What is the meaning behind this chant?

Upvote:1

For the meaning of saṅghānussati in advance, see Part II—Concentration (Samádhi) CH. VII SIX RECOLLECTIONS Recollection of the Saṅgha page 215.

We should be used with the tree refuges according to Sutta. Ma. U. Sevitabbāsevitabbasuttaṃ:

It was said, "Sāriputta, I say, persons are also twofold those that should be used and not used" On account of what was it said by the Blessed One? Venerable sir, when using certain persons demerit increases and merit decreases, such persons should not be used, when using certain persons demerit decreases and merit increases, such persons should be used. It was said, "Sāriputta, persons too are twofold, those that should be used and not used. " It was said on account of this.

Why? Sutta. Khu. Jā.(1) Vīsatinipātajātakaṃ Sattigumbajātakaṃ:

“To whomsoever, good or bad, a man shall honour pay, Vicious or virtuous, that man holds him beneath his sway.

“Like as the comrade one admires, like as the chosen friend, Such will become the man who keeps beside him, in the end.

“Friendship makes like, and touch by touch infects, you’ll find it true: Poison the arrow, and ere long the quiver’s poisoned too.

“The wise eschews bad company, for fear of staining touch: Wrap rotten fish in grass, you’ll find the grass stinks just as much. And they who keep fool’s company themselves will soon be such.

“Sweet frankincense wrap in a leaf, the leaf will smell as sweet. So they themselves will soon grow wise, that sit at wise men’s feet.

“By this similitude the wise should his own profit know, Let him eschew bad company and with the righteous go: Heaven waits the righteous, but the bad are doomed to hell below.”

Upvote:2

It's taken from (or quoted in) MN 7 (but it's one of the Pali Formulae -- buddha-vacana.org says, of this one, "45 occurrences", so I suppose this occurs in 45 suttas; also, that it's a component of the Sekha Paṭipadā).

It's one of the Anussati -- specifically Saṅghānussati. Sati is "mindfulness" -- and anu is "after (behind)", "for (towards an aim)", "according to (in conformity with)", also "each/every/one-by-one" -- so, combined, "remember" or "recollect" or "call to mind".

AN 3.70 says (of all the Anussati) that, "as they recollect ... their mind becomes clear, joy arises, and mental corruptions are given up".

Commentary says that this is referring to the "ariya sangha" (the noble sangha), i.e. all enlightened ones. The "8 [types of] individuals" refer to the "four stages of enlightenment" (sotāpanna etc.) or as it says "the four pairs of persons" -- both ordained and/or lay.

Upvote:2

Supatipanno Bhagavato sāvakasangho

The Blessed One's community of disciples who have practised well/thoroughly

Ujupatipanno Bhagavato sāvakasangho

The Blessed One's community of disciples who have practised directly/without messing around/without dreaming about reincarnation/without trolling internet forums obsessively attempting to teach morality to worldlings/with total abandonment of selfing

Ñāyapatipanno Bhagavato sāvakasangho

Practised insightfully

Sāmīcipatipanno Bhagavato sāvakasangho

Practised correctly

This Order of the Disciples of the Blessed One, namely these Four Pairs of persons, the eight [types of] individuals,

Eight individuals practising for or have realised the four levels of enlightenment, namely, stream-entry, once-returner, non-returner and arahant

is worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of reverential salutation, and is an incomparable field of merit for the World.

The above means to not give to or place faith in idiotic monks (duppaññā eḷamūgā) but only revere and place faith in monks who have realised emptiness (sunnata).

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