Phra dhammakaya biography channel

Thai Buddhist monk

Luang Daydream Dhammajayo (Thai: ธมฺมชโย, RTGS:&#;Thammachayo, Luang Por being a deferential title), also known by the come out nameChaiyabun Suddhipol, is a Asiatic Buddhist monk. He was birth abbot of the Buddhist sanctuary Wat Phra Dhammakaya, the rod he held until and afresh from to December In Dec , he was given class post of honorary abbot look upon the temple.

He is top-hole student of the nun (maechi) Chandra Khonnokyoong, and is illustriousness most well-known teacher of Dhammakaya meditation.^[1] He has been bypass to criticism and government reply. However, he continues to remedy a spiritual leader that has significant influence in Thai companionship.

Luang Por Dhammajayo's approach abut Buddhism seeks to combine honourableness ascetic and meditative life run off with modern personal ethics and collective prosperity.

Luang Por Dhammajayo fall over Maechi Chandra in his schoolgirl years, and learnt about Religion from her. During his schoolgirl years, he met his duplicate student who later became unheard of as Luang Por Dattajivo.

Luang Por Dhammajayo started teaching compact with Maechi Chandra, and get going , they started their unsettled temple in Pathum Thani territory, later called Wat Phra Dhammakaya.

The temple became extremely well-liked in the s. However, superior the Asian financial crisis advancing, the temple and Luang Drawing out Dhammajayo came under heavy deprecation for unorthodox fundraising methods, foremost in several charges against him.

The charges were withdrawn eliminate , and Luang Por Dhammajayo revived the temple. He emancipated several notable activities in that period, including a campaign encroach upon smoking and drinking for which he was rewarded by magnanimity World Health Organization.

After description coup d'état, Luang Por Dhammajayo again was charged by honesty Thai government, by then a- military junta, for conspiring increase twofold money-laundering and receiving stolen truck.

These charges have been away described as politically motivated, however did lead to an take into custody warrant and highly publicized dead end in The junta was, yet, unable to find Luang Mining Dhammajayo. As of December , the whereabouts of Luang Origin Dhammajayo was still unknown, come to mind Phrakhru Sangharak Rangsarit being arranged as official abbot instead.

Biography

Early life and background

Luang Por Dhammajayo was born in Sing Buri Province with the lay title Chaiyabun Sutthiphon on 22 Apr , to Janyong Sutthiphon (his father) and Juri Sutthiphon (his mother).^[3] His parents were Asiatic Song and Thai-Chinese, and spaced when he was young.

Chaiyabun was raised by his paterfamilias, who was an engineer deposit for a government agency. Claim to a sensitivity for daylight, Chaiyabun had to wear specs from a young age.

In Wat Phra Dhammakaya's publications, Chaiyabun evolution described as a courageous baby, who would often play anodyne games with his friends. Whilst studying at Suankularb Wittayalai, prestige owner of the school would bring Chaiyabun to meet make sense monks regularly.

This sparked her majesty interest in Buddhism from trig young age. He set bolster a Buddhist Youth Society stockpile with his fellow students.^[7][8] Chaiyabun developed a strong interest speak reading at a young govern, especially on Buddhist practice become more intense biographies of leading people rejoinder the world, both religious focus on political.^[9] This included a reservation with teachings from Luang Pu Sodh Candasaro, the founder near the Dhammakaya Tradition, and regular magazine about the maechi (nun) Chandra Khonnokyoong.^[10]

In , while mixture economics at Kasetsart University, subside started visiting the temple Wat Paknam Bhasicharoen.

It was tome that he first met Maechi Chandra, a student of archimandrite Luang Pu Sodh Candasaro, who had by then died.^[11] Maechi Chandra was able to come back Chaiyabun's questions, which made him curious to learn more lug Buddhism, through the practice forget about meditation. Under Maechi Chandra's direction, Chaiyabun attained a deeper administration of Buddhism.^[12]

Chaiyabun got to comprehend many fellow students both acquit yourself Kasetsart University and in subsequent universities who were interested have as a feature practicing meditation, and encouraged them to join him in alertness meditation with Maechi Chandra.^[9] Skin texture of these early acquaintances succeeding became a Buddhist monk famous Luang Por Dhammajayo's assistant: Phadet Phongsawat, now known as Luang Por Dattajivo, who would grow the deputy abbot of Wat Phra Dhammakaya.

When Chaiyabun fall over Phadet, Phadet was involved tight occult practices (Thai: ไสยศาสตร์), leading would often hold public demonstrations of such practices for sovereign fellow students. In Wat Phra Dhammakaya's biographies it is booming that every time Chaiyabun connected to watch one of Phadet's demonstrations, Phadet was incapable late doing his performance.

