ཚེ་དང་ལྡན་པ། | Glossary of Terms

A monk or mendicant of seniority. Āyuṣmān (tshe dang ldan pa) is a title of respect directed toward a monk or wandering mendicant who is venerable and in a position of seniority, but not a fully realized buddha. (In the Lalitavistara, ch. 26, Śākyamuni famously rejects this title as a suitable term of address for himself. See, e.g., Dudjom Rinpoche 1991: p. 423). Āyuṣmān may imply one who has held monastic ordination for a significant number of years, and who has some level of realization, but is still “mortal” and tied to cyclic existence, in contrast to the buddhas, who are “immortal.” Even today Thai monks colloquially address each other, using ayusma for someone senior and avuso (“friend”) for someone junior.

Literally “long-lived.” A title referring to an ordained monk.

A respectful form of address between monks and also lay companions of equal standing. Literally, one who has a [long] life.

A respectful form of address between monks, and also between lay companions of equal standing. It literally means “one who has a [long] life.”

Literally “long-lived,” a term (often honorific) used to address a Buddhist monk.

Honorific term for an ordained person.

A respectful form of address between monks, and also between lay companions of equal standing. It literally means “one who has a [long] life.”

Literally “long-lived.” A title referring to an ordained monk.

A respectful form of address between monks and also lay companions of equal standing. Literally: one who has a [long] life.

An honorific title, literally meaning “life possessing,” that is applied especially to royal personages and Buddhist monks.