The use of "Bhante"

[LonesomeYogurt]

...Collectively, in almost every sutta the Buddha addresses the monks as "bhikkhave," and in other places where, for example, he is referring to a particular bhikkhu by name, e.g. in the Mahātaṇhāsaṅkhaya Suttaṃ when telling the bhikkhus to invite the bhikkhu Sāti to come and see him:

“Ehi tvaṃ bhikkhu, mama vacanena sātiṃ bhikkhuṃ kevaṭṭaputtaṃ āmantehi

Hi Bhikkhu Pesala,
Do you know why there's a differentiation of usage with "Bhikkhu"? That is, why is there a difference in usage about where "Bhikkhu" is placed in the title? For example, at the beginning, as in Bhikkhu Bodhi, or at the end, as in Thanissaro Bhikkhu?

I've also noticed with Bhuddhadasa, for instance, that depending on the publication he's sometimes "Ajahn" and sometimes "Bhikkhu"?

I've inferred from all this that there's a lot of room for personalization. Is this accurate?
Kind regards,
Daniel

Pesala would know better but I think that it's more common in Thailand to be "monastic name Bhikkhu" rather than the "Bhikkhu monastic name." Buddhadasa himself is usually refered to as Buddhadasa Bhikkhu.

Ajahn just means teacher in Thai.

[Bhikkhu Pesala]

I don't know why the word order is different — I don't think word order matters much in Pāli since the case ending of a word defines its role as subject, object, etc.

I think it works better in an English sentence if the title is first — if we were to translate "bhikkhu" as "Venerable", then: we would say "Venerable Pesala isn't a Pāli scholar," not "Pesala Venerable isn't a Pāli scholar."

[santisasana]

Bhante,

Thank you for sharing the knowledge.

The Burmese words "Saya" or "Sayādaw" (royal teacher) are also derived from the same Pāl word (ca in Burmese is pronounced as sa). Burmese nuns are addressed as "Sayalay" and female meditation teachers are addressed as "Sayama" while male lay teachers are addressed as "Sayagyi."

If I may add some more precision...
In the Burmese tradition, elder nuns may be adressed as 'sayagyi' and younger ones as 'sayalay' ("gyi' conveying the meaning of big/great and 'lay' the meaning of small).
It is the way I heard these terms used in Burmese monasteries.

Metta
A buddhist nun

[Ben]

Greetings Ven Santisasana,

Bhante,

Thank you for sharing the knowledge.

The Burmese words "Saya" or "Sayādaw" (royal teacher) are also derived from the same Pāl word (ca in Burmese is pronounced as sa). Burmese nuns are addressed as "Sayalay" and female meditation teachers are addressed as "Sayama" while male lay teachers are addressed as "Sayagyi."

If I may add some more precision...
In the Burmese tradition, elder nuns may be adressed as 'sayagyi' and younger ones as 'sayalay' ("gyi' conveying the meaning of big/great and 'lay' the meaning of small).
It is the way I heard these terms used in Burmese monasteries.

Metta
A buddhist nun

What is the correct form of address for a Thilashin?
kind regards,

Ben

[santisasana]

Dear Ben,

In Burma, the thilashin are adressed simply by 'sayalay' or 'sayagyi'.



Metta

[Ytrog]

I have a small question connected with the topic: is it pronounced with a long or a short ending? I've heard both bhantè and bhanté.

[gavesako]

It is long ("teh").