The Teaching of Ajahn Suchart.
24 June 2024Question: If we chant a sutta without reading the meaning of the sutta, will the devas automatically know the meaning of the sutta?
Than Ajahn: No. The purpose of chanting the sutta is to calm your mind, to have mindfulness.
You don’t chant it for the devas.
The devas don’t care about what you chant. They don’t have time to spend listening to your chanting. This is a misunderstanding. People think when they chant, they’re chanting it for the devas. This is not true.
The devas are just like people, like you and me. They are not interested in listening to your chanting, especially, when you don’t chant it correctly.
So, chanting is to develop mindfulness, to calm your mind.
That’s the purpose. The purpose is not to let other people to listen to your chant. It’s a misunderstanding to think that you chant it for other beings.
No, it’s not for other people or other beings. Chanting is for yourself, to keep your mind calm, peaceful and happy.
Dhamma in English, Aug 21, 2020.
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Question: Before we start our chanting session, we usually read the Aradhana devata gathā. Will the devas know the meaning of the sutta we read, if we do not read the meaning of the sutta?
Than Ajahn: I don’t know because it depends on whether they have studied the same language with what you chant.
If they studied the same language, then they will know.
We don’t know what language that each deva has learned in the past, so we don’t know whether they understand it or not.
However, just like what I’ve told you, that chanting is not for the devas. Chanting is for you. It’s a method of developing mindfulness and samādhi to stop you from thinking about other things. So, this should be your main concern when you chant, whether you are keeping your thoughts under control, i.e. not thinking about other things. Merely chant the sutta, then your mind will become peaceful, calm, and happy.
Dhamma in English, Aug 23, 2020.
By Ajahn Suchart Abhijāto
www.phrasuchart.com
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