By Lee Yu Ban on Friday, July 26, 2013
Sangha and Bhante (Ayya)
There is some confusion on how to refer to monks. For example if referring to 5 monks, some people say there are 5 sangha in the temple; some say there are 5 bhantes in the temple. Both are incorrect.
Sangha means "community", but in popular usage commonly refers to a community of monks, not individual monks. And Bhante is a vocative term one uses when addressing a monk directly. It is not a noun. The correct phrase is "There are 5 monks in the temple", or if one wants to be more exact "There are 5 bhikkhus in the temple", assuming one knows they are all fully ordained bhikkhus. After the time of the suttas, the word "Bhante" is also used as a title e.g Bhante Nagasena in the Milinda-panha. Sometimes one hears the word "sangha-members" being used instead of monks or bhikkhus. This is a fairly new term, and is superfluous. It is like saying "members of the human race" when the word "people" will do. So why add more terms that become increasingly confusing.
The equivalent for Bhante for Nuns is the word "Ayya"
Mahasangha
Literally meaning "Great Sangha", it is used as a term of respect or praise by Sri Lankan Buddhists only when referring to the bhikkhu sangha. As far as I know, it is not used in other traditional Theravada countries.
Avuso/Ayasma
Avuso is used by a monk to address another monk junior to him. Ayasma is the other way round. Junior monks and also laymen address senior monks as Ayasma or Bhante.
The word Bhikkhu in names
Some monks use the word Bhikkhu as a title in their names. It can be placed in front as in Bhikkhu Bodhi or at the back as in Thanissaro Bhikkhu. Both are correct. Its like the Dr title. It can be Dr Wong or Wong M.D.
Bhikkhu/bhikkhuni /samanera/samaneri /upasaka/upasika
Pali words meaning monk/nun /novice monk/novice nun /layman/laywoman
Thai words
Ajahn
This is a Thai word derived from the Pali word Acariya meaning Teacher. One can address any Thai monk as Ajahn if one considers him a teacher. It is not a title conferred by any authority, and neither is it true that only Thai monks of 10 vassas and above are all Ajahns. This misunderstanding comes about because the sangha of Ajahn Chah, which is popular internationally, has adopted a practice of referring to monks of 10 vassas and above as Ajahn. But this is a practice in their group only.
Phra
Another Thai word derived from the Pali word vara, meaning venerable, holy or blessed. It is a general term for any monk one considers as venerable. So Phra Ajahn Sumedho means Venerable Teacher Sumedho.
Tan
A Thai honorific which is like the English "Mister" but used only for monks. For laymen Thais use the word "Khun". As far as I know this has no Buddhist connotations. It is strictly a Thai word and is commonly used for junior Thai monks or whose seniority is unknown.
Luang Por, Luang Pu, and Luang Ta
Again, these are Thai words, meaning "Royal Father", "Royal paternal grandfather" and "Royal maternal grandfather" respectively. It is used for old and senior monks. Another Thai practice..
Kruba
Commonly used in North Thailand, Chiangmai and Laos. Again meaning teacher, it is believed to derive from the word "guru".
Now moving onto Burmese words
Sayadaw/Sayama
Burmese word for "Royal Teacher" because it was originally used for monks who taught members of the royal family. Sayadaw for men, Sayama for women. It is now commonly used for Abbots and senior teachers.
Sayalay
A Burmese word for Nun.
Ashin
Burmese word for venerable, commonly used for monks.( equivalent to the Thai Phra). May be derived from the Pali Acariya (meaning teacher).
Tibetan Buddhism
Rinpoche and tulkus
Rinpoche is a Tibetan word literally meaning "Precious One". The title is commonly used for 2 classes of people, - abbots of monasteries and Tulkus. Tulkus is a Tibetan term referring to recognised reincarnated monks. So tulkus are all called Rinpoches but not all Rinpoches are tulkus.
Lama
A Tibetan word meaning "Superior", it is used by Tibetans for Buddhist teachers who may or may not be monks or nuns. Not all Lamas are ordained and there are married and laymen lamas.
Gelong/Gelongma
Tibetan words for bhikshu and bhikshunis (spelt with an "s" as referring to Mahayana. Theravada monastics are spelt as bhikkhus/bhikkhunis) The Tibetan word for Novice monk/nun is Getsul and Getsulma.
Living Buddha
I very much dislike this term. You may have come across this term in the press. This is a English translation of the Chinese word "huofo" used for the Tibetan word Tulku. More recently another Chinese word "lingtong" is used meaning "soul-boy", which although still unsatisfactory is better than the former term.
Malaysian Buddhists are fortunate to receive teachers from various countries but their customs can be confusing. Hopefully this explanation helps. I suggest that if one is uncertain, just use the Pali words Bhante and Ayya for addressing or referring to monks and nuns. You can't go wrong as it will apply to all traditions and nationalities.
