Supreme Patriarch of Thailand

Supreme Patriarch of the Rattanakosin
สกลมหาสังฆปริณายกแห่งกรุงรัตนโกสินทร์
Incumbent
Ariyavongsagatanana VIII
since 12 February 2017
Style His Holiness
Member of Supreme Sangha Council
Appointer King of Thailand
and countersigned by the Prime Minister
Term length Lifetime
Formation 2325 BE (1782/83 CE)
First holder Ariyavongsanana (Sri)

The Supreme Patriarch or Sangharaja (Thai: สังฆราช; rtgs: Sangkharat) is the head of the order of Buddhist monks in Thailand. His full title is Somdet Phra Saṅgharāja Sakalamahāsaṅghapariṇāyaka (Thai: สมเด็จพระสังฆราช สกลมหาสังฆปริณายก; rtgs: Somdet Phra Sangkharat Sakonlamahasangkhaparinayok; 'the Supreme Patriarch, the Head of all Members of the Sangha').

Ancient history

As early as the Sukhothai period (thirteenth to sixteenth centuries CE), there were city-dwelling and forest-dwelling orders, and there was more than one Supreme Patriarch appointed.[1] In modern times, however, only one position is responsible for all fraternities and orders. From 1992 to 2016, the Supreme Patriarch was chosen from the most senior member of the Supreme Sangha Council and officially endorsed by the King.[2][3] As of December 2016, the Supreme Patriarch was formally appointed by the King of Thailand and countersigned by the Prime Minister, with consultation of the Supreme Sangha Council, an administrative body of the Thai Sangha.[4] The Supreme Patriarch has legal authority to oversee both of Thailand's Theravada fraternities, the Maha Nikaya and the Dhammayuttika Nikaya, as well as the small minority of Mahayana Buddhists in the country. He is also the President of the Supreme Sangha Council.

Developments since the 2000s

There has been recent discussion about reforming the Thai Sangha's leadership structure, including a 2002 proposal which would have moved many of the Sangha Council's and the Supreme Patriarch's powers to a new executive council.[5][6] However, in 2015, it seemed the junta was not pushing for new Sangha legislation after all, after the proposals led to many organized protests and heated debate.[7]

The Supreme Patriarch was Somdet Phra Nyanasamvara Suvaddhana, who had served in this position since 1989. After suffering from increasingly serious health problems, died on 24 October 2013, aged a hundred years.[8] In 2003, because of questions about the Supreme Patriarch's ability to fulfill his duties, the government of Thailand had appointed a special committee to act in his stead. In early 2004, Somdet Kiaw Upaseṇo was appointed acting Supreme Patriarch, an office that he held until his death in 2013.

After the death of Somdet Kiaw, Somdet Chuang Varapuñño of Wat Paknam Bhasicharoen became the next acting Supreme Patriarch. Despite a nomination from the Supreme Sangha Council, his official appointment as Supreme Patriarch was stalled due a refusal of the Thai secular government to forward his nomination to the King. In December 2016, the junta passed an amendment to the Sangha Act changing the rules for appointment of the Supreme Patriarch to bypass the Supreme Sangha Council and allow the King of Thailand to appoint the Supreme Patriarch directly, with the Thai Prime Minister countersigning.[4][9][3] While proponents considered the amendment a good way for politicians to solve the problems the Sangha had not been able to solve, opponents described the amendment as "sneaky" (Thai: ลักไก่). Chao Khun Prasarn Candasaro, vice-rector of the Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University and assistant-abbot of Wat Mahathat Yuwaratrangsarit, stated the amendment showed a grave lack of respect for the Sangha Council's authority, because the council had not been involved in the amendment at all. He argued that the Monastic Act had always given the final decision to the King anyway, and pointed out that all conflicts about the appointment were caused by the junta's National Reform Council, not by the Sangha itself.[10][11] Finally, on 7 February 2017, Somdet Amborn Ambaro was appointed by King Rama X to serve as the next Supreme Patriarch out of five names given to him by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-Cha.[12] The appointment ceremony was held on February 12.[13]

