Wat Phra Dhammakaya

[sabaijai]

I have seen this picture before somewhere else. It's hard to tell if that is actually LP Dhammachayo, but it could be. I believe this picture was posted with an article or thread post where gold was being discussed. Does anyone know what I'm referring to, or can anyone confirm the ID in this picture and explain what's going on?

The photo came from the Bangkok Post archives, and initially appeared with a story on the abbot's arrest. The man in the photo is indeed Dhammachayo.

[sabaijai]

All domed stupas have as their prototype the great stupa at Sanchi.

[camerata]

Can you verify that this is really the case regarding the design that it is based off of Ashoka's stupa?

That's what they claim in their glossy brochure.

[fabianfred]

Thanks for the info. I didn't know there was a refugee camp in Wiang Haeng, been through a couple of times and must have missed it.

right adjacent to the border and some distance from Wiang Haeng itself.... so only got to if you know where it is and are intending to visit...... not something to mention to the several checkpoints you pass between ChiangDao and Wiang haeng...the Thai army don't like visitors there

[SeerObserver]

I read somewhere that the design was decided on for spatial and architectural efficiency in placing that many Buddha rupas. That would make the similar design a sheer coincidence. Haha, all tires are not copied off of Goodyears.

Can you verify that this is really the case regarding the design that it is based off of Ashoka's stupa?

That's what they claim in their glossy brochure.

All domed stupas have as their prototype the great stupa at Sanchi.

...

The photo came from the Bangkok Post archives, and initially appeared with a story on the abbot's arrest. The man in the photo is indeed Dhammachayo.

Thanks for the pointers, you two.

Camerata, I didn't mean for it to appear that I was ruling it out. I'm sorry if it came across that way. If that's the case with the design, then it's no sheer coincidence after all. I must have missed it because most of the discussion I have seen on the design aspect of the cetiya is talking about the spaceship resemblance, and the spatial and architectural justficitations make sense. The Sanchi prototype really brings a new light to it.

[SeerObserver]

Aside from what has already been discussed, does anyone know about doctrinal/practice differences between Dhammakaya and the rest of Theravada? It is often said that their teachings are unorthodox.

I know the meditation method is different from what you will find at other Wats but how much people cite the unorthodoxy makes me think there is something more, although not many people who say it really mention anything specific. The discussion generally goes back to the controversy and news stories.

[sabaijai]

There has been a lot written, in the Thai media (including English-language publications), about Wat Dhammakaya practices. Probably the one thing that stands out most is the practice of 'selling' nibbana, reminiscent of medieval Catholic clergy selling indulgences. Dhammachayo's interpretation of nibbana, likening it to a state resembling heaven ('a permanent blissful realm where Buddha and other enlightened ones reside after death'), is also controversial. And the dhammakaya members' evangelistic zeal. According to an investigative article in the BKK Post, 'New recruits go through intensive training to learn bok boon -- the offering of merit-making opportunities to the public -- and in a similar way to salespeople, they learn to be persistent through follow-up phone calls.'

This article goes through most of the critiques.

http://www.rickross.com/reference/general/general644.html

Further critical info:

http://www.buddhismaustralia.org/cults.htm

[camerata]

From the Dhammakaya web page, "Homage to the Cetiya":

The golden light reflects the light of Absolute Truth pouring down from the most supreme place beyond highest heaven to enlighten the mind of human being.

Dhammakaya is the real self of Lord Buddha existed at the inner most of his physical body and also of the enlightened ones.

It’s the true eternity body, timeless and indestructible.

[mohinga]

I think that one 'doctrinal' difference might be their views regarding the sharing of merit. I don't speak Thai fluently, but can understand some; and when visiting the kingdom on several occasions have seen their television show. The monk seems do be doing "readings" for people, and suggesting that the merit helps their relatives in various hel_l states.

I don't have a sutta reference at hand; but I'm quite sure that the Buddha taught that merit could only be shared with beings in the peta (hungry ghost) realm. 'Shared' in the sense that the beings would receive the benefit.

Leaving aside the sideshow aspect of these "readings", it might be that the tendency of this practice favours an eternalism view. Maybe some ancestor worship influence?

As a side note regarding their method of meditaton ... it seems that it was introduced to the West in the 1950's and 1960's, but never caught on.

"Honour Thy Fathers" (http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/honourfathers.pdf)

describes Ven. Kapilavaddho, founder of the English Sanga Trust, practicing at Wat Pak Nam (description of method on page 45). His successor at the E.S.T. in the early '60's, Ven. Ananda Bodhi (later Namgyal Rinpoche) also practiced at Wat Pak Nam, and taught this method. At that time it was referred to as "16 Buddha Body Meditation". This was well before the rise of the Dhammakaya organisation; and it's perhaps regrettable that this strain did not survive free from that influence.

