Though seriously engaged in broad ascetic research, I must confess
that my knowledge of both Pali and Thai languages is rudimentary at
best. Thus I seek assistance.
A specific question confronts me here. This regards what seems to me
a very curious Thai word that I believe is derived from Pali.
The Thai expression is "samnak song", or 'religious hermitage'. This
normally indicates a monastic organization that falls outside the
greater centrally regulated Sangha - that is, a 'retreat centre' that
does not have [often in the sense of 'lacking'] a consecrated area
or "main hall" (Thai: bot) or sIma 'boundary' for conducting formal
ecclesiastical/legal acts, etc.
Now as for "song", according to at least one monastic Thai-speaker it
is a colloquialization (or linguistic alteration) of Sk/P sangha. I
would appreciate any verification or refutation of this.
In brief, does anybody have any clear idea as to the derivation
of "samnak"? Being of two syllables, my instincts tell me that it
must be Sanskrit/Pali in origin. Finally, as for "song" - well, this
is simply the natural follow-on question.