Kp 5 - Khp 5 Maṅgala Sutta — Protection
Translated by Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu
Source: https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/KN/Khp/khp5.html
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Copyright: Copyright 2014 Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu, Revised edition 2017
License notice: Copyright 2014 Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu, Revised edition 2017 This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 Unported. To see a copy of this license visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/. “Commercial” shall mean any sale, whether for commercial or non-profit purposes or entities. Questions about this book may be addressed to Metta Forest Monastery Valley Center, CA 92082-1409 U.S.A. Additional resources More Dhamma talks, books and translations by Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu are available to download in digital audio and various ebook formats at dhammatalks.org. Printed copy A paperback copy of this book is available free of charge. To request one, write to: Book Request, Metta Forest Monastery, PO Box 1409, Valley Center, CA 92082 USA.
Attribution: From Handful of Leaves, Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu; https://www.dhammatalks.org/Archive/Writings/Ebooks/SuttaPitaka_251113.epub. Copyright 2014 Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu, Revised edition 2017 This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 Unported. To see a copy of this license visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/. “Commercial” shall mean any sale, whether for commercial or non-profit purposes or entities. Questions about this book may be addressed to Metta Forest Monastery Valley Center, CA 92082-1409 U.S.A. Additional resources More Dhamma talks, books and translations by Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu are available to download in digital audio and various ebook formats at dhammatalks.org. Printed copy A paperback copy of this book is available free of charge. To request one, write to: Book Request, Metta Forest Monastery, PO Box 1409, Valley Center, CA 92082 USA.
Publisher references (not part of the sutta): See also: SN 3:5; AN 3:110; AN 4:128; AN 10:17
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Completeness: ABBREVIATED. Every source-unit character is preserved, including introductions, notes and verse structure. Thanissaro's collection-level note explicitly states that repetitions were cut: https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/about.html. This is evidence about the translation method, not an assertion that every individual unit contains an omission; no repetitions reconstructed.

Khp 5. Maṅgala Sutta — Protection

I have heard that at one time the Blessed One was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Then a certain deva, in the far extreme of the night, her extreme radiance lighting up the entirety of Jeta’s Grove, went to the Blessed One. On arrival, having bowed down to him, she stood to one side. As she was standing there, she addressed him with a verse.

“Many devas & human beings
give thought to protection,
desiring well-being.
Tell, then, the highest protection.”

The Buddha:
“Not consorting with fools,
consorting with the wise,
paying homage to those worthy of homage:
    This is the highest protection.

Living in a civilized land,
having made merit in the past,
directing oneself rightly:1
    This is the highest protection.

Broad knowledge, skill,
well-mastered discipline,
well-spoken words:
    This is the highest protection.

Support for one’s mother & father,2
assistance to one’s wife and children,
consistency in one’s work:
    This is the highest protection.

Generosity, living in rectitude,
assistance to one’s relatives,
deeds that are blameless:
    This is the highest protection.

Avoiding, abstaining from evil;
refraining from intoxicants,
being heedful of the mental qualities
    This is the highest protection.

Respect, humility,
contentment, gratitude,
hearing the Dhamma on timely occasions:
    This is the highest protection.

Patience, being easy to instruct,
seeing contemplatives,
discussing the Dhamma on timely occasions:
    This is the highest protection.

Austerity, celibacy,
seeing the noble truths,
realizing unbinding:
    This is the highest protection.

A mind that, when touched
by the ways of the world,3
is unshaken, sorrowless, dustless, at rest:
    This is the highest protection.

When acting in this way,
everywhere undefeated,
people go everywhere in well-being:
    This is their highest protection.”

Notes

1. These are three of the four “wheels” leading to wealth and prosperity. See AN 4:31.

2. See AN 2:31–32.

3. Ways of the world (lokadhamma): gain, loss, status, loss of status, praise, criticism, pleasure, pain. See AN 8:6 and AN 4:192.