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Luang por (Thai: หลวงพ่อ; RTGS: luang pho, Thai pronunciation:[lǔəŋpʰɔ̂ː]; Lao: ຫຼວງ ພໍ່, romanized: lūang phǭ) means "venerable father" and is used as a title for respected senior Buddhist monastics. Luang is a Thai word meaning "royal" or "venerable". It is used in both family context and to express respect for monastics. Por is the Thai word for "father". It is used in both family context and in venerations. For instance, Luang Por Ajahn Chah was a well-known and widely respected monk. In his middle and older years as respect for him grew, people sometimes referred to him simply as "Luang Por". It is more common to see the word spelled 'Luang Phor' these days.
Although "Luang Por" is the most common form of reference, there are various other terms used to speak of or to a Monk, such as "Luang Pi”, “Luang Phu”, or “Luang Dta". This can also be seen in the example given above ("Luang Por Chah") this Monk was also called alternatively "Luang Phu Chah", especially as he got older. To know how to refer to a person judging by their age requires spending time with Thai people in order to develop a subtle feel for the situation and know which title each person should have in relation to yourself, as Ajarn Spencer Littlewood explains in his E-zine, 'Buddha Magic';
"The age of the Monk and the age of the person speaking to the monk will normally affect the way in which a person refers to that Monk. The system is Vague and is a reflection of the method of respect used in everyday Cotidian life in Thailand, where age means status, and the classification of the terminology used for different Family relatives is doubly complex as that Western system. A person who is slightly older than yourself would normally be referred to as "Pi" (meaning older brother or sister), and a younger person would be called "Nong". Therefore, if not knowing the title of a Monk, one should see if they are old enough to be ones older brother, one should call them "Luang Pi" (unless they are a famously established monk, and already have been commonly referred to as "Luang Pi". If the Monk could be ones Uncle or Father, then "Luang Por". "Luang Lung" is sometimes, but very rarely used, meaning "reverend uncle" but the uncle term is hardly ever to be heard at all, and in most cases the father term is used in its place. The one exception is the word "Nong" (meaning younger brother or sister) which is never used by a layperson to a Monk, only older terms are used. This is because all Monks are older than laypersons, because, they are 'waking up first, and therefore older'. If old enough to be ones Grandfather, then one should call him either "Luang Phu" or "Luang Dta". "Luang Phu" is a grandfather on the mothers side, and "Luang Dta", is a grandfather on the fathers side".[1]
Some famous Luang Por or Luang Pu are:
Luang Por Dattajivo
Luang Por Dhammajayo
Luang Por Khun Parissuddho
Luangpor Thong
Luang Pu Sodh Candasaro
Luang Pu Thuat
Luang Pu Waen Suciṇṇo
^Quoted from 'Buddha Magic E-Publication' with kind permission from Mr. Spencer Littlewood
LuangPor Dhammajayo (Thai: ธมฺมชโย, RTGS: Thammachayo, LuangPor being a deferential title), also known by the lay name Chaiyabun Suddhipol, is a Thai...
LuangPor Dattajivo (Thai: ทตฺตชีโว, RTGS: Thattachiwo; Pali: Dattajīvo; born 21 December 1940), also known by his birth name Phadet Phongsawat (Thai:...
monasteries. Ajahn Chah (Thai: อาจารย์ชา) was also commonly known as LuangPor Chah (Thai: หลวงพ่อชา). His birth name was Chah Chuangchot (Thai: ชา ช่วงโชติ)...
Parissuddho (Thai: คูณ ปริสุทฺโธ, alternatively LuangPor Khun, occasionally with honorific titles LuangPor and Phra) or in honorific name "Phra Dhebwiddhayakama"...
of Luang Pu Sodh. After Luang Pu Sodh's death, she became instrumental in introducing Dhammakaya meditation to LuangPor Dhammajayo and LuangPor Dattajivo...
made out of them. Also known in English as Luang Pu Thuad, LuangPor Tuad, and Luang Phu Tuad "Life...: Luang Phor Thuad Temple, Lenggong, Perak 霹雳州玲珑龙普陀"...
defrocking LuangPor Dhammajayo. First, the Sangha Council reconsidered the embezzlement and fraud charges, but concluded that LuangPor Dhammajayo had...
a meditation center, after Maechi Chandra and the just ordained monk LuangPor Dhammajayo could no longer accommodate the rising number of participants...
LuangPor Yai) and her two nephews, Chamroon and Charoen Parnchand, who had both ordained as monks at Wat Khlong Mao in Lopburi Province. LuangPor Chamroon...
Luang Pu Sodh Candasaro (10 October 1884 – 3 February 1959), also known as Phramongkolthepmuni, was a Thai Buddhist monk who served as the abbot of Wat...
their monastic precepts unbroken for a period of ten years. The term LuangPor, "Venerable father", signifies an ajahn of acknowledged seniority in Thai...
received the noble title Luang from King Prajadhipok, and became known as Luang Phibunsongkhram. He would later drop his Luang title but permanently adopted...
from Wat Sala Poon and enshrined here, later the locals named the image LuangPor Wat Rai Khing (หลวงพ่อวัดไร่ขิง). The Buddha image is in the attitude...
Chandra Khonnokyoong and LuangPor Dhammajayo. The temple's founding has roots in the Dhammakaya tradition founded by Luang Pu Sodh Candasaro at Wat Paknam...
LuangPor Sumedho, was born Robert Karr Jackman in Seattle, Washington, in 1934. (Sumedho is his Dhamma name, and Ajahn, meaning "teacher", and Luang...
with four other Buddha images, namely LuangPor Sothon (หลวงพ่อโสธร) of Wat Sothonwararam in Chachoengsao, LuangPor Wat Rai Khing (หลวงพ่อวัดไร่ขิง) of...
Pann Intapew; 5 September 1911 – 13 September 1988), popularly known as LuangPor Teean, was a Thai reformist Buddhist monk. Cittasubho was the progenitor...
Ajahn Viradhammo or LuangPor Viradhammo (born Vitauts Akers, April 27, 1947 Esslingen, Germany) is a Canadian monk in the Thai forest tradition of Theravada...
allegations from the Thai government, and so was LuangPor Phothirak, the founder of Santi Asoke. LuangPor Pothirak was eventually charged of altering the...
Ratchathani Province LuangPor Ajahn Chah, born in Ubon Ratchathani Province Luangta Ajahn Maha Bua, born in Udon Thani Province LuangPor Khun Parissuddho...
district, Ayutthaya Province, Thailand. The temple was made famous by LuangPor Pan [th] who was renowned for blowing the Diamond Armour Yant onto the...
still students to ordain after graduation. One of the first of these was LuangPor Dhammajayo, who met Maechi Chandra when she was 54, and who ordained later...
only of a cloister and pavilion, and the villagers generally called it LuangPor Uttama Temple. It was located on a high hill in the Sam Phrai area, near...
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