Hello from Dhammanando

[Dhammanando]

So, here we go again....

Greetings all, and thanks to David for setting up this new board.

For those who haven't hitherto encountered me, I'm a Theravadin bhikkhu, living at the Marble Temple in Bangkok and currently studying Abhidhamma at Wat Rakhang and (starting next month) teaching Vinaya at Benchamabophitr College. I was born and raised in England, but have been an ex-pat for the last 23 years, residing mainly in Thailand and Iceland. I have studied and practised with teachers in a number of the sub-traditions of the Theravada, but currently lean mostly towards rigorous Burmese-style pariyatti, and gentle Thai-style practice (especially as exemplified in the satipatthana teachings of the late Acharn Naeb).

Best wishes,
Dhammanando Bhikkhu

[appicchato]

Indeed, here we go again...welcome friend...

I've enjoyed, and benefited considerably reading your erudite posts on E-Sangha...thank you...

Wishing you peace, contentment, and progress on your path in 2009...

Appicchato Bhikkhu

[stuka]

Welcome, Bhante. It is good to see you here, friend.

[Ben]

Thank you Ajahn for joining us.

sayi labhea ṇivago sahayo
sardhacare sas̱ovihari dhiro
(*abhibhuya) sarvaṇi pariṣeaṇi
carea ten' atamaṇa svad(*ima')


If one should find a wise companion,
a well-behaved, strong fellow,
[then] (*overcoming) all dangers,
one should wander along with him, satisfied at heart, mindful.

-- Khargaviṣaṇa-sutra, from R. Salomon, A Gāndhārī Version of the Rhinoceros Sutra: British Library Kharoṣṭhī Fragment 5B. Gandhāran Buddhist Texts 1. Seattle: University of Washington Press. 2000.

In appreciation and gratitude,

Ben

[David N. Snyder]

Hi Bhante and very happy to see you here. You have been a great resource over at e-sangha and probably other forums where you have posted. I mostly only had the time for e-sangha before and enjoyed your informative posts.

I always remember our somewhat combative post exchanges (years ago) at first (all my fault) and then it became very friendly. I guess I finally progressed a little!

[Fede]

I once posted on e-sangha that i thought he looked cute, and my post was deleted as inappropriate for an ordained monk to be subjected to.
Knowing the venerable Dhammanando as I do (which is both a priviledge and a pleasure) I can't for one moment believe a good Northern-stock lad of his calibre would be remotely offended.

Especially as he knows the whole unadulterated version of "On Ilkley Moor baht 'at" - !

I'm so glad to see him and others, here!

[Will]

Not knowing much about Theravada etiquette (or spelling, or anything really) is Bhante the proper way to address a bhikkhu? No Venerable or plain bhikkhu so & so? What does Bhante mean?

[Fede]

Bhante is a title which literally means something like 'reverend sir', in Pāli.

We just call him that to make him feel wanted.

It's a title of respect, that's all.

[Dhammanando]

Hi Will,

Not knowing much about Theravada etiquette (or spelling, or anything really) is Bhante the proper way to address a bhikkhu? No Venerable or plain bhikkhu so & so? What does Bhante mean?

Yes, in the Suttas 'bhante', the contracted form of 'bhaddante', is how householders address bhikkhus, how junior bhikkhus address senior bhikkhus, and how everyone addresses the Buddha. A fairly literal translation would be something along the lines of 'auspicious one' (the word is related to bhadra, as in bhadra-kalpa, 'auspicious aeon'), but as that sounds a bit odd in English a more common rendering is 'venerable sir' or 'reverend'.

Best wishes,
Dhammanando Bhikkhu

[Will]

Hi Will,

Not knowing much about Theravada etiquette (or spelling, or anything really) is Bhante the proper way to address a bhikkhu? No Venerable or plain bhikkhu so & so? What does Bhante mean?

Yes, in the Suttas 'bhante', the contracted form of 'bhaddante', is how householders address bhikkhus, how junior bhikkhus address senior bhikkhus, and how everyone addresses the Buddha. A fairly literal translation would be something along the lines of 'auspicious one' (the word is related to bhadra, as in bhadra-kalpa, 'auspicious aeon'), but as that sounds a bit odd in English a more common rendering is 'venerable sir' or 'reverend'.

Best wishes,
Dhammanando Bhikkhu

Many thanks Bhante. I will stick with the untranslated term with its beneficent vibrations.

[sherubtse]

I would like to add my thanks to you, Bhante, for taking the time to contribute to this forum. As others have mentioned, I too have learned much from you over at E-Sangha, and very much look forward to learning from you here, as well.

With metta,
Sherubtse