Abstract:
Pirit — chanting is a very popular ritual among the Buddhists of Sri Lanka; no important function
domestic or social, can be considered complete without this ritual. The essence ofthepiritceremony
consists in the ritualistic chanting ofceftain Pali canon, collected and arranged in a particular order in the
Catubhäpavü•apäli_ It is, among the common people in Sri Lanka, known as "Pirit— Poti'. The
content of the Pirit —chanting varies according to the situation for what it is to be chanted. Suppose, the
A Ikulimäa sutta is chanted only in an occasion of blessing to a pregnant. Pirit is very essential ritual in
Sri Lanka which starts from the womb and continue up to the tomb and thereafter. Therefore, on one hand,
Pirit chanting, is a ritual which can be compared with the Sarpskä•a ritual in Hinduism, and on the other,
it is very much popular as a healing power chanted to recover from illness.
Pirit is a collective term designating as set of protective chants or runes sanctioned by the Buddha for the
use ofboth laymen and monks. As the term itselfdenotes the meaning safety, the ceremonial recital of it is
believed to warding offall forms ofvipatti, the even evil influence of planets, spirits, etc.
The use of protective spells against various dangers has been a common practice among the Indians from
very early times. The Buddha himselfis said to have adopted the practice on several occasions. The public
recitation of the Ratana Sutta at Vesali is the best known instance. The Khandha, Atanatiya, and the
Metta Sutta have received the sanction of Buddha himself
We, therefore, hope to discuss, in this paper, how Pirit is used in Sri Lankan society as a healing power.
