An Awgatha (ဩကာသ; from Pali: okāsa), sometimes known as the common Buddhist prayer is a formulaic Burmese Buddhist prayer that is recited to initiate acts of Buddhist devotion, including obeisance to the Buddha and Buddhist monks and the water libation ritual.[1] The term okāsa literally means "permission" in Pali,[2] and is used to request permission to pay homage, seek forgiveness of any intentional and unintentional offenses, and precedes the undertaking of the Five Precepts.[3][4] Minor variations of this Burmese language prayer exist from one Buddhist monastery to another. Okāsa explicitly references the gadaw of the Five Infinite Venerables (Buddha, Dhamma, Sangha, parents and teachers).[5]

Standard prayer

See also

References

  1. ^ Nash, Manning (1963-04-01). "Burmese Buddhism in Everyday Life". American Anthropologist. 65 (2): 285–295. doi:10.1525/aa.1963.65.2.02a00050. ISSN 1548-1433.
  2. ^ "Okasa, Okāsa: 3 definitions". Wisdom Library. 2014-08-15. Retrieved 2016-12-04.
  3. ^ Than Htut, Henry. "Buddhist Homage and Affirmations". www.myanmarnet.net. Retrieved 2016-12-04.
  4. ^ Rozenberg, Guillaume; Keeler, Ward (2011-06-09). "The Saint Who Did Not Want to Die: The Multiple Deaths of an Immortal Burmese Holy Man". Journal of Burma Studies. 15 (1): 69–118. doi:10.1353/jbs.2011.0000. ISSN 2010-314X.
  5. ^ Spiro, Melford (1982). Buddhism and society: a great tradition and its Burmese vicissitudes. University of California Press. p. 210. ISBN 978-0-520-04672-6.
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