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Wat Phra Dhammakaya

Coordinates: 14°04′23.37″N 100°38′47.01″E / 14.0731583°N 100.6463917°E / 14.0731583; 100.6463917
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For the movement as a whole, see Dhammakaya Movement.
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Memorial Hall, Luang Pu Sodh Candasaro
The Wat Phra Dhammakaya compound: chedi (lower left), Luang Pu Sodh Candasaro Memorial Hall (upper left), Great Assembly Hall (upper right)
Chedi, Wat Phra Dhammakaya

Wat Phra Dhammakaya (Thai: วัดพระธรรมกาย) is a Buddhist temple (wat) in Khlong Luang District, in the peri-urban Pathum Thani Province north of Bangkok, Thailand. It was founded in 1970 by Maechi Chandra Khonnokyoong and Luang Por Dhammajayo and is the most well-known and the fastest growing temple of the Dhammakaya Movement or the Dhammakaya meditation tradition (Vijja Dhammakaya) which was started by Luang Pu Sodh Candasaro in the early 20th century.[1][2][3] The temple is part of the Mahanikaya fraternity, and is legally represented by the Dhammakaya Foundation. Though it emphasizes the revival of traditional Buddhist values, it does so through modern methods and technology, which has led to much controversy, debate and sometimes government response. Despite these controversies, the temple has continued to play an active role in Thai Buddhism. The temple emphasizes personal transformation, expressed through its slogan "World Peace through Inner Peace".

History

Founding years (1963-1978)

Ordination ceremony for new monks at Wat Phra Dhammakaya

In the first period, when university student Chaiyabun Sutthiphon met Maechi Chandra Konnokyoong in Wat Paknam Bhasicharoen, there was no plan yet for building a new temple. Once Chaiyabun ordained as a monk in 1969 and received the name "Phra Dhammajayo", they started teaching Dhammakaya meditation together. In the beginning, the meditations and teachings were carried out in a small house called "Ban Thammaprasit" in the compound of Wat Paknam Bhasicharoen. Because of the popularity of both teachers, they considered it more appropriate to start a new temple by themselves. On 23 February 1970, Maechi Chandra, Phra Dhammajayo, Phra Dattajivo and their students moved to a 196 rai (313,600 m2) plot of land in Pathum Thani Province, donated by Khunying Prayat Phaetayapongsa-visudhathibodi.[4][5]

The site, 16 kilometers north of Don Mueang International Airport, was originally called "Sun Phutthachak-patipattham" (Thai: ศูนย์พุทธจักรปฏิบัติธรรม). At the time Patum Thani was well outside Bangkok's northern suburbs.[6] From acidic paddy fields, a woodland was created to be a park for meditators. The initial budget for construction was very low (3,200 Baht), but despite these economical constraints, the construction of the buildings on the land was able to continue. In the accounts of the temple, it is told that this happened with great attention for detail. For example, the outside of the wall of the Ubosot was made of gravel that was selected manually.[4] Though originally the intention was simply to build a meditation center, under pressure of authorities eventually this was changed to building a full-fledged temple.[7] The foundation stone for the Ubosot was laid by Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn on behalf of King Bhumibol Adulyadej in December 1977[8] and it was officially recognized as a temple by the Thai government the following year, as "Wat Voranee Dhammakayaram".[9] This which was later changed to "Wat Phra Dhammakaya". The Ubosot was completed in 1982, and the ceremony for allocating of the Ubosot's boundary (sima) was held three years later.[10]

In 1972, Wat Phra Dhammakaya started a training program called Dhammadayada ('heirs of the Dhamma'),[11] meant for people wanting to ordain temporarily as monks. In Thailand, it has been a tradition for men to ordain for the monastic rains retreat (vassa) as a rite of passage before becoming adult.[12] These ordinations were becoming shorter in recent times, and the temple was trying to reverse this trend.[13] During such a training program at the temple, participants typically started off with physical training to prepare themselves for the program. When the training started, they kept the eight precepts, slept under mosquito nets in the open air, and meditated for eight hours per day. After this preparatory training, they ordained for the remaining period of at least one month. The program initially focused on university students. During the period of the temple's construction, the Dhammadayada ordination plan gave training to hundreds of students, who swelled the number of residents in the temple community.[14][15] For monks who stayed on for longer, ordaining for life was emphasized more than in other temples,[16] though considerable screening took place before someone could ordain for life.[17] For women, a parallel training program was held, in which the eight precepts are kept, but the women did not shave their hair in the manner of mae chi or nuns. According to the temple, this program is popular, and is joined by four hundred participants per year on average, as of 2007.[13][14][18]

Wat Phra Dhammakaya emphasized youth and young adults in its orientation from its outset. The Buddhist societies of many of the universities and colleges were led, and still are, by supporters of the temple, many coming from the Dhammadayada program.[16][19][20] The temple also started organizing a World Peace Ethics Contest, in which schools all over Thailand compete in their knowledge of Buddhist ethics. Due to the large number of students joining the temple's activities, who in the 1970s tended to be leftist, Wat Phra Dhammakaya was accused of being communist for some period.[21]

Asian economic boom (1979-1996)

