Theravada "leader(s)"

[lojong1]

Thus I have heard from Wiki: "The Dalai Lama is often thought to be the director of the Gelug School, but this position belongs officially to the Ganden Tripa, which is a temporary position appointed by the Dalai Lama who, in practice, exerts much influence."

[pilgrim]

Hi Admiral

The two most influential (recent) masters of Theravada buddhism are Ajahn Chah and Mahasi Sayadaw. Others may be Sayadaw U Pandita (disciple of Mahasi Sayadaw), Ajahn Sumedho (disciple of Ajahn Chah), Ajahn Thanissaro (forest monk; makes most of the translations to the access to insight site's suttas) and Bhikkhu Bodhi (great scholar; made translations of the Majjhima Nikaya and of Samyuta Nikaya and is making the translation of the Angutara Nikaya).

Thich Nhat Hanh is not Theravada.

Metta

Bear in mind though, we are only speaking of the world of english-speaking Buddhists. There are others unknown to us simply because their influence did not extend into the international audience.

[jcsuperstar]

. there some other really popular monks in asia who are well represented in the west either.

this was supposed to read : are NOT well represented in the west either

sorry
jc

[tiltbillings]

. there some other really popular monks in asia who are well represented in the west either.

this was supposed to read : are NOT well represented in the west either

sorry
jc

Fire your proofreader.

[unspoken]

Buddhist Buddhist in the West,
Do not differentiate each of the rest,
If you are bounded by the views of directions,
what makes you free from affliction?

As a dog losing its way in the woods,
what leads it back to it's home?
Scents of happiness and joyful far around,
sounds of its mother howl,
will takes it back to it's "house".

Be the leader of your own karma, is the leader we wanted the most.

Sukhi Hotu

[oxen]

I forget the exact sutta, but it is probably the parinibbana sutta (DN 16) where some monks ask the Buddha who will lead them after he is gone. The Buddha responds to let the Dhamma be your guide, your refuge.

I think Theravada has taken this (probably correctly) to mean that there should not be any one singular pope or centralised authority like a Vatican or Dalai Lama.

There is no need to take the first statement as an implication of the second; a rough prescription of the organization of the community of monks immediately follows in the sutta, where the Buddha favors a simple hierarchy (not to say the Tibetan organization is flawed):

Now the Blessed One spoke to the Venerable Ananda, saying: "It may be, Ananda, that to some among you the thought will come: 'Ended is the word of the Master; we have a Master no longer.' But it should not, Ananda, be so considered. For that which I have proclaimed and made known as the Dhamma and the Discipline, that shall be your Master when I am gone.

"And, Ananda, whereas now the bhikkhus address one another as 'friend,' let it not be so when I am gone. The senior bhikkhus, Ananda, may address the junior ones by their name, their family name, or as 'friend'; but the junior bhikkhus should address the senior ones as 'venerable sir' or 'your reverence.'

An interesting, separate Chinese text, the Vinaya of Good View 《善見律毘婆沙》, includes this:

"When the Buddhas was alive, he told Ananda, "After my nirvana, take my dharma and vinaya as your teacher."
佛在世時語阿難：「我涅槃後，所說法戒即汝大師。」

[legolas]

An interesting, separate Chinese text, the Vinaya of Good View 《善見律毘婆沙》, includes this:

"When the Buddhas was alive, he told Ananda, "After my nirvana, take my dharma and vinaya as your teacher."
佛在世時語阿難：「我涅槃後，所說法戒即汝大師。」

Best advice I've read on this forum. I nominate it as the posting of the year

[oxen]

Glad you like it!

[Gwi II]

Hi everybody

I've read some Dalaï lama's books but the fact he's often referring to Mahayana sutras led me to think : "If Dalaï-Lama's the spiritual leader of Mahayana Buddhism (or at least Tibetan Buddhism), then are there any... leading figures in Theravada Buddhism?"

Or, if not, which "spiritual" well known masters would you recommend me to read? Like Bhikkhu Bodhi...

Thanks a lot

Metta,

anko.

Maybe someone can share the Sutto
when Venerable Ānando mahāthero
was visited by someone not long after
the Buddha's Parinibbāno, it says the
Sanggho can be led by someone who
have "Chaḷabhiññā" or below, and so on.

In Theravādo it is usually led by a "Saṅgharājo",
(max) one per Buddhist country. It's also possible
in nonbuddhist countries, but usually in Buddhist
countries. Some Buddhist countries may not have
a Saṅgharājo, like countries that don't have a king
(rājo), they just have a president.

The most famous Saṅgharājo was the
one from Mahāvihāra "era" in Sri Lanka.

[Sariputr]

i remember that in some sutta (maybe someone can point exactly) when asked about hierarchy in sangha,
buddha would respond that there was not a hierarchy as such, but there is recognition for those with proficiency
in attainments and in jhanas, nonetheless i believe that in regard to women, by viniya a bikuni is expected to be
obedient to a monk even if she had be had been ordained for many years, and a monk be ordained for one day.
1. A nun who has been ordained even for a hundred years must greet respectfully, rise up from her seat, salute with joined palms, do proper homage to a monk ordained but that day.

my guess in buddha's foresight its not difficult to see how much corruption can be gathered around
ego boost of holding such type of entitlement, i remember someone saying that buddhism:
"is not an organised religion", and in practical terms sometimes it can be said that it
too loose at times, then one can mention devadatta who wanted more of "an organised religion"
with himself as leader, perhaps that can be considered a contrast found in suttas on the subject.