Phrarajbhavanavisudh
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Phrarajabhavanavisudh is the abbot of Wat Phra Dhammakaya in Thailand and the president of the Dhammakaya Foundation.
He was born Chaibul Sutthipol on the 22 April 1944. Since his early childood, Chaibul had developed a distinguished quality of self-confidence, strong determination and leadership. At Suan Kularb School, Bangkok, Thailand, Chaibul during his adolescence, started to be profoundly interested in Buddhism, Having matriculated from Suan Kularb Secondary School in 1963, Chaibul was enrolled in the Faculty of Agriculture, Kasetsart University.
The student life gave him much more freedom and provided him with more opportunities to pursue the study of Dharma. He became an ardent student at the Meditation Centre of Wat Paknam Bhasicharoen. It was here that he first met his mentor and spiritual guardian, the Buddhist nun Chandra Khonnokyoong. She was one of the most respected Buddhist Meditation teachers at that time. Under Kuhn Yay's close supervision, Chaibul attained a certain level of knowledge and realisation of Buddha Dharma.
Chaibul also got to know many fellow students both in Kasetsart University and in other universities who were interested in practising meditation. One of these early acquaintances later became his assistant in the great endeavour to establish the Dhammkaya Buddhist Centre. His assistant was Mr. Padet Pongswardi who became a Buddhist monk and is now well-known as the Phrabhavanaviriyakhun, the Vice-abbot of Wat Phra Dhammakaya.
After his graduation from Kasetsart University with B.Sc (Economics), Chaibul made it known to his family that he intended to spend the rest of his life as a Buddhist monk. He was ordained at Wat Paknam Bhasicharoen on the 27th of August 1969. After six years of monkhood, Ven. Dhammajayo became a teacher in the specialised method of meditation known as the Dhammakaya School of meditation. His students were many and from all walks of life. In the beginning, the meditation courses were carried out at a private lodging called 'Dhammaprasit' within the compound of Wat Paknam Bhasicharoen. Later the group moved to a plot of donated land in Pathum Thani Province.
Ven. Dhammajayo and a group of devoted Buddhists shared in their efforts to transform the site into a wooded parkland, full of shady trees and well irrigated by a system of canals. Venerable Dhammajayo's vision, mission and goal for the future is to devote his life to create the World Dhammakaya Centre in the surroundings of Phra Dhammakaya Temple. Venerable Dhammajayo himself, is a vital force in the inspiration and teaching of higher meditation and insight, which the modern scientific way of western education cannot offer.
Phrarajbhavanavisudh succeeded in influencing millions of people both within Thailand and worldwide to practise meditation, a fundamental basis of true peace and eternal peace. He has also succeeded to encourage Thais to quit drinking and smoking through the activities of Anti-Drinking and Anti-Smoking program with is widely accepted nationwide and is being expanded throughout the world. World Health Organization (WHO) presented an award to Phrarajbhavanavisudh in recognition for his achievement of activities of the Anti-Drinking and Anti-Smoking program.
Phrarajbhavanavisudh succeeded to persuade Thai Youths to come to the temple and participate in various activities that benefit the society. Hundreds of Thai young people ordain each year and hundreds of thousands of Thai young people participate in various activities annually. Up to present, these programs have been in existence for almost two decades and a total of tens of thousands of Thai young people have ordained while almost five million Thai young people have participated in activities that benefit the public. This is the first ever occurrence in the history of the Kingdom of Thailand.
He has succeeded in establishing a model temple which is a prototype of a temple with good discipline, practices, cleanliness, orderliness and holiness, which not only is the model temple accepted nationwide but has also successfully expanded to over eighteen countries worldwide. He has also succeeded in establishing a Buddhist satellite network with a 24 hour-a-day broadcasts to effectively expand the Dharma and meditation teachings to the audience both nationwide and worldwide. This channel encourages peace and happiness to humanity as a whole.
Phrarajbhavanavisudh is a spiritual leader who emphasizes unity amongst all religions and is capable to coordinate activities that share the similarities and heal the differences, encouraging harmony and sustain the resolution of the conflict in all part of the world because the meditation he teaches leads to the supreme happiness which is unlike is worldly pleasure. It is everlasting and does not change or very according to the law of cause and effect. This state is the complete liberation, unlimited freedom, inner joy, peace, eternal rest and immortal happiness in itself.
