( t h r e e t i m e s )

HomagetotheBlessedOne,theWorthyOne,theRightlySelf-awakenedOne.

Ukāsa.Dvārattayenakataṁ,sabbaṁapāradhaṁkhamatuno(me)bhante.

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We(I)askyourleave.We(I)askyoutoforgiveus(me)forwhateverwrongwe(I)havedonewiththethreedoors(ofbody,speech,&mind).

Vandāmibhantecetiyaṁ,sabbaṁsabbatthaṭhāne,supatiṭṭhitaṁsārīraṅka-dhātuṁ,mahā-bodhiṁbuddha-rūpaṁ,sakkāratthaṁ.

Irevereeverystupaestablishedineveryplace,everyrelicoftheBuddha’sbody,everyGreatBodhitree,everyBuddhaimagethatisanobjectof

venerationAhaṁvandāmidhātuyo.Ahaṁvandāmisabbaso,Iccetaṁratanattayaṁ,ahaṁvandāmisabbadā.

Ireveretherelics.Ireverethemeverywhere.IalwaysreveretheTripleGem.

Buddha-pūjāmahā-tejavanto,Dhamma-pūjāmahappañño,Saṅgha-pūjāmahā-bhogāvaho.

HomagetotheBuddhabringsgreatmajesty;homagetotheDhamma,greatdiscernment;homagetotheSaṅgha,greatwealth.

BuddhaṁDhammaṁSaṅghaṁ,jīvitaṁyāva-nibbānaṁsaraṇaṁgacchāmi.

IgototheBuddha,Dhamma,&Saṅghaasmylife&refugeuntilreachingunbinding.

Parisuddhoahaṁbhante,parisuddhotimaṁ,BuddhoDhammoSaṅghodhāretu.

Iammorallypure.MaytheBuddha,Dhamma,&Saṅgharecognizemeasmorallypure.

SabbesattāsadāhontuAverāsukha-jīvino.Mayalllivingbeingsalwayslivehappily,freefromanimosity.

Kataṁpuñña-phalaṁmayhaṁ,Sabbebhāgībhavantute.MayallshareintheblessingsspringingfromthegoodIhavedone.

( B O W D O W N T H R E E T I M E S )

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PartII:Chanting

(InvestingthesixpropertieswiththeBuddhaguṇa)

[Namotassa]bhagavatoarahatosammā-sambuddhassa.( t h r e e t i m e s )

HomagetotheBlessedOne,theWorthyOne,theRightlySelf-awakenedOne.

Buddhaṁāyu-vaḍḍhanaṁjīvitaṁyāva-nibbānaṁsaraṇaṁgacchāmi.

IgototheBuddhaasmylife,vitality,&refugeuntilreachingLiberation.

Dhammaṁāyu-vaḍḍhanaṁjīvitaṁyāva-nibbānaṁsaraṇaṁgacchāmi.

IgototheDhammaasmylife,vitality,&refugeuntilreachingLiberation.

Saṅghaṁāyu-vaḍḍhanaṁjīvitaṁyāva-nibbānaṁsaraṇaṁgacchāmi.

IgototheSaṅghaasmylife,vitality,&refugeuntilreachingLiberation.

Dutiyampibuddhaṁāyu-vaḍḍhanaṁjīvitaṁyāva-nibbānaṁsaraṇaṁgacchāmi.

Asecondtime,IgototheBuddhaasmylife,vitality,&refugeuntilreachingLiberation.

Dutiyampidhammaṁāyu-vaḍḍhanaṁjīvitaṁyāva-nibbānaṁsaraṇaṁgacchāmi.

Asecondtime,IgototheDhammaasmylife,vitality,&refugeuntilreachingLiberation.

Dutiyampisaṅghaṁāyu-vaḍḍhanaṁjīvitaṁyāva-nibbānaṁsaraṇaṁgacchāmi.

Asecondtime,IgototheSaṅghaasmylife,vitality,&refugeuntilreachingLiberation.

Tatiyampibuddhaṁāyu-vaḍḍhanaṁjīvitaṁyāva-nibbānaṁsaraṇaṁgacchāmi.

Athirdtime,IgototheBuddhaasmylife,vitality,&refugeuntilreachingLiberation.

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Tatiyampidhammaṁāyu-vaḍḍhanaṁjīvitaṁyāva-nibbānaṁsaraṇaṁgacchāmi.

Athirdtime,IgototheDhammaasmylife,vitality,&refugeuntilreachingLiberation.

Tatiyampisaṅghaṁāyu-vaḍḍhanaṁjīvitaṁyāva-nibbānaṁsaraṇaṁgacchāmi.

Athirdtime,IgototheSaṅghaasmylife,vitality,&refugeuntilreachingLiberation.