Edited March 29, 2009 by mohinga

[SeerObserver]

There has been a lot written, in the Thai media (including English-language publications), about Wat Dhammakaya practices. Probably the one thing that stands out most is the practice of 'selling' nibbana, reminiscent of medieval Catholic clergy selling indulgences. Dhammachayo's interpretation of nibbana, likening it to a state resembling heaven ('a permanent blissful realm where Buddha and other enlightened ones reside after death'), is also controversial. And the dhammakaya members' evangelistic zeal. According to an investigative article in the BKK Post, 'New recruits go through intensive training to learn bok boon -- the offering of merit-making opportunities to the public -- and in a similar way to salespeople, they learn to be persistent through follow-up phone calls.'

This article goes through most of the critiques.

http://www.rickross.com/reference/general/general644.html

Further critical info:

http://www.buddhismaustralia.org/cults.htm

I have seen both of those before. They seem to be among the most common criticisms of the movement.

The first one is by Sanitsuda Ekachai. A caveat regarding her is that she seems to have a disdain towards the sangha in general, not just Dhammakaya. She has written much criticism out of what seems to be mere spite. It seems spiteful because she is constantly fault-finding, but you don't see her offer any solutions or even mere suggestions of reforms (other than saying that reform is needed). So her articles are really just constant fault-finding and cannot be considered constructive criticism at this time. What she says is often true, but she should really make some suggestions as to how the situations addressed can be remedied.

The second article makes all the usual criticisms you will find of any large religious congregation. If you were to look into criticism on Lakewood Church and The Potter House, you would find the same things being said. Both are large Christian congregations in the USA with roughly 20,000 (or more) attendees every Sunday and countless more by television, internet stream, etc. You will find all the criticisms of proselytizing, grandeur, scriptural inconsistencies, etc. One thing of note is that this site claims that Dhammakaya says its abbot is a reincarnation of the Buddha. I have not found and literature from the movement stating such. The abbot often refers to the Buddha in the third person in his writing as well as his speech. Never have I heard of him saying, "in my past life as Buddha" or anything to that effect. I'm looking for stuff like that and coming up with nothing. It seems it's just one of many outlandish claims that nobody from Dhammakaya itself seems to feel the need to refute. The supplement written by Mano Laohavanich (formerly Mettanando Bhikkhu of Wat Phra Dhammakaya, and now a politician and Chart Thai party member) brings up a key point. Much of the hostility towards the movement seems to stem from political causal factors. Khun Thaksin is a former affiliate, and numerous high-profile politicians, business people, etc. are to this day. Food for thought (link).

The alms-giving with the abbot as a medium is an interesting issue. It could be an interpretive issue? It may even be a symbolic ceremony, which would not exactly be foreign to popular Buddhism. Even if not, I have not really seen other monks criticized to this scale for medium practice, fortune telling, lottery seeing, etc.

Edited March 29, 2009 by SeerObserver

[SeerObserver]

From the Dhammakaya web page, "Homage to the Cetiya":

The golden light reflects the light of Absolute Truth pouring down from the most supreme place beyond highest heaven to enlighten the mind of human being.

Dhammakaya is the real self of Lord Buddha existed at the inner most of his physical body and also of the enlightened ones.

It's the true eternity body, timeless and indestructible.

I think that one 'doctrinal' difference might be their views regarding the sharing of merit. I don't speak Thai fluently, but can understand some; and when visiting the kingdom on several occasions have seen their television show. The monk seems do be doing "readings" for people, and suggesting that the merit helps their relatives in various hel_l states.

I don't have a sutta reference at hand; but I'm quite sure that the Buddha taught that merit could only be shared with beings in the peta (hungry ghost) realm. 'Shared' in the sense that the beings would receive the benefit.

Leaving aside the sideshow aspect of these "readings", it might be that the tendency of this practice favours an eternalism view. Maybe some ancestor worship influence?

As a side note regarding their method of meditaton ... it seems that it was introduced to the West in the 1950's and 1960's, but never caught on.

"Honour Thy Fathers" (http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/honourfathers.pdf)

describes Ven. Kapilavaddho, founder of the English Sanga Trust, practicing at Wat Pak Nam (description of method on page 45). His successor at the E.S.T. in the early '60's, Ven. Ananda Bodhi (later Namgyal Rinpoche) also practiced at Wat Pak Nam, and taught this method. At that time it was referred to as "16 Buddha Body Meditation". This was well before the rise of the Dhammakaya organisation; and it's perhaps regrettable that this strain did not survive free from that influence.

What Camerata says may sound somewhat off in some contexts, but not in legitimate Buddhism as a whole. The concept of Buddha nature within all humans is a core Mahayana view. So it seems that this may raise a few eyebrows in a Theravadin country, but that's really the "worst" you can say about it.