The temple gained great popularity during the 1980s (during the Asian economic boom), especially among the growing well-educated and entrepreneurial middle class, mostly of Sino-Thai origin. Royalty and high-standing civil servants also started to visit the temple. During this period the temple experienced tremendous growth in terms of monks, lay workers and temple visitors.[8][22][23] Wat Phra Dhammakaya emphasizes values of prosperity, modernity and personal development, which makes it attractive for the middle class.[3] By the mid 1980s, the temple was attracting up to 50,000 people on major ceremonies.[24]

Wat Phra Dhammakaya became known for its emphasis on meditation, especially samatha meditation. Every Sunday morning, meditation was taught to the general public. Every weekend a meditation retreat was held at the temple at no cost. For these weekends, the temple started using the word dhutanga for accomodation in the open air, a word normally used for some forms of monastic practice.[25] Seven-day retreats were held regularly at several locations, during which participants were required to keep the eight precepts.[26][27] The temple also started to develop a social dimension in its activities. For example, it started promoting blood donations. The temple became active in promoting Buddhist scholarship and educational reform in the Sangha since the 1990s, notably producing a cd with searchable texts of the Pali Canon in cooperation with the Pali Text Society.[28][15][29] The temple was also known to have wide support from the Thai Sangha.[30] and tolerated by the government, though at times the government asked the temple to limit its mass assemblies. Fuengfusakul concludes that during this period the government was becoming afraid of the temple's ability to gather a huge amount of people.[31]

In 1994, the temple began designing for the building of a huge stupa which was later to become known as the Maha Dhammakaya Cetiya. The monument would be built to last for a thousand years, and would consist of a million Buddha images. An experienced architect and experienced engineers were employed and the latest technology was used in the construction, to meet the demands of the project and to follow the traditions of cetiyas and stupas. Though traditionally, stupas were often built by kings, the Dhammakaya Cetiya was to be built by the people, each contributing his part. Attempts were made to involve the devotees of the temple through the different stages of construction, through organizing meditations around the Cetiya and holding ceremonies, in which the people were given hammers to symbolically hit a foundation pile into the ground.[25]

Asian financial crisis (1997-2000)

From 1998 onward, Wat Phra Dhammakaya started to set up branch centers outside of Thailand.[25] Wat Phra Dhammakaya became known for its modern management and iconography,[32] and became active in using modern media and public relations, even to the extent of receiving a prize for best marketing strategies from the Business Association of Thailand.[33][34] In 1998, the temple first started to hold large-scale training programs, though not yet for monastics, but for laymen (13,824 participants) and for laywomen (140,000 participants).[25]

In November 1998, after a ceremony held at the Cetiya of the temple, the temple reported in brochures and national newspapers that a miracle had occurred at the Cetiya, which was witnessed by thousands of people. The miracle involved seeing an image of a Buddha or of Luang Pu Sodh imposed on the sun. Shortly afterwards, the Thai media responded very critical, leading to a nationwide, very intense debate about the state of Thai Buddhism in general, and Wat Phra Dhammakaya in particular, that lasted for an unusually long ten months. Critics believed that Wat Phra Dhammakaya, and Thai Buddhism in general, had become too much of a commercial enterprise and had grown corrupt; practitioners and temple devotees argued tradition was being followed.[35]

The main criticism was that the temple was using fundraising methods that did not fit in with Buddhism. Examples that were pointed out were the fact that fundraising resembled direct sales, the distribution of amulets to donors as complementary gift and the use of modern technology.[36] Scholars in Buddhism, such as Phra Payutto, social critic Sulak Sivaraksa, as well as two former monks from the temple, all argued against the temple's fundraising methods. Moreover, some of the teachings of the temple were criticized: the idea that large donations yield greater fruits or merit, and notably, the idea that Nibbana was the true self.[37] Although many of these methods and teachings were not unique to Wat Phra Dhammakaya, the criticism came at a moment when the temple had become very noticeable due to its size, its high-profile supporters and most importantly, due to the project of building a huge stupa which required a lot of funds to build.[38][39] And all of this at the backdrop of the financial crisis that Thailand was going through.[40][41][39]

Wat Phra Dhammakaya replied to the critics of the Cetiya building project, pointing out that the building had begun before the crisis, when the economy was still booming; therefore, the timing was not to blame. They also raised examples of other important Thai building projects that had been realized during crises. Finally, the temple posed the question: if, despite the crisis, people were still buying alcohol and cigarettes and still going to the movie, then what was wrong with donating for a religious building?[42][43] The temple also replied its critics with regard to the accusations of wealth, by stating that the temple's wealth was used to foster faith in Buddhism and Buddhist education, not for other purposes. Building large buildings benefited Buddhism as a whole, not just the temple, because it helped to strengthen the religion. Apart from donating to hospitals or schools, financially supporting Buddhism should also be done, because it would help foster ethics in society.[44]

