The Peacock's Protection (Mora Paritta)
The golden peacock's verses from the Mora Jātaka, for sunrise and for sunset, with meanings
At sunrise
Udetayañ cakkhumā ekarājā,
Harissavaṇṇo pathavippabhāso;
Taṁ taṁ namassāmi harissavaṇṇaṁ pathavippabhāsaṁ,
Tayājja guttā viharemu divasaṁ.
Ye brāhmaṇā vedagū sabbadhamme,
Te me namo te ca maṁ pālayantu;
Namatthu buddhānaṁ namatthu bodhiyā,
Namo vimuttānaṁ namo vimuttiyā;
Imaṁ so parittaṁ katvā,
Moro carati esanā.
Meaning
Here rises the one with eyes, the sole king, golden, lighting up the earth. I bow to you, golden one who lights up the earth: guarded by you, may we live through this day. To the brahmins who have mastered all things I pay homage: may they protect me. Homage to the Buddhas, homage to awakening! Homage to the freed, homage to freedom! Having made this protection, the peacock goes about in search of food.
At sunset
Apetayaṁ cakkhumā ekarājā,
Harissavaṇṇo pathavippabhāso;
Taṁ taṁ namassāmi harissavaṇṇaṁ pathavippabhāsaṁ,
Tayājja guttā viharemu rattiṁ.
Ye brāhmaṇā vedagū sabbadhamme,
Te me namo te ca maṁ pālayantu;
Namatthu buddhānaṁ namatthu bodhiyā,
Namo vimuttānaṁ namo vimuttiyā;
Imaṁ so parittaṁ katvā,
Moro vāsamakappayīti.
Meaning
Here sets the one with eyes, the sole king, golden, lighting up the earth. I bow to you, golden one who lights up the earth: guarded by you, may we live through this night. To the brahmins who have mastered all things I pay homage: may they protect me. Homage to the Buddhas, homage to awakening! Homage to the freed, homage to freedom! Having made this protection, the peacock settled down for the night.
Machine translation from: Mora Jātaka (Ja 159), Pali text, SuttaCentral
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