1.Windproperty:

Vāyocabuddha-guṇaṁarahaṁbuddhoitipisobhagavānamāmi’haṁ.

Wind has the virtue of the Buddha. The AwakenedOne is worthy& so he is Blessed: I pay himhomage.

Arahaṁsammā-sambuddho,WorthyistheRightlySelf-awakenedOne,

Vijjā-caraṇa-sampannosugatolokavidū,consummateinknowledge&conduct,onewhohasgonethegoodway,knowerofthecosmos,

Anuttaropurisa-damma-sārathisatthādeva-manussānaṁbuddhobhagavāti.

unexcelledtrainerofthosewhocanbetaught,teacherofhuman&divinebeings;awakened;blessed.

(Think of the Buddha & his purity.)

Vāyocadhammetaṁarahaṁbuddhoitipisobhagavānamāmi’haṁ.

Windisthatquality.TheAwakenedOneisworthy&soheisBlessed:Ipayhimhomage.

Svākkhātobhagavatādhammo,TheDhammaiswell-expoundedbytheBlessedOne,

Sandiṭṭhikoakālikoehipassiko,tobeseenhere&now,timeless,invitingalltocome&see,

Opanayikopaccattaṁveditabboviññūhīti.pertinent,tobeseenbytheobservantforthemselves.

(Think of Ven. Sāriputta & his wisdom.)

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Vāyocasaṅghānaṁarahaṁbuddhoitipisobhagavānamāmi’haṁ.Wind is given over to the Saṅghas. The Awakened One is worthy & so he is Blessed: I pay himhomage.

Supaṭipannobhagavatosāvaka-saṅgho,TheSaṅghaoftheBlessedOne’sdiscipleswhohavepracticedwell,

Uju-paṭipannobhagavatosāvaka-saṅgho,theSaṅghaoftheBlessedOne’sdiscipleswhohavepracticedstraightforwardly,

Ñāya-paṭipannobhagavatosāvaka-saṅgho,theSaṅghaoftheBlessedOne’sdiscipleswhohavepracticedmethodically,

Sāmīci-paṭipannobhagavatosāvaka-saṅgho,theSaṅghaoftheBlessedOne’sdiscipleswhohavepracticedmasterfully,

Yadidaṁcattāripurisa-yugāniaṭṭhapurisa-puggalā:i.e.,thefourpairs—theeighttypes—ofNobleOnes:

Esabhagavatosāvaka-saṅgho—ThatistheSaṅghaoftheBlessedOne’sdisciples—

Āhuneyyopāhuneyyodakkhiṇeyyoañjali-karaṇīyo,worthyofgifts,worthyofhospitality,worthyofofferings,worthyofrespect,

Anuttaraṁpuññakkhettaṁlokassāti.theincomparablefieldofmeritfortheworld.

(Think of Ven. Mogallāna, his supernormal powers & his compassion.)

Dhātu-parisuddhānubhāvena,sabba-dukkhāsabba-bhayāsabba-rogāvimuccanti.

Throughthepowerofthepurityoftheproperty,theyarereleasedfromallpain,alldanger,alldisease.

Itiuddham-adhotiriyaṁsabbadhisabbattatāyasabbāvantaṁlokaṁ,mettā-karuṇā-muditā-upekkhā-sahagatenacetasā,catuddisaṁpharitvāviharati,

When one dwells spreading an awareness imbued with good will, compassion, empathetic joy, &equanimityinthiswaytothefourdirections,above,below,around,ineverywaythroughouttheentirecosmos,

Sukhaṁsupati,Sukhaṁpaṭibujjhati,Napāpakaṁsupinaṁpassati,onesleepswithease,wakeswithease,dreamsnoevildreams.

Manussānaṁpiyohoti,amanussānaṁpiyohoti,Devatārakkhanti,

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Nāssaaggivāvisaṁvāsatthaṁvākamati,Oneisdeartohumanbeings,deartonon-humanbeings,guardedbydivinebeings,anduntouchedbyfire,poison,orweapons.

Tuvaṭaṁcittaṁsamādhiyati,Mukha-vaṇṇovippasīdati,One’smindisquicklyconcentrated&one’scomplexionbright.

Asammuḷhokālaṁkaroti,Uttariṁappaṭivijjhantobrahma-lokūpagohoti.

Onediesunconfusedand—ifpenetratingnohigher—isrebornintheBrahmāworlds.

Itiuddham-adhotiriyaṁaveraṁaverāsukha-jīvino.Thusfeelingnoanimosityabove,below,&allaround,freefromanimosity,oneliveshappily.

Kataṁpuñña-phalaṁmayhaṁsabbebhāgībhavantute.MayallshareintheblessingsspringingfromthegoodIhavedone.

