In short: The Dhajagga Paritta is the Buddha's answer to fear. When you are frightened, he says, recollect the Buddha. If you can't, recollect his teaching. If you can't, recollect the community that practices it. "Then your fear and terror will go away."
Pāli and translation from SN 11.3, by Bhikkhu Sujato on SuttaCentral. It is one of the paritta, the protection chants.
The story of the banner's crest
The Buddha told of an ancient battle between the gods and the titans. Sakka, king of the gods, told his army: "If you get scared or terrified, just look up at my banner's crest." But, the Buddha said, their fear might go away or it might not, because Sakka himself "is not free of greed, hate, and delusion. He is fearful, scared, nervous, quick to flee."
The Buddha offered a steadier banner: the qualities of one who is "free of greed, hate, and delusion", who is "fearless, brave, bold, and stands his ground".
Read the full guide
The three recollections
| Pāli | English |
|---|---|
| Itipi so bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho vijjācaraṇasampanno sugato lokavidū anuttaro purisadammasārathi satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavā. | That Blessed One is perfected, a fully awakened Buddha, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, holy, knower of the world, supreme guide for those fit for training, teacher of gods and humans, awakened, blessed. |
| Svākkhāto bhagavatā dhammo sandiṭṭhiko akāliko ehipassiko opaneyyiko paccattaṁ veditabbo viññūhi. | The teaching is well explained by the Buddha: apparent in the present life, immediately effective, inviting inspection, relevant, so that sensible people can know it for themselves. |
| Suppaṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho, ujuppaṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho, ñāyappaṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho, sāmīcippaṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho… | The Saṅgha of the Buddha's disciples is practicing the way that's good, direct, systematic, and proper… |
These are the same words as the Itipiso chant, which has the full Saṅgha passage, line by line.
The closing verses
| Pāli | English |
|---|---|
| Araññe rukkhamūle vā, suññāgāreva bhikkhavo; Anussaretha sambuddhaṁ, bhayaṁ tumhāka no siyā. | In the wilderness, at a tree's root, or an empty hut, O mendicants, recollect the Buddha, and no fear will come to you. |
| No ce buddhaṁ sareyyātha, lokajeṭṭhaṁ narāsabhaṁ; Atha dhammaṁ sareyyātha, niyyānikaṁ sudesitaṁ. | If you can't recollect the Buddha, the eldest in the world, the captain of men, then recollect the teaching, emancipating, well taught. |
| No ce dhammaṁ sareyyātha, niyyānikaṁ sudesitaṁ; Atha saṅghaṁ sareyyātha, puññakkhettaṁ anuttaraṁ. | If you can't recollect the teaching, emancipating, well taught, then recollect the Saṅgha, the supreme field of merit. |
| Evaṁ buddhaṁ sarantānaṁ, dhammaṁ saṅghañca bhikkhavo; Bhayaṁ vā chambhitattaṁ vā, lomahaṁso na hessati. | Thus recollecting the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha, mendicants, fear and terror and goosebumps will be no more. |
Using it when you are afraid
- Notice the fear in the body: "Fear is here."
- Take three slow breaths, longer out than in.
- Recite the first recollection, or simply "Buddho" on each breath.
- If it's hard to hold, switch to the teaching or the Saṅgha, as the Buddha suggests.
- Finish with the four short verses above.
Recollection steadies the heart. If fear or anxiety is overwhelming or lasts, please also talk to a doctor or someone you trust.
More: Buddhist prayer for protection.
Try it
Start with a 1-minute breath, then learn the full Itipiso chant.
Questions people ask
What is the Dhajagga Paritta?
A protection chant from the discourse called the Banner's Crest (SN 11.3). The Buddha teaches that when you are afraid, you can recollect the Buddha, the Dhamma or the Saṅgha, and your fear will go away.
What does dhajagga mean?
Dhajagga means 'the top of the banner'. In the story, the king of the gods tells his soldiers to look up at his banner when they are afraid. The Buddha says a better refuge is to recollect the three jewels.
When should I chant the Dhajagga Paritta?
Whenever fear or anxiety arises: alone at night, before something difficult, or in an unfamiliar place. Even reciting the short verses at the end is enough.