Phadet for that reason become curious about Chaiyabun, mistrustful that Chaiyabun was affecting rule occult demonstrations. Later on, like that which Phadet tried to persuade Chaiyabun to drink alcohol at graceful college party, Chaiyabun refused, shocking his adherence to the cinque Buddhist precepts. To test Chaiyabun, Phadet then decided to suggest him to his occult hazy magic teacher.

However, even interpretation teacher could not use wreath powers in Chaiyabun's presence, which convinced Phadet to learn excellent about Dhammakaya meditation from Chaiyabun. From that moment on, they remained friends and Phadet became Chaiyabun's assistant.

Ordination as monk

During dominion university years, Chaiyabun wanted stop stop his studies in draw to a close to ordain as a anchorite.

However, Maechi Chandra and Chaiyabun's father persuaded him to sojourn his degree first. They argued that Chaiyabun could do further benefit to society if fiasco was both knowledgeable in sublunary and spiritual matters. During academia, he took a lifelong oath of celibacy as a dine gift to Maechi Chandra, affecting many of her students take in hand do the same.

After graduation from Kasetsart University, sand was ordained at Wat Paknam Bhasicharoen on 27 August Unquestionable received the monastic name "Dhammajayo", meaning 'The victor through Dhamma'.^[17][18] At his ordination, Phra (meaning 'monk, venerable') Dhammajayo took fine vow that he would preventable to bring progress to Buddhism.^[19] A university degree in nobility Thailand of the s could lead to a good abnormal and social standing, making Chaiyabun's decision to ordain uncommon.^[17]

Once necessary, he started teaching Dhammakaya cogitation together with Maechi Chandra.

Improvement the beginning, the meditation courses were carried in a slender house called 'Ban Thammaprasit' pierce the Wat Paknam Bhasicharoen make up. Because of the popularity run through both teachers, the house any minute now became overcrowded with interested course group and they considered it bonus appropriate to start a new-found center by themselves.^[20] Although at or in the beginning they intended to buy spruce up plot of land in Patum Thani, the landowner Khunying Prayat Suntharawet gave a plot one times the requested size acquaintance celebrate her birthday.

Thus, enter 20 February , Maechi Chandra, Phra Dhammajayo, Phra Dattajivo careful their students moved to excellence rai (,&#;m²) plot of terra firma to found a meditation center.^[20] A book about the resourcefulness was compiled, to inspire disseminate to join in and whiff with the building of blue blood the gentry meditation center.

The site ultimately became an official temple get a move on and was later named Wat Phra Dhammakaya.^[24]

Life as abbot

See also: Wat Phra Dhammakaya and Wildlife of Wat Phra Dhammakaya

Phra Dhammajayo later became abbot of prestige temple and was called Luang Por (meaning 'venerable father') Dhammajayo from then on.

In ethics early years, Maechi Chandra serene had an important role make the addition of fundraising and decision-making. However, suspend years to follow this would gradually become less, as she grew older and withdrew alternative to the background of righteousness temple's organization. From then early, Luang Por Dhammajayo received unadulterated greater role.

The temple gained great popularity during the unsympathetic (during the Asian economic boom),^[27] attracting up to fifty number people on major ceremonies.

Advance the wake of the Eastern Financial Crisis, Wat Phra Dhammakaya and Luang Por Dhammajayo came under widespread criticism and spoil investigation from the Sangha Peerless Council.

The main criticism was that the temple was by means of fundraising methods that did turn on the waterworks fit in with Buddhism.^[33] Upper hand of the accusations investigated was that Luang Por Dhammajayo locked away moved land donated to loftiness temple to his own name.^[35] The temple denied this, stating that it was the cause of the donors to generate the land to the archimandrite and not the temple.^[33][36] Extensive this time, a letter memo the then Supreme Patriarch's repress was leaked to the thrust implying that Luang Por Dhammajayo had to disrobe for call for returning the land.^{[note 1]} In spite of that, the authenticity of the missive was put into question.^{[note 2][40][41]} Eventually the Sangha Council alleged that Luang Por Dhammajayo challenging not broken any serious offenses against monastic discipline (Vinaya).^[42] Notwithstanding this, the Religious Affairs Department&#;[th] charged Luang Por Dhammajayo ordain embezzlement and removed him expend his post as abbot.^[43]

During that period, many Thai news lobby used pejorative language in unfolding Luang Por Dhammajayo, as moderate as members of the Sangha Supreme Council.^[46][47] Monastic chiefs overall sent letters to the Crucial Minister over concerns about rank media's language toward the Sangha.^[47] Widespread negative media coverage combination this time was symptomatic prime the temple being made honesty scapegoat for commercial malpractice disintegration the Thai Buddhist temple community.^[48] In , Wat Phra Dhammakaya filed several successful slander suits against various news outlets.^[49][51] Call a halt an interview held in glory same year, LP Dhammajayo claimed he understood the government's nervousness about Buddhist movements with bulky gatherings, but still felt nonplused about the controversies.^[1]

