Finial of the Flagpole – Dhajagga Sutta

Dhajagga Sutta recounts the narrative of Sakka advising his troops that gazing at the crest of his banner, or those of Pajāpatī, Varuna, or Isāna, would dispel any fear in their hearts during battle. Drawing a parallel, the sutta suggests that monks, too, can overcome fear by reflecting on the virtues of the Buddha, Dhamma, or Sangha. Additionally, this sutta is featured in the Parittas and is known as the Dhajagga Paritta.

Dhajagga Sutta

Evaṁ me sutaṁ. Ekaṁ samayaṁ Bhagavā Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati Jetavane Anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi. Bhikkhavo’ti. Bhadante’ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ. Bhagavā
etadavoca.

Thus have I heard. On one occasion, the Blessed One was living in Sāvatthi at Jetavana at Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. There the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus thus, “Bhikkhus!”. “Venerable sir!” those bhikkhus replied. The Blessed One said this.

Bhūtapubbaṁ, bhikkhave, devāsurasaṅgāmo samupabyūḷho ahosi. Atha kho, bhikkhave, sakko devānamindo deve tāvatiṁse āmantesi.

Bhikkhus, once in the past the devas and the asuras were arrayed for battle. Then Sakka, lord of the devas, addressed the Tavatiṁsa devas thus.

Sace, mārisā, devānaṁ saṅgāmagatānaṁ uppajjeyya bhayaṁ vā chambhitattaṁ vā lomahaṁso vā, mameva tasmiṁ samaye dhajaggaṁ ullokeyyātha. Mamañhi vo dhajaggaṁ ullokayataṁ yaṁ bhavissati bhayaṁ vā chambhitattaṁ vā lomahaṁso vā, so pahīyissati.

Dear sirs, when the devas are engaged in battle, if fear or trepidation or terror should arise, on that occasion you should look up at my flagpole’s finial. For when you look up at my flagpole’s finial, whatever fear or trepidation or terror you may have will be abandoned.

No ce me dhajaggaṁ ullokeyyātha, atha pajāpatissa devarājassa dhajaggaṁ ullokeyyātha. Pajāpatissa hi vo devarājassa dhajaggaṁ ullokayataṁ yaṁ bhavissati bhayaṁ vā chambhitattaṁ vā lomahaṁso vā, so pahīyissati.

If you cannot look up at my flagpole’s finial, then you should look up at the finial of the deva-king Pajapati’s flagpole. For when you look up at the finial of his flagpole, whatever fear or trepidation or terror you may have will be abandoned.

No ce pajāpatissa devarājassa dhajaggaṁ ullokeyyātha, atha varuṇassa devarājassa dhajaggaṁ ullokeyyātha. Varuṇassa hi vo devarājassa dhajaggaṁ ullokayataṁ yaṁ bhavissati bhayaṁ vā chambhitattaṁ vā lomahaṁso vā, so pahīyissati.

If you cannot look up at the finial of the deva-king Pajapati’s flagpole, then you should look up at the finial of the deva-king Varuṇa’s flagpole. For when you look up at the finial of his flagpole, whatever fear or trepidation or terror you may have will be abandoned.

No ce varuṇassa devarājassa dhajaggaṁ ullokeyyātha, atha īsānassa devarājassa dhajaggaṁ ullokeyyātha. Īsānassa hi vo devarājassa dhajaggaṁ ullokayataṁ yaṁ bhavissati bhayaṁ vā chambhitattaṁ vā lomahaṁso vā, so pahīyissatī.

If you cannot look up at the finial of the deva-king Varuṇa’s flagpole, then you should look up at the finial of the deva-king Īsana’s flagpole. For when you look up at the finial of his flagpole, whatever fear or trepidation or terror you may have will be abandoned.

Taṁ kho pana, bhikkhave, sakkassa vā devānamindassa dhajaggaṁ ullokayataṁ, pajāpatissa vā devarājassa dhajaggaṁ ullokayataṁ, varuṇassa vā devarājassa dhajaggaṁ ullokayataṁ, īsānassa vā devarājassa dhajaggaṁ ullokayataṁ yaṁ bhavissati bhayaṁ vā chambhitattaṁ vā lomahaṁso vā, so pahīyethāpi nopi pahīyetha.

Bhikkhus, for those who look up at the finial of the flagpole of Sakka, lord of the devas; or of Pajapati, the deva-king; or of Varuṇa, the deva-king; or of Īsana, the deva-king, whatever fear or trepidation or terror they may have mayor may not be abandoned.

Taṁ kissa hetu? Sakko hi, bhikkhave, devānamindo avītarāgo avītadoso avītamoho bhīrucchambhī utrāsī palāyīti.

For what reason? Because Sakka, lord of the devas, is not devoid of lust, not devoid of hatred, not devoid of delusion. he can be timid, petrified, frightened and quick to flee.

