Mangala

Ratana

Metta

Khandha

Mora

Vatta

Dhajagga

Atanatiya

Angulimala

Bojjhanga

Pubbanha

5. MORA SUTTA

The Discourse on the Peacock's Prayer

uyyojanna

purentam bodhisambhare

nibbattam morayoniyam;

yena saimvihitarakkham,

mahasattam vanecara.

cirassam vayamantapi,

neva sakkhimsu ganhitum;

"brahmamantan"ti akkhatam,

paritam tam bhanama he.

udetayam cakkhuma ekaraja,

harissavanno pathavippabbaso;

tam tam namassami harissavannam

pathavippabbhasam

tayajja gutta viharemu divasam.

ye brahmana vedagu sabbadhamme,

te me namo, te ca mam palayantu;

namatthu Buddhanam, namatthu bodhiya,

namo vimuttanam, namo vimuttiya

imaim so parittam katva

moro carati esana.

apetayam cakkhuma ekaraja,

harissavano pathavippabhaso;

tam tam namassami harissavannam

pathavippabhasam,

tayajja gutta viharemu rattim.

ye brahmana vedagu sabbadhamme,

te me namo, te ca mam palayantu;

namatthu Buddhanam, namatthu bodhiya,

namo vimuttanam, namo vimuttiya;

imam so parittam katva,

moro vasam-akappayi.

Mora Suttam Nitthitam.

Jataka vol.1. 38-39

To Listen in Myanmar Pali

MORA SUTTA

The Discourse on the Peacock's Prayer

A Historical Sketch

    The birth-story of the Buddha as a golden peacock was narrated by the Lord at Jetavana monastery when it was reported that a disciple monk had been enchanted by a woman.

    Our Buddha-to-be was once born as a golden peacock, residing on the golden hill of Dandaka in the Himalaya mountains. When day dawned, the golden peacock used to sit upon the summit watching the rising sun, composed a prayer to protect himself safe in his feeding-pasture. He then recited worshipping the past Buddhas and all their virtuous glories. Uttering this charm to protect himself from dangers, he went a feeding.

    In the evening when the sun went down, the bird came back to the hilltop on which he rested to watch the setting sun, and he meditated to utter another prayer to protect him from dangers during the night time. He then went to sleep.

    There was then a hunter who had seen him and told the wonders of the bird to his son. At that time queen Khema of Benares had a dream which pushed her to demand the king to bring the golden peacock to the palace. She wanted to listen to the discourse of the bird. The king sent the hunter to catch the bird. But by the power of the prayer and charm the snare would not work to catch him. After seven years the unsuccessful hunter died followed by the demise of the queen.

   There upon the old king was angry with the bird and left an inscription saying that whoever eats the flesh of the golden peacock shall ever be young and immortal. So six successive rulers of the kingdom attempted to capture the bird but all in vain.

   The seventh successor king sent a clever hunter who had a charming peahen which could sing very sweetly. Early in the morning the hunter set up the snare with the peahen which sang very enchanting before the golden bird could recite his usual prayer and charm. The bird was tempted, and approached her; and was caught in the snare. The happy hunter caught hold of the golden bird and hurried back to the palace to present it to the king.

   The king was delighted at the bird's golden beauty and placed the bird on a royal seat to exchange a dialogue with him.

   The golden peacock related the story of his previous life as a pious king in the same kingdom and also explained the power of his prayer and charm to the king. He also advised the king to excavate the golden charriot from the royal lake to prove his narration. When all the truths were revealed, the bird was released to fly back to the golden hill of 'Dandaka. And the story ends happily.

    Hence this Mora sutta has been chanted as a charm or wardrune to protect the subjects from snares or to be released safely if arrested by the enemies. It is usually "uttered by Burman Buddhist to keep the entire family safe and sound through out the entire day and night.

    According to the Burmese version of the Mahaparitta pali text, this sutta is composed of six stanzas only.

5. MORA SUTTA

The Discourse on the Peacock's Prayer

Introduction

The Great Being (the Buddha-to-be) was born as a peacock,

fufilling the necessary requirements for obtaining Enlightenment,

and having arranged protection for himself by means of this protective discourse.

Him, the Great Being, although the hunters

Strived for quite a long time, they were not able to capture.

This was prescribed by Lord Buddha as an Exalted Charm.

Oh thou! Let us recite this protective discourse.

"There he rises, the thousand-eyed king,

Making the world bright with his golden light.

Thee I worship, Oh glorious wing, with thy golden light, making the world bright.

Keep me safe, I pray, through the coming day.

"The saints, the righteous, wise in the entire holy lore,

They may protect me and to them I adore

Honour be to the wise, honour be to wisdom

To freedom, and to those who had achieved freedom.

Having made this protection

the peacock went about to seek food.

There he sets, the thousand-eyed king,

He that makes the world bright with

his golden light.

Thee I worship, On glorious wing,

With thy golden light making the world bright.

Through the night, till the next day; Keep me safe, I pray.

The saints, the righteous, wise in the entire holy lore,

They may protect me, and to them I adore.

Honour be to the wise, honour be to wisdom.

To freedom, and to those who had achieved freedom.

Having made this protection, that peacock rested happily at home,

The end of Mora sutta

First posted on 31-10-02