Under pressure of public outcry and intellectual critics, the Sangha Supreme Council started an investigation in the accusations, led by Luang Por Nanavaro, a high-standing monk from Wat Yannawa. A long period of investigation went by, during which the Council was assisted by a team of government officials, and several means of investigation were employed, among which setting up a telephone line to gather information from the public.[45][46] Finally, the Sangha Council declared that Wat Phra Dhammakaya had not broken any serious offenses against monastic discipline (Vinaya) that were cause for defrocking, but a number of directives were given for the temple to improve itself.[47]

In the meantime, the government charged the temple after it was alleged the abbot had embezzled assets of the temple, by accepting donation of land on his own name. Ecclesiastical charges were also laid against the temple, with regard to heresy.[48][49][50] Wat Phra Dhammakaya questioned the legitimacy of the ecclesiastical charges, however. As for the embezzlement case, as the trials did not seem to reach a conclusion anytime soon, discussions arose questioning the authority of the Thai Sangha and government to deal with problems within the Thai Sangha.[17][51]

Shortly after the investigation of the Sangha Council was finished, a letter that the Supreme Patriarch had written was leaked to the press, implying that Luang Por Dhammajayo had to disrobe because he had not transferred donated land back to the temple. A warning had preceded this letter, which government officials said had not yet been forwarded to the Sangha Council. The abbot was willing to transfer the land, but this required quite some time, and critics felt the order was not complied to. At the same time, the temple underlined the legal rights of monks under the constitution, pointing out that possessing personal property is common in the Thai Sangha. They also questioned whether the letter of the Patriarch was not a fake.[52]

When the pressure on the government reached a peak, Luang Por Dhammajayo agreed to let the police take him. He was interrogated for a while, after which he was released on a bail of 2 million baht, still on the same day. The news made headlines worldwide. The abbot was suspended from being an abbot, but Luang Por Dhammajayo's deputies continued to manage the temple.[17][21][51] In the 2000s, the controversies gradually lost the interest of the public, as the news focused on other topics,[53] although in 2002 some new allegations were reported.[54]

Nationwide activities (2001-2006)

In the 2000s, the temple broadened its activities to a more national scope. The temple started its own satellite channel called Dhammakaya Media Channel (DMC),[55][56] and an open university.[57] The temple started to use this satellite channel to broadcast live events, such as guided meditations, to branch centers.[25] Wat Phra Dhammakaya started to develop a more international approach to its teachings, teaching meditation in not-Buddhist countries as a religiously neutral technique suitable for those of all faiths, or none.[58] An international Dhammadaya program was also started, held in Chinese and English, and the temple started to organize retreats in English language in Thailand and in several countries outside of Thailand. Later on, online guided meditations were also held in different languages.[59][60][61] The temple began to focus more on promoting an ethical lifestyle, using the five and eight precepts as a foundation.[30][62] Nationwide people were encouraged to quit drinking and smoking through a campaign called Te Lao Phao Buri (Thai: เทเหล้าเผาบูหรี่, literally: 'throw away alcohol and burn cigarettes'), cooperating with other religious traditions. This project led the World Health Organization (WHO) to present a World No Tobacco Day award for this campaign on 31 May 2004.[63][58][64]

In 2004, Wat Phra Dhammakaya made headlines when it offered aid to victims of the 2004 Tsunami disaster in Thailand, through donations and by organizing an inter-faith memorial services for the victims in Phang Nga and Phuket. The temple also started to give financial aid and supplies to schools and temples in southern Thailand, presently the scene of political and religious conflict.[65][38][64] The World Peace Ethics Contest started to expand (as of 2006, 19,839 schools) and a number of schools in other countries started to compete in their knowledge of Buddhist ethics as well. The temple therefore extended its youth activities to include a training course in Buddhist practice known as V-star, and a national day of Buddhist activities known as V-star day.[66][67]

In 2006, The Thai National Office for Buddhism cleared Luang Por Dhammajayo of all accusations when he agreed to offer all the funds to the name of the temple.[68] When Thaksin was in power, the temple was often accused of having close ties to him, influencing his policies.[65][69] Nevertheless, some of the major supporters of the temple are publicly known as members of the "Yellow Shirts" political pressure group, which is strongly opposed to Thaksin.[70]

In 2010, during the Red Shirt protests, in an attempt to keep control of any initiatives opposing the junta, a number of monastic and academic organizations and people, among which Luang Por Dhammajayo, were put under surveillance by the Thai military. It was alleged that this information was deliberately leaked to the press as a form of threat to these organizations and people. It has been estimated that during this time, 80 percent of the Thai monks were supportive of the Red Shirt pressure group, though only a few hundred actually went for protest on the street.[71] Wat Phra Dhammakaya did not openly join any Red Shirt activities, but some leading members of pro-Thaksin parties were connected to the temple.[72]

As of 2006, the community living at Wat Phra Dhammakaya numbered more than a thousand monks and novices, and hundreds of laypeople. Apart from that, the temple also had a huge number of volunteers for help in ceremonies. Though the temple has no formal sense of membership as for example Christian churches have,[24] congregations on Sundays and major religious holidays, such as Kathina or Magha Puja, are attended by over 100,000 people.[3][55][73] Worldwide, the temple's following is estimated at one million practitioners.[74]

Recent years (2007-2016)