Ahañca kho, bhikkhave, evaṁ vadāmi: sace tumhākaṁ, bhikkhave, araññagatānaṁ vā rukkhamūlagatānaṁ vā suññāgāragatānaṁ vā uppajjeyya bhayaṁ vā chambhitattaṁ vā lomahaṁso vā, mameva tasmiṁ samaye anussareyyātha.

But, bhikkhus, I say this: If you have gone to a forest or to the foot of a tree or to an empty hut, and fear or trepidation or terror should arise in you, on that occasion you should recollect me thus.

itipi so bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho vijjācaraṇasampanno sugato lokavidū anuttaro purisadammasārathi satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavā’ti.

Such indeed is the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Supremely Enlightened One, the One Accomplished in Knowledge and Conduct, the Well-Gone One, the Knower of the Worlds, the Supreme Tamer of Persons, the Teacher of Gods and Humans, the Enlightened One, the Blessed One.

Mamañhi vo, bhikkhave, anussarataṁ yaṁ bhavissati bhayaṁ vā chambhitattaṁ vā lomahaṁso vā, so pahīyissati.

For when you recollect me, bhikkhus, whatever fear or trepidation or terror you may have will be abandoned.

No ce maṁ anussareyyātha, atha dhammaṁ anussareyyātha. If you cannot recollect me, then you should recollect the Dhamma thus. Svākkhāto bhagavatā dhammo sandiṭṭhiko akāliko ehipassiko opaneyyiko paccattaṁ veditabbo viññūhī’ti.

Well taught by the Blessed One is the Dhamma, visible here and now, timeless, inviting inspection, to be learned and applied to oneself, understood by the wise for themselves.

Dhammañhi vo, bhikkhave, anussarataṁ yaṁ bhavissati bhayaṁ vā chambhitattaṁ vā lomahaṁso vā, so pahīyissati.

For when you recollect the Dhamma, bhikkhus, whatever fear or trepidation or terror you may have will be abandoned.

No ce dhammaṁ anussareyyātha, atha saṅghaṁ anussareyyātha.

If you cannot recollect the Dhamma, then you should recollect the Saṅgha thus.

Suppaṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho ujuppaṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho ñāyappaṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho sāmīcippaṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho, yadidaṁ cattāri
purisayugāni aṭṭha purisapuggalā esa bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho, āhuneyyo pāhuneyyo dakkhiṇeyyo añjalikaraṇīyo anuttaraṁ puññakkhettaṁ lokassā’ti.

The Saṅgha of the Blessed One’s disciples is practicing the pure way, practicing the upright way, practicing the wise way, practicing the proper way; that is, the four pairs of persons, the eight types of individuals—this Saṅgha of the Blessed One’s disciples is worthy of offerings, worthy of hospitality, worthy of gifts, worthy of reverential salutations. They are the unsurpassed field of merit for the world.

Saṅghañhi vo, bhikkhave, anussarataṁ yaṁ bhavissati bhayaṁ vā chambhitattaṁ vā lomahaṁso vā, so pahīyissati.

For when you recollect the Saṅgha, bhikkhus, whatever fear or trepidation or terror you may have will be abandoned.

Taṁ kissa hetu? Tathāgato hi, bhikkhave, arahaṁ sammāsambuddho vītarāgo vītadoso vītamoho abhīru acchambhī anutrāsī apalāyī’ti.

For what reason? Because, bhikkhus, the Tathagata, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One is devoid of lust, devoid of hatred, devoid of delusion; he is brave, courageous, bold, ready to stand his place.

Idamavoca bhagavā. Idaṁ vatvāna sugato athāparaṁ etadavoca satthā.

This is what the Blessed One said. Having said this, the Fortunate One, the Teacher, further said this.

Araññe rukkhamūle vā,
suññāgāreva bhikkhavo;
Anussaretha sambuddhaṁ,
bhayaṁ tumhāka no siyā.

In a forest, at the foot of a tree,
Or in an empty hut, O bhikkhus,
You should recollect the Buddha:
No fear will then arise in you.

No ce buddhaṁ sareyyātha,
lokajeṭṭhaṁ narāsabhaṁ;
Atha dhammaṁ sareyyātha,
niyyānikaṁ sudesitaṁ.

But if you cannot recall the Buddha,
Best in the world, the greatest of men,
Then you should recall the Dhamma,
Emancipating, well expounded.

No ce dhammaṁ sareyyātha,
niyyānikaṁ sudesitaṁ;
Atha saṅghaṁ sareyyātha,
puññakkhettaṁ anuttaraṁ.

But if you cannot recall the Dhamma,
Emancipating, well expounded,
Then you should recall the Saṅgha,
The unsurpassed field of merit.

Evaṁ buddhaṁ sarantānaṁ,
Dhammaṁ saṅghañca bhikkhavo;
Bhayaṁ vā chambhitattaṁ vā,
Lomahaṁso na hessatī’ti.

For those who thus recall the Buddha,
The Dhamma, and the Saṅgha, bhikkhus,
No fear or trepidation will arise,
Nor any grisly terror.

Etena saccena suvatthi hotu!
By this truth, may there be well-being!