The Aṅgulimāla Paritta
A Blessing for Mother and Child
A Buddhist protective verse from Majjhima Nikaya 86, in which the arahant Aṅgulimāla wishes safety to a mother in labour and her child.
Verses
Since, sister, I was born in the noble birth, I do not recall having intentionally deprived any living being of life. By this truth, may you be well, and may the child in your womb be well.
Verse 1
By the power of this truth—that from the moment of my noble rebirth I have never knowingly taken a life—may you, dear sister, be safe and sound, and may the infant within you also be safe and sound.
Verse 2
Worship Guidelines & Chanting Benefits (Phalashruti)
Daily or auspicious lunar days (Ekadashi, Purnima, Pradosham)
Brahma Muhurta (4:00 AM – 6:00 AM) or Evening Dusk (Sandhya)
Ghee lamp (Deepa), Incense (Dhoopa), Fresh flowers & Water offering
- Peace of mind, spiritual upliftment, and harmonious energy in the home
Background
The Aṅgulimāla Paritta is a protective verse (paritta) from the Theravada Buddhist tradition, drawn from the story of Aṅgulimāla, a reformed bandit who became a disciple of the Buddha. In the Aṅgulimāla Sutta (Majjhima Nikāya 86), the Buddha tells Aṅgulimāla to go to a woman in difficult labour and speak these words, and she and her child are then safe. The verse has since been recited as a blessing for pregnant women and for safe childbirth. It is part of the wider practice of paritta chanting — the recitation of sacred texts for protection and well-being — and remains widely used in Buddhist communities today.
About this Text
Composed by: Arahant Angulimala
Did You Know?
The Backstory
Aṅgulimāla was a notorious killer who wore a garland of fingers taken from his victims, but after a life-changing encounter with the Buddha, he became a monk and eventually attained full enlightenment (an arahant). This verse is his famous 'truth declaration' spoken after that complete transformation.
'Noble Birth' Explained
The phrase 'born in the Noble Birth' does not refer to his physical birth as a human, but to his spiritual rebirth as an arahant — a state of complete purity and freedom from defilement. This spiritual rebirth is the foundation of the verse's power.
The Power of Truth (Sacca-kiriya)
This chant is a classic example of a 'truth act' (sacca-kiriya), a widespread Buddhist practice where a person invokes the absolute truth of a virtuous deed or state to bring about a specific blessing. Here, the truth of his non-violence is used to protect the mother and child.
A Protective Paritta
The Aṅgulimāla Paritta is one of the most popular protective chants (parittas) in Theravada Buddhism, specifically recited for safe childbirth and the well-being of pregnant women. In common practice, monks chant it over a glass of water, which is then given to the mother to drink.
The Specific Occasion
In the Aṅgulimāla Sutta (Majjhima Nikāya 86), the Buddha sends Aṅgulimāla to a woman suffering a difficult labour. He is to say, “By this truth may you be well, and may the child in your womb be well.” The sutta then reports that the woman and her child were safe, which gave the chant its lasting reputation for aiding childbirth.
Buddha
More from Buddhism
See allConnected Teachings
The same teaching, echoed across traditions