In 2008, the temple started sponsoring an online social platform for young people, with an international orientation, called Peace Revolution, organized from Hong Kong.[75] Also, in 2010, Wat Phra Dhammakaya started the Dhammachai Tipitaka Project, providing facilities for scholars worldwide to work together collecting ancient manuscripts, to make a critical edition of the Pali Canon.[76] There are over a 100 staff members worldwide, divided in manuscript reading teams working on the project.[77] In 2011, several Thai news papers said that Wat Phra Dhammakaya tried to re-write the Pali Canon, referring to an interview with Phra Anilman Dhammasakiyo of the Mahamakut Buddhist University.[78] The temple would change the word anatta (not-self) into atta (self). Wat Phra Dhammakaya denied this in a press statement, however. They said it was not their intention to rewrite the Pali Canon, and considered it unlikely that any one could do so.[79] Having checked with Dhammasakiyo himself, the temple concluded that he never gave any such interview.[80] Wat Phra Dhammakaya also set up another research institute, located in Australia, called DIRI (Dhammachai International Research Institute). This institute also promotes research on manuscripts of early Buddhism, and offers fellowships to that end.[81][82] It has also organized conferences with a focus on meditation methods (kamatthana).[83][84]

In the late 2000s, Wat Phra Dhammakaya started to organize pilgrimages passing important places in the life of Luang Pu Sodh. This was done through a procession of over a thousand monks that walked through different areas of Bangkok, as well as surrounding areas. Controversially, the temple used the word dhutanga for the walks, as it did with its retreats. The temple also started to organize huge alms giving events around the country, including at important sites in Bangkok, such as shopping centers Siam Paragon and Central World, as well as in the area of Pratunam, some of which were joined by numbers of over 20,000 monks.[85][86] According to a publication of the temple, the alms giving events were used to support the temples in the South of Thailand. Many different temples joined the events.[87]

Accusations that the Thai Government had financed the activities at Wat Phra Dhammakaya were made in a letter by Sulak Sivaraksa on 10 May 2010.[88] The government issued a press release on 12 May to deny the accusations.[89]

In July 2014, filming began on a documentary entitled White Lotus, which follows the journey of a Westerner who temporarily ordains as a monk at Wat Phra Dhammakaya. Directed by Somchay Phakonkham, it was the first documentary film to be filmed at the temple. It was finished in 2016.[90]

As of 2010, Wat Phra Dhammakaya was the fastest growing temple of Thailand. The temple has 28 centers in Thailand, and 38 abroad. The ceremonies of the temple were often joined by leading monastics and high-ranking people from Buddhist countries.[5][91][92]

Klongchan Credit Union controversy

On 29 October 2015, the Department of Special Investigation (DSI), the Thai equivalent of the FBI,[93] stated its investigators had found that Supachai Srisuppa-aksorn, ex-chairman of the Klongchan Credit Union Cooperative (KCUC), had fraudulently authorized 878 cheques worth 11.37 billion baht, in which a portion totaling 674 million baht was traced to Wat Phra Dhammakaya. Spokespeople of Wat Phra Dhammakaya explained that Luang Por Dhammajayo was not aware that the donations were illegally obtained because Srisuppa-aksorn told the temple he ran several successful businesses, and the temple lacked the means to check for illegally obtained money.[94][95] Once the donations were linked to embezzlement accusations, supporters of the temple raised the 674 million baht linked to Wat Phra Dhammakaya to donate to the KCUC, to keep it from becoming insolvent. The credit union then dropped all complaints and issued a letter of appreciation to the temple, after which the court dropped the case. The DSI submitted the case to public prosecutors again, however, to decide whether to file charges.[95][96][97] The DSI itself had seen its political neutrality questioned, even by leading people within the department itself.[98] Other officials and former officials of the Thai justice system, such as Seripisut Temiyavet, have come out to state that DSI has not been handling the investigation of the temple well with proper legal procedure, which has led to disagreement and discussion within the Thai justice system.[99][100][101]

Analysts from different news outlets have pointed out that the actions of the Thai junta towards the temple may reflect a political need to control who should be selected as the next Supreme Patriarch, since Luang Phor Dhammajayo's preceptor, Somdet Phra Maha Ratchamangalacharn, is currently the main candidate. In fact, the Somdet has already been nominated by the Sangha Supreme Council, but as of April 2016, the appointment had not yet been processed by the Thai junta.[102][103] Selecting him would mean a Supreme Patriarch from the Maha Nikaya fraternity, rather than the Dhammayuttika fraternity, which historically has always been the preferred choice by the Thai government and the monarchy.[104] In February 2016, a seminar was held by a great number of Thai monks in the Phutthamonthon Park, as a response to this stalling by the junta. The seminar was organized by the National Centre for the Protection of Thai Buddhism, a Red Shirt-oriented network.[105] The protesters demanded that the Thai junta not interfere with the Sangha's affairs. They also wanted the junta to make Buddhism a state religion by law, which it currently is not. The junta responded by sending soldiers to control the site, and it came to a few scuffles. At 9 pm, the protest was ended when the monks announced they would repeat their protests again if their demands were not met.[106] The temple's involvement was implied by the media. They denied organizing the protests, but did not disagree with them either.[107]

