Ajahn (, , ; ) is a Thai- and Lao-derived term that translates as "professor" or "teacher". The term is in turn derived from the

Pali Pāli (, IAST: pāl̤i) is a Classical languages of India, classical Middle Indo-Aryan languages, Middle Indo-Aryan language of the Indian subcontinent. It is widely studied because it is the language of the Buddhist ''Pali Canon, Pāli Can ...

word '' ācariya'' and is a term of respect, similar in meaning to the Japanese ''

sensei The term "先生", read in Chinese, in Japanese, in Korean, and in Vietnamese, is an honorific used in the Sinosphere. In Japanese, the term literally means "person born before another" or "one who comes before". It is generally used ...

''. It is used as a title of address for high school and university teachers, and for Buddhist monks who have passed ten ''

vassa ''Vassa'' (, , both "rain") is the three-month annual retreat observed by Theravada Buddhists. Taking place during the wet season, Vassa lasts for three lunar months, usually from July (the Burmese month of Waso, ) to October (the Burmese ...

'' – in other words those who have maintained their monastic precepts unbroken for a period of ten years. The term Luang Por, "Venerable father", signifies an ajahn of acknowledged seniority in Thai Buddhism.

Buddhism

According to the ''

Vinaya The Vinaya (Pali and Sanskrit: विनय) refers to numerous monastic rules and ethical precepts for fully ordained monks and nuns of Buddhist Sanghas (community of like-minded ''sramanas''). These sets of ethical rules and guidelines devel ...

,'' any properly ordained monk can become an ' after ten ''

'' in the robes, thus a Thai monk becomes ''ajahn.'' A senior monk may bear the honorific title ''phra ajahn'' (,"venerable monk"), or in more informal situations, ''than ajahn'' (,"venerable monk"). Some famous ''ajahns'' are: *

Ajahn Amaro Ajahn Amaro (born 2 September 1956) is a Theravada, Theravāda Buddhism, Buddhist bhikkhu, monk and teacher, and abbot of the Amaravati Buddhist Monastery at the eastern end of the Chiltern Hills in South East England. The centre, in practice ...

* Ajahn Maha Boowa *

Ajahn Brahm Phra Visuddhisamvarathera (), known as Ajahn Brahmavaṃso, or simply Ajahn Brahm (born Peter Betts on 7 August 1951), is a British-born Buddhist monk. Ordained in 1974, he trained in the Thai Forest Tradition of Theravada Buddhism under hi ...

Ajahn Chah Ajahn Chah (17 June 191816 January 1992) was a Thai Buddhist monk. He was an influential teacher of the ''Buddhadhamma'' and a founder of two major monasteries in the Thai Forest Tradition. Respected and loved in his own country as a man of g ...

Ajahn Jayasāro Ajahn Jayasāro (born Shaun Michael Chiverton on 7 January 1958) is a British and Thai Buddhist monk in the Forest Tradition of Ajahn Chah. Biography Jayasāro was born on the Isle of Wight in England. At the age of seventeen, having been in ...

* Ajahn Khemadhammo *

Ajahn Lee Phra Suddhidhammaransi Gambhiramedhacarya (1907–1961), commonly known as Ajahn Lee Dhammadharo, was a meditation teacher in the Thai Forest Tradition of the Dhammayuttika Nikaya order of Theravada Buddhism. He was born in the Ubon Ratchathani ...

Ajahn Mun Mun Bhuridatta (, ; ; 1870–1949) was a Thai bhikkhu from Isan region who is credited, along with his mentor, Ajahn Sao Kantasīlo, with establishing the Thai Forest Tradition or " Kammaṭṭhāna tradition" that subsequently spread through ...

Ajahn Pasanno Ajahn Pasanno (born Reed Perry, Manitoba, Canada, July 26, 1949) is the most senior Western disciple of Ven. Ajahn Chah in the United States, and most senior in the world after Ajahn Sumedho and Ajahn Khemadhammo. For many years he was the abb ...

* Ajahn Sao Kantasilo * Ajahn Sobin S. Namto *

Ajahn Sucitto Ajahn Sucitto (Bhikkhu Sucitto, born 4 November 1949) is a British-born Theravada Buddhist monk ('' Ajahn'' is the Thai rendition of ''ācārya'', the Sanskrit Sanskrit (; stem form ; nominal singular , ,) is a classical language belong ...

Ajahn Sumedho Ajahn Sumedho (born Robert Karr Jackman on July 27, 1934) is an American Buddhist monk. He was ordained in 1967, and was instrumental in establishing Wat Pa Nanachat in Thailand and the Cittaviveka and Amaravati monasteries in England. One of ...

* Ajahn Suwat Suvaco *

Ajahn Thate Phra Ajahn Thate Desaransi (1902–1994), also known as Ajahn Tate, Luangpu Thet Thetrangsi, Phra Desarangsee, or by his monastic title Phra Rajanirodharangsee, was a famous meditation master and Buddhist monk from northern Thailand. He was a ...

* Ajahn Geoff In Thai, such highly esteemed monks would rarely be called simply ''ajahn chah'', ''ajahn mun'', etc., as there are much more respectful ways for addressing or referring to them. The term "Ajahn" is generally not formal enough to be used without the prefix "Pra" or "Tan" for monks when addressed by the laity, but this formality has been loosened when it comes to Western monks and

Theravada ''Theravāda'' (; 'School of the Elders'; ) is Buddhism's oldest existing school. The school's adherents, termed ''Theravādins'' (anglicized from Pali ''theravādī''), have preserved their version of the Buddha's teaching or ''Dharma (Buddhi ...

monks well known outside Thailand.

References

Thai Buddhist titles {{Thailand-stub

Buddhism

See also

References