Regarding mohinga's post, the practice of sharing merit with deceased relatives is like he says, not unique to Dhammakaya. So this eternalism view is then not a criticism that can be attached merely to them. This (link) is a good read on the subject.

Of course, not all the deceased will be in a position to share our merits. Only those who are born in an unfortunate state of existence called "spirits who subsist on the offerings of others" can share our merits.

This could be a matter of scriptural interpretation. Their understanding of this is not limited to pretas. Even so, it's not different to the point of heresy that people make Dhammakaya out to be.

Interesting document you found. I went to page 45 of the document and after scrolling down just a little bit it said, "see warning". When I clicked on that it took me to another page, but I didn't see anything of concern there.

[fabianfred]

Luang Por Jaran of Wat Amphawan, Singhburi is well known for his writings about the working of the law of karma....and he states that normal merit making such as chanting, alms food, offering robes to the monks etc. can help those in the hungry ghost realm, but not those beings in the hel_l realms. Only very strong forms of merit such as being ordained as a monk or the practise of Vipassana can help alleviate the suffering of hel_l beings.

[SeerObserver]

Luang Por Jaran of Wat Amphawan, Singhburi is well known for his writings about the working of the law of karma....and he states that normal merit making such as chanting, alms food, offering robes to the monks etc. can help those in the hungry ghost realm, but not those beings in the hel_l realms. Only very strong forms of merit such as being ordained as a monk or the practise of Vipassana can help alleviate the suffering of hel_l beings.

Thanks for this input. This is the more pertinent stuff to discuss (doctrinal and practice matters). The other stuff that comes out in these discussions may be good to be mindful of as well, but you have to take it with a grain of salt. It's pretty outrageous sounding and also dam_n near impossible to verify.

So now does anyone know if Dhammakaya says that hel_l beings are easily and readily helped, or do they also say that it takes strong merits? I would think the latter.

[mohinga]

Luang Por Jaran of Wat Amphawan, Singhburi is well known for his writings about the working of the law of karma....and he states that normal merit making such as chanting, alms food, offering robes to the monks etc. can help those in the hungry ghost realm, but not those beings in the hel_l realms. Only very strong forms of merit such as being ordained as a monk or the practise of Vipassana can help alleviate the suffering of hel_l beings.

Thanks for this input. This is the more pertinent stuff to discuss (doctrinal and practice matters). The other stuff that comes out in these discussions may be good to be mindful of as well, but you have to take it with a grain of salt. It's pretty outrageous sounding and also dam_n near impossible to verify.

So now does anyone know if Dhammakaya says that hel_l beings are easily and readily helped, or do they also say that it takes strong merits? I would think the latter.

The fact that someone is "well known for his writings about the workings of the law of karma..." should not be a criterion for acceptance of his view.

The only scriptural reference that I am aware of is in the Milinda Panha of the Khuddaka Nikaya (Mil. 294 )

(http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/sbe36/sbe3606.htm )

[DILEMMA THE SEVENTY-FOURTH.

OFFERINGS TO THE DEAD.]

29. 'Venerable Nâgasena, these givers when they bestow their offerings, devote them specifically to former (relatives) now departed , saying: "May this gift benefit such and such." Now do they (the dead) derive any benefit therefrom?'

'Some do, O king, and some do not.'

'Which then are they that do, and which do not?'

'Those who have been reborn in purgatory, O king, do not; nor those reborn in heaven; nor those reborn as animals. And of those reborn as Pretas three kinds do not-the Vantâsikâ (who feed on vomit), the Khuppipâsino (who hunger and thirst.), the Nigghâma-tanhikâ (who are consumed by thirst). But the Paradattûpagîvino (who live on the gifts of others) they do derive profit, and those who bear them in remembrance do so too.'

'Then, Nâgasena, offerings given by the givers have run to waste <a name="fr_384">, and are fruitless, since those

for whose benefit they are given derive no profit therefrom.'

'No, O king. They run not to waste, neither are fruitless. The givers themselves derive profit from them.'

"Purgatory" was the term often used for "hel_l" by some Victorian translators. So, according to this, neither beings in hel_l-realms, nor animals, nor even some kinds of petas can receive merit... only 'those who live on the gifts of others'.

A view on how this works is that these beings see their relatives generating wholesome mental kamma while making the offerings, the petas themselves are then inspired to generate wholesome mental kamma... which in turn works to their benefit.

This would seem in line with the Buddha's teaching that we are all heirs to our own kamma... no one can save us.

It would be easy to speculate on why some teachers might cater to cultural wishes for this to be otherwise. But unless someone can come up with a scriptural reference to the contrary, I would be inclined to doubt those views. Especilally if they arise from those teachers' own psychic experiences. And even more so if money is involved.

