Section outline
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Lesson 1.4.3 Dhajaggasuttaṃ – Verses for Protection
The thrilling verses in this lesson are extracted from the Dhajaggasutta found in the Saṃyuttanikāyo. The Buddha relates a past battle between the Devas and the Asuras. He compares the distress that might arise during a fight with the complications that might arise during meditation, and encourages meditators to recollect the qualities of the Triple Gem whenever they find they are lacking in zeal. Such rousing ‘recollection’ is generally referred to as anussati. Recalling and comprehending such ‘spiritual’ attributes, in their deeper meanings, will enable a meditator to regain balance in order to conquer the arisen distress. The Introduction further highlights the importance of saddhā in the context of the five padhāniyaṅgā for the exertion of effort, as well as its significance in the development of the five ‘strengths’ (pañcimāni balāni) and the maturation of the five ‘dominating factors’ or ‘faculties’ (pañcimāni indriyāni).