''Thero'' (commonly appearing in the masculine and feminine forms ''thera'' and ''therī'' respectively) is an

honorific An honorific is a title that conveys esteem, courtesy, or respect for position or rank when used in addressing or referring to a person. Sometimes, the term "honorific" is used in a more specific sense to refer to an honorary academic title. It ...

term in

Pali Pali () is a Middle Indo-Aryan liturgical language native to the Indian subcontinent. It is widely studied because it is the language of the Buddhist ''Pāli Canon'' or '' Tipiṭaka'' as well as the sacred language of '' Theravāda'' Buddh ...

for senior

bhikkhu A ''bhikkhu'' (Pali: भिक्खु, Sanskrit: भिक्षु, ''bhikṣu'') is an ordained male in Buddhist monasticism. Male and female monastics ("nun", ''bhikkhunī'', Sanskrit ''bhikṣuṇī'') are members of the Sangha (Buddhist ...

s and bhikkhunis (Buddhist monks and nuns) in the Buddhist monastic order. The word literally means "elder". These terms, appearing at the end of a monastic's

given name A given name (also known as a forename or first name) is the part of a personal name quoted in that identifies a person, potentially with a middle name as well, and differentiates that person from the other members of a group (typically a ...

, are used to distinguish those who have at least 10 years since their '' upasampada'' (higher ordination). The name of an important collection of very early Buddhist poetry is called the '' Therigatha'', "verses of the ''therīs''". The terms ''mahāthera'' and ''mahātherī'' (the prefix ''mahā'' meaning 'great' in both Sanskrit and Pali) are used to refer to very distinguished elderly and venerable monks and nuns considered to have reached a higher level of spiritual development. Usage of these terms varies according to the Buddhist tradition and culture. In Sri Lanka, these terms are widely used. Some prominent theras and therīs: * Ananda Thera * Rerukane Chandawimala Maha Thera *

Katukurunde Nyanananda Thera Most Ven. Kaṭukurunde Ñāṇananda Maha Thera (10 July 1940 – 22 February 2018) (sometimes spelled Nyanananda or Nanananda in English, sometimes called Gnanananda in Sinhala, Sinhalese: අති පූජ්‍ය කටුකුර� ...

* Narada Mahathera *

Nyanatiloka Mahathera Ven. Nyanatiloka Mahathera (19 February 1878, Wiesbaden, Germany – 28 May 1957, Colombo, Ceylon), born as Anton Walther Florus Gueth, was one of the earliest Westerners in modern times to become a Bhikkhu, a fully ordained Buddhist monk. Ea ...

* Ananda Maitreya *

Mahapajapati Gotami Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī (Pali; Sanskrit: महाप्रजापती गौतमी, ''Mahāprajāpatī Gautamī'') or Pajapati was the foster-mother, step-mother and maternal aunt (mother's sister) of the Buddha. In Buddhist tradition, s ...

therī *

Kiribathgoda Gnanananda Thero Kiribathgoda Gnanananda Thero (born: 1 July 1961) is a Sri Lankan monk. who is the Founder of Mahamevnawa Buddhist Monastery and Shraddha TV, Shraddha Media Network. Spiritual biography Gnanananda pabbajja, became a monk at age 17 on 26 March ...

* Ayya Tathaaloka Mahātherī *

Gangodawila Soma Thero Gangodawila Soma Thero (24 April 1948 – 12 December 2003) was a ''bhikkhu'' (Buddhist monk) from Sri Lanka. Following tradition, he used the name of his birthplace, Gangodawila, in front of his name; '' thero'' is a term for an elder monk. Som ...

* Nyanaponika Thera * Nanavira Thera

See also