Edited March 31, 2009 by mohinga

[SeerObserver]

Mohinga, I went to look at page 45 of the document you linked for us and a little ways down it says "see warning". I clicked on that but saw nothing of concern. Do you (or anyone else who checks) know what that is in reference to?

[fabianfred]

I would like to add that Luang Por jaran is almost universally accepted as being an Arahant.......

and this is one of his stories..... although stories doesn't mean they are doubtful...because ever since he first ordained he was very good at keeping a diary and noting down anything he thought important to retain as evidence....to be able to tell lay followers about and give examples of the workings of karma.

The Lady With Two Bodies

By Phra Rajsuddhinanamongkol

This is the story of the meditation rooms (kuti) built by the lady with two lives. I used to think “How can there be such a thing as Heaven and hel_l?” but I’ve had some experiences of them at this Wat. When I cam to live here in 1956-1957, there were no meditation rooms. I hadn’t yet begun to teach here. I had taught meditation since 1952, for a long time, before coming to live at this Wat and becoming the Abbot here. It was only after the case of the lady with two lives that I was able to begin building meditation huts, as I have done ever since.

I’ll tell you the story of Mr. Pune and his wife Sa-ing. Pune had ordained as a monk for two or three Rains Retreats, he could chant the Patimokkha and had practiced meditation. When he disrobed he married Sa-ing and they had two children together. Pune was a wealthy man. He lived in Amphur Ta-tako in Nakornswan Province. He had a kind and virtuous heart, he liked to chant and pay respects to the Trible Gem, but Sa-ing was coarse and deceitful. In her picture she is wearing the “jong gaben” (sarong drawn up between the legs and attached at the back) and a cloth wrapped around her chest, her hair close cropped, and a big necklace around her neck. Wherever she went she would steal something. One day she went to a party for one of her nephews who was going to ordain as a monk, and she stole some gold from the house. Then she accused a relative of Pune, who was poorer, of taking it. They beat him until his jaw was broken and accused him of being a thief when in fact it was Sa-ing herself who had stolen the gold. But no-one would believe that she had done so because she was already quite well off. This was how bad her mad was, she had made a lot of bad karma. She couldn’t chant, because she couldn’t read. Pune did all the chanting for both of them. He was a good husband to her, he wouldn’t look at her in a bad way. He wouldn’t criticize his own wife and children. This is one part of her story I would like to mention.

The second is that hey were farmers, they used to go to the fields. In those days you didn’t need a title deed, whoever was diligent could take as much land as they could work, clearing the forest for themselves. They had many hundreds of rai of land because they were hard working. Their forbears had bequeathed a lot of land to them too, and they and continued to work it. Pune had a twin Thai-style house and another house he had built for the marriage. He had everything he needed. Every year they would plant rice and build a hut out in the middle of their fields. With such a lot of land they hired five people to help them, people from the northeast who would work for twenty baht each. In those days, rice was 40 or 80 baht for a cart load, I can’t remember exactly how much. When it was time to go to the fields, Pune would stay with his mother in the main house, while his wife went out to the fields until the harvest was done. In those days they use ox carts. To thresh the rice they had chaff away. Before doing the threshing she would get her hired hands to go and steal some of the rice from the neighboring fields and mix it with hers. She was really bad. Nobody suspected her because in that village Pune and Sa-ing were the wealthy ones who made loans to other people. The husband didn’t know his wife was a thief.

During her last year Sa-ing had two gold waist chains weighing eight baht each. That year she was with child. She felt anxious and restless and had a feeling that this year something bad was going to happen, that she would be visited by illness. She went out to the hut in the fields to harvest and sell the rice, and while she was there she buried her gold waist chains under the hut. She had developed the notion that her hired hands wanted to steal them, and she was afraid they wouldn’t be safe in the house. That year, as usual, she had the hired hands go and steal rice from the neighboring fields, but they hadn’t threshed it when she went into labor and died together with her child. After she died, Pune organized her funeral.

Sa-ing later recounted how she had knew exactly what was happening to her, how she fell into hel_l and was to stay there for 100 years. On Observance days a monk (Phra Malai) would come to teach the hel_l beings. In hel_l they made the hel_l beings chant and pay homage to the Triple Gem. Sa-ing had never chanted in the human world, but after being in hel_l she could recite all the chants fluently. Phra Malai went there to teach them about karma. He taught that in the hel_l realms you have to chant and practice vipassana meditation just as a human world.

Back in the human world, Pune missed his wife and child. Having harvested all the rice, he sold part of it and another part he used to make a “cetiya of sand,” as an act of merit in the name of Sa-ing. As a result of his act of merit, it happened that back in hel_l his wife’s punishment was mitigated. She had been making good karma in hel_l by chanting and paying respect to the Triple Gem. The Guardians of hel_l told her that her husband had taken some of the rice which they had harvested together and made a cetiya of sand from it and dedicated the merits to her. This meant that her punishment was reduced 20 years, leaving only eightly.

