9 levels of Pali exams in Thailand

Explore the ancient language of the Tipitaka and Theravāda commentaries
Post Reply
User avatar
bodom
Posts: 7216
Joined: Fri Jan 09, 2009 6:18 pm
Location: San Antonio, Texas

9 levels of Pali exams in Thailand

Post by bodom »

Does anyone know if there is an english translation of the Sanam Luang Dhamma exams in english or anything similar? Ive searched online but havent been able to find anything. Thanks.

:anjali:
Liberation is the inevitable fruit of the path and is bound to blossom forth when there is steady and persistent practice. The only requirements for reaching the final goal are two: to start and to continue. If these requirements are met there is no doubt the goal will be attained. This is the Dhamma, the undeviating law.

- BB
User avatar
Dhammanando
Posts: 6492
Joined: Tue Dec 30, 2008 10:44 pm
Location: Mae Wang Huai Rin, Li District, Lamphun

Re: 9 levels of Pali exams in Thailand

Post by Dhammanando »

I don't think so. Most of the textbooks for the three grades of Nak Tham have been translated, but not the Pali textbooks or the past Parien exam papers.
Yena yena hi maññanti,
tato taṃ hoti aññathā.


In whatever way they conceive it,
It turns out otherwise.
(Sn. 588)
User avatar
bodom
Posts: 7216
Joined: Fri Jan 09, 2009 6:18 pm
Location: San Antonio, Texas

Re: 9 levels of Pali exams in Thailand

Post by bodom »

Dhammanando wrote:I don't think so. Most of the textbooks for the three grades of Nak Tham have been translated, but not the Pali textbooks or the past Parien exam papers.
Thank you Bhante. Do you know where i can find these translations of Nak Tham or if there available online somewhere? Thank you.

:anjali:
Liberation is the inevitable fruit of the path and is bound to blossom forth when there is steady and persistent practice. The only requirements for reaching the final goal are two: to start and to continue. If these requirements are met there is no doubt the goal will be attained. This is the Dhamma, the undeviating law.

- BB
User avatar
Dhammanando
Posts: 6492
Joined: Tue Dec 30, 2008 10:44 pm
Location: Mae Wang Huai Rin, Li District, Lamphun

Re: 9 levels of Pali exams in Thailand

Post by Dhammanando »

bodom wrote:Thank you Bhante. Do you know where i can find these translations of Nak Tham or if there available online somewhere? Thank you.
The Thai texts can be downloaded from numerous websites, but I don't know if anyone has scanned the English translations. Hard copies of the translations can be ordered from the Mahamakut Bookshop, Phra Sumen Road, Bangkok 10200.

This is the syllabus, though I can't now remember which have been translated and which haven't...


นักธรรมตรี - Elementary grade

นวโกวาท ธรรมวิภาคปริเฉทที่ ๑ - Navakovāda & Dhammavibhāga part I
พุทธศาสนาสุภาษิต เล่ม ๑ - Buddhaśāsanāsubhāṣita - Buddhist Proverbs vol. I
พุทธประวัติเล่ม ๑ - Life of the Buddha vol. I
พุทธประวัติเล่ม ๒ - Life of the Buddha vol. II
พุทธประวัติเล่ม ๓ - Life of the Buddha vol. III
วินัยมุข เล่ม ๑ - Vinayamukha - Entrance to the Vinaya vol. I
ปฐมสมโพธิ - Paṭhamasambodhi
ศาสนาพิธีเล่ม ๑ - Buddhist ceremonies vol. I
แบบประกอบคำแนะเรียงความแก้กระทู้ธรรม - A Guide to Composing Essays on Dhamma vol. I

นักธรรมโท - Middle grade

พุทธศาสนาสุภาษิต เล่ม ๒ - Buddhaśāsanāsubhāṣita - Buddhist Proverbs vol. II
ธรรมวิภาคปริเฉทที่ ๒ - Dhammavibhāga part II
วินัยมุข เล่ม ๒ - Vinayamukha - Entrance to the Vinaya vol. II
อนุพุทธประวัติ - Anubuddhapravati - Lives of the Buddha’s disciples
พุทธานุพุทธประวัติ - Buddhānubuddhapravati - Another book about the Buddha’s disciples
สังคีติกถา - Saṅgītikathā - History of the Three Councils
ศาสนาพิธีเล่ม ๒ - Buddhist ceremonies vol. II
แบบประกอบคำแนะเรียงความแก้กระทู้ธรรม - A Guide to Composing Essays on Dhamma vol. II

นักธรรมเอก - Advanced grade

พุทธศาสนาสุภาษิต เล่ม ๓ - Buddhaśāsanāsubhāṣita - Buddhist Proverbs vol. III
ธรรมวิจารณ์ - Dhammavicāraṇa
วินัยมุข เล่ม ๓ - Vinayamukha - Entrance to the Vinaya vol. III
พระมงคลวิเสสกถา - Maṅgalavisesakathā
ธรรมสมบัติ - Dhammasampatti
สมถกัมมัฏฐาน - Samatha Kammaṭṭhāna
วิปัสสนากัมมัฏฐาน - Vipassanā Kammaṭṭhāna
มหาสติปัฏฐานสูตร และคิริมานนทสูตร - Mahāsatipaṭṭhāna and Girimānanda Suttas
ศาสนาพิธีเล่ม ๓ - Buddhist ceremonies vol. III
แบบประกอบคำแนะเรียงความแก้กระทู้ธรรม - A Guide to Composing Essays on Dhamma vol. III
แบบประกอบวินัยวินิจฉัย - A Guide to Composing Vinaya Adjudications
วินัยบัญญัติ - Thai law - the Saṅgha Acts of 1902, 1941 and 1962
Yena yena hi maññanti,
tato taṃ hoti aññathā.