General analysis of controversies

Wat Phra Dhammakaya has been subject to considerable controversy, changing in nature throughout Thailand's recent history.[21] Though Thai media are not objective when it comes to religious topics,[53] the "pervasiveness and longevity" (Scott)[108] of controversies surrounding Wat Phra Dhammakaya have been subject of speculation by scholars and news analysts. Many believe that the controversies reflect a general criticism of Thai Buddhism as a whole, which started against the backdrop of the 1997 Asian financial crisis, as the commercializing of Buddhism became the most controversial religious problem in Thailand.[41][109][110]

Songkran Sritongon from the Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok did extensive field research at the temple and believes the criticism the temple has received comes from a number of causes:

  • The temple's metaphysical teachings, especially the teachings about self and not-self;
  • The temple referring to different Buddhist teachings than the critics;
  • Unclear information;
  • A refusal of modern means in propagating Buddhism on the part of the critics and
  • An inability of the temple to explain itself well to the outside world.[111]

It has also been pointed out that in Thai society many might be afraid that Wat Phra Dhammakaya would exert too much influence in the Sangha, or take over the Sangha.[112][113]

In a book the temple published as a response to the accusations in 1999, vice-abbot Luang Por Dattajivo is cited stating the following about the fundraising campaigns of the temple:

"Therefore, Wat Phra Dhammakaya has two images that overlap: the first image is that of training people and taking care of them, the second image is that of persuading people to make merit in order to cover the costs of working to train people into good people. But the work of training people into good people is done inside the temple just like teaching is done inside a university and medical care is given inside a hospital. People who have never come to Wat Phra Dhammakaya do not see this work and can't imagine it. On the contrary, when we persuade people to donate through public relations, by letting people know the news [of the donation projects], this is mentioned by mass media. Therefore, people who haven't come to our temple yet, only know that our temple persuades people to donate. Which leads to misunderstandings." [emphasis added][114]

Mackenzie speculates that the Thai public would be more supportive of Wat Phra Dhammakaya if they were aware of the temple's goal of spreading Dhammakaya meditation throughout the world, which would help them understand why such a high level of fundraising is needed.[58] McCargo poses the question why Thai scholars have not considered the freedom of religion argument in the case of Wat Phra Dhammakaya, and believes that with the current attitudes in the Thai government and Sangha, little religious diversity is tolerated.[115]

Principles, practices and beliefs

See also: Dhammakaya Movement

General

Wat Phra Dhammakaya refers to traditional Buddhist values, but teaches those values using modern, according to some, modernist methods,[116][117][118] in ways that have lead to much criticism from society. In fact, Wat Phra Dhammakaya has been compared to Fo Guang Shan in Taiwan for these reasons. The temple has actually maintained a good relation with Fo Guang Shan, even calling them a "sister temple". The particular focus on the Dhammakaya meditation method and the active, modern propagation practices of Wat Phra Dhammakaya, make the movement stand out from mainstream Thai Buddhism, though it is not deviant of it.[119][120][121] The movement has put in great efforts to remain part of the main Maha Nikaya fraternity and makes it a point to often demonstrate their loyalty to the Thai royal family and the Supreme Sangha Council's policies.[15][122][123]

Wat Phra Dhammakaya attaches great importance to its lineage of teachers, starting from Luang Pu Sodh Candasaro, who then passed on his experience to Maechi Chandra Konnokyoong, who then passed it on to Luang Por Dhammajayo. In the PR and media of the temple the teachers are much emphasized as an intrinsic part of the temple's tradition, from which it gains its authenticity.[124]

The temple often uses positive terms to describe Nirvana. Apart from the true self, Scott notes that Dhammakaya often explains Nirvana as being the supreme happiness, and argues that this may explain why the practice of Dhammakaya meditation is so popular.[125]

Cleanliness and order

In his teachings Luang Por Dhammajayo was heavily influenced by Maechi Chandra Konnokyoong. He turned the Dhammakaya meditation method originating in Wat Paknam "into an entire guide of living" (McDaniel), emphasizing cleanliness, orderliness and quiet, as a morality by itself, and as a way to support meditation practice.[126][127][128] The temple "eschews disorder" (Taylor), and is essentialist in its orientations.[74] In Wat Phra Dhammakaya, ceremonies are commonly held on Sundays rather than the traditional lunar calendar-based Uposatha days. Free buses drive to the temple. Lay people joining the ceremonies are strongly encouraged to wear white, a traditional custom. No smoking, drinking or flirting is allowed on the temple terrain, nor newspapers, animals and fortune-telling. Traditional, noisy temple fairs are not held. Children attending activities at Wat Phra Dhammakaya are taken care of through Sunday school and crèche while their parents attend the adult meditation sessions in the Great Sapha Dhammakaya Hall. There are activities for children and young people, and people of all ages attend activities. The temple teaches regularly about traditional Thai manners.[129][130] In short, the temple's appearance is orderly, and can be described as "a contemporary aesthetic" (Scott), which appeals to the practitioners, especially the modern Bangkok middle class.[17][112][131] Practitioners are also encouraged to keep things tidy and clean, by organized cleaning activities.[132]