Later on, every time Pune looked at the house he had built for the marriage he couldn’t help thinking of his wife, so he decided to offer it to a Wat to use as a kuti in the Thai style. The Abbot agreed to his idea and so Pune went about building the kuti. When it was finished he celebrated it with a troop of Mor Lum singers and some shadow puppets. On that day everybody heard of his merit making. When the celebrations were over, he formally offered the kuti to the Sangha of the four directions, as Sanghadana, offerings in the name of the Order rather then an individual monk. Having done that he dedicated the merits of his offering to his wife. This reduced the sentence a further twenty years, to sixty.

Pune reflected that now that his children were grown up, he was free to ordain as a monk. He ordained in order to dedicate the merits of his action to his wife. After he had ordained he disrobed and remarried. When he conferred with the Abbot, the Abbot told him, “It’s not necessary for you to learn the Patimokkha, you’ve already learned that. Take on the ascetic (dhutanga) practices.” He ate on meal a day, lived in a charnel ground, and developed insight meditation as an act of merit to be dedicated to his wife. He ordained as a monk for one Rains Retreat, developing insight meditation and dedicating the merits arising from it to his wife, even though he didn’t know whether his wife had fallen into hel_l or gone to Heaven. After the Rain Retreat, developing insight meditation and dedicating the merits arising from it to his wife, even though he didn’t know whether his wife had fallen into hel_l or gone to Heaven. After the Rains Retreat he left the monkhood and got married to his new wife. After he disrobed the fruits of his actions went to Sa-ing in hel_l.

The Guardians reduced her sentence a further 40 years. They told her that her husband had ordained as a monk and developed meditation practice and dedicated the merits to her, so they were reducing the sentence a further twenty years. The remaining twenty years could not be reduced as she had made such bad karma: firstly stealing and then accusing someone else of doing it, and secondly—the heaviest karma—stealing the rice from the neighboring fields. These could not be forgiven.

But they offered her an option: she had been a good conduct in the hel_l realm, chanting and paying respect to the Triple Gem and developing meditation. They would let her go back to the human world for twenty years to repay her debt to her husband, and then she wouldn’t have to come back to hel_l. But she had to promise to observe the eight precepts every Observance Day. Could she do that? Secondly, she had to build a meditation room for 80 baht, no more no less, as an act of merit making. Otherwise she would have to come back to hel_l. She agreed to this.

She was born in a house about two kilometers from that of Pune, the daughter of an old Chinese man who had been married to a younger girl for fifteen years. They didn’t have any children. The wife was young, but the husband was already fifty years old. They got a child after being married for fifteen years. That child was Sa-ing. The original Sa-ing looked like a demon, with spots and blemishes all over her face, her hair close cropped, her ears black, wearing a sarong in the jong ga-ben style, thin. I know from the picture of her wedding with Pune.

When she was eleven years old she recalled her previous life, and said to her father, “I’m not your daughter, I’m Sa-ing, the wife of Pune in that other hamlet.” Her father couldn’t understand it, and sought advice form nearby hamlets. He decided to leave her alone and let her forget about it. He didn’t know whether it was true or not. He tried feeding her eggs that had strayed from the nest and eggs that had gone bad, but nothing made her forget.

When she was fifteen she demanded to be taken to Pune’s house, she couldn’t stand it any longer. She was fifteen years old, pretty and smooth-complexioned because her father was Chinese, but her mind was still that of Sa-ing. When she reached Pune’s house, she said “Pune,”—he was 78 years old by this time—“don’t you remember me? It’s Sa-ing. Pune figured that the old Chinese man was trying to use his daughter to embezzle his wealth out of him, he was a wealthy man. The Chinese man wasn’t wealthy, he just had enough to live comfortably. He bought and sold rice. She tgried to tell him but he wouldn’t believe her. She said, “Pune, don’t you remember, when I lived with you we went to the ordination celebration for your nephew—Iwas the one who stole the gold and went and blamed him for it. In fact I stole in myself. I’ve only understood this in this life.” But he still didn’t believe her, it could have been a fabrication.

Then she told about the second thing: “Pune, when I died with child while giving birth, I went down to hel_l for 100 years. You took rice and offered it to the Wat, making a “cetiya of sand” from the rice grain. I had a reduction in my sentence because of that. Then you took our house and offered it to the Wat. I found out about it on that day. You hired a troop of Mor Lum singers and shadow puppets to celebrate the occasion.

The next thing she spoke of was how Pune had ordained as a monk: “I received merit for your actions, my sentence was gradually reduced. Apart from that, my taking birth now is through reducing my punishment, but there are twenty years that cannot be reduced because I mad a lot of bad karma, stealing the gold and stealing the rice from the neighbor’s fields. They could not forgive these actions, so I have to come back to live with you. I promised the Guardians of hel_l that I would observe the Eight Precepts on every Observance Day and build a meditation kuti for 80 baht.”