Bhavantusabba-maṅgalaṁrakkhantusabba-devatā.Maytherebeeveryblessing;mayalldivinebeingsprotect.

Sabba-buddhānubhāvenasabba-dhammānubhāvenasabba-saṅghānubhāvenasotthīhontunirantaraṁ.

ThroughthepowerofalltheBuddhas,Dhammas,&Sanghasmaytherebewell-beingwithoutend.

Arahaṁbuddhoitipisobhagavānamāmi’haṁ.TheAwakenedOneisworthy&soheisBlessed:Ipayhimhomage.

Thechantforeachoftheremainingpropertiesisidenticalwiththechantforthewindproperty, i.e., (1)thepassageontheBuddha’svirtues,(2)thepassageon theDhamma’s virtues, (3) thepassageon theSaṅgha’s virtues, followedbythe passage beginning, ‘Dhātu-parisuddhānubhāvena….’ Only the name of thepropertyischanged:

2.Fireproperty:

Tejocabuddha-guṇaṁ…Tejocadhammetaṁ…Tejocasaṅghānaṁ…

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3.Waterproperty:

Āpocabuddha-guṇaṁ…Āpocadhammetaṁ…Āpocasaṅghānaṁ…

4.Earthproperty:

Paṭhavīcabuddha-guṇaṁ…Paṭhavīcadhammetaṁ…Paṭhavīcasaṅghānaṁ…

5.Spaceproperty:

Ākāsācabuddha-guṇaṁ…Ākāsācadhammetaṁ…Ākāsācasaṅghānaṁ…

6.Consciousnessproperty:

Viññāṇañcabuddha-guṇaṁ…Viññāṇañcadhammetaṁ…Viññāṇañcasaṅghānaṁ…

Once you have memorized section 1, the remaining sections will be noproblem,because theyarevirtually thesame,differingonly in thenameof theproperty.

Thesesixpropertiesexistwithineachofus,sowhenyourepeatthechantyoushouldalsothinkaboutthepropertyyouarechantingabout:Wind—feelingsofmovement, such as the in-and-out breath; Fire—feelings of warmth; Water—liquidorcoolfeelings;Earth—feelingsofheavinessorsolidity;Space—feelingsofemptiness; Consciousness—awareness of objects. If you think about thesepropertieswhileyouchant,thechantwillbeverybeneficial.

Thesamechantcanbeusedforthefiveaggregates, thetwelvesensemedia,

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andthe32partsofthebody.Themethodofchantingisthesameaswiththesixproperties,simplysubstitutingthenamesofthevariousaggregates,sensemedia,andpartsofthebody,asfollows:

TheFiveAggregates1.Rūpañca Form2.Vedanāca Feeling3.Saññāca Perception4.Saṅkhārāca Fabrications5.Viññāṇañca Consciousnessofthesixsenses

TheTwelveSenseMedia1.Cakkhuca Eyes2.Sotañca Ears3.Ghānañca Nose4.Jivhāca Tongue5.Kāyoca Body6.Manoca Mind7.Rūpañca Forms8.Saddoca Sounds9.Gandhoca Aromas10.Rasoca Flavors11.Poṭṭhabbāca Tactilesensations12.Dhammārammaṇañca Ideas

The32PartsoftheBody1.Kesāca Hairofthehead2.Lomāca Hairofthebody3.Nakhāca Nails4.Dantāca Teeth5.Tacoca Skin6.Maṁsañca Flesh

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7.Nhārūca Tendons8.Aṭṭhīca Bones9.Aṭṭhimiñjañca Bonemarrow10.Vakkañca Spleen11.Hadayañca Heart12.Yakanañca Liver13.Kilomakañca Membranes14.Pihakañca Kidneys15.Papphāsañca Lungs16.Antañca Largeintestines17.Antaguṇañca Smallintestines18.Udariyañca Gorge19.Karīsañca Feces20.Matthaluṅgañca Brain21.Pittañca Gall22.Semhañca Phlegm23.Pubboca Lymph24.Lohitañca Blood25.Sedoca Sweat26.Medoca Fat27.Assuca Tears28.Vasāca Oil29.Kheḷoca Saliva30.Siṅghāṇikāca Mucus31.Lasikāca Oilinthejoints32.Muttañca Urine

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PartIII:Meditation

Therearesevenbasicsteps:

1.Startoutwiththreeorsevenlongin-&-outbreaths,thinkingbud-withthein-breath, and dho with the out. Keep the meditation syllable as long as thebreath.

2.Beclearlyawareofeachin-&-outbreath.

