The Great Elder's reply, which grants the pardon and repeats the fault back before naming what makes amends possible.
- When chanted
- Spoken by a Great Elder in reply to monks asking pardon.
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
The other half of the exchange, and it is longer than the request. That is unusual: in most such pairs in this book the reply is a single sentence.
It follows the request clause for clause, which is what gives it its particular effect when the two are heard together.
Meaning and purpose
It begins by agreeing, and it does not moderate the terms: indeed, friends, a transgression has overcome you, as fools, as deluded, as unskilful. The elder repeats the self-accusation back rather than waving it away.
He then names what was done, which the request did not: you have shown disrespect towards me. The vague formula is made specific by the person who was wronged, not by the people apologising.
And then the principle that makes the whole exchange work, stated as a general rule rather than as a personal concession: one who sees a transgression as a transgression makes amends for it according to the Dhamma, and undertakes restraint in future. The pardon is granted because the rule says so, not because the elder feels generous — which is precisely what makes it possible to ask for.
The chant
As the book prints it: page 253 →
page 253ตัคฆะ โว อาวุโส อัจจะโย อัจจัคคะมา,
Taggha vo āvuso accayo accaggamā,
Indeed, friends, a transgression has overcome you,
ยะถาพาเล ยะถามุฬเห ยะถาอะกุสะเล,
yathābāle yathāmuḷhe yathāakusale,
as fools, as deluded, as unskilful,
เย ตุมเห กะทาจิ กะระหะจิ,
ye tumhe kadāci karahaci,
in that you, at some time or other,
ปะมาทัง วา อาคัมมะ,
pamādaṃ vā āgamma,
having come under the sway of heedlessness,
อะโยนิโสมะนะสิการัง วา อาคัมมะ,
ayonisomanasikāraṃ vā āgamma,
or having come under the sway of unwise attention,
มะยิ อะคาระวัง อะกัตถะ,
mayi agāravaṃ akattha,
have shown disrespect towards me,
กาเยนะ วา วาจายะ วา มะนะสา วา,
kāyena vā vācāya vā manasā vā,
by body, by speech, or by mind,
สัมมุขาปิ ปะรัมมุขาปิ,
sammukhāpi parammukhāpi,
whether to my face or behind my back.
ยะโต จะ โข ตุมเห อัจจะยัง อัจจะยะโต ทิส๎วา,
yato ca kho tumhe accayaṃ accayato disvā,
But since you have seen the transgression as a transgression,
ยะถาธัมมัง ปะฏิกกะโรถะ,
yathādhammaṃ paṭikkarotha,
and make amends for it according to the Dhamma,
อายะติง สังวะรัง อาปัชชะถะ,
āyatiṃ saṃvaraṃ āpajjatha,
and undertake restraint in future,
ตัง โว ปะฏิคคัณหามิ,
taṃ vo paṭiggaṇhāmi,
I accept it of you.
วุฑฒิ เหสา อาวุโส อะริยัสสะ วินะเย,
vuḍḍhi hesā āvuso ariyassa vinaye,
For this is growth, friends, in the discipline of the noble one:
โย อัจจะยัง อัจจะยะโต ทิส๎วา ยะถาธัมมัง ปะฏิกกะโรติ,
yo accayaṃ accayato disvā yathādhammaṃ paṭikkaroti,
that one who sees a transgression as a transgression makes amends for it according to the Dhamma,
อายะติง สังวะรัง อาปัชชะติ.
āyatiṃ saṃvaraṃ āpajjati.
and undertakes restraint in future.