Pune just listened to her, but he couldn’t yet bring himself to believe her. Sa-ing, in her new body, then asked him, “Pune, is my engagement dowry of gold still here?” “What gold?” “There were two waist chains, weighing eight baht each.” Pune couldn’t remember them, he couldn’t remember whether they were still there, but he said that they were no longer around. He couldn’t remember. Then Sa-ing said, “Pune, is our hut in the fields still there?” “The hut in the fields isn’t there any more because I have divided the fields up between our children, they are all married now.” Then Sa-ing remembered, “Is the kratum tree still there?” “Yes, it’s still there.” So they went off to the fields, walking out many kilometers. In the end they got the gold waist chains, weighing eight baht each, os Pune had to admit that the girl was indeed Sa-ing. She didn’t go back to her family, she stayed on with Pune.

Sa-ing told how the three of them live together, the new wife, who was 72 years old, and Pune, who was 78, and they all agreed that as Sa-ing had agreed to build a meditation room, the three of them would travel around to find a meditation Wat. They took the gold waist chains with them. They went to Pak Nam Pho and caught a red boat from there to Bangkok, looking for a meditation Wat. They wanted the Devas to guide the way for the three of them. They got off the red boat at Singburi. At that time I had come to stay at this Wat. They asked the people in the market where there was a meditation center in Singburi. It just so happened that they met a relative of Sume, carrying things to sell in the market. I had just moved here and become the Abbot of Wat Ambhavan. The said “Go and ask whether you can build a meditation room there. He has been teaching meditation for a long time.” So the three of them caught a mail boat and got off just in front of the Wat, walked in and told me what had happened.

Do you know what part of the story I was shocked by? The part where she stole the rice. I had actually stolen more rice than Sa-ing had! I got a real fright. When I was a kid and the school was closed…don’t forget that I used to live with Grandma Mao. She was a midwife. I asked her how much stray rice she managed to collect each day, she said only a smidgen a day. I said that I could collect more that ten buckets a day. She said how can you manage to collect so much rice? I said, “Why are you so simple? Where they have the rice plants bundled up, I collect the grains and put them in a sack. The rice that they have threshed in the fields, just collect it and put it in a sack.” That’s how I stole rice. I had stolen more than Sa-ing had stolen. It seemed that stealing rice could lead to rebirth in hel_l, and that gave me quite a fright, but I didn’t say anything. Sa-ing turned out to be very useful. When the monks did the morning chanting in the old uposatha Hall she would go along, she stayed in the Wat many nights. “Yo so bhagava…” She could do morning and evening chanting better that the monks, she had learned it all in hel_l At that time she was 16 years old. Pune was 78. I was still young. Why did Sa-ing live with that old man? She would have been much happier, it would have been more appropriate, with a young man, because she had changed a lot: she was more beautiful, gentle, and polite.

Sa-ing built the meditation room next to the Uposatha hall, and that was the first one. She said that it had to have water around it to prevent ants from getting in, so I put water around it. Now I’ve changed the style. That was the first meditation room in the Wat. When it was finished it cost 80 baht. They had to stay in the house of one of the nearby lay people, her name was Lek Sukhsayapong. She was the same age as Pune, 78 years old. They had to stay in that house and eat there as at the time there was no kitchen in the Wat. It cost 80 baht, no more, no less.

Later on, when the room was finished, they went back to their house. I went to see their house and I saw the gold waist chains, and touched them. After that Pune began to come down with paralysis, and he had to be spoon fed and washed down. It was Sa-ing who looked after him. The second wife didn’t do anything, she went to live in another house. Sa-ing looked after him very well, even though she was a yound lady living with such an old man. After four years she reached twenty years of age, the time her “contract” in the human world was to expire.

I kept track of the events, and it turned out that the day she reached twenty years of age, (Pune had not yet died, she had looked after him all that time) she made some food and took it to the Wat. Having offered the food, Sa-ing collapsed and died right there. She was exactly twenty years of age. I led her cremation ceremony.

This is a true story. When Sa-ing died, Pune was already more than eighty years old. As soon as Sa-ing was cremated, Pune passed away, and in another two years his second wife died. Now their family is scattered around. Just recently I went to give a talk at Ta-tako hamlet. There was still a man there who knew of this story, he was 91 years old. He was the old Ecclesiastical Head of the Amphur, Phra Khru Pundhammaguta. He was a Chao Khun, he passed away a long time ago.

