The single sentence by which a monk disrobes and asks to be regarded as a householder again.
- When chanted
- Spoken before a witness by a monk who is leaving the monastic life.
A note on this chant. The book prints this chant in Pali only, with no Thai translation. The English here is a working translation prepared for this edition — it is not the book's own, and has not yet been checked by a teacher.
Historical background
Two clauses, and they end a monastic life. In this tradition disrobing is not a disgrace and requires no permission: it needs only to be said clearly, to somebody who understands it.
That is why it is printed here among the ordinary formulas, between the rains residence and the declaration of lay following, rather than set apart.
Meaning and purpose
The first clause does the work. สิกขัง ปัจจักขามิ — I renounce the training. What is given up is named precisely: not the Buddha, not the Dhamma, not the community, but the training.
The second is a request about how others should now think of him: คิหีติ มัง ธาเรถะ, remember me as a householder. It asks for a change of status rather than forgiveness.
Nothing is said about failure and no reason is asked for. A person who has said this may take the robe again later, and the page that follows — declaring oneself a lay follower — is the next thing he might reasonably say.
The chant
As the book prints it: page 303 →
page 303สิกขัง ปัจจักขามิ. คิหีติ มัง ธาเรถะ.
Sikkhaṃ paccakkhāmi. gihīti maṃ dhāretha.
ข้าพเจ้าลาสิกขา ท่านทั้งหลายจงจำข้าพเจ้าไว้ว่า เป็นคฤหัสถ์
I renounce the training. Remember me as a householder.