To what extent Wat Phra Dhammakaya promotes discipline and order, can be easily witnessed from the large-scale yearly ceremonies, which are carefully planned.[128]

Solving problems through meditation and merit

See also: Dhammakaya meditation

Wat Phra Dhammakaya emphasizes that the daily application of Buddhism will lead the practitioner and society to prosperity and happiness, in this life and the next. Through meditation, fundraising activities and volunteer work, the temple emphasizes the "making of merit",[64][133] and explains how through the law of kamma merit yields its fruits, in this world and the next.[134][21] In surveys, one major reason for joining the temple's activities is the structure and clarity of the teachings.[112] Leading donors are publicly recognized as examples, and credited by certain titles.[135] Donors are typically very joyful about their generosity, but critics have described this emphasis on merit-making and its fruits as "religious consumerism" or "capitalism".[46][136][137] In 1988, Kukrit Pramoj, who had been Thailand's prime minister from 1975 to 1976, questioned "whether the temple is offering spirituality or religious pleasure comparable to that of recreation clubs and fishing parks?" Wat Phra Dhammakaya responded by saying that it is empowering lay people to engage with, rather than renounce the world they live in, through moral and meditation training.[138] In its PR and teachings, the temple points out how all sorts of problems in work or family life can be solved through meditation and making merit.[139] The temple is known for its emphasis on meditation.[21] In its teachings on how meditation can help improve health and the quality of modern life, the temple can be compared with Goenka.[140]

To explain the importance of self-transformation, Wat Phra Dhammakaya often refers to the Mangala Sutta, a Buddhist sutta (discourse) that emphasizes ethics. The ethics contests the temple has been organizing throughout the country since its early years, are heavily based on this sutta. Also, the temple often refers to traditional narratives from the Tipitaka (scriptures) regarding exemplary donors and the fruits that merit-making yields.[141] The emphasis on individual ethics is also expressed in the temple's view on economics, which focuses on strengthening the individual's morality more than changing the system of society.[142][143]

Spiritual friendship

Participants in the temple's activities report that the temple feels like a family.[112] The temple's lifestyle promotes good family values and emphasizes a network of like-minded friends to facilitate spiritual development.[129][144] In teachings of the temple, practitioners are encouraged to set up kalyanamitta homes ('houses of good Dhamma friends') to meditate together with friends and family, and trained to be good leaders. Wat Phra Dhammakaya makes it a point that homes, temples and schools should unite in creating responsible members of society, and organizes programs to that effect.[145][146][147] Such communities also have an exemplary effect, according to the temple. One of the reasons why the temple emphasizes huge gatherings during ceremonies, as stated in the temple's literature, is that such gatherings will effect that "people of the world will stop, think and ask themselves why so many people have gathered in one place to meditate.(...) and they will strive to find the answer for themselves."[148]

Scott also notices that Wat Phra Dhammakaya attempts to revive the local temple's role as a spiritual community center, but does so within the format of a modern ideal of prosperity.[149] Wat Phra Dhammakaya encourages people to persuade others to make merit, because such persuasion is in itself considered a merit.[150]

The miraculous

Though Wat Phra Dhammakaya does not involve itself in traditional magical rituals,[21][151] it doesn't oppose everything that is miraculous.[152] In the biographies of Luang Pu Sodh and Maechi Chandra, the temple often relates of miraculous events relating to the meditation prowess of these two masters, thereby establishing the value of the lineage. Mackenzie points out that not everyone who comes to the temple is interested in the miraculous, but it is nevertheless a part of the temple's appeal: "Some members especially appreciate the logic and relevance of the Dhamma talks, others draw much from the effect the cetiya and other buildings have on them, others place a special value on meeting their friends and clearly many have a very strong focus on meditation. I have also met members who look to experience the miraculous at the temple..."[153] Practitioners believe that meditation not only calms the mind, it also has a miraculous effect on the outside world.[21]

Organization structure and objectives of foundation

Wat Phra Dhammakaya is legally presented by the Dhammakaya Foundation.[154] The foundations has a complex organization structure, and is more formalized and organized than traditional Thai temples. Despite its modern methods, the temple adheres to respect for a traditional hierarchy.[147][155] Luang Por Dhammajayo is both the abbot of the temple as the president of the foundation, assisted by vice-abbot and vice-president Luang Por Dattajivo. There are several departments in the foundation that are run by assistant-abbots, who report to the abbot and vice-abbot: a human resource center, a support center that helps with facilitating ceremonies, a department for maintenance, fundraising, education and propagation divisions. The responsibility for lay people is further subdivided in sixty-two groups.[19][156] The personnel of the temple consists of monastics, full-time employees, workers and volunteers. Among lay personnel, the full-time employees are expected to follow the eight precepts, behave orderly and spent their lives in the temple, without a paid job or residence outside the temple. Just like in the Dhammadayada training programs, full-time employees are trained thoroughly, including a probation period. They are not paid a full-fledged salary, but receive a small amount of money, as well as some welfare services. Wat Phra Dhammakaya is known for its relatively high educated monastics and full-time lay personnel. As of 1993, more than ninety per cent possessed a Bachelor's degree.[157]

