Meet the "Most Holy German in Thailand" - the first foreigner to pass high level Buddhist exams

 

Picture: Sanook

 

A German who has lived most of his adult life in Thailand's north east studying Buddhism is being hailed as the most holy German in Thailand.

 

Phra Khru Ubon Pawanawitet (once known as Henning Guerlee (name transliterated from Thai)) has become the first foreigner to pass exams marking him as a Buddhist Preceptor.

 

Phra Khru Ubon first got interested in Buddhism when he was studying physics at university in Berlin in his native Germany. After graduation he headed for Thailand and was ordained at the international temple in Ubon in 1998.

 

Since then he has garnered the attention of many top monks and spiritual leaders who have helped him climb up the Sangha ladder until he was named abbot.

 

He told Sanook that he had a great interest in Thai culture and his faith in Buddhist has enabled him to progress on the path to enlightenment.

 

And on this spiritual journey he has inspired many other foreigners to follow a similar path.

 

On Sunday a ceremony held in Bangkok by the Mahathera Council gave out diplomas that elevated 200 monks to the preceptor grade.

 

Source: Sanook

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2018-01-30

1 minute ago, webfact said:

helped him climb up the Sangha ladder

I climbed up the Singha ladder instead, maybe I took the wrong road ? 

Most holly german in Thailand... as oppose to the most HATED gerrman

in Thailand, talking about the fork in the road ahead....

Good on him


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I don't know what an enlightenment exam would consist of...

"What is the sound of one hand clapping? D. None of the above."

1 hour ago, Thaiwrath said:

I climbed up the Singha ladder instead, maybe I took the wrong road ? 

Assuming you didn't fall off, you did just fine. 

3 minutes ago, Ruffian Dick said:

Pretty sure that was supposed to have been taken humorously.

Just so sad, that is was zero humour in it then.

I would love to see a copy of that exam. I have to wonder because I know the basic tenants of Buddhist philosophy and I see how Thai monks behave in practice and frequently they seem to be in opposition. 

 

Holy Cow!

2 hours ago, webfact said:

elevated 200 monks to the preceptor grade

 

Oh yes,  perceptor grade, the equivalent of level 13 in Temple Run.

congratulation to the guy, well done.

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Removed replies to a post that had been removed.

ha ha ha, thanks tv this one cheered me up.

 

hope those teaching are keeping things working in harmony

 

the hierarchy of monks is thai then japan then, or if you are lao then lao then japan then, or if you are burmian then burma then japan then  

Well done and congratulations

I remember a book by Richard Randall who was the first westerner to be ordained in Bangkok in the early 50's. I think there was something like 260 rules they had to keep one being NOT having any money and owning only tunics and bowls for alms collections. In the forest temple near our house they even have smart phones now- to help them get away from it all!

1 hour ago, Orton Rd said:

I remember a book by Richard Randall who was the first westerner to be ordained in Bangkok in the early 50's. I think there was something like 260 rules they had to keep one being NOT having any money and owning only tunics and bowls for alms collections. In the forest temple near our house they even have smart phones now- to help them get away from it all!

The smart phones are used only to order from pizzahut so i was told!!!

A troll post has been removed. 

8 hours ago, canuckamuck said:

I would love to see a copy of that exam. I have to wonder because I know the basic tenants of Buddhist philosophy and I see how Thai monks behave in practice and frequently they seem to be in opposition. 

 

Decades ago, I used to sometimes visit a Thai temple in the UK which was run by a British monk. I think even then, he'd been a monk for twenty-plus years. He organised prison visiting for Buddhists in prison.

 

I used to enjoy chatting with him. He often criticised Thais there for their not-so-Buddhist attitudes.

I remember once when one of the Thais asked him when his birthday was, the monk replied that the only reason he was being asked was to use the date to buy lottery tickets, saying that it wasn't really appropriate.

2 hours ago, Orton Rd said:

I remember a book by Richard Randall who was the first westerner to be ordained in Bangkok in the early 50's. I think there was something like 260 rules they had to keep one being NOT having any money and owning only tunics and bowls for alms collections. In the forest temple near our house they even have smart phones now- to help them get away from it all!

Ohh that's why i see monks in computershops all the time...it's to stay away from it....

Congrats. He has my respect

 

Mmmmm, a lovely certificate.

 

Shame it's TIN......not DIN.

 

 

 

 

Passing a test does not make you holy

Good on him.

Sartu.

 

On 1/30/2018 at 6:40 AM, Somtamnication said:

Holy Cow!

I thought that was Hindu's...

Edited January 31, 20188 yr by evadgib

Perhaps to be the highest qualification one needs to be an uber monk, the type you see with a servant walking next to them carrying their shit so they don't need to, usually wearing shades, umbrella, mobile phone and found in taxis, first class on planes and waiting rooms...

 

On 1/29/2018 at 9:28 PM, webfact said:

path to enlightenment

How to live well without doing any work

was randall the bloke who was an obese cook ( you know american obese really really carrying unnecesary weight) and had to fast for 15 weeks resulting in stomach collapse and failure of a number of internal organs before becoming a holy man?

 

Whoever posted this nonsense I am as interested in knowing who has become a jedi knight recently?

Does he have to report every 90 days?

26 minutes ago, wakeupplease said:

How to live well without doing any work

Shirly you are talking about polyshitcans the world over..?

Well done for uniting two words not often used together .