เสมา
sà-mǎoMeanings
1NounB2
sema (boundary stone)
a consecrated boundary marker stone placed around a Buddhist ordination hall (ubosot) to demarcate the sacred area
Examples
รอบrɔ̂ɔpรอบrɔ̂ɔp1around; surrounding2round; cycle; lap; turn3time slot; session4perimeter; circumference; surrounding area5classifier: rounds; laps; showings6all around; fullyอุโบสถù-boo-sòtอุโบสถù-boo-sòt1ubosot; ordination hall2uposatha day (observance day)ของkɔ̌ɔngของkɔ̌ɔng1of; belonging to2thing; item; stuff3property; goodsวัดwátวัดwát1to measure2Buddhist temple3to gauge; assessนี้níiนี้níi1this (near speaker)2this one3this; the present (time/topic)มีmiiมีmii1[to] have; possess2there is/are; exist3[to] experience; undergoเสมาsà-mǎoเสมาsà-mǎo1sema (boundary stone)2ordination boundaryหินทรายhǐn-saaiหินทรายhǐn-saaisandstoneเก่าแก่gào-gɛ̀ɛเก่าแก่gào-gɛ̀ɛ1ancient; very old2long-established; longstandingปักbpàkปักbpàk1[to] stick; insert; set upright2[to] embroider3north (Chinese-derived combining element)อยู่yùuอยู่yùu1[to] live; reside; stay2to be (located); be at3progressive/continuative marker4to exist; remainครบkrópครบkróp1complete; full; all present2in full; completely3[time] to be complete; to reach the full termทั้งแปดtáng-bpɛ̀ɛtทั้งแปดtáng-bpɛ̀ɛt1all eight; the whole eight2all eight (as a standalone)ทิศtítทิศtítdirection; compass point
Around the ordination hall of this temple, there are old sandstone sema stones placed in all eight directions.
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ช่างฝีมือchâng-fǐi-mʉʉกำลังgam-langแกะสลักgɛ̀-sà-làkลวดลายlûuat-laaiบนbonใบเสมาbai-sěe-maaเพื่อpʉ̂ʉaนำไปnam-bpaiประดิษฐานbprà-dìt-sà-tǎanรอบrɔ̂ɔpพระอุโบสถprá-ù-boo-sòtหลังlǎngใหม่mài
The craftsman is carving patterns on the sema stone to be installed around the new ordination hall.
เสมาsà-mǎoแต่ละdtɛ̀ɛ-láใบbaiที่tîiล้อมรอบlɔ́ɔm-rɔ̂ɔpอุโบสถù-boo-sòtไม่ได้mâi-dâaiเป็นเพียงbpen-piiangเครื่องประดับkrʉ̂ʉang-bprà-dàpแต่dtɛ̀ɛเป็นbpenเครื่องหมายkrʉ̂ʉang-mǎaiบอกbɔ̀ɔkเขตkèetศักดิ์สิทธิ์sàk-sìtที่สำคัญtîi-sǎm-kan
Each sema stone surrounding the ordination hall is not just a decoration, but an important marker of the sacred boundary.
ในทางnai taangโบราณคดีboh-raan ká-deeรูปแบบrôop bàepและláeวัสดุwát-sà-dùของkŏngเสมาsě-maaสามารถsăa-mâatใช้cháiบ่งบอกbòng bòkยุคสมัยyúk sà-măiและláeอิทธิพลìt-tí-ponทางtaangศิลปะsĭn-lá-bpàของkŏngวัดwátนั้นๆnán-nánได้dâi
In archaeology, the style and material of a sema stone can indicate the historical period and artistic influences of that temple.