On its website, the foundation lists seven objectives:

  1. To teach Dhammakaya meditation;
  2. To promote and support Buddhist studies;
  3. To promote and support Dhamma education for both monastics and lay people;
  4. To provide support for the people living in the temple;
  5. To build and maintain the World Dhammakaya Center;
  6. To build and maintain the temple;
  7. To build and maintain an academic institute that offers all levels of education, from pre-school to university, in which Dhamma education is provided together with the normal curriculum.[56][158]

The objectives of the foundation are expressed through the slogan "World Peace through Inner Peace" in English,[159] although in Thai language, "We are born to build up our parami's" is also used, referring to the ten paramis, qualities practiced by someone who has determined to become a Buddha.[143]

Layout of building complex

The 2000 rai (3.2 km2) temple grounds contain roughly 150 buildings.[73] The general appearance of the temple is clean and orderly. Unusual in a Buddhist temple building in Thailand, buildings are functionalist with minimal ornamentation[160] and look futuristically modern. But they are based on older tradition.[16][25][140] In the older area the following buildings are important:

  • Ubosot: The building was awarded an Honourable Mention in the Association of Siamese Architects (ASA) awards in 1998.[161] The Buddha image in the ubosot is modern rather than classic Thai. Nevertheless, the temple's Buddha images are made following the traditional 32 characteristics of a Great Man, mentioned in the Pali Canon, and the temple believes therefore they are more authentic than many other types of Buddha images.[162][163]
  • Daowadung Building: The residence of Luang Por Dhammajayo.
  • Dhammakaya English Learning Center: a center for the study of English for usage in propagating Buddhism, with experienced foreign teachers.[164]

The World Dhammakaya Center

See also: Stupa

Since 1985, the number of people joining the ceremonies of the temple exceeded its capacity and prompted the decision to expand the site and the building of the World Dhammakaya Centre (WDC). In the area there are a number of important buildings:[165]

  1. The Great Sapha Dhammakaya Hall: This hangar-like construction built in 1997 is a multi-functional two-storey building is used for meditation, Buddhist lectures and ceremonies, youth training courses and monastic conferences. The upper level has been designed to accommodate 150,000 people and the lower level is used primarily for parking but can be used as seating capacity for an additional 150,000 people if necessary.[25][166]
  2. The Dhammakaya Cetiya: The Dhammakaya Cetiya is described by the temple as a symbol of world peace through inner peace. It is built entirely on international, public contributions, and is meant to be an embodiment of unity and love for mankind. In the design elements have been used of the architectural style of different ancient stupas, among which the stupas of Sanchi, Borobodur, Anuradhapura, Shwedagon and the stupas of the Pagan Kingdom. The Cetiya has the shape of a hemispherical dome, 32 meter high and 108 meters in diameter. The materials that are used have been chosen with the objective to last a thousand years. The exterior holds 300,000 Buddha images, placed on the hemispherical dome and the terraces of the Dhammakaya Cetiya.[167][168][169] Each of the images has the name of the donor engraved in it, which is an old tradition. Inside the Cetiya are Tipitaka texts, another 700,000 Buddha images and a large central Buddha of 4.5 m made from sterling silver. The central Buddha image symbolizes the possibility of liberation through meditation. The outer terraces of the Cetiya can seat 10,000 monks, whereas the open area around the Cetiya can accommodate 600,000 people. The area has become a meeting-place for Buddhists all over the world, who join the yearly ceremonies.[25][170][171]
  3. The Grand Meditation Amphitheatre: The Grand Meditation Amphitheatre is the name of a two-storey cloister built to accommodate monks, novices and peace-loving people from around the world to meditate and pray. The Amphitheatre has been built around the Cetiya.[172]
  4. The Memorial Hall of Phramongkolthepmuni: This circular domed building was built in 2002 in honor of Luang Pu Sodh Candasaro. As of 2008, it housed an exhibition and a golden statue of Luang Pu Sodh. The building is open to visitors and pilgrims.[173]
  5. The Dining Hall of Khun yay Archaraya Chandra Khonnokyoong: The Dining Hall of Khun Yay can seat up to 6,000 monks. Everyday, lay people come to offer food and refreshments to more than 1,200 monks and novices who reside at this temple.[174]
  6. The Memorial Hall of Khun Yay Archaraya Chandra Khonnokyoong: This hexagonal pyramid-shaped chapel was built in 2002. It is made of gold-tinted plate glass. It is a two-storey structure. The lower floor is a museum with an exhibition, telling the biography of Maechi Chandra Khonnokyoong. The upper floor houses a golden image of Maechi Chandra.[175][176] The hall has been equipped with a closed circuit water cooling system and is made of self-compacting concrete.[177]
  7. The Pariyattithum School: This is a school in which Buddhism is taught regularly to hundreds of students, at different levels.[178]

It is the intention of Wat Phra Dhammakaya to develop the World Dhammakaya Center into a meeting-place and pilgrimage for Buddhists from all over the world, just as Vatican City is for Christians and Mecca is for Moslims.[159][179] Satha-Anand says that the temple intends to expand its site to over 250,000 rai (over 400 km2) in the future.[180]

