How to greet a Novice monk?
- AlaskanDhamma
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How to greet a Novice monk?
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.
"Better than a thousand hollow words, is one word that brings peace." -Buddha
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Re: How to greet a Novice monk?
"Hello. How are you?"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.
- jcsuperstar
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Re: How to greet a Novice monk?
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
i think the lao temple only has one novice now though, the nefew of the abbot
สัพเพ สัตตา สุขีตา โหนตุ
the mountain may be heavy in and of itself, but if you're not trying to carry it it's not heavy to you- Ajaan Suwat
the mountain may be heavy in and of itself, but if you're not trying to carry it it's not heavy to you- Ajaan Suwat
Re: How to greet a Novice monk?
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.
Bhikkhu Gavesako
Kiṃkusalagavesī anuttaraṃ santivarapadaṃ pariyesamāno... (MN 26)
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Kiṃkusalagavesī anuttaraṃ santivarapadaṃ pariyesamāno... (MN 26)
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- jcsuperstar
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Re: How to greet a Novice monk?
wowgavesako 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.
does ajahn have a different meaning in laos?
สัพเพ สัตตา สุขีตา โหนตุ
the mountain may be heavy in and of itself, but if you're not trying to carry it it's not heavy to you- Ajaan Suwat
the mountain may be heavy in and of itself, but if you're not trying to carry it it's not heavy to you- Ajaan Suwat
Re: How to greet a Novice monk?
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.
Bhikkhu Gavesako
Kiṃkusalagavesī anuttaraṃ santivarapadaṃ pariyesamāno... (MN 26)
Access to Insight - Theravada texts
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Kiṃkusalagavesī anuttaraṃ santivarapadaṃ pariyesamāno... (MN 26)
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Ancient Buddhist Texts - Translations and history of Pali texts
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- Cittasanto
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Re: How to greet a Novice monk?
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?
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...
He must be able to hear them from persons who actually believe them … he must know them in their most plausible and persuasive form.
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He who knows only his own side of the case knows little of that. His reasons may be good, and no one may have been able to refute them.
But if he is equally unable to refute the reasons on the opposite side, if he does not so much as know what they are, he has no ground for preferring either opinion …
...
He must be able to hear them from persons who actually believe them … he must know them in their most plausible and persuasive form.
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- AlaskanDhamma
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Re: How to greet a Novice monk?
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!
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!
"Better than a thousand hollow words, is one word that brings peace." -Buddha
Re: How to greet a Novice monk?
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.
Real titles are given by the King of Thailand, such "Chao Khun" etc. But these have nothing to do with the Vinaya.
Bhikkhu Gavesako
Kiṃkusalagavesī anuttaraṃ santivarapadaṃ pariyesamāno... (MN 26)
Access to Insight - Theravada texts
Ancient Buddhist Texts - Translations and history of Pali texts
Dhammatalks.org - Sutta translations
Kiṃkusalagavesī anuttaraṃ santivarapadaṃ pariyesamāno... (MN 26)
Access to Insight - Theravada texts
Ancient Buddhist Texts - Translations and history of Pali texts
Dhammatalks.org - Sutta translations
- jcsuperstar
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Re: How to greet a Novice monk?
the new one is the nefew, serena noi sponsered himAlaskanDhamma 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!
สัพเพ สัตตา สุขีตา โหนตุ
the mountain may be heavy in and of itself, but if you're not trying to carry it it's not heavy to you- Ajaan Suwat
the mountain may be heavy in and of itself, but if you're not trying to carry it it's not heavy to you- Ajaan Suwat
- jcsuperstar
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Re: How to greet a Novice monk?
when i taught at mahachula they listed me as ajahn.... they said it just meant teacher???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.
สัพเพ สัตตา สุขีตา โหนตุ
the mountain may be heavy in and of itself, but if you're not trying to carry it it's not heavy to you- Ajaan Suwat
the mountain may be heavy in and of itself, but if you're not trying to carry it it's not heavy to you- Ajaan Suwat
Re: How to greet a Novice monk?
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".jcsuperstar wrote: when i taught at mahachula they listed me as ajahn.... they said it just meant teacher???
Mike
- jcsuperstar
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Re: How to greet a Novice monk?
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....
สัพเพ สัตตา สุขีตา โหนตุ
the mountain may be heavy in and of itself, but if you're not trying to carry it it's not heavy to you- Ajaan Suwat
the mountain may be heavy in and of itself, but if you're not trying to carry it it's not heavy to you- Ajaan Suwat
- appicchato
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Re: How to greet a Novice monk?
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...
Be well...
- Bhikkhu Pesala
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Re: How to greet a Novice monk?
Ajahn Chah even calls mosquitoes as “Ajahn Mosquito."
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