It is the duty of every Buddhist to pay homage to the Buddha before the commencement of any Buddhist recital. The following sentences in Pali should be recited thrice and only after that does one take refuge in the Triple Gem. This is done as a mark of respect for the great virtues and wisdom of the Buddha in order to gain confidence, devotion and inspiration in the Buddha

Namo Tassa Bhagavato Arahato
Samma sambuddhassa

Namo Tassa Bhagavato Arahato
Samma sambuddhassa

Namo Tassa Bhagavato Arahato
Samma sambuddhassa

Honour to Him,
The Blessed One,
The Worthy One,
The fully Enlightened One.