English
and at the beginning of a Kammavācā. However, that text is neither included in the taking of refuge, nor included in the Kammavācā, nor included as a preliminary act for the Kammavācā. Even if it is not recited, there is no loss to the taking of refuge or the Kammavācā. There is no gain if it is recited. Therefore, the authors of the treatises do not provide an explanation of that Mahānamakkāra text at the beginning of taking refuge or at the beginning of a Kammavācā. If they were to explain it, the meaning of the words "Bhagavato Arahato Sammāsambuddhassa" should be explained in detail, like the meaning of the words "Bhagavā Arahaṃ Sammāsambuddho" in treatises such as Visuddhimagga, Samantapāsādikā, Sāratthadīpanī, etc. Even so, since it proceeds by way of revealing the true qualities of the Blessed One, all teachers recite it three times at the beginning of all treatises for auspiciousness. And when reciting, one should recite with a well-rounded pronunciation of words and syllables, suitable for a recluse, paying attention to the distinctions of loose and firm, long and short, etc., without losing the proper place and effort for the letters N and M, etc. It should not be recited with an excessively prolonged sound, similar to a song. For this was said by the Blessed One: "Bhikkhus, the Dhamma should not be chanted with a prolonged, singing voice. Whoever chants it thus, there is an offense of dukkaṭa." "A short vowel should have one mātrā, two Two measures is said to be long; Three measures, however, is known as pluta, and a consonant is half a measure. Relying on the phonetic rules stated by the masters of phonetics, in short, unsounded letters like 'na', one measure; in the consonant 'na', half a measure; combining these, it is pronounced with a duration of one and a half measures. In long letters like 'mo', in the long vowels like 'o', two measures; in the consonants like 'ma', half a measure; combining these, it is pronounced with a duration of two and a half measures, and not more than that. But isn't it said that "pluta is known as three measures"? That is true, but that is only found in calling from a distance and so on, not elsewhere. For it is said in the verse: "In calling from a distance, in singing, And likewise in weeping; Plutas are said to be three measures, All of these are not to be taken here." But in how much time is one measure to be understood? In the time of a blink or a wink, say the teachers. Some teachers, however, say, "in the time of a finger snap." For it was said by the Elder Acariya Dhammasenāpati: "The measure of one measure, they said, is from a blink or a wink; They also said it is the measure of a finger snap." Thus, according to the sayings of the masters of phonetics, in the place of a pure short vowel, the measure is one measure; in the place of a short vowel with a consonant, the measure is one and a half measures; in the place of a pure long vowel, the measure is two measures; in the place of a long vowel with a consonant, the measure is two and a half measures; observing this time, it is pronounced. Now, however, monks, making a strong effort when chanting the Great Homage, extend the vowel in the place of a short vowel to two or three measures, and in the place of a long vowel to four or five measures, and then chant, which seems inappropriate. Others, after chanting the first round, even when they reach the concluding word "sammāsambuddhassā," do not stop there, but again chant "namo tassā" and stop at the 'sa' sound, rest a little, and then in the second round, starting with "bhagavato" and chanting until the end, they stop. In the third round, however, starting from the beginning, they... they stop at the end. And many praise one who recites thus, but that it should be done thus is found neither in the Pāli, nor in the commentaries. Just as when a ñatti-catuttha kamma is performed, the three announcements, distinct in sound and meaning, free from mutual confusion, should be recited, so too, when the great homage recitation is recited three times, the three repetitions, distinct in sound and meaning, free from confusion, should be recited from the beginning to the end. Therein some say thus: just as one going swiftly, even having reached the stopping place, cannot stop suddenly, but goes a foot's length and then stops, so too, one reciting from the beginning, due to strong enthusiasm, even having reached the end, cannot stop, but can do so after reciting the two words "Namo Tassa". If this is so, why can one stop in the second and third repetitions? Then, in the second repetition, having rested a little, having regained breath, one can stop. Thus, those venerable ones themselves bring harm to themselves. For it is not taught by the Buddha, nor established by the Dhamma-reciting elders, that "the great homage should be recited with strong enthusiasm in the first repetition." If this is so, just as the reciter of the Pātimokkha, when reciting