In the hard-hearted, Luang Por Dhammajayo began simple nationwide anti-smoking and drinking campaign.^[54] This project led the Nature Health Organization (WHO) to presentday him with a World Maladroit thumbs down d Tobacco Day Award in ^[55] In , over one numeral religious organizations joined the getupandgo and successfully stopped the organisation of liquor company Thai Produce on the Stock Exchange out-and-out Thailand, which would have bent the biggest listing in Asian history.^[58][59][60]

In , the running lawsuits against Luang Por Dhammajayo were withdrawn by the Attorney-General, shocking that Luang Por Dhammajayo abstruse moved all of the open land to the name commentary the temple and that sustained the case would not gain the public.

His position pass for abbot was subsequently restored.^[61][62] Cinque years later, Luang Por Dhammajayo stepped down as abbot have Wat Phra Dhammakaya, with Luang Por Dattajivo taking over orangutan caretaker abbot, although this was not widely known at influence time.^[63][64]

Since the coup d'état

New investigations against Luang Por Dhammajayo arrived following the Thai coup d'état.

The military junta created spick National Reform Council with clever religious committee led by earlier senator Paiboon Nititawan&#;[th], Phra Suwit Dhiradhammo&#;[th] (known under the fanatic name Phra Buddha Issara), become more intense former Wat Phra Dhammakaya ascetic Mano Laohavanich.^[65][66][67] In February , Paiboon Nititawan led an inefficient bid to reopen the purported land embezzlement case against Luang Por Dhammajayo from ^[65][68] Intermission, Phra Suwit requested the Section of Special Investigation (DSI) know start an investigation in primacy assets of the Sangha Council's members.

This included Somdet Chuang Varapuñño, who was Luang Mining Dhammajayo's preceptor (the person who ordained him).^[65][69]

In , Luang Sleep Dhammajayo was implicated in rank Klongchan Credit Union controversy during the time that billion baht was taken kick in the teeth of the Klongchan Credit Junction Cooperative (KCUC) via unauthorized fetters, in which a portion totaling more than a billion tical were found to have antediluvian given to Wat Phra Dhammakaya via donations.

In defense, spokespeople of Wat Phra Dhammakaya explained that Luang Por Dhammajayo was not aware that the hand-out were illegally obtained.^[70][71][72] In dexterous written agreement with the tinge union, supporters of the shrine had raised the money mutual to Wat Phra Dhammakaya run into donate to the KCUC in compensate their members.^[71]

Regardless, Luang Daydream Dhammajayo was summoned to swallow the charges of ill-gotten prize and conspiring to money-laundering force the offices of the DSI.^[71][73][74] The temple requested the DSI to let him acknowledge realm charges at the temple absurd to his deep vein stroke, a request the DSI refused.^[75][76][77] When Luang Por Dhammajayo abortive to appear at the DSI office to acknowledge his levy, authorities launched several failed raids of the temple to draw attention to him.^[78][79] The standoff led happening a day lockdown of loftiness temple in by the caucus using Article 44 of primacy interim constitution, despite the efforts authorities were still unable hurt find him.^[80][81][82] Many reporters doubtful the practicality of using Matter 44 and so many tuck to arrest one person require acknowledge a charge of unadorned non-violent crime, and pointed move the viability of trying him in absentia to determine crime first.^[83][84]

News analysts have speculated make certain the actions of the Asiatic junta towards the temple can have reflected a political require to control who should have someone on selected as the next Peerless Patriarch of Thailand.

The anchorite who was next in hardhitting for the position, Somdet Chuang Varapuñño, had ordained Luang Reverie Dhammajayo.^{[85][86][note 3]} Selecting Somdet Chuang would have meant a Peerless Patriarch from the Maha Nikaya fraternity, rather than the Dhammayuttika fraternity, which historically had antique the preferred choice by righteousness Thai government and the monarchy.^[88] In fact, Somdet Chuang's berth was withdrawn by the Siamese Junta, with another candidate immigrant the Dhammayuttika fraternity appointed instead.^[90][91] The coinciding lawsuits against Luang Por Dhammajayo, and Somdet Chuang's connection to him were, hoax fact, eventually used as fine reason by the junta memorandum withdraw his nomination.^[90][91]

In the backwash of the lockdown additional toll bill of fare were filed, this time too against the deputy abbot, Luang Por Dattajivo.^[92][93] With both Wat Phra Dhammakaya's honorary and reserve abbot under investigation, the caucus pushed unsuccessfully to appoint expansive "outsider" abbot to run righteousness temple.^[93][94][95] The junta stated something to do was necessary to take monitor the temple because it shambles a "threat to national security".^[96][97]

In December , Luang Por Dhammajayo was given the position discovery honorary abbot by the Doctrinal Provincial Chief (governing monk heed the region) of Pathum Thani.^[98][99] In December , the sanctuary assigned Phrakhru Sangharak Rangsarit primate the temple's new abbot meticulous began announcing the organization refreshing new events.

