Six kinds of Garava

The word “ garava” refers to respect for a person or a thing that is superior to us. To pay attention to parents, teachers, monks, novices, and olders, ect., is one blessing in Buddhism. It the person practises the six kinds of garava, he will be developed and prosperous.

In Buddhism, the Lord Buddha taught Buddhists six kinds of garava as follows:,
1. Buddhagaravata - respect for the Buddha.
2. Dhammagaravata - respect for the Dhamma.
3. Sanghagaravata - respect for the Sangha.
4. Sikkagaravata - respect for the means of acquiring knowledge.
5. Appamadagaravat -respect for the virtue of heedfulness.
6. Patisantharagaravata- respect in receiving visitors in the proper way.

To respect the Buddha in to worship him with one’s deeds, words and thoughts, that is to say, we avoid evil, do good and purify our mind.

To respect the Dhamma is to study the Dhamma of the Buddha by following it. The Dhamma guards those people who practise it and prevents them from falling into evil.

To respect the Sangha is to follow the practice of the Sangha. We know that a group of people who have heard the Buddha’s teaching and who have practised properly in accordance with the Dhamma and Vinaya are called “ the Sangha” we follow the teaching given them by give alms to them, worship and respect them.

To respect the mean of acquiring knowledge is to be diligent and energetic in studying. But in Buddhism, this refers to the study of precept s (SILA), meditation ( SAMADI) and insight ( PANNA). These three virtues are the principles of the teaching of the Buddha.

The respect the virtue of heedfulness is to be mindful of every action. Buddhism teaches us that heedfulness is the path to Deathlessness, heedlessness is the path to death: the heedful do not die: the heedless are like the dead. This heedfulness may be manifested in the following four ways: by abandoning immoral conduct and cultivation good conduct in words, deeds, thought and by abandoning wrong views and cultivating right one.

To respect Patisanthara is to receive a visitor who comes to one house or residence in two ways of greeting, that is, by offering the proper things, such as food and drinks, ects., and then by having conversation on Dhamma. The first kind of greeting is called Amisapatiasanthara. Whereas the second one is called Dhammapatisanthara.

We should practise these six forms of reverence i.e. we should first establish ourselves in the six kinds of garava, because the person who practices the six kind of garava is sure to be develop and prosperous in this life and the hereafter.

Vocabulary.
To pay attention v. สนใจ, เอาใจใส่
Prosperous adj. รุ่งเรือง, เจริญ
To guard, protect v. รักษา, พิทักษ์
Deathlessness n. ความไม่ตาย
Abandon v. เลิกละ, ทิ้ง
Receive v. รับ, ต้อนรับ
Greeting n. การทักทายปราศรัย, การต้อนรับ
Establish v. ตั้ง, สร้าง
Heedlessness n. ความไม่ประมาท
Hereafter adv. ชาติหน้า, ต่อจากนี้ไป.