2NounC1
ordination boundary
the sacred boundary for monastic ordination in Theravada Buddhism, as defined by the placement of sema stones
Examples
พระภิกษุprá-pík-sùพระภิกษุprá-pík-sùBuddhist monk (formal, male)จะต้องjà-dtɔ̂ngจะต้องjà-dtɔ̂ng1must; have to; be obliged to2be certain/inevitableทำtamทำtam1[to] do; make2[to] act; behave3[to] cook; prepare food4[to] do; carry out (work)5[to] cause; makeพิธีอุปสมบทpí-tii-ù-bpà-sǒm-bòtพิธีอุปสมบทpí-tii-ù-bpà-sǒm-bòtBuddhist ordination ceremonyให้แก่hâi-gɛ̀ɛให้แก่hâi-gɛ̀ɛto; for [sb] (recipient/beneficiary; formal)กุลบุตรgun-lá-bùtกุลบุตรgun-lá-bùtwell-bred man; gentleman (formal)ภายในpaai-naiภายในpaai-nai1inside; internal2inside; indoors3within; inside (place/scope)4within (time limit); by5the inside; the interiorเขตkèetเขตkèet1district (administrative)2area; zone3boundary; limit4jurisdictionพัทธสีมาpát-tá-sǐi-maaพัทธสีมาpát-tá-sǐi-maaconsecrated boundary of an ordination hallเท่านั้นtâo-nánเท่านั้นtâo-nán1only; just; no more than2that much/that many; to that extent3that’s all; period (sentence‑final)
Monks must perform the ordination ceremony for a new monk only within the phatthasima boundary.
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การผูกพัทธสีมาgaan pòok pát-tá-sĕe-maaคือkeuการกำหนดgaan gam-nòtเขตkètเสมาsě-maaให้hâiถูกต้องtòok dtôngตามdtaamพระวินัยprá wí-naiเพื่อให้pêuua hâiสงฆ์sŏngใช้cháiเป็นbpenที่ทำtêe tamสังฆกรรมsǎng-kà-gamได้dâi
The 'phuk phatthasima' ceremony is the act of establishing the sema boundary correctly according to the monastic discipline, so that the monastic community can use it for formal acts.
เมื่อmêuuaล่วงพ้นlûuang pónเขตkètเสมาsě-maaไปแล้วbpai láewข้อตกลงkô dtòk-longที่ทำtêe tamในnaiที่ประชุมtêe bprà-chumสงฆ์sŏngอาจàatไม่mâiถือว่าtĕuu wâaมีผลmee pŏnสมบูรณ์sŏm-boonอีกต่อไปèek dtòr bpai
Once outside the sema boundary, a resolution made in a Sangha meeting may no longer be considered fully valid.
การgaanสมมติsǒm-mótเขตkèetเสsěeมาเป็นmaa-bpenการรับรองgaan-ráp-rɔɔngสถานะsà-tǎa-náของkɔ̌ɔngพื้นที่pʉ́ʉn-tîiนั้นnánให้hâiเป็นbpenดินแดนdin-dɛɛnอันanบริสุทธิ์bɔɔ-rí-sùtสำหรับsǎm-ràpกิจของสงฆ์gìt-kɔ̌ɔng-sǒngโดยเฉพาะdooi-chà-pɔ́
The designation of the sema boundary is a certification of that area's status as a pure territory specifically for the activities of the monastic community.
Tones
See how the spelling sets each syllable's tone, step by step.
Why is เสมา said สะ-เหมา?
sà-mǎo
The tone rules below use the spoken syllables.
2 syllables · pick one to see its rule
How the tone is decided
- Consonant classHigh class
- Tone markNo tone mark
- Syllable endingDead syllableA short vowel with no final consonant, so it is dead.
High class consonants
ขฃฉฐถผฝศษสห
Result
Low tone
sà
Starts low and stays low, easing slightly down.
High class + No tone mark + Dead syllable → Low
Tone chart
Every class and spelling pattern, with this syllable outlined.
| Mid class | High class | Low class | |
|---|---|---|---|
| No mark + live | Mid | Rising | Mid |
| No mark + dead short | Low | Low | High |
| No mark + dead long | Low | Low | Falling |
| Mai ek | Low | Low | Falling |
| Mai tho | Falling | Falling | High |
| Mai tri | High | — | — |
| Mai chattawa | Rising | — | — |
Word Breakdown
+
มาmaaมาmaa1[to] come; arrive2[to] come to (a state or situation)3past/as of now aspect marker[to] come; arrivePart 2
เสมาsà-mǎoเสมาsà-mǎosema (boundary stone)sema (boundary stone)Word