There is some confusion on how to refer to monks. For example if referring to 5 monks, some people say there are 5 sangha in the temple; some say there are 5 bhantes in the temple. Both are incorrect.
Sangha means "community", but in popular usage commonly refers to a community of monks, not individual monks. And Bhante is a vocative term one uses when addressing a monk directly. It is not a noun. The correct phrase is "There are 5 monks in the temple", or if one wants to be more exact "There are 5 bhikkhus in the temple", assuming one knows they are all fully ordained bhikkhus. After the time of the suttas, the word "Bhante" is also used as a title e.g Bhante Nagasena in the Milinda-panha. Sometimes one hears the word "sangha-members" being used instead of monks or bhikkhus. This is a fairly new term, and is superfluous. It is like saying "members of the human race" when the word "people" will do. So why add more terms that become increasingly confusing.
The equivalent for Bhante for Nuns is the word "Ayya"
Mahasangha
Literally meaning "Great Sangha", it is used as a term of respect or praise by Sri Lankan Buddhists only when referring to the bhikkhu sangha. As far as I know, it is not used in other traditional Theravada countries.
Avuso/Ayasma
Avuso is used by a monk to address another monk junior to him. Ayasma is the other way round. Junior monks and also laymen address senior monks as Ayasma or Bhante.
The word Bhikkhu in names
Some monks use the word Bhikkhu as a title in their names. It can be placed in front as in Bhikkhu Bodhi or at the back as in Thanissaro Bhikkhu. Both are correct. Its like the Dr title. It can be Dr Wong or Wong M.D.
Bhikkhu/bhikkhuni /samanera/samaneri /upasaka/upasika
Pali words meaning monk/nun /novice monk/novice nun /layman/laywoman
Thai words
Ajahn
This is a Thai word derived from the Pali word Acariya meaning Teacher. One can address any Thai monk as Ajahn if one considers him a teacher. It is not a title conferred by any authority, and neither is it true that only Thai monks of 10 vassas and above are all Ajahns. This misunderstanding comes about because the sangha of Ajahn Chah, which is popular internationally, has adopted a practice of referring to monks of 10 vassas and above as Ajahn. But this is a practice in their group only.
Phra
Another Thai word derived from the Pali word vara, meaning venerable, holy or blessed. It is a general term for any monk one considers as venerable. So Phra Ajahn Sumedho means Venerable Teacher Sumedho.
Tan
A Thai honorific which is like the English "Mister" but used only for monks. For laymen Thais use the word "Khun". As far as I know this has no Buddhist connotations. It is strictly a Thai word and is commonly used for junior Thai monks or whose seniority is unknown.
Luang Por, Luang Pu, and Luang Ta
Again, these are Thai words, meaning "Royal Father", "Royal paternal grandfather" and "Royal maternal grandfather" respectively. It is used for old and senior monks. Another Thai practice..
Kruba
Commonly used in North Thailand, Chiangmai and Laos. Again meaning teacher, it is believed to derive from the word "guru".
Now moving onto Burmese words
Sayadaw/Sayama
Burmese word for "Royal Teacher" because it was originally used for monks who taught members of the royal family. Sayadaw for men, Sayama for women. It is now commonly used for Abbots and senior teachers.
Sayalay
A Burmese word for Nun.
Ashin
Burmese word for venerable, commonly used for monks.( equivalent to the Thai Phra). May be derived from the Pali Acariya (meaning teacher).
Tibetan Buddhism
Rinpoche and tulkus
Rinpoche is a Tibetan word literally meaning "Precious One". The title is commonly used for 2 classes of people, - abbots of monasteries and Tulkus. Tulkus is a Tibetan term referring to recognised reincarnated monks. So tulkus are all called Rinpoches but not all Rinpoches are tulkus.
Lama
A Tibetan word meaning "Superior", it is used by Tibetans for Buddhist teachers who may or may not be monks or nuns. Not all Lamas are ordained and there are married and laymen lamas.
Gelong/Gelongma
Tibetan words for bhikshu and bhikshunis (spelt with an "s" as referring to Mahayana. Theravada monastics are spelt as bhikkhus/bhikkhunis) The Tibetan word for Novice monk/nun is Getsul and Getsulma.
Living Buddha
I very much dislike this term. You may have come across this term in the press. This is a English translation of the Chinese word "huofo" used for the Tibetan word Tulku. More recently another Chinese word "lingtong" is used meaning "soul-boy", which although still unsatisfactory is better than the former term.
Malaysian Buddhists are fortunate to receive teachers from various countries but their customs can be confusing. Hopefully this explanation helps. I suggest that if one is uncertain, just use the Pali words Bhante and Ayya for addressing or referring to monks and nuns. You can't go wrong as it will apply to all traditions and nationalities.
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