1. Jayamaṅgalagāthā
Verses on the Blessings of Success
Bāhuṁ sahassam-abhinimmitasāyudhaṁ taṁ,
o Māra, the terrible one, who had created a thousand arms with weapons,
Girimekhalaṁ uditaghorasasenamāraṁ,
and had mounted on (the elephant) Girimekhala, with his army,
dānādidhammavidhinā jitavā munindo -
did the lord of sages defeat by such things as generosity and so forth -
taṁ tejasā bhavatu te jayamaṅgalāni! [01]
through that resplendent power may you have the blessings of success!
Mārātirekam-abhiyujjhita sabbarattiṁ,
o Even more terrible than Māra was the impatient and obdurate yakkha Ālavaka,
ghoraṁ pan’ Ālavakam-akkhamathaddhayakkhaṁ,
who fought (with the Buddha) throughout the whole night,
khantīsudantavidhinā jitavā munindo -
(him) did the lord of sages defeat by his patience and self-control
taṁ tejasā bhavatu te jayamaṅgalāni! [02]
through that resplendent power may you have the blessings of success!
Nālāgiriṁ gajavaraṁ atimattabhūtaṁ,
The great elephant Nālāgiri, who was completely intoxicated,
dāvaggicakkam-asanīva sudāruṇaṁ taṁ,
fearful, like a jungle fire, a flaming discus, or a flash of lightning,
mettambusekavidhinā jitavā munindo -
did the lord of sages defeat by sprinkling (him) with the waters of friendliness -
taṁ tejasā bhavatu te jayamaṅgalāni! [03]
through that resplendent power may you have the blessings of success!
Ukkhittakhaggam-atihatthasudāruṇaṁ taṁ
With a sword that was lifted high in his outstretched hand, that very fearsome (bandit)
dhāvaṁ tiyojanapathaṅgulimālavantaṁ:
the one with a finger necklace (Aṅgulimāla) ran for (the whole of) three leagues up the path:
iddhībhisaṅkhatamano jitavā munindo -
(him) did the lord of sages defeat with the psychic powers created in his mind -
taṁ tejasā bhavatu te jayamaṅgalāni! [04]
through that resplendent power may you have the blessings of success!
Katvāna kaṭṭham-udaraṁ iva gabbhinīyā,
Having made her midriff (look large) with a piece of wood, like one who is pregnant,
Ciñcāya duṭṭhavacanaṁ janakāyamajjhe:
Ciñcā (then spoke) wicked words in the midst of a group of people:
santena somavidhinā jitavā munindo -
(her) did the lord of sages defeat by means of his gentleness and peacefulness -
taṁ tejasā bhavatu te jayamaṅgalāni! [05]
through that resplendent power may you have the blessings of success!
Saccaṁ vihāya mati-Saccakavādaketuṁ,
The arrogant Saccaka, who had given up the truth, and had challenged (the Buddha) to a debate,
vādābhiropitamanaṁ ati-andhabhūtaṁ,
with his mind fixed on his argument, completely blind to the truth,
paññāpadīpajalito jitavā munindo -
(him) did the lord of sages defeat with the shining lamp of true wisdom -
taṁ tejasā bhavatu te jayamaṅgalāni! [06]
through that resplendent power may you have the blessings of success!
Nandopanandabhujagaṁ vibudhaṁ mahiddhiṁ,
o Taming the wise dragon Nandopananda, who had great power,
puttena therabhujagena damāpayanto,
by way of his son (Moggallāna), who was a dragon of an elder,
iddhūpadesavidhinā jitavā munindo -
(thus) did the lord of sages defeat (him) by instructing (his son to use) psychic power -
taṁ tejasā bhavatu te jayamaṅgalāni! [07]
through that resplendent power may you have the blessings of success!
Duggāhadiṭṭhibhujagena sudaṭṭhahatthaṁ,
He whose hand was badly bitten by the serpent of wrongly taken up views,
brahmaṁ visuddhijutim-iddhi-Bakābhidhānaṁ,
the brahma Baka, who was clear and bright, and who possessed psychic powers,
ñāṇāgadena vidhinā jitavā munindo -
did the lord of sages defeat with the medicine of his super-knowledge -
taṁ tejasā bhavatu te jayamaṅgalāni! [08]
through that resplendent power may you have the blessings of success!
Etā pi Buddhajayamaṅgala-aṭṭhagāthā,
o He who recites these eight verses each and every day,
yo vācako dinadine sarate-m-atandī,
which are about the Buddha’s (many) blessed successes, and remembers them with diligence
hitvānanekavividhāni cupaddavāni,
after giving up (all) the many and various kinds of adversity,
mokkhaṁ sukhaṁ adhigameyya naro sapañño. [09]
that wise man will (soon thereafter) attain both freedom and happiness.