From this story we can see how the lady with two bodies, the miss with two lives, had a lot of bad karma. It seems that even in hel_l there is chanting and paying respects to the Triple Gem. Sa-ing died in accordance with her contract, at twenty years of age. And this Wat has a meditation room built by her. I was afraid that bad karma would follow me also, and maybe I wouldn’t be excused, so I had a lot of meditation rooms built, I made a row of them for people to stay in. I tell all the children also, “Do you want to be smart? Wash toilets! I guarantee you will be wise.” This isn’t a lie. I went to buy some windows and doors from Kampaengphet Province, and I met a young boy. The parents said, “This son of ours is useless, he always fails his exams. We want him to study, what can we do?” I advise them to have him ordain as a novice at my Wat. Once he was ordained the novice got down to washing the toilets. He told me at home he had never washed toilets. At home he would get up late, at eight o’clock in the morning. I asked him who gave him his food, he said his mother did. He washed the toilets and after a while he developed an appreciation for cleanliness. He stayed on a little longer then disrobed. After he disrobed he went to study, and after studying away he eventually became a judge, and finished at the top of his class. From washing toilets!

[camerata]

Camerata, I didn't mean for it to appear that I was ruling it out. I'm sorry if it came across that way. If that's the case with the design, then it's no sheer coincidence after all. I must have missed it because most of the discussion I have seen on the design aspect of the cetiya is talking about the spaceship resemblance, and the spatial and architectural justficitations make sense. The Sanchi prototype really brings a new light to it.

I think you'll find that everything about the building is filled with symbolism. For example, the dome of the chedi is 108 metres in diameter. And, "The deeper meaning of the hemispheric dome can be interpreted both in terms of Buddhist cosmology and Buddhist practice. Cosmologically speaking, the dome is the astral bowl of the universe symbolizing samsara and the possibility of liberation from its clutches through passing the mind through the centre of the body (as shown by the symbol in the centre of the cetiya)."

[sabaijai]

Earth Day

Wednesday, April 22nd, 2009

Pra Dhammakaya Temple, Pathumtani, Thailand

Casting of Personal Buddha Statues Ceremony & The Grand Assembly of more than 100,000 Buddhist Monks from 30,000 Temples across country.

As the earth day is rapidly approaching, Buddhist Laypeople from all over the world need not be reminded that an opportunity has arrived once again to cultivate the supreme merits through the Earth day ceremony; it is gathered through the casting personal Buddha statues and the offering neccesities to the assembly of Buddhist monks. The event is one of the biggest and the most anticipated event of the year at Wat Pra Dhammakaya. What makes it more special this year is the fact that the Venerable PraRajpavanavisuth, the Abbot of Dhammakaya Temple has invited over 100,000 Buddhist monks from over 30,000 temples nationwide to take part in this Sangha Assembly to be offering neccesities at the Meditation Stadium. This assembly of Sangha is to offer food and basic neccesities required in the daily life of monks (Sangha). Afterward, the casting of Buddha statues will take place at the Grand Meditation Stadium at the vanue of peace, the Maha Dhammakaya Cetiya.

The Grand Sangha Offering to over 100,000 Buddhist Monks from 30,000 Temples

The Grand offering to more than 100,000 monks from over 30,000 temples is a rare event indeed. The congregation of 100,000 monks participating this year will certainly make the event so enriched with the purest of merits that can only be cultivated by those who attend. It is not easy to gather many monks at the same time since they are having their personal work to do. But, in regading to fulfil the jubilant of this assembly and be laypeople's sorce of merit, they come to he ceremony. It is the magnificent sight indeed and it will only happen at Wat Pra Dhammakaya on April 22, 2009.

Lord Buddha praised the congregation of monks as

“A rare event that must be seen even though one has to travel extra long distance”.

In the Earth day’s perspective, this event can be regarded as a “warm hearted effect” as the sight of Buddha Statues, the assembly of Sangha and the chanting of the great lord Buddha’s Dhamma will pure the minds of those who attend. This pured mind will transcend its warm hearted affect to those around them and in turn will make this world to be a better placefor everyone. The opportunity to be seeing this Sangha Assembly will definitely be a life time experience to those who participate and the one event that those who attend will revere for the rest of their life. Think of the length of time it will take to travel all over the country or the world to offer Sangha dhana to 30,000 temples. The chance to succeed is likely to be zero. However, with this opportunity presenting itself here, at Wat Pra Dhammakaya, with the offering of Sangha Dhana to 100,000 Buddhist monks from over 30000 temples, then the mission can be accomplished within one day. It should be pointed out once again that a Sangha congregation of this magnitude happens very seldom.

Fruits of offering Sangha food and neccesities from over 30,000 temples

Fruits from Offering Food - Will be blessed with longevity, physical beauty, happiness, strength and wisdom.

Fruits From Offering Robe – Will be blessed with glow, aura, super natural power, fine skin, delicate touch. Once in heaven, the body will always be miraculously adorned with celestial attire made of the finest fabric. When being born at the time Lord Buddha comes into existence, and having a chance to be ordained by the Lord Buddha himself (Ehipikku Upasampada), the body will be miraculously adorned with the finest robe.

