Yes, this monk will be the pali teacher of the new IIT program. However, as smart as he is, he has not passed the 2nd half of the examination series. He sort of has rights to getting called “abhivamsa” and I’m quite sure a different monk asked him to use that title and not him. There were a series of personal problems and a death in the family during his second round of exams and he could not pass. Then other problems arose internationally and locally to Myanmar. Hist teacher, Ven Janitabhivamsa is here now at Pa-Auk Why is this Sayadaw so special? Any exam he takes, he is always number 1. He is a very nice monk and humble too. He obviously remembers the Sri Lankan and wishes him to come back to study but his other teacher does not allow him to come back to Myanmar during these conditions. I met this monk when he was only 17 years old. He had already memorized the patimokkha and dhammapada at that time. He is fluent in Myanmar and English as well.
Ven Siddhartthalankara memorized most of the patimokkha in 3 days. On the fourth day he performed it. You have no idea the difference between memorizing the patimokkha and performing it. I believe he passed all exams within 3 years of trying. He has special recognition for answering the exam questions in the pali language. He is fluent in Myanmar and English as well. A very sweet, gentle and lovable monk.
It seems you are overly generous in conferring titles, bestowing them in an exaggerated fashion, yet the titles of sanctity you grant are reserved for only a select few. Not that this is meant to belittle the Venerables, but you are going beyond reasonable bounds. let alone the very comparison in the post’s title, which is as ludicrous as equating a squirrel to a dinosaur, with no shared basis, which is undeniably strange.
Ph.D.'s just means they have done minimal coursework and written research and a Thesis that was accepted by a panel of Ph.D.'s. It does not mean much in terms of the degree holder’s ability to read pali or to know the various details in the texts. It is more specific to what their research was on. However, many monks who have Ph.D.'s may also have previous monastic education with exam certifications such as dhammacariya, etc., or even an abhivamsa. It depends. On the other hand, there are monks who are unable to pass the exams, who also go for an MA degree. In this case, an MA might be possible if they have a previous undergraduate degree. Usually, institutions (usually only in the East) require a certification of a Dhammacariya to count as a pre-requisite for an MA program. The other institutions will require a 3 or 4 year Bachelor’s degree.
Currently, I’m in an MA program at The University of Kelaniya (Sri Lanka). There are about 6 classes over the course of a year’s time in various subjects. One of those is on how to write a research paper. Another is on Trends in Buddhism. They are beyond basic education, yet the pre-requisite basic education can vary. After such a 1 year course, one writes an MA thesis, and then can proceed to a Ph.D. Thesis. You can see that an MA or Ph.D is a different type of knowledge than a monastic degree.
I agree that possession of it is not an invariably necessary condition for the knowledge of Pāli, and I have observed much of this among the academic researchers of the twenty-first century in the field, which is, without question, full of triviality and misguidity. In any case, I wish you success in your studies, Bhante, for despite your departure from IIT, I perceive that you are still making progress (especially in the area of methodical study, which may, at times, be somewhat taxing). With my best wishes.
Nevertheless, I do want to point out that the professors both lay and monastic have incredible textual knowledge. They are often quoting pāḷi from the top of their heads. A lay professor even knows the vinaya rules. It is very impressive. However, I think the bar is very high for sinhala senior professors who teach graduate level courses. The regular sinhala people themselves are very well educated, actually.
I find myself frequently filled with awe when I behold venerables, such as the esteemed Ven. Pa-Auk Sayadaw, reciting passages from the Vinaya or other quarters with effortless ease. Indeed, more astonishing still, they summon from memory the very words of the Commentary corresponding to the passage just recited, as though drawn from a hidden wellspring within. Truly, such mastery is nothing short of sublime.