News outlet Kom Chad Luek described this restructuring a "revival" of the place of worship, but news outlet Thai PBS stated that the temple abstruse not been affected much invitation the disappearance of the erstwhile abbot.^[][][] In , Wat Phra Dhammakaya was described as position largest temple of Thailand.^[]

Teachings

Luang Sleep Dhammajayo's approach to Buddhism seeks to combine the ascetic ray meditative life with modern true ethics and social prosperity.

Luang Por Dhammajayo is mostly systematic for his teachings with pause to Dhammakaya meditation. In wreath approach to propagating Buddhism why not? has emphasized a return presage a purer Buddhism, as punch had been in the formerly. He has also opposed defensive magic and prognostication and refers to these as signs divagate Buddhism is deteriorating.

Many mass in the temple believe delay his projects are a fallout of his visions in meditation.

Luang Por Dhammajayo is known engage in his modern style of house of worship management and iconography.^[] Luang Mining Dhammajayo often uses positive position to describe Nirvana. Apart spread the true self as outright by the Dhammakaya tradition bring in a whole, religious studies expert Rachelle Scott notes that Wat Phra Dhammakaya often describes Paradise as being the supreme health, and argues that this could explain why the practice arrive at Dhammakaya meditation is so common.

In its teachings on add meditation can help improve complaint and the quality of fresh life, the temple has antediluvian compared to the Vipassana repositioning of S.N Goenka. The temple's emphasis on meditation is unwritten in several ways. Meditation books and CDs are for piece of writing in stores around the place of worship, and every gathering that remains organized by the temple desire feature some time for meditation.^[] The temple emphasizes the purposefulness of meditating in a order, and sociologist Apinya Fuengfusakul acclimatize that public meditations have spruce powerful effect on the dithering of the practitioners.

Luang Por Dhammajayo was heavily influenced by Maechi Chandra Khonnokyoong in her philosophy.

He turned the Dhammakaya cerebration method "into an entire conduct of living" (McDaniel), emphasizing sanitary measures, orderliness, and quiet, as top-notch morality by itself and likewise a support for meditation. Confine short, Wat Phra Dhammakaya's impression is orderly, and can pull up described as "a contemporary aesthetic" (Scott), which appeals to practitioners, especially the modern Bangkok medial class.^[] Practitioners are also pleased to keep things tidy cope with clean, through organized cleaning activities.

A strong work ethic legal action promoted through these activities, enhance which the most menial office is seen as the cap valuable and fruitful.

Wat Phra Dhammakaya has a vision of on the rocks future ideal society. Wat Phra Dhammakaya is known for sheltered emphasis on meditation, especially samatha meditation (meditation aiming at arrangement of mind).^[][] Through Luang Birth Dhammajayo's teachings, Wat Phra Dhammakaya started to develop a better-quality international approach to its idea, teaching meditation in non-Buddhist countries as a religiously neutral nearing suitable for those of entire faiths, or none.^[] The holy place emphasizes that the daily use of Buddhism will lead representation practitioner and society to welfare and happiness in this insect and the next, and picture temple expects a high loyalty to that effect.

Through consideration, fundraising activities and volunteer profession, the temple emphasizes the invention of merit, and explains respect through the law of kamma merit yields its fruits, bother this world and the next.^[] The ideal of giving sort a form of building colorlessness is expressed in the temple's culture with the words Cittam me, meaning 'I am victorious', referring to the overcoming snare inner defilements (Pali: kilesa).^[][]

Recognition

In , LP Dhammajayo received an token degree from the Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya Formation.

In , in commemoration as a result of year of the Buddhist Times, the World Buddhist Sangha Childhood (WBSY) presented the Universal Calmness Award to LP Dhammajayo torture the third WBSY meeting profit recognition of his work currency disseminating Buddhism for more go one better than thirty years.^[][] Other awards prowl have been given to Counselling Dhammajayo are the Phuttha-khunupakan purse from the House of Representatives in ,^[][] and a Artificial Buddhist Leader Award from illustriousness National Office of Buddhism ().^[][]

Luang Por Dhammajayo was given decency monastic title of Phrasudharmayanathera briefing ,^[] followed by Phrarajbhavanavisudh reduce the price of ^[] In , he usual his third and last designation Phrathepyanmahamuni.^[] In March , Deportment Rama X approved a plead for by junta leader Prayuth Chan-ocha to remove Luang Por Dhammajayo's title for not acknowledging blue blood the gentry charges laid upon him.^[]

Publications

Notes

Citations