..续本文上一页 was named Uan (Fatty) at birth. When he was given the rank of Somdet, his official name was Mahawirawong (in Pali, Mahaviravamsa — "In the Line of the Great Hero”). After his death, the rank and title Somdet Mahawirawong went to the abbot of Wat Makut Kasatriyaram, whose original name was Juan (Almost). Officially, the two are differentiated as Somdet Phra Mahawirawong (Uan) and Somdet Phra Mahawirawong (Juan).

　　Other titles used in this book:

　　Chao Jawm: A king”s concubine.

　　Khun: A polite term placed before the name of a man or woman with no particular rank. This "khun" and the "khun" that is the lowest rank of conferred nobility (usually given to district officials and lower-ranking military officers) are spelled differently in Thai and pronounced with different tones. Unfortunately, there is no way to indicate this in English without special tonal markers, but the reader should have no trouble telling which is which from the context.

　　Luang Phaw: Venerable father. 1) A prefix to the name of a senior monk, indicating respect and affection. 2) A prefix to the name of a Buddha image.

　　Luang Ta: Venerable Maternal Grandfather. A prefix to the name of an aged monk, indicating somewhat less respect and more affection than Luang Phaw. Usually, but not exclusively, given to monks ordained late in life.

　　Mae: Mother. Also a prefix to the name of a woman or a girl, indicating friendship and respect.

　　Maha: A prefix to the name of a monk who has passed the third level of Pali exams. The prefix sticks even if the monk disrobes, but if he remains a monk and is given an ecclesiastical title, the prefix is dropped.

　　Nai: Mister. Used before the name of a boy or a man of no particular rank.

　　Nang: Mrs.

　　Phra: Venerable. Used as a prefix to the name of a monk, a Chao Khun or a nobleman (see the note on conferred nobility, above). Again, there should be no trouble telling which is which by the context.

　　Thao: A title of rank for lady attendants in the Royal Household.

　　Than: Reverend, venerable.

　　Than Phaw: Reverend Father. The Chanthaburi equivalent of Luang Phaw (see above).

　　Part II: Terms

　　Abhidhamma: Part of the Buddhist Canon, seven treatises dealing with the analysis of categories, terms and their relationships.

　　Ajaan: Teacher; mentor.

　　Asalha Puja: A Buddhist holy day, on the full moon in July, commemorating the Buddha”s first sermon and the events surrounding it.

　　Bhikkhu: A Buddhist monk.

　　Chedi: A spired monument, containing relics of the Buddha, objects related to the Buddha, or copies of Buddhist scriptures.

　　Dhamma: The teachings of the Buddha; the practice of those teachings; the truth of things as they are.

　　Dhutanga: 1) Ascetic practice, such as going for alms, eating only one meal a day, etc. 2) Wandering monk.

　　Gatha: A verse or short passage in the Pali language.

　　Jhana: Meditative absorption in a single sensation or mental notion.

　　Karma (kamma): Intentional act, in thought, word or deed, holding consequences for the doer of the act.

　　Kathina: A gift of cloth to a group of monks who have observed the Rains Retreat together in one place.

　　Khanom tom: A Thai boiled sweet made of a flour paste formed into balls around a sweetened coconut stuffing and rolled in grated coconut.

　　Magha Puja: A Buddhist holy day, on the full moon in February or early March, commemorating the Buddha”s sermon called the Ovada Patimokkha, a summary of the basic tenets of his teaching, given on the afternoon of that day to an assembly of 1,250 arahant (fully Awakened) disciples.

　　Naga: A deity in the form of a large serpent, gifted with magical powers and great strength.

　　Nibbana: Liberation. The extinguishing of passion, aversion and delusion in the mind, resulting in complete freedom from suffering.

　　Parinibbana: Total liberation; the passing away…

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