The motion appointing a monk to instruct the candidates, followed immediately by the rehearsal itself.
- When chanted
- Spoken at an ordination before the candidates are questioned in the assembly.
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 acts printed as one, because in practice they run together: first the assembly is asked to appoint an instructor, and then the instruction begins without a break.
This is the two-candidate version. What is being rehearsed is the questioning the candidates are about to face in front of everybody.
Meaning and purpose
The motion is the standard form — let the Sangha hear me; if the Sangha is ready, I would instruct these candidates — and it is put for a task that in most institutions would need no permission at all.
The rehearsal then opens with the same words the real questioning will open with: listen; this is the time for truth, the time for what is so. The candidates hear the warning twice, once in rehearsal and once in earnest.
That doubling is the point of rehearsing. A candidate who has already been through the questions is not being tested on his memory in front of the assembly, and the tradition would rather he answered well than be caught out.
The chant
As the book prints it: page 296 →
page 296สุณาตุ เม ภันเต สังโฆ,
Suṇātu me bhante saṅgho,
Let the Saṅgha, venerable sirs, hear me. If the Saṅgha is ready, I would instruct Puṇṇa and Subha.
ปุณโณ จะ สุโภ จะ อายัส๎มะโต มะนุสสะนาคัสสะ อุปะสัมปะทาเปกขา,
Puṇṇo ca subho ca āyasmato manussanāgassa upasampadāpekkhā,
…continues.
ยะทิ สังฆัสสะ ปัตตะกัลลัง,
Yadi saṅghassa pattakallaṃ,
…continues.
อะหัง ปุณณัญจะ สุภัญจะ อะนุสาเสยยัง.
Ahaṃ puṇṇañca subhañca anusāseyyaṃ.
…continues.
สุณะสิ ปุณณะ อะยันเต สัจจะกาโล ภูตะกาโล,
Suṇasi puṇṇa ayante saccakālo bhūtakālo,
Listen, Puṇṇa. This is the time for truth, the time for what is so. What has arisen … my preceptor, venerable sir, is the venerable Manussanāga.
ยัง ชาตัง ฯลฯ อุปัชฌาโย เม ภันเต อายัส๎มา มะนุสสะนาโค นามะ
Yaṃ jātaṃ … upajjhāyo me bhante āyasmā manussanāgo nāma
…continues.