the Pātimokkha, should take into account the range of his own voice to recite until the end, according to the hearing capacity of as many bhikkhus as listen to the Pātimokkha, so too, one reciting the kammavācā should take into account the range of his own voice to recite until the end, according to the hearing capacity of the bhikkhus seated in the sīmā-maṇḍala. But other teachers, in words ending in 'o' like 'mo', cause an echoing sound to follow two or three times with an extra vowel, and recite. Having heard such recitation from those teachers, other bhikkhus or laypeople, having become accustomed, do not respect the kammavācā of other teachers, by that kammavācā... They think ordination must be obtained from a preceptor. But such a recitation is recited thus only by the pupils and grand-pupils of those teachers, not by other teachers. But they, hearing the sound of the ancient teachers with good voices, a sound which, even without imitative sounds, seemed harmonious and was greatly desired, then following what they had seen, they do this, I think. For it is not stated in the Vinaya or in grammar texts that it should be recited thus. Therefore, this should be investigated. But many monks, not knowing the decisions stated in the Vinaya concerning "loose, aspirated, long, and short" and so on, and not knowing the decisions made in grammar texts concerning "here in the five classes" and so on, and not having received instruction from the Pitaka-versed, Vinaya-holding, highly learned elders, taking only the words of monks who perform ordinations here and there, not knowing what is to be rejected and what is to be accepted, hearing the sound of the great elders who came from other lands before, who were meritorious and endowed with good voices, reciting without proper guidance, and without asking the opinion of those excellent elders, writing down what they saw and what they heard, and preserving it, gradually displaying an improper discourse to be ridiculed by the wise, saying things like: "In this place they make a sound like a tigress's roar; in this place they make a sound like a bird's chirp; in this place they make a betel-spit sound; in this place they recite bowing to the right; in this place they recite bowing to the left; in this place they recite with affectation," and believing only that, sitting at the foot of trees, in caves, or rock shelters, and practicing that very recitation, reciting the ordination procedure accordingly, and saying, "I am skilled in the ordination procedure," convincing foolish people, they recite the ordination procedure for those who seek ordination. These monks transgress the Buddha's command, and cause the Dispensation to decline, it should be understood. Then other monks, dwelling in village monasteries and so on, from the wise... Not having properly investigated the success or failure of the materials, or the success or failure of the assembly for the declaration of the motion and the boundary, and not knowing them as they truly are, many establish disciples and perform ordinations and higher ordinations, thereby increasing the assembly. These also cause the Buddha's teaching to decline. Therefore, by conscientious, diligent, learned, and training-desirous virtuous monks, who are acting according to the Buddha's command, such monks should not be befriended, nor supported, nor co-resided with. Now, monks – "A word ending in 'ca' or 'sa', one should say it as if ending in 'ta'; A word ending in 'ña' or 'la', one should say it as if ending in 'na'." – Relying on this verse, even in taking refuge, they recite the phrase "I go for refuge to the Buddha" with an altered pronunciation, instead of the proper way. And in the formal acts (kammavācā), they recite the phrase "first the preceptor should be made to grasp" with an altered pronunciation, instead of the proper way. Here, the reason should be considered from both logic and tradition. This is the logical consideration here – In "A word ending in 'ca' or 'sa', one should say it as if ending in 'ta'", the 'ca' sound is palatal, the 'ta' sound is dental. Thus, these letters are dissimilar in their place of articulation. The 'ca' sound is produced by the middle of the tongue, the 'ta' sound by the tip of the tongue. Thus, they are dissimilar in their manner of articulation. The 'ca' sound belongs to the second class (varga), the 'ta' sound belongs to the fourth class. Thus, they are dissimilar in their class. By means of conjunct consonants, the preceding letters do not attain a special sound by receiving a specific vowel. For this very reason, the teachers of grammar say: "shortening when followed by a conjunct" and "the vowels 'e' and 'o' preceding a conjunct should be said as short." If this is so, how can letters that have received a sound through a conjunct consonant, which is dissimilar in place, dissimilar in manner, and dissimilar in class, attain the same sound as letters that have received a sound