In whatever way they conceive it,
It turns out otherwise.
(Sn. 588)
User avatar
mikenz66
Posts: 19941
Joined: Sat Jan 10, 2009 7:37 am
Location: Aotearoa, New Zealand

Re: 9 levels of Pali exams in Thailand

Post by mikenz66 »

Hi Bhante, Bodom,
Dhammanando wrote: The Thai texts can be downloaded from numerous websites, but I don't know if anyone has scanned the English translations. Hard copies of the translations can be ordered from the Mahamakut Bookshop, Phra Sumen Road, Bangkok 10200. Frankly though, I wouldn't waste your time with them. The Dhamma writings of the patriarch Prince Vajirañāṇavarorasa (the founder of modern Thai saṅgha education) are already pretty naff, shallow and platitudinous even in Thai, but even worse when you have to read them in English translation.
I have translations of some of the material, and I would tend to agree with Ven Dhammanando. Since I have a strong connection with a local Thai Wat it was somewhat interesting to see some of the material that my Thai friends have learned from. I wouldn't recommend them for any other purpose.

I have the certificates for the three grades somewhere (I don't think anyone fails the exams...).

:heart:
Mike
User avatar
bodom
Posts: 7216
Joined: Fri Jan 09, 2009 6:18 pm
Location: San Antonio, Texas

Re: 9 levels of Pali exams in Thailand

Post by bodom »

Thanks so much guys. I wont waste my time with them then.

:anjali:
Liberation is the inevitable fruit of the path and is bound to blossom forth when there is steady and persistent practice. The only requirements for reaching the final goal are two: to start and to continue. If these requirements are met there is no doubt the goal will be attained. This is the Dhamma, the undeviating law.

- BB
User avatar
Dhammanando
Posts: 6492
Joined: Tue Dec 30, 2008 10:44 pm
Location: Mae Wang Huai Rin, Li District, Lamphun

Re: 9 levels of Pali exams in Thailand

Post by Dhammanando »

bodom wrote:Thanks so much guys. I wont waste my time with them then.
Two of the Prince's books are available from archive.org.

The Buddhist Attitude towards National Defence
https://archive.org/details/cu31924023046216

Entrance to the Vinaya vol. II
https://archive.org/details/VinayaMukha ... avidyalaya
Yena yena hi maññanti,
tato taṃ hoti aññathā.


In whatever way they conceive it,
It turns out otherwise.
(Sn. 588)
User avatar
bodom
Posts: 7216
Joined: Fri Jan 09, 2009 6:18 pm
Location: San Antonio, Texas

Re: 9 levels of Pali exams in Thailand

Post by bodom »

mikenz66 wrote:I have the certificates for the three grades somewhere (I don't think anyone fails the exams...).

:heart:
Mike
Hi Mike.

Thats interesting because through my readings of some of the legendary monks in Thailand it is always implied that only a few monks have ever completed the 9 levels and make it sound like some grand acomplishment that only a handful have ever done.

:anjali:
Liberation is the inevitable fruit of the path and is bound to blossom forth when there is steady and persistent practice. The only requirements for reaching the final goal are two: to start and to continue. If these requirements are met there is no doubt the goal will be attained. This is the Dhamma, the undeviating law.

- BB
User avatar
Dhammanando
Posts: 6492
Joined: Tue Dec 30, 2008 10:44 pm
Location: Mae Wang Huai Rin, Li District, Lamphun

Re: 9 levels of Pali exams in Thailand

Post by Dhammanando »

bodom wrote:Thats interesting because through my readings of some of the legendary monks in Thailand it is always implied that only a few monks have ever completed the 9 levels and make it sound like some grand acomplishment that only a handful have ever done.
The three grades of Nak Tham and Dhammaseuksa (an equivalent course for laypeople and mae chees) are very easy to pass. But with the Parien Pali course the lower grades are not too arduous but the highest ones are attained by very few monks because of the very stringent marking: in the translation and composition exams you will fail if you make even a single mistake.
Yena yena hi maññanti,
tato taṃ hoti aññathā.


In whatever way they conceive it,
It turns out otherwise.
(Sn. 588)
User avatar
bodom
Posts: 7216
Joined: Fri Jan 09, 2009 6:18 pm
Location: San Antonio, Texas

Re: 9 levels of Pali exams in Thailand

Post by bodom »

Dhammanando wrote:
bodom wrote:Thats interesting because through my readings of some of the legendary monks in Thailand it is always implied that only a few monks have ever completed the 9 levels and make it sound like some grand acomplishment that only a handful have ever done.
The three grades of Nak Tham and Dhammaseuksa (an equivalent course for laypeople and mae chees) are very easy to pass. But with the Parien Pali course the lower grades are not too arduous but the highest ones are attained by very because of the very stringent marking: in the translation and composition exams you will fail if you make even a single mistake.
Thank you Bhante you have been most helpful.

:anjali:
Liberation is the inevitable fruit of the path and is bound to blossom forth when there is steady and persistent practice. The only requirements for reaching the final goal are two: to start and to continue. If these requirements are met there is no doubt the goal will be attained. This is the Dhamma, the undeviating law.

- BB
Post Reply