If you have ever visited a Thai temple, joined a Theravāda meditation group, or opened a Buddhist chanting book, you have probably heard this line, chanted three times, before anything else:
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammāsambuddhassa
Homage to him, the Blessed One, the Worthy One, the fully awakened Buddha.
It is the doorway to almost every Buddhist chant in Thailand. Here is what each word means, how to say it, and where it comes from.
Word by word
| Pāli | Meaning |
|---|---|
| namo | homage, respect, bowing |
| tassa | to him, to that one |
| bhagavato | the Blessed One, the one worthy of honor |
| arahato | the Arahant: the worthy one, free of greed, hatred and delusion |
| sammāsambuddhassa | the fully and rightly self-awakened one, the Buddha |
Put together, the line names three qualities of the Buddha and bows to each: blessed, worthy, and fully awake.
How to pronounce it
Pāli is pronounced a little differently in each Buddhist country. In Thailand it sounds roughly like this:
nah-moh tas-sah pah-kah-wah-toh ah-rah-hah-toh sahm-mah-sahm-poot-tas-sah
Thai chanting softens the bh of bhagavato to a ph sound and the v to a w. Chant slowly and evenly; there is no need to rush.
Where it comes from
This salutation is old. In the Saṅgārava Sutta (MN 100), a brahmin woman named Dhanañjānī, devoted to the Buddha, trips and responds by speaking these words three times. In Bhikkhu Sujato's translation:
"Homage to him, the blessed one, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha!"
The same words open the Three Refuges in the Khuddakapāṭha (Kp 1), a short handbook of basic passages traditionally used to teach newcomers. That is why the line begins so many chants to this day.
Why it is chanted three times
Across Theravāda Buddhism, Namo tassa is recited three times before chanting or taking the precepts. Teachers explain the number in different ways. In practice, the repetition does something simple: by the third time, your voice has slowed down and your attention has arrived.
Using it in a morning practice
You do not need a temple to begin with Namo tassa. Sit comfortably, take three slow breaths, and chant the line three times, softly or silently. Let it mark the line between yesterday and today. Then begin your day, or your meditation, from there.
In the ANEW app, Namo tassa opens the Morning ritual, with the English meaning on screen as you chant.
Questions people ask
What does Namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammāsambuddhassa mean?
It means: Homage to him, the Blessed One, the Worthy One, the fully awakened Buddha. It is a salutation of respect to the Buddha.
Why is Namo tassa chanted three times?
Reciting it three times is the traditional practice across Theravāda Buddhism. Teachers give different reasons for the number; the repetition also helps settle the mind before chanting.
Where does Namo tassa come from?
It appears in the early Buddhist texts. In the Saṅgārava Sutta (MN 100), a brahmin woman named Dhanañjānī speaks these words three times, and they open the Three Refuges in the Khuddakapāṭha (Kp 1).
Do I need to be a Buddhist to chant Namo tassa?
No. Many people chant it as an expression of respect and a way to begin their practice. What matters is chanting with sincerity and knowing what the words mean.