Wat Phra Dhammakaya (Thai: วัดพระธรรมกาย) is a Buddhist temple in Thailand. It was founded in 1970 by the maechi (nun) Chandra Khonnokyoong and Luang Por Dhammajayo. The temple's founding has roots in the Dhammakaya tradition founded by Luang Pu Sodh Candasaro at Wat Paknam Bhasicharoen in the early 20th century.[1][2][3] Wat Phra Dhammakaya is known for its modern dissemination methods and use of technology.
The temple was initially founded as a meditation center, after Maechi Chandra and the just ordained monk Luang Por Dhammajayo could no longer accommodate the rising number of participants in their activities at Wat Paknam Bhasicharoen, becoming an official temple in 1977. The temple experienced rapid growth during the 1980s, when the temple's programs became widely known among the urban middle class. Wat Phra Dhammakaya expanded its area quickly during this period and started building its iconic stupa (pagoda).
During the period of the 1997 Asian financial crisis, however, the temple was subject to widespread criticism for its fundraising methods and teachings, Luang Por Dhammajayo was eventually charged with embezzlement and removed from his office as abbot. In 2006, the charges were withdrawn and he was restored as abbot. The temple grew further in the following years and became known for its many projects in education, promotion of ethics, and scholarship in Thai society. The temple's tradition developed an international scope, as of 2007, the temple's following was estimated at one million practitioners worldwide and thirty to fifty international centers outside of Thailand.
Under the 2014 military junta, the abbot and the temple were put under scrutiny again and Luang Por Dhammajayo was accused of receiving stolen money of a supporter and money-laundering. This incident led to several standoffs between the temple and the junta, eventually leading to 23 day lock down of the temple in 2017 by the junta that made headlines worldwide. In the aftermath of the lock down the junta stated they will look for Luang Por Dhammajayo elsewhere but continued its scrutiny of the temple, giving the vice abbot, Luang Por Dattajivo several charges as well.
^Sirikanchana 2010, p. 885.
^Swearer 2010, p. 114.
^Scott 2009, p. 52.
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WatPhraDhammakaya (Thai: วัดพระธรรมกาย, RTGS: WatPhra Thammakai, pronounced [wát pʰráʔ tʰām.mā.kāːj]) is a Buddhist temple (wat) in Khlong Luang district...
and WatPhraDhammakaya. Buddhist Studies scholars Kate Crosby and Phibul Choompolpaisal, on the other hand, speak of a "network" ofDhammakaya temples...
One of its mae chi, Mae chi Chandra Khonnokyoong, went on to establish another temple which later became widely known: WatPhraDhammakaya. Wat Paknam...
Suddhipol, is a Thai Buddhist monk. He was the abbot of the Buddhist temple WatPhraDhammakaya, the post he held until 1999 and again from 2006 to December...
ofWat Paknam Bhasicharoen from 1916 until his death in 1959. He founded the Thai Dhammakāya school in the early 20th century. As the former abbot of...
stages of absorption to attain Dhammakaya in their publications, while WatPhraDhammakaya emphasizes developing calm and concentration. Some Dhammakaya temples...
(วัดบางพัง) WatPhraDhammakayaWatPhra Sri Rattana Mahatat Woramahawihan Wat Chulamani Wat Nang Phaya Wat Ratchaburana Wat Chedi Yod Thong Wat Aranyik Wat Grung...
Understanding ofWatPhraDhammakaya and Santi Asoke, Routledge, ISBN 978-0-415-40869-1 Partridge, Christopher H. (2004). Encyclopedia of New Religions:...
spread of the Dhammakaya tradition in the UK started in the wake of the Thai migration phenomenon – one monk from WatPhraDhammakaya, Pathum Thani being...
described the actions of the 2014 military junta against WatPhraDhammakaya and Wat Paknam Bhasichareon as also being about the politics of these two Nikayas...
outside of the traditional Thai monastic orders. Some of the most influential ones are WatPhraDhammakaya and Shanti Asoke. WatPhraDhammakaya is a new...
parts of tambons Klong Nueng and Khlong Song. The remaining five tambons are each administered by a tambon administrative organization (TAO). WatPhra Dhammakaya...
cameras of the incident. During the 23 day lock down ofWatPhraDhammakaya in 2017 that junta leader Prayut Chan-o-cha ordered using article 44 of the interim...
January 1909 – 10 September 2000) was a Thai Maechi (nun) who founded WatPhraDhammakaya. Religious studies scholar Rachelle Scott has described her as "the...
reforms of Thai Buddhism. Two recent Thai modernist movements are the monastic revival of the Thai forest tradition and the WatPhraDhammakāya movement...
tʰūm tʰāːnīː]) is one of the central provinces (changwat) of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are (from north clockwise): Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Saraburi...
2009, Kippenheim has been home to WatPhraDhammakaya Schwarzwald, a temple and meditation center of the Dhammakaya Buddhist movement from Thailand. Aktuelle...
of Thailand were publicly stating that Nirvana is the true self, and scholar monks in Bangkok were stating that Nirvana is not-self. (see: Dhammakaya...
Medicine Buddha Monasteries Angkor WatPhra Pathom Chedi Shaolin Monastery Shwedagon Pagoda WatPhraDhammakayaWatPhra Kaew Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep Nāga — the...
2018-08-19. Retrieved 2018-08-19. Thepyanmongkol, Phra (2009). The Heart ofDhammakaya Meditation. Wat Luang Phor Sodh. p. 12. ISBN 9789748097534. Wynne...
prohibit monks from protesting, 2,000 monks from WatPhraDhammakaya organized chants of Buddhist texts in front of the Stock Exchange to halt Thai Beverage's...
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