List of Supreme Patriarchs

No. Portrait Name Birth name Tenure from Tenure until Order Temple
1 Somdet Phra
Ariyavongsanana I
(Sri)		 Sri 1782/83
2325 BE		 1794/75
2337 BE		 Maha Nikaya Wat Rakhang Khositaram
2 Somdet Phra
Ariyavongsanana II
(Suk)		 Suk 1794/75
2337 BE		 1816/87
2359 BE		 Maha Nikaya Wat Mahathat Yuwaratrangsarit
3 Somdet Phra
Ariyavongsanana III
(Mee)		 Mee 1816/87
2359 BE		 1819/20
2362 BE		 Maha Nikaya Wat Mahathat Yuwaratrangsarit
4 Somdet Phra
Ariyavongsanana IV
(Suk Nyanasamvara)		 Suk 1820/21
2363 BE		 1822/23
2365 BE		 Maha Nikaya Wat Mahathat Yuwaratrangsarit
5 Somdet Phra
Ariyavongsanana V
(Don)		 Don 1822/23
2365 BE		 1842/43
2385 BE		 Maha Nikaya Wat Mahathat Yuwaratrangsarit
6 Somdet Phra
Ariyavongsanana VI
(Nag)		 Nag 1843/44
2386 BE		 1849/50
2392 BE		 Maha Nikaya Wat Ratchaburana
7 Somdet Phra
Maha Samana Chao
Kromma Phra Paramanujit Jinoros
(HRH Prince Vasugri Suvaṇṇaraṃsi)		 HRH Prince Vasugri 1851/52
2394 BE		 1853/54
2396 BE		 Maha Nikaya Wat Phra Chetuphon Vimolmangklararm
8 Somdet Phra
Maha Samana Chao
Kromma Phraya Pavares Variyalongkorn
(HRH Prince Rurk Paññāaggo)		 HRH Prince Rurk 1853/54
2396 BE		 1892/93
2435 BE		 Dhammayuttika Nikaya Wat Bowonniwet Vihara
9 Somdet Phra
Ariyavongsagatanana I
(Sa Pussadevo)		 Sa 1893/94
2436 BE		 1899/1900
2442 BE		 Dhammayuttika Nikaya Wat Ratchapradit Sathit Mahasimaram
10 Somdet Phra
Maha Samana Chao
Kromma Phraya Vajirananavarorasa
(HRH Prince Manusyanagamanob Manussanāgo)		 HRH Prince Manusyanagamanob 1910/11
2453 BE		 1921/22
2464 BE		 Dhammayuttika Nikaya Wat Bowonniwet Vihara
11 Somdet Phra
Sangharaja Chao
Kromma Luang Jinavorn Sirivaddhana
(HSH Prince Bhujong Jombunud Sirivaḍḍhano)		 HSH Prince Bhujong Jombunud 1921/22
2464 BE		 1937/38
2480 BE		 Dhammayuttika Nikaya Wat Ratchabophit Sathit Maha Simaram
12 Somdet Phra
Ariyavongsagatanana II
(Phae TiIssadevo)		 Phae Phongpala 1938/39
2481 BE		 1944
2487 BE		 Maha Nikaya Wat Suthat Thepphaararam
13 Somdet Phra
Sangharaja Chao
Kromma Luang Vajirananavongs
(Mom Rajavongse Chuen Navavongs Sucitto)		 Mom Rajavongse Chuen Navavongs 1945
2488 BE		 1958
2501 BE		 Dhammayuttika Nikaya Wat Bowonniwet Vihara
14 Somdet Phra
Ariyavongsagatanana III
(Plod Kittisobhaṇo)		 Plod Ketuthat 1960
2503 BE		 1962
2505 BE		 Maha Nikaya Wat Benchamabophit Dusitvanaram
15 Somdet Phra
Ariyavongsagatanana IV
(Yoo Ñāṇodayo)		 Yoo Changsopha (Sae-Chua) 1963
2506 BE		 1965
2508 BE		 Maha Nikaya Wat Saket
16 Somdet Phra
Ariyavongsagatanana V
(Chuan Uṭṭhāyī)		 Chuan Sirisom 1965
2508 BE		 1971
2514 BE		 Dhammayuttika Nikaya Wat Makut Kasattriyaram
17 Somdet Phra
Ariyavongsagatanana VI
(Pun Puṇṇasiri)		 Pun Sukcharoen 1972
2515 BE		 1973
2516 BE		 Maha Nikaya Wat Phra Chetuphon Vimolmangklararm
18 Somdet Phra
Ariyavongsagatanana VII
(Vasana Vāsano)		 Vasana Nilprapha 1973
2516 BE		 1988
2531 BE		 Dhammayuttika Nikaya Wat Ratchabophit Sathit Maha Simaram
19 Somdet Phra
Nyanasamvara
(Charoen Suvaḍḍhano)		 Charoen Khachawat 1989
2532 BE		 2013
2556 BE		 Dhammayuttika Nikaya Wat Bowonniwet Vihara
20 Somdet Phra
Ariyavongsagatanana VIII
(Amborn Ambaro)		 Amborn Prasatthaphong 2017
2560 BE		 Present Dhammayuttika Nikaya Wat Ratchabophit Sathit Maha Simaram

