Lay Buddhist Guide for Inviting Monastics
Just a rough draft. Mainly protocols from the Theravada Buddhist tradition.
1. To invite monastics for an event such as a meal, funeral service, house/animal/marriage/baby blessing, dhamma class, a personal or dhamma question you wish to get answered immediately etc... Just approach the monastic, place palms on the chest in anjali posture and enquire whether are they available to answer some of your questions. Sometimes, they may not be in the appropriate situation to speak with you.
2. If possible, try to approach the monastic of the same gender. If not, bring another person which is of the same gender as the monastic along with you to join in the conversation.(see point no.10* if the monastic is seated) dress modestly and avoid revealing clothes. Avoid physical contact with monastics of the opposite gender.
3. If you are unable to find any monastic in the temple or monastery, look for their staff, volunteer or administrator in their office and they will re-direct you appropriately.
4. You could also invite monastics over the phone or email if their temple is too far. Nowadays it is polite to make an appointment/check their availability through phone/email before meeting them in person.
5. If you wish to invite a monastic to a certain place for an event such as a talk, do discuss the details such as arrangement of transportation, lodgings(if staying overnight), meals and logistics(are you required to prepare flowers, candles and other items for the event such as an eleborate ceremony?) as most traditional monastics do not possess money. If there are more than 1 monastic, ask about the seat sequence. Normally the male sangha(bhikkhu) is first, followed by the female sangha(bhikkshuni), the male novices(samanera) and lastly female novices(samaneri). From the most senior in vassa(years as monastic) to the most junior.
Placements such as height(eg. top to bottom) and distance (eg. front to back or right to left) also depends on the nature of the location and activity.
6. If you are providing transportation by car, try to arrange for a driver or at least one of the additional passenger to be of the same gender as the monastic. It is in the monastic precepts to avoid physical contact or being with another person of the opposite gender in an enclosed space or seated together in the same bench alone. If it is a travel by plane, ship or railway, seat arrangements can be made online, at the ticket or check-in counter by requesting a seat beside a passenger of the same gender if possible.
7. If you are providing lodgings, make sure that fully ordained monastics are not housed in the same apartment with a novice or layperson of a different gender. If a layman or novice of the same gender is staying in the same apartment with the monastic, they cannot be staying more than 2 nights consecutively. 2 or more fully ordained monastics of the same gender can stay in the same room or apartment without any time limit. During the rains retreat, monastics can stay outside their determined place of retreat up to 7 days.
8. If you are providing meals, do take note of the time as most Theravada monastics have to finish their meals before 12 noon. Dietary requirements: Are they vegetarian or do they have any other specific requests due to health issues? Are they eating from their alms bowl(some monastics have dhutanga vows to eat only from their alms bowl) or are they going to be using utensils provided by you?
9. Offer the food or drink to the monastics by lifting it up to their hands until they have physically received them. Try not to touch the offered food or drinks once they have already received it. Sometimes they may receive the item via another object such as a cloth to prevent physical contact with the devotee especially if they are of opposite gender. One may recite a chant for formal offering before offering the food(See Appendix)
10. When they have arrived at your premise for the event(eg. Dhamma talk), offer them a seat and a drink(see point no.9). Usually plain water will suffice. However, you may ask the monastic what drinks they prefer if you have more variety of drinks in your menu. Pay respects to the sangha with 3 prostrations and sit on the ground or a seat lower than them as a gesture of respect towards the dhamma. Make sure your feet is not pointing towards them.(if there is a Buddha image present, prostrate 3 times to the Buddha first before prostrating to the Sangha member)
11. It is common in the Theravada tradition to invite monastics to give the 3 refuges and 5 precepts at the beginning of the event. (See Appendix)
12. Formal invitation chant in Pali can be recited to invite the Theravada monastic to start their dhamma talk(See Appendix), paritta chanting for blessing(See Appendix) or using one's own language which the monastic can understand.
13. At the end of most Buddhist events, one can request for dedication of merits followed by prostrating 3 times to the sangha.(if there is a Buddha image present, prostrate 3 times to the Buddha first before prostrating to the Sangha member) (See Appendix)
14. After the event, one may seek forgiveness from the monastic or sangha in general if any of the arrangements or procedures may have compromised their monastic rules intentionally or unintentionally.
Appendix
Requesting the Refuges and Five Precepts
(a) (Thai Tradition) After bowing three times, with hands in añjali, the laypeople recite the following request:
“Mayaṃ bhante ti-saraṇena saha pañca sīlāni yācāma,
Dutiyam-pi mayaṃ bhante ti-saraṇena saha pañca sīlāni yācāma,
Tatiyam-pi mayaṃ bhante ti-saraṇena saha pañca sīlāni yācāma”
(“We, ven. sir, request the 3 Refuges and the 5 Precepts. For the second time… For the third time…”)
• As an individual, or one on behalf of a group: “Mayaṃ” →“Ahaṃ”; “yācāma” →“yācāmi”
Bhikkhu: “Namo…” (×3) Laypeople repeat.
Bhk:
“Buddhaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.
Dhammaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.
Saṇghaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.
Dutiyam-pi Buddhaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.
Dutiyam-pi Dhammaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.
Dutiyam-pi Saṇghaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.
Tatiyam-pi Buddhaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.
Tatiyam-pi Dhammaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.
Tatiyam-pi Saṇghaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.”
Laypeople repeat line by line.
Bhk:
“Ti-saraṇa-gamanaṃ niṭṭhitaṃ.”
(“This completes the going to the 3 Refuges.”)
Laypeople:
“Āma bhante.”
(“Yes, ven. sir.”)
