Different Ways of Paying Homage?

General Theravada topics
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I found these two ways of paying homage in the Apadana texts.
Eightfold Reverential Salutation (Aṭṭhaṅga Namakkāra)
Five-Point Prostration (Pañcapatiṭṭhita Vandana)

I asked ChatGPT to explain the difference between the two. Here’s what I learned:
In the first way of paying homage, the eight parts touching the ground are:

  1. Forehead
  2. Two hands
  3. Two knees
  4. Two elbows
  5. Chest

This is full bodily submission with eight contact points.

In the second way of paying homage, five parts touch the ground:

  1. Two knees
  2. Two hands
  3. Forehead

This is a kneeling bow.

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Commentary on the Apadāna of Venerable Gandhamāli

Beginning with “Siddhatthassa bhagavato…,” this is the Apadāna of the venerable Gandhamāli.

In the time of the Buddha Siddhattha, he was born wealthy. Having faith, he prepared many fragrant substances — sandalwood, agarwood, camphor, musk — and made fragrant incense for the Blessed One. He covered it with jasmine flowers and performed the eightfold reverential salutation.

Through that merit he enjoyed prosperity among gods and humans. In this Buddha’s dispensation he was born wealthy again, gained faith, went forth, and soon attained arahantship.

Verse 24 states that recollecting his former deed, he declared his past conduct beginning with “Siddhatthassa bhagavato…”. The rest is clear.

Thus ends the commentary on the Apadāna of Gandhamāli Thera.

  1. Gandhamāliyattheraapadānavaṇṇanā Siddhatthassabhagavatotiādikaṃ āyasmato gandhamāliyattherassa apadāna. Ayampi purimabuddhesu katādhikāro siddhatthassa bhagavato kāle kulagehe nibbatto mahaddhano mahābhogo ahosi. So satthari pasīditvā candanāgarukappūrakassaturādīni anekāni sugandhāni vaḍḍhetvā satthu gandhathūpaṃ kāresi. Tassupari sumanapupphehi chādesi, buddhañca aṭṭhaṅganamakkāraṃ akāsi. So tena puññakammena devamanussesu sampattiyo anubhavitvā imasmiṃ buddhuppāde vibhavasampanne ekasmiṃ kulagehe nibbatto vuddhimanvāya satthari pasīditvā pabbajito nacirasseva arahā ahosi. 24. So aparabhāge attano pubbakammaṃ saritvā somanassajāto pubbacaritāpadānaṃ pakāsento siddhatthassa bhagavatotiādimāha. Taṃ sabbaṃ uttānatthamevāti. Gandhamāliyattheraapadānavaṇṇanā samattā.
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