Bhikku levels
Bhikku levels
What are the levels, from novice, Phra, Ajahn, and upwards in traditional Theravada heirchy?
Re: Bhikku levels
In the Pali texts, the classifications are samaṇera (novice monk), bhikkhu (fully ordained monk) and thera (monk of the ten years standing). There is also the term mahāthera (monk of twenty years standing), but this is not found in the main body of Pali texts
Otherwise, in different Buddhist countries, there are various nomenclatures for monks. 'Naen' is the Thai word for a novice monk and 'Phra' denotes a fully ordained monk. It is actually 'Thai-ification' of the Pali word 'vara' meaning 'excellent'. In the Ajahn Chah tradition, any monk of ten years standing is designated 'Ajahn'. The word means 'teacher' and equates to the Pali word 'ācāriya'. Outside the Ajahn Chah tradition, any monk who is a teacher (irrespective of time in robes) may be called 'Ajahn' as are Buddhist nuns who teach. 'Ajahn' is the commonly used word for teachers of any type in Thai society.
Last edited by pitakele on Sat Jun 12, 2021 1:14 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Bhikku levels
We'll the Bhante-Āvuso system is a way to cultivate a few different qualities none the las fundamental, for example sovacassata (being easy to admonish,) puggaññutā (knowledge of persons), veyyāvaca (service) basic sense of hiri otappa etc. So yesterday I was with a nāvaka monk, he had some laypeople with him, we arrived in an ārāma, normally in laylife most of the time the mind is preoccupied with likes and dislikes and so when your with a monk more senior the idea is to go against the world way of being mindless about what you say and do by making sure the Bhante (big brother) is having an experience more pleasant than you are, by practicing sati sampajañña, those qualities were lacking so in the end the experience was rather unpleasant.