Jinapañjara Gāthā
The Victor’s Cage
Jay’āsan’āgatā Buddhā
Jetvā Māraṁ savāhanaṁ
Catu-saccāsabhaṁ rasaṁ
Ye piviṅsu narāsabhā
The Buddhas, noble men who drank the nectar of the four noble truths, having come to the victory seat, having defeated Māra together with his mount:
Taṇhaṅkar’ādayo Buddhā
Aṭṭha-vīsati nāyakā
Sabbe patiṭṭhitā mayhaṁ
Matthake te munissarā.
These Buddhas—28 leaders, sovereign sages beginning with Taṇhaṅkara—are all established on the crown of my head.
Sīse patiṭṭhito mayhaṁ
Buddho dhammo dvilocane
Saṅgho patiṭṭhito mayhaṁ
Ure sabba-guṇākaro.
The Buddha is established in my head, the Dhamma in my two eyes, the Saṅgha—the mine of all virtues—is established in my chest.
Hadaye me Anuruddho
Sāriputto ca dakkhiṇe
Koṇḍañño piṭṭhi-bhāgasmiṁ
Moggallāno ca vāmake.
Anuruddha is in my heart, and Sārīputta on my right. Koṇḍañña is behind me, and Moggallāna on my left.
Dakkhiṇe savane mayhaṁ
Āsuṁ Ānanda-Rāhulo
Kassapo ca Mahānāmo
Ubh’āsuṁ vāma-sotake.
Ānanda & Rāhula are in my right ear, Kassapa & Mahānāma are both in my left ear.
Kesato piṭṭhi-bhāgasmiṁ
[Kesante piṭṭhi-bhāgasmiṁ]
Suriyo-va pabhaṅkaro
Nisinno siri-sampanno
Sobhito muni-puṅgavo.
Sobhita, the noble sage, sits in consummate glory, shining like the sun behind a hair on my head [all over the hair at the back of my head].
Kumāra-kassapo thero
Mahesī citta-vādako
So mayhaṁ vadane niccaṁ
Patiṭṭhāsi guṇākaro.
Elder Kumārakassapa—great sage, brilliant speaker, a mine of virtue— is constantly in my mouth.
Puṇṇo Aṅgulimālo ca
Upālī Nanda-Sīvalī
Therā pañca ime jātā
Nalāṭe tilakā mama.
These five elders—Puṇṇa, Aṅgulimāla, Upālī, Nanda, & Sīvalī—have arisen as auspicious marks at the middle of my forehead.
Sesāsīti mahātherā
Vijitā jina-sāvakā
Etesīti mahātherā
Jitavanto jin’orasā
Jalantā sīla-tejena
Aṅgam-aṅgesu saṇṭhitā.
The rest of the 80 great elders—victorious, disciples of the Victor, sons of the Victor, shining with the majesty of moral virtue—are established in the various parts of my body.
Ratanaṁ purato āsi
Dakkhiṇe Metta-suttakaṁ.
Dhajaggaṁ pacchato āsi
Vāme Aṅgulimālakaṁ.
Khandha-Mora-parittañca
Āṭānāṭiya-suttakaṁ
Ākāse chadanaṁ āsi
Sesā pākāra-saṇṭhitā.
The Ratana Sutta is in front, the Metta Sutta to the right. The Dhajagga Sutta is behind, the Aṅgulimāla Paritta to the left. The Khandha & Mora Parittas and the Āṭānāṭiya Sutta are a roof in space. The remaining suttas are established as a rampart.
Jinā nānā-varasaṁyuttā
[Jināṇābala-saṁyuttā]
Sattappākāra-laṅkatā
Vāta-pitt’ādi-sañjātā
Bāhir’ajjhatt’upaddavā
Asesā vinayaṁ yantu
Ananta-jina-tejasā.
Excellently bound in many ways by the Victor,
[Bound by the Victor’s authority & strength],
seven ramparts arrayed against them, may all misfortunes within & without—caused by such things as wind or bile—be destroyed without trace through the unending Victor’s majesty.
Vasato me sakiccena
Sadā Sambuddha-pañjare
Jina-pañjara-majjhamhi
Viharantaṁ mahītale
Sadā pālentu maṁ sabbe
Te mahā-purisāsabhā.
As I dwell, in all my affairs, always in the cage of the Self-awakened One, living on earth in the middle of the cage of the Victors, I am always guarded by all of those great noble men.
Iccevamanto sugutto surakkho.
Jinānubhāvena jit’upaddavo.
Dhammānubhāvena jitārisaṅgho.
Saṅghānubhāvena jit’antarāyo.
Saddhammānubhāva-pālito
carāmi jina-pañjare-ti.
Thus am I utterly well-sheltered, well-protected.
Through the power of the Victor, misfortunes are vanquished.
Through the power of the Dhamma, the enemy horde is vanquished.
Through the power of the Saṅgha, dangers are vanquished.
Guarded by the power of the True Dhamma,
I go about in the Victor’s Cage.