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Sources

  • Bechert, Heinz (1997), Mathes, Klaus-Dieter; Freese, Harald, eds., "Der moderne Theravada-Buddhismus in Sri Lanka und Südostasien", Buddhismus in Geschichte und Gegenwart, Asien-Afrika Institut (Universität Hamburg), 2, p. 176
  • Crosby, Kate (2000), "Tantric Theravada: A Bibliographic Essay on the Writings of Francois Bizot and others on the Yogavacara Tradition", Contemporary Buddhism 1 (2), p. 160
  • Fuengfusakul, Apinya (1 January 1993), "Empire of Crystal and Utopian Commune: Two Types of Contemporary Theravada Reform in Thailand", Sojourn: Journal of Social Issues in Southeast Asia, 8 (1): 153–183
  • Harvey, Peter (2013), An Introduction to Buddhism: Teachings, History and Practices, Cambridge University Press, ISBN 978-0-521-85942-4
  • Heikkilä-Horn, Marja-Leena (2015), Athyal, Jesudas M. (ed.), "Dhammakaya", Religion in Southeast Asia: An Encyclopedia of Faiths and Cultures: An Encyclopedia of Faiths and Cultures, ABC-CLIO, p. 62, ISBN 978-1-61069-250-2
  • Mackenzie, Rory (2007), New Buddhist Movements in Thailand: Towards an understanding of Wat Phra Dhammakaya and Santi Asoke, Abingdon: Routledge, ISBN 0-203-96646-5
  • McDaniel, Justin (2010), "Buddhists in Modern Southeast Asia", Religion Compass, 4 (11), Blackwell Publishing
  • Melton, J. Gordon; Baumann, Martin, eds. (2010), Religions of the World: A Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Beliefs and Practices, 2nd Edition, ABC-CLIO
  • Newell, Catherine Sarah (2008-04-01), Monks, meditation and missing links: continuity, "orthodoxy" and the vijja dhammakaya in Thai Buddhism, London: PhD diss.; Department of the Study of Religions School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, pp. 15–16
  • Scott, Rachelle M. (December 2006), "A new Buddhist sect?: The Dhammakāya temple and the politics of religious difference", Religion, 36 (4): 215–230, doi:10.1016/j.religion.2006.10.001
  • Scott, Rachelle M. (2009), Nirvana for Sale? Buddhism, Wealth, and the Dhammakāya Temple in Contemporary Thailand, Albany: State University of New York Press, ISBN 9781441624109
  • Seeger, Martin (2006), Mathes, Klaus-Dieter; Freese, Harald (eds.), "Die thailändische Wat Phra Thammakai-Bewegung" (PDF), Buddhismus in Geschichte und Gegenwart, vol. 9, Asien-Afrika Institut (Universität Hamburg), pp. 121–139
  • Sivaraksa, Sulak (1987), "Thai Spirituality", Journal of the Siam Society, 75, Siam Society: 86
  • Snodgrass, Judith (2003), "Building Thai Modernity: The Maha Dhammakaya Cetiya", Architectural Theory Review, 8 (2), doi:10.1080/13264820309478494
  • Swearer, Donald K. (1991), Marty, M.E.; Appleby, R.S. (eds.), Fundamentalistic Movements in Theravada Buddhism, Chicago & London: University of Chicago Press
  • Swearer, Donald K. (2010), The Buddhist World of Southeast Asia (2 ed.), SUNY Press
  • Taylor, Jim (2007), "Buddhism, Copying, and the Art of the Imagination in Thailand", Journal of Global Buddhism, 8, ISSN 1527-6457
  • Thammachayō, Phikkhu (Ven. Dhammajayo Bhikkhu); Thattachīwō, Phikkhu; Tawandhamma Foundation (2007), The Sun of Peace, Tawandhamma Foundation{{citation}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
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  • Zehner, Edwin (June 2013), "The church, the monastery and the politician: Perils of entrepreneurial leadership in post-1970s Thailand", Culture and Religion, 14 (2): 185–203, doi:10.1080/14755610.2012.758646

Further reading

  • McCargo, Duncan (1999), ‘The politics of Buddhism in Southeast Asia’, in Jeff Haynes (ed.), Religion, globalization and the political culture in the Third World, Basingstoke: Macmillan, pp. 213 – 39.
  • Rohonyi, Réka (1996), Wat Phra Dhammakaya: "A Refuge in the Midst of a Turbulent World" - Analysis of a Contemporary Thai Buddhist Movement, Senior Thesis, Harvard University.
  • Scott, Rachelle M (2014). Merit and the Search for Inner Peace: The Discourses and Technologies of Dhammakaya Proselytization. In Rosalind I. J. Hackett (ed), Proselytization Revisited: Rights Talk, Free Markets and Culture Wars. Routledge. pp. 231–252. ISBN 978-1-317-49109-5.
  • Taylor, Jim (2008). Buddhism and Postmodern Imaginings in Thailand: The Religiosity of Urban Space. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. pp. 37–64. ISBN 978-0-7546-6247-1.
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