shrikant ahire Means Great or Highly Revered Elder

Means great elder. A sign of respect

20 years ordained

@@FreedomandRights4US the Pali means what I said. It is a title given after 20 yrs. yes. Theravada= school of the elders. Maha=great

Someone who has attained nirvana never says he attained nirvana.

That is correct

@@FreedomandRights4US Buddha declared clearly. This is not right.

According to the Patimokkha Rules (rules for monks (bhikkhus) layed down by the Buddha) : Should any bhikkhu, without direct knowledge, claim a superior human state, a truly noble knowledge and vision, as present in himself, saying, "Thus do I know; thus do I see," such that regardless of whether or not he is cross-examined on a later occasion, he - being remorseful and desirous of purification - might say, "Friends, not knowing, I said I know; not seeing, I said I see - vainly, falsely, idly," unless it was from over-estimation, he also is defeated and no longer in affiliation. Should any bhikkhu report (his own) superior human state to an unordained person, when it is factual, it is to be confessed.