The Critical Link Between “San” and Worshipping the Dogs
Laughter bar[ 32:54 ] "Dear friends, who are called “sanga” are the nobles who have thrown away “san”." - Foolish Handapangoda Niwathapa
By finding key root-words like “San” embedded in “combined words” like “Sangha”, one can easily figure out the meaning. With respect to the word “Sangha”, which is the combination of “San” and “gha”, the meaning comes out as 'those who have removed "san"', Nobles or Ariyas; see also "List of “San” Words and Other Pāli Roots".
Accordingly, the hidden practice of worshipping the dogs can be established easily. It is evident if the below quoted paragraph from AN 5.2.1.8 Licchavikumārakasuttaṃ is interpreted as per the concept of “San”:
"Tena kho pana samayena sambahulā licchavikumārakā sajjāni dhanūni ādāya kukkurasaṅghaparivutā mahāvane anucaṅkamamānā anuvicaramānā addasu bhagavantaṃ aññatarasmiṃ rukkhamūle nisinnaṃ; disvāna sajjāni dhanūni nikkhipitvā kukkurasaṅghaṃ ekamantaṃ uyyojetvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṃsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṃ abhivādetvā tuṇhībhūtā tuṇhībhūtā pañjalikā bhagavantaṃ payirupāsanti."
An example for a traditional translation made without any consideration to the concept of “San” is as follows:
"Now at that time several Licchavi youths took strung bows and, escorted by a pack of hounds, were going for a walk in the Great Wood when they saw the Buddha seated at the root of a tree. When they saw him, they put down their strung bows, tied their hounds up to one side, and went up to him. They bowed and silently paid homage to the Buddha with joined palms."
The hidden practice of worshipping the dogs becomes evident if the words "kukkurasaṅghaparivutā" and "kukkurasaṅghaṃ" are interpreted as per the concept of “San”: Since the meaning of “Sangha” is 'those who have removed "san"', Nobles or Ariyas, the usage of the two words are linked to enlightened dogs. While the practitioners of classical Theravada Buddhism reject the idea of dogs becoming enlightened, the hidden practice of worshipping the dogs is easily understood by those who accept the concept of “San”.