See also

References

  1. ↑ Buswell, Robert E. Jr.; Lopez, Donald S. Jr., eds. (2013). "Wat Mahathat". Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. ISBN 978-0-691-15786-3.
  2. ↑ "Can Thailand tolerate more than one form of Buddhism? - New Mandala". New Mandala. 2016-12-01. Retrieved 2017-07-21.
  3. 1 2 "Sangha Act set to pass". The Nation. 29 December 2016. Retrieved 2016-12-31.
  4. 1 2 "NLA passes Sangha Act amendment bill". The Nation. 29 December 2016. Retrieved 2016-12-31.
  5. ↑ ยุบแล้ว กก.ปฏิรูปพุทธศาสนา สั่งปิดจ็อบFree registration required [Reform committee dissolved, task is finished]. Matichon (in Thai). 8 June 2015. pp. 8–9. Retrieved 25 January 2017 – via Matichon E-library.
  6. ↑ ฉุนมติมหาเถรสมาคมอุ้มธรรมกาย พุทธะอิสระยกขบวนพรึบวัดปากน้ำFree registration required [Angered about decision SSC protecting Dhammakaya, Buddha Issara suddenly moves procession to Wat Paknam]. Matichon (in Thai). 23 February 2015. p. 12 – via Matichon E-library.
  7. ↑ มหาเถรสมาคมแจ้งให้พระหนุ่มเณรน้อยหยุดสวดมนต์ลานพระรูปFree registration required [SSC tells young monks and novices not to chant at the Phutthamonthon park]. Pim Thai (in Thai). 31 March 2015. p. 7 – via Matichon E-library.
  8. ↑ Charuvastra, Teeranai (7 February 2017). "King Appoints New Supreme Patriarch in Surprise Announcement". Khao Sod English. Matichon Publishing. Retrieved 8 February 2017.
  9. ↑ Constant, Max (29 December 2016). "Thai junta restores law allowing king to pick top monk". Anadolu Agency. Retrieved 2016-12-31.
  10. ↑ สัมภาษณ์สด เจ้าคุณประสาร-ส.ศิวรักษ์ แก้พรบ.สงฆ์ [Live interview with Chao Khun Prasarn and S. Sivaraksa about amending the Monastic Act]. New TV (in Thai). 27 December 2016. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
  11. ↑ Dubus, Arnaud (2 January 2017). "La junte amende la loi monastique pour écarter Somdet Chuang de la direction de l’Eglise bouddhique" [The junta amends the monastic law to remove Somdet Chuang from the leadership of the Buddhist religion]. Eglises d'Asie (in French). Paris Foreign Missions Information Agency. Retrieved 18 March 2017.
  12. ↑ PCL., Post Publishing. "Somdet Phra Maha Muniwong new Supreme Patriarch". Bangkok Post. Retrieved 2017-02-09.
  13. ↑ "Somdet Phra Maha Muneewong appointed new supreme patriarch"Free access subject to limited trial, subscription normally required. The Nation. 7 February 2017. Retrieved 8 February 2017.
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