Chants & Prayers
in Lao
ການສວດ ແລະ ຄຳອະທິຖານ ເປັນພາສາລາວ
The foundational chants of Theravāda Buddhism — Namo Tassa, the Three Refuges, and the Five Precepts — presented in Pāli, Lao script, phonetic romanization, and English translation. Whether you are learning to chant for the first time or looking to deepen your understanding, this is your reference.
Chanting is not performance —
it is practice
ການສວດ ບໍ່ແມ່ນ ການສະແດງ — ມັນ ຄື ການ ປະ ຕິ ບັດ
Buddhist chanting is one of the oldest and most powerful forms of meditation practice. In the Theravāda tradition, chanting the Buddha’s words in Pāli is not merely recitation — it is a form of contemplation, a training of attention, a connection to the lineage of practitioners who have chanted these same words for 2,500 years. The sound of the chant itself — its rhythm, its resonance in the body — can be a direct support for meditative calm.
Every chant on this page is used in Lao Buddhist temple ceremonies. Learning even one or two by heart gives you the ability to participate fully in any Lao temple service — a gesture of respect and connection that will be warmly welcomed by any Lao Buddhist community.
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammāsambuddhassa.
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammāsambuddhassa. Na-mo tas-sa bha-ga-va-to a-ra-ha-to sam-mā-sam-bud-dhas-sa. (× 3) ນະໂມ ຕັດສ ພະຄວໂຕ ອຣຫໂຕ ສມມາສມພຸດທສສ. (ສາມ ຄັ້ງ) Homage to the Blessed One, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Self-Enlightened One. (Repeated three times — once for each of the Three Jewels) This is the universal opening of every Theravāda Buddhist ceremony and every individual chanting practice. It is always said three times. Learning just this one chant allows you to open any personal practice or join any temple ceremony.
Dhammaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.
Saṅghaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.
Dutiyampi Buddhaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.
Dutiyampi Dhammaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.
Dutiyampi Saṅghaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.
Tatiyampi Buddhaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.
Tatiyampi Dhammaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.
Tatiyampi Saṅghaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi. Bud-dham sa-ra-nam gac-cha-mi. Dham-mam sa-ra-nam gac-cha-mi. San-gham sa-ra-nam gac-cha-mi. ຂ້ານ້ອຍ ເຖິງ ພຣະພຸດທ ເປັນ ທີ່ ພຶ່ງ.
ຂ້ານ້ອຍ ເຖິງ ພຣະທຳ ເປັນ ທີ່ ພຶ່ງ.
ຂ້ານ້ອຍ ເຖິງ ພຣະສົງ ເປັນ ທີ່ ພຶ່ງ.
(ກ່າວ ສາມ ຮອບ — ຮອບ ທີສອງ: ທຸດຕິຍ ທຸ ຮອ ທີສາມ: ຕຕິຍ ) I go to the Buddha as my refuge. I go to the Dhamma as my refuge. I go to the Sangha as my refuge. (Said three times, each repetition prefaced with dutiyampi — “for the second time” — and tatiyampi — “for the third time”) The Three Refuges are the universal mark of being Buddhist, said at the beginning of every ceremony. Each time they are recited, the practitioner reaffirms their commitment to the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha as the guides of their life.
Adinnādānā veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi.
Kāmesumicchācārā veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi.
Musāvādā veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi.
Surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānā veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi. Pā-ṇā-ti-pā-tā ve-ra-ma-ṇī sik-khā-pa-daṃ sa-mā-di-yā-mi. (× 5, one line each) ຂ້ານ້ອຍ ສະລະ ການຂ້າສັດ.
ຂ້ານ້ອຍ ສະລະ ການລັກ ຊັບ.
ຂ້ານ້ອຍ ສະລະ ການ ປະພຶດ ຜິດ ທາງ ກາມ.
ຂ້ານ້ອຍ ສະລະ ການ ເວົ້າ ເທັດ.
ຂ້ານ້ອຍ ສະລະ ການ ດື່ມ ເຫຼົ້າ ແລະ ຢາ ເສບ ຕິດ. I undertake the training rule to refrain from taking life. / I undertake the training rule to refrain from taking what is not given. / I undertake the training rule to refrain from sexual misconduct. / I undertake the training rule to refrain from false speech. / I undertake the training rule to refrain from intoxicants that cause heedlessness. The Five Precepts follow immediately after the Three Refuges in every lay ceremony. Each line ends with “sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi” — “I undertake this training rule.” The key word is samādiyāmi — I take this upon myself, voluntarily, as a commitment.
LaoDharma.org is working to provide audio recordings of all these chants performed by trained Lao monks, so that learners can follow the correct pronunciation and rhythm. In the meantime, you can hear the chants performed at any Lao Buddhist temple — attending a ceremony is the best way to learn.