Theravada Buddhist 8+ Lay Preceptee Association

WE ARE
an informal association of Lay Theravada Buddhists who have individually received 8+ precepts from a Theravada Buddhist Bhikkhu/Monk or Bhikkhuni/Nun. So many lay Buddhist practitioners have individually received Upasika/Upasaka 5 precepts, and many have received precepts in a group event setting. This association however includes only the following initiates:

OUR PURPOSE
is to support each other through networking and informal discussions on the meaning, challenges, goals and other details of serving in these roles. (See Bhante Sumitta's summarizing lecture notes here)

HISTORY
. . The Bodhicari Ordination/Initiation and the Sri Lankan version of Dhammacari initiation were created by Bhante Dr. Walpola Piyananda (Chief Sangha Nayaka of America) and the late Bhante Dr. Havanpola Ratanasara in the early 1980s at Dharma Vijaya Buddhist Vihara in Los Angeles. Since then about 30 or 40 Bodhicaris have been ordained/initiated there and many more Dhammacaris.
. . This association was first envisioned by Bhante Piyananda, who wrote in SHARING BUDDHISM IN THE WESTERN WORLD (ISBN 978-0-692-18862-0, printed by https://www.budaedu.org/ in 2018) about the Upasaka, Dhammacari, and Bodhicari initiations:
"It is my intention to make the expansion of this three-step program towards full Buddhist lay minister ordination a focus of the next period of my life. I will re-introduce this idea to the abbots of all of the Sri Lankan and other Theravada Buddhist temples in North America, many of whom are not famliar with the process. I will encourage all of them to introduce this system to the members of their temples, and teach interested lay practitioners how this path works, and how it would work for them. It is also my intention to see the creation of an Association of Bodhicaris. This would enable individual members to strengthen and support one another in their geographical areas, and they could be linked by teleconferencing seminars, an interactive website, and internet group. Current and future Bodhicaris in our network can look forward to an announcement to this effect in early 2019."
. .
  • February 8 2025: Bhante Piyananda, our chief patron, met with Bodhicari Bodhi at Dharma Vijaya and approved the creation of this informal association.
  • March 8 2025: Bodhicarini Jayasili (in Northern England) has been meeting monthly with Bodhicari Bodhi (in Pittsburgh PA) over zoom to futher this networking effort.
  • Nov 22 2025: Bhante Wathogala Saranasiri and the monks of Sambuddhaloka Vihara in Moreno Valley CA met with Jayasili and Bodhi and agreed to support this association as our supporting patrons.
  • May 17 2026: Bhante Nivitigala Sumitta of Dhamma USA met with Bodhicaris Jayasili, Bodhi, and Samadhi and Dhammacari Sukala and agreed to support this association as our supporting patron.
.
MONTHLY ZOOM MEETINGS
Meetings regularly led by a Theravada monk at the direction of our patrons: twice a quarter for all 8+ precept recipients (as listed above) and once a quarter just for the Bodhicaris.

WRITTEN RESOURCES
for precepts, chanting and general information

IMAGES AND SOUNDS


If you would like to connect with us, have any questions or comments, or see any errors on this website: please email us at info@paccceka.org
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https://8plusprecepts.pacceka.org/ created 1/9/2026, updated 7/19/2026