Then the bhikkhu recites, with the laypeople repeating line by line:
“Pāṇātipātā veramaṇī sikkhā-padaṃ samādiyāmi. Adinnādānā veramaṇī sikkhā-padaṃ samādiyāmi. Kāmesu micchā-cārā veramaṇī sikkhā-padaṃ samādiyāmi. Musā-vādā veramaṇī sikkhā-padaṃ samādiyāmi. Surā-meraya-majja-pamādaṭṭhānā veramaṇī sikkhā-padaṃ samādiyāmi.”
[cf. A,IV,248–250]
(“I undertake the precept to refrain from: —destroying living beings. —taking that which is not given. —sexual misconduct. —false speech. —intoxicating drinks and drugs that lead to carelessness.”)
The bhikkhu then chants:
“Imàni pañca sikkhā-padāni Sīlena sugatiṃ yanti, Sīlena bhoga-sampadā, Sīlena nibbutiṃ yanti, Tasmā sīlaṃ visodhaye.”
(“These Five Precepts Have morality as a vehicle for happiness, Have morality as a vehicle for good fortune, Have morality as a vehicle for liberation, Let morality therefore be purified.”)
The Laypeople may respond with:
“Sādhu, sādhu, sādhu!”
Requesting a Dhamma Talk
“Brahmā ca lokādhipatī sahampatī, Kat’añjalī anadhivaraṃ ayācatha; Santīdha sattāpparajakkha-jātikā, Desetu dhammaṃ anukamp’imaṃ pajaṃ.”
(“The Brahma-god Sahampatã, Lord of the world, With palms joined in reverence, Requested a favour: Beings are here with but little dust in their eyes, Pray, teach the Dhamma out of compassion for them.”) [BV,v.1]
Requesting Paritta Chanting
(⇓×3) With hands joined in añjali, recite the following:)
“Vipatti-paṭibāhāya sabba-sampatti-siddhiyā, Sabba-dukkha-vināsāya, Parittaṃ brūtha maṇgalaṃ. Vipatti-paṭibāhāya sabba-sampatti-siddhiyā, Sabba-bhaya-vināsāya, Parittaṃ brūtha maṇgalaṃ. Vipatti-paṭibāhāya sabba-sampatti-siddhiyā, Sabba-roga-vināsāya, Parittaṃ brūtha maṇgalaṃ.”
(“For warding off misfortune, For the arising of good fortunes, For the dispelling of all dukkha, May you chant a blessing and protection. For warding off misfortune, For the arising of good fortunes, For the dispelling of all fear, May you chant a blessing and protection. For warding off misfortune, For the arising of good fortunes, For the dispelling of all sickness, May you chant a blessing and protection.”) (⇓×3) [Thai]
Formal offering of food to the Sangha
(Thai tradition)
Repeat Namo... three times, then:
“Imāni mayaṃ bhante bhattāni saparivārāni bhikkhu saṇghassa(for 4 monks and above) sīlavantassa(for less than 4 monks) oṇojayāma sādhu no bhante bhikkhu saṇgho(for 4 monks and above) sīlavanto(for less than 4 monks) Imāni bhattāni saparivārāni paṭigaṇhātu amhākaṃ dīgharattaṃ hitāya sukhāya”
[We present these foods of ours, together with their accompanying articles, to the Bhikkhu Sangha/Virtuous ones(for less than 4 monks). May the Bhikkhu Sangha/Virtuous ones(for less than 4 monks) accept these foods of ours, together with their accompanying articles, for our long-term welfare & happiness.]
Offering of General Non-Food Items (after noon)
Repeat Namo... three times, then:
“Imāni mayaṃ bhante, saṇgha-dānāni, bhikkhu-saṇghassa/sīlavantassa(for less than 4 monks), oṇojayāma. Sādhu no bhante, bhikkhu-saṇgho/sīlavanto(for less than 4 monks), imāni saṇgha-dānāni, paṭiggaṇhātu, amhākaṃ, dīgha-rattaṃ, hitāya, sukhāya.”
[We present these Sangha gifts of ours to the Bhikkhu Sangha/Virtuous ones(for less than 4 monks). May the Bhikkhu Sangha/Virtuous ones(for less than 4 monks) accept these Sangha gifts of ours, for our long-term welfare & happiness.]
Sharing of Merits
Idaṃ me ñātīnaṃ hotu sukhitā hontu ñātayo (x3)
( May this be for my relatives , May my relatives be happy! )
Requesting Forgiveness
(From the Triple Gem)
Repeat Namo... three times.
“Ratanattaye pamādena, dvārattayena kataṃ, Sabbaṃ aparādhaṃ khamatu no bhante.”
(May the Triple Gem forgive us for any wrong we have done out of heedlessness in thought, word, or deed.)
Requesting Forgiveness
(From a Senior Monk)
Repeat Namo... three times.
“[Mahāthere]* pamādena, dvārattayena kataṃ, Sabbaṃ aparādhaṃ khamatu no bhante.” (Three times.)
[Venerable Sir], may you forgive us for any wrong we have done you out of heedlessness in thought, word, or deed. (Three times.)
Bow down & stay there while the monk says:
“Ahaṃ khamāmi, tumhehi pi me khamitabbaṃ.”
I forgive you; may you all also forgive me.
Respond:
“Khamāma bhante.”
We forgive you, Venerable Sir.
The monk will then recite a blessing, after which all say:
“Sādhu bhante.”
Very good, Venerable Sir.
(BOW THREE TIMES )
* Mahathere is used for very senior & highly respected monks.
Change it to
There for somewhat less senior monks,
Upajjhāye for one’s preceptor,
Ācariye for one’s teacher, and
Āyasmante for monks in general.
Phra Goh Chun Kiang
Last edited May 5, 2021
Lay Buddhist guide for inviting monastics
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