The Diamond Shield Yantra

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The Diamond Shield Yantra
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The Diamond Shield Yantra(Sacred Script of the
Qualities of the Buddha)
The above yantra (sacred script) is written in
Cambodian characters and is known as Yan
Kropetch. It is a set of verses which Buddhists
recite to reflect upon the qualities of the
Buddha. Luang Phor Parn of Wat Bang Nom Kho,
Ayuthaya province, found the yantra in B.E. 2458
(1915) while he was making a pilgrimage to
Suphanburi province, Thailand. Shortly before
he found this great yantra, he was meditating and
an intuition arose in his mind that there was a
very important plate buried in the main cetiya of
Wat Phra Sri Ratana Maha Dhat, Suphanburi
province, waiting for him to recover. Not long
after that he arrived at the cetiya and found an
ancient silver plate inscribed with the above
yantra. The plate also states that for one who
recites these verses everyday, his/her body will
be covered with a Diamond Shield and will be
safe from all dangers. The person will never be
destroyed by his/her enemies. However, the enemy
will be destroyed by some strange phenomena
because of the reflective result from the powers
of the Diamond Shield. 
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To read the yantra, begin from top to bottom
(i.e. column-wise), left to right. The romanised
Pali version of the yantra is Iti Piso
Bhagava Araham Samma Sambuddho Vijja Carana
Sampanno Sugato Lokavidu Anuttaro Purisa Damma
Sarathi Sattha Deva Manussanam Buddho Bhagavai
meaning He is a Blessed One, a Worthy One, a
Rightly Self-Enlightened One, consummate in
knowledge and conduct, one who has gone the good
way, knower of the cosmos, unexcelled trainer of
those who can be taught, teacher of divine and
human beings, Awakened, Blessed. As a fitting
tribute to the memory of the Lord Buddha, this
same yantra will be engraved in gold on a curved
shape wall to be erected behind the Palelai
Buddha image in our chedi. It will allow all who
visit the second floor of our chedi to also take
time to reflect upon the qualities of our Great
Teacher while admiring the beauty of the
manuscript, just as any good pilgrim will do
while visiting the Buddhist pilgrimage sites.
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Make Your Aspiration for Enlightenment !
It is an ancient tradition for Buddhists to make
their aspiration for Enlightenment by placing
some sacred object in a temple building, Cetiya
(pagoda) or Buddha image. In order to facilitate
this for our members and devotees, the Maha
Sangha and Management Committee has made
arrangements for a special casting of the Diamond
Shield yantra on 108,000 pieces of gold coloured
copper plates as a symbol of every ones wish for
Enlightenment. The number 108 is derived from
the multiplication of 9 by 12. The number 9
signifies our taking Refuge in the Triple Gem
(the Buddha, Dhamma, Sangha) three times. When
we say something three times, we truly mean what
we say. The number 12 represents the 3
permutations of the 4 Noble Truths (appropriate
understanding of each Truth, practice of each
Truth, and realization of each Truth). Our
Diamond Shield plate also contains an important
summary of the heart of the Buddhas teachings by
the Venerable Assaji, one of the first five
Bhikkhus taught by the Buddha.
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The summary was given by Venerable Assaji in
response to Venerable Sariputtas question of
what is taught by the Buddha. Upon hearing this
summary, Venerable Sariputta attained the first
stage of Enlightenment (Sotapanna). Venerable
Assaji said Ye Dhamma hetupabbhava, tesam
hetum Tathagato aha, tesam ca yo nirodho, evam
vadi Maha Samano, meaning Of conditions that
arise from a cause, the cause and cessation has
been declared by the Great Contemplative It is
also an ancient tradition for Buddhists in China
and Burma to write the above verse and place it
inside cetiyas when they build them. Hence our
inclusion of the above verse is in keeping with a
very ancient tradition for building cetiyas. Of
the 108,000 pieces, 84,000 pieces (representing
the 84,000 sections of Dhamma) will be installed
in the bell of our cetiya, 12,000 pieces in the
Buddha image in our meditation hall, and another
12, 000 pieces in the Buddha image in our dining
hall.
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Members and devotees can write their names, date,
and place of birth on the plate, make their
aspirations and place the plate into any one of
the three containers for each of the three
locations for installation of the plates. You
can also do this in memory of relatives or
friends who have passed away (as your aspiration
for them). Our Maha Sangha will consecrate these
plates during their daily morning and evening
chanting services from now until the opening of
our cetiya. There is no limit to the number
plates you install the more you place, the
higher the significance of the aspiration is to
you! May You and Your Families Be Well, Happy,
Healthy, and Strong, May All Your Skilfull
Wishes Come To Fruition. The Maha Sangha and
Members of the Executive Committee Palelai
Buddhist Temple 1st August 2547 (2004)