Transcript Diamond Shield

The Diamond Shield Yantra
The Diamond Shield Yantra
(Sacred Script of the Qualities of the Buddha)
The above yantra (sacred script) is written in Cambodian characters and is
known as “Yan Kropetch”. It is a set of verses which Buddhists recite to
reflect upon the qualities of the Buddha. Luang Phor Parn of Wat Bang Nom
Kho, Ayuthaya province, found the yantra in B.E. 2458 (1915) while he was
making a pilgrimage to Suphanburi province, Thailand.
Shortly before he found this great yantra, he was meditating and an intuition
arose in his mind that there was a very important plate buried in the main
cetiya of Wat Phra Sri Ratana Maha Dhat, Suphanburi province, waiting for
him to recover. Not long after that; he arrived at the cetiya and found an
ancient silver plate inscribed with the above yantra. The plate also states that
for one who recites these verses everyday, his/her body will be covered with a
“Diamond Shield” and will be safe from all dangers. The person will never
be destroyed by his/her enemies. However, the enemy will be destroyed by
some strange phenomena because of the reflective result from the powers of
the “Diamond Shield”.
To read the yantra, begin from top to bottom (i.e. column-wise), left to right.
The romanised Pali version of the yantra is :
“Iti Piso Bhagava Araham Samma Sambuddho Vijja Carana Sampanno
Sugato Lokavidu Anuttaro Purisa Damma Sarathi Sattha Deva
Manussanam Buddho Bhagavai”
meaning :
“He is a Blessed One, a Worthy One, a Rightly Self-Enlightened One,
consummate in knowledge and conduct, one who has gone the good way,
knower of the cosmos, unexcelled trainer of those who can be taught,
teacher of divine and human beings, Awakened, Blessed”.
As a fitting tribute to the memory of the Lord Buddha, this same yantra will be
engraved in gold on a curved shape wall to be erected behind the Palelai
Buddha image in our chedi. It will allow all who visit the second floor of our
chedi to also take time to reflect upon the qualities of our Great Teacher while
admiring the beauty of the manuscript, just as any good pilgrim will do while
visiting the Buddhist pilgrimage sites.
Make Your Aspiration for Enlightenment !
It is an ancient tradition for Buddhists to make their aspiration for
Enlightenment by placing some sacred object in a temple building, Cetiya
(pagoda) or Buddha image.
In order to facilitate this for our members and devotees, the Maha Sangha and
Management Committee has made arrangements for a special casting of the
Diamond Shield yantra on 108,000 pieces of gold coloured copper plates as a
symbol of every one’s wish for Enlightenment. The number 108 is derived
from the multiplication of 9 by 12. The number 9 signifies our taking Refuge
in the Triple Gem (the Buddha, Dhamma, Sangha) three times. When we say
something three times, we truly mean what we say. The number 12
represents the 3 permutations of the 4 Noble Truths (appropriate
understanding of each Truth, practice of each Truth, and realization of each
Truth).
Our Diamond Shield plate also contains an important summary of the heart of
the Buddha’s teachings by the Venerable Assaji, one of the first five Bhikkhus
taught by the Buddha.
The summary was given by Venerable Assaji in response to Venerable Sariputta’s
question of what is taught by the Buddha. Upon hearing this summary, Venerable
Sariputta attained the first stage of Enlightenment (Sotapanna). Venerable Assaji said:
“Ye Dhamma hetupabbhava, tesam hetum Tathagato aha, tesam ca yo nirodho,
evam vadi Maha Samano”, meaning:
“Of conditions that arise from a cause, the cause and cessation has been declared
by the Great Contemplative”
It is also an ancient tradition for Buddhists in China and Burma to write the above
verse and place it inside cetiyas when they build them. Hence our inclusion of the
above verse is in keeping with a very ancient tradition for building cetiyas.
Of the 108,000 pieces, 84,000 pieces (representing the 84,000 sections of
Dhamma) will be installed in the ‘bell’ of our cetiya, 12,000 pieces in the Buddha
image in our meditation hall, and another 12, 000 pieces in the Buddha image in
our dining hall.
Members and devotees can write their names, date, and place of birth on the plate,
make their aspirations and place the plate into any one of the three containers for
each of the three locations for installation of the plates. You can also do this in
memory of relatives or friends who have passed away (as your aspiration for
them). Our Maha Sangha will consecrate these plates during their daily morning
and evening chanting services from now until the opening of our cetiya. There is
no limit to the number plates you install – the more you place, the higher the
significance of the aspiration is to you!
May You and Your Families Be Well, Happy, Healthy, and Strong, May All Your
Skilfull Wishes Come To Fruition.
The Maha Sangha and Members of the Executive Committee
Palelai Buddhist Temple
1st August 2547 (2004)