Dhamma Wheel Buddhist Forum

What does it mean to be a "dhammadhuta monk"... is there any differences with other types of monk? Is it a difference in training or rank? Thanks.

Does the term denote monks whose principal activity is to spread the Dhamma... kinda of like Buddhist traveling spokesmen ?

In Thailand the two main schools to which one can be ordained are Dhammayut and Mahanikaya. As we know maha means great so the Mahanikaya is the far larger school.
Dhammayut are mainly forest monks, more intent upon patipatta than pariyatta (practice than study). They often keep more strict rules such as only eating one meal per day, eating only from the alms bowl, not touching money, not receiving alms apart from the bindhabaht, not riding upon motorcycles etc.
They usually wear the dark brown robes.

Hello all,

This may be of interest :

Dhammaduta
Theravada Bhikkhu Sangha in the Buddhist Borderlands
http://anthonyha.gotdns.com/library/ton ... a/duta.htm

With metta,
Chris

Thanks for the responses, guys. I asked amonk a few days later, and they basically echoed the same thing as the link above: dhammdhuta monks' main activity is spreading the dhamma, and that it doesn't have anything specifically to do with the Dhammayuttika Nikaya.

My mistake...I misread it...

The Pali term "dhammaduta" means "messenger of Dhamma" and originally refers to the missionary monks sent out by King Asoka to various foreign lands. So the Thais now tend of think of these monks as religious ambassadors for their country and give them special diplomatic passports. (The single word "duta" is pronounced "thoot" in Thai and also means the Ambassador.)