3.Observethebreathasitgoesin&out,noticingwhetherit’scomfortableoruncomfortable,broadornarrow,obstructedorfree-flowing,fastorslow,shortorlong,warmorcool.Ifthebreathdoesn’tfeelcomfortable,changeituntilitdoes.For instance, ifbreathing in long&out long isuncomfortable, trybreathing inshort&outshort.Assoonasyoufindthatyourbreathingfeelscomfortable,letthiscomfortablebreathsensationspreadtothedifferentpartsofthebody.

Tobeginwith, inhale thebreathsensationat thebaseof theskulland let itflowallthewaydownthespine.Then,ifyouaremale, let itspreaddownyourright legtothesoleofyour foot, totheendsofyourtoes,andout intotheair.Inhalethebreathsensationatthebaseoftheskullagainandletitspreaddownyourspine,downyourleft legtotheendsofyourtoes,andoutintotheair.(Ifyouarefemale,beginwiththeleftsidefirst,becausethemale&femalenervoussystemsaredifferent.)

Then let the breath from the base of the skull spread down over bothshoulders,pastyourelbows&wrists,tothetipsofyourfingers,andoutintotheair.

Letthebreathatthebaseofthethroatspreaddownthecentralnerveatthefrontofthebody,pastthelungs&liver,allthewaydowntothebladder&colon.

Inhalethebreathrightatthemiddleofthechestandletitgoallthewaydowntoyourintestines.

Letall thesebreathsensationsspreadso that theyconnect&flowtogether,andyou’llfeelagreatlyimprovedsenseofwell-being.

4.Learnfourwaysofadjustingthebreath:a.inlong&outlong,b.inlong&outshort,c.inshort&outlong,d.inshort&outshort.

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Breathewhicheverway ismost comfortable foryou.Or,betteryet, learn tobreathecomfortablyallfourways,becauseyourphysicalcondition&yourbreatharealwayschanging.

5.Becomeacquaintedwiththebasesorfocalpointsforthemind—therestingspots of the breath—and center your awareness onwhichever one seemsmostcomfortable.Afewofthesebasesare:

a.thetipofthenose,b.themiddleofthehead,c.thepalate,d.thebaseofthethroat,e.thebreastbone(thetipofthesternum),f.thenavel(orapointjustaboveit).

Ifyousufferfromfrequentheadachesornervousproblems,don’tfocusonanyspotabovethebaseofthethroat.Anddon’ttrytoforcethebreathorputyourselfintoatrance.Breathefreely&naturally.Letthemindbeateasewiththebreath—butnottothepointwhereitslipsaway.

6. Spread your awareness—your sense of conscious feeling—throughout theentirebody.

7. Unite the breath sensations throughout the body, letting them flowtogethercomfortably,keepingyourawarenessasbroadaspossible.Onceyouarefully aware of the aspects of the breath you already know in your body, you’llcome to know all sorts of other aspects aswell. The breath, by its nature, hasmany facets: breath sensations flowing in the nerves, those flowing around&aboutthenerves,thosespreadingfromthenervestoeverypore.Beneficialbreathsensations&harmfulonesaremixedtogetherbytheirverynature.

To summarize: (a) for the sake of improving the energy already existing ineverypartofyourbody,sothatyoucancontendwithsuchthingsasdisease&pain;and(b)forthesakeofclarifyingtheknowledgealreadywithinyou,sothatit can become a basis for the skills leading to release & purity of heart—youshouldalwaysbearthesesevenstepsinmind,becausetheyareabsolutelybasictoeveryaspectofbreathmeditation.

* * *Homage,chanting,andmeditationhavetogohand-in-handbeforetheycan

trulypurifythemind,inlinewiththebasicprinciplesoftheBuddha’steachings:

Sabba-pāpassaakaraṇaṁDon’tletanythingevil

leakintoyourthoughts,words,ordeeds.

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KusalassūpasampadāDevelopskillinallofyouractions.

Whatthismeansisthatinhomagewehaveactedskillfullywithourdeeds,inchantingwehaveactedskillfullywithourwords,andinmeditationwehaveactedskillfullywithour thoughts.Once this is the case,wewill be able to reach theheartoftheBuddha’steachings:

Sacitta-pariyodapanaṁAttainpurityofheart.

Everythingintheworldcomesaboutsolelythroughthepoweroftheheart.Acorruptheartwill abuse thispower.Awell-trainedheart canuse thispower toupliftothersandtogainblessingsbeyondprice.

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TableofContents

Titlepage 2Copyright 3Introduction 4PartI:Homage 6PartII:Chanting 81.Windproperty: 92.Fireproperty: 113.Waterproperty: 124.Earthproperty: 125.Spaceproperty: 126.Consciousnessproperty: 12TheFiveAggregates 13TheTwelveSenseMedia 13The32PartsoftheBody 13

PartIII:Meditation 15

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