Dhamma Wheel Buddhist Forum

Well I was walking in the local Sears today and came across two novice monks from the local Lao temple, I believe. While I simply said Sabai dee and wai'd I didn't know if there was any other way to greet a novice monk. Can you call them Ajahn? Or are they "not quite there yet"? Just wondering if someone could clear that up for me. Thanks.

AlaskanDhamma wrote:Well I was walking in the local Sears today and came across two novice monks from the local Lao temple, I believe. While I simply said Sabai dee and wai'd I didn't know if there was any other way to greet a novice monk. Can you call them Ajahn? Or are they "not quite there yet"? Just wondering if someone could clear that up for me. Thanks.

"Hello. How are you?"

you can call anyone ajahn, i was ajahn james in thailand

i think the lao temple only has one novice now though, the nefew of the abbot

The Lao people usually call only a monk with more than 10 Rains (vassa) an "Ajahn". You can greet a novice more informally, they are treated like boys wearing (temporarily) robes.

gavesako wrote:The Lao people usually call only a monk with more than 10 Rains (vassa) an "Ajahn". You can greet a novice more informally, they are treated like boys wearing (temporarily) robes.

wow
does ajahn have a different meaning in laos?

Ajahn comes from Pali "acariya" who is normally a senior monk (Thera) who can give formal instruction to junior monks. Often laypeople don't know how senior a monk is, so they always call him Ajahn just to make sure. But I noticed this usage with lao people in particular.

I believe the 10 year Rains is a standard to actually receive the title? I am sure I read that in a Ajahn Chah book or on the forest sangha site somewhere, in relation to Ajahn Sumedo I think?

Thank you Bhante, and everyone else for the replies.

JC, as for the novices there we're two, the abbots nephew I recognized, and a new one. They were both wearing the bright oragne robes and seemed about the same age. They had a layman with them to handle money and such.

Thanks for the clarification from everyone though!

It is not a title, just a conventional designation of a monk or nun over 10 Rains.

Real titles are given by the King of Thailand, such "Chao Khun" etc. But these have nothing to do with the Vinaya.

AlaskanDhamma wrote:Thank you Bhante, and everyone else for the replies.

JC, as for the novices there we're two, the abbots nephew I recognized, and a new one. They were both wearing the bright oragne robes and seemed about the same age. They had a layman with them to handle money and such.

Thanks for the clarification from everyone though!

the new one is the nefew, serena noi sponsered him

gavesako wrote:It is not a title, just a conventional designation of a monk or nun over 10 Rains.

Real titles are given by the King of Thailand, such "Chao Khun" etc. But these have nothing to do with the Vinaya.

when i taught at mahachula they listed me as ajahn.... they said it just meant teacher???

jcsuperstar wrote: when i taught at mahachula they listed me as ajahn.... they said it just meant teacher???

Yes, it can be used as a teacher of anything in Thai. To a Thai I'm Ajahn Mike (but not an Ajahn of Dhamma...). At my Wat "Ajahn" is applied to monks with obviously more than 10 rains, otherwise they are simply "Phra".

Mike

you know i just dawned on me all the monks ive ever been friends with had been monks for a long long time, maybe thats why i just assumed all monks were ajahn....

Not to belabor this (minor) point...with reference to Thailand...the Thai word for teacher is ajahn...(along with the word khru, although this word leans more toward instructor rather than teacher)...and having been to (most) every nook and cranny in the country, I can vouch that (many) Thais call all monks (not novices) ajahn, regardless of status...

Be well...

Ajahn Chah even calls mosquitoes as “Ajahn Mosquito."