Fruits From Offering Medicine - Will be blessed with longevity, health, physical strength, power, high social status, love, intellect, happiness, freedom from danger and unpleasant incidents, abundance of wealth (for it will not be consumed by health issues).

Fruits From Financial Donation – will be blessed with wealth and the freedom to grant every wish. Will know no poverty and most importantly will use the wealth to forever support Buddhism.

Fruits From Offering bag- Will be blessed with safety of one’s wealth because bag is considered a safe keeping place of treasure. Wealth will be safely guarded from all dangers.

[camerata]

My Dhammakaya colleague probably thinks I'm nuts for passing on this one!

[sabaijai]

A photographer friend covered the event and said at one point everyone was chanting 'big stupa!' over and over. He supplied this photo.

[sabaijai]

Khun Thaksin is a former affiliate, and numerous high-profile politicians, business people, etc. are to this day. Food for thought (link).

I came across this news item recently at work:

Illegal sale of Buddhist temple property

2 February 2001 - Pathum Thani

The Council of State ruled that Maha Mongkut Ratchavithayalai Foundation illegally sold 'religious land' to Alpine Golf Course, which then sold it to SC Asset, a company linked to Thaksin Shinawatra, who LED the Thai Rak Thai party. Earlier, the 924 rai in Pathum Thani was donated to Wat Dhammakaya by Noem Chamnanchartsakda who died in 1971. In 1990, Sanoh Thienthong, who oversaw the Land Department, allowed the wat's abbot to give the land to the foundation. Sanoh denied any wrongdoing, but Thaksin's wife, Pojaman, was a major SC Asset shareholder. In August, the Land Department agreed the land could not be sold.

[KatieCat]

I spent two weeks in a meditation class at Wat Luang Por Sodh Dhammakaya in Rajburi in 2007. It was pretty strange. They were very adamant about Luang Por Sodh's meditation techniques. They claimed this style was the only way to reach nirvana. It was way too detailed for me.

Hmmm...I have been to their meditation programme before but they didn't tell me this meditation technique is the only way to reach nirvana. They told me taking meditation is like choosing a road to travel. Meditation technique is like a road. Every road goes to the same place, some road may has shorter path, some road maybe easier. It's up to us to choose, and Dhammakaya is just one of the roads that lead us to nirvana, and it's a shorter, more comfortable road. Personally I kindna like the teaching. However, I am Thai and all the instructions were in Thai, so maybe English version was different?

[Xangsamhua]

Khun Thaksin is a former affiliate, and numerous high-profile politicians, business people, etc. are to this day. Food for thought (link).

I came across this news item recently at work:

Illegal sale of Buddhist temple property

2 February 2001 - Pathum Thani

The Council of State ruled that Maha Mongkut Ratchavithayalai Foundation illegally sold 'religious land' to Alpine Golf Course, which then sold it to SC Asset, a company linked to Thaksin Shinawatra, who LED the Thai Rak Thai party. Earlier, the 924 rai in Pathum Thani was donated to Wat Dhammakaya by Noem Chamnanchartsakda who died in 1971. In 1990, Sanoh Thienthong, who oversaw the Land Department, allowed the wat's abbot to give the land to the foundation. Sanoh denied any wrongdoing, but Thaksin's wife, Pojaman, was a major SC Asset shareholder. In August, the Land Department agreed the land could not be sold.

There's more on this in Phongpaichit and Baker's "Thaksin: The Business of Politics in Thailand", pp 215-6.

According to the authors, the land was donated to "a local Buddhist temple" (Dhammakaya?) in the will of a female devotee. In 1990, Snoh, as Deputy Interior Minister had the land transferred to a foundation, from which he sold it in on the same day to a company controlled by his wife and brother, who sold it in 1999 to Thaksin. In a parliamentary censure debate in 2002, Snoh claimed that "the temple had never taken possession of the land because it couldn't afford the title transfer fees." Nevertheless, the Council of State had earlier found against the Snoh-Thaksin sale and ruled that all transactions on the land since 1990 were invalid.

Wat Dhammakaya seems to meet some people's needs, but my impression of it is that it's part racket, part pop religion.

Edited May 1, 2009 by Xangsamhua

[sabaijai]

Nirvana for Sale?: Buddhism, Wealth, and the Dhammakaya Temple in Contemporary Thailand

What is the proper relationship between religion and prosperity? Rachelle M. Scott looks at this issue in a Thai Buddhist context, asking when the relationship between Buddhist piety and wealth is viewed in favorable terms and when it is viewed in terms of conflict and tension. Scott focuses on the Dhammakaµya Temple, an organization that has placed traditional Theravaµda practices, such as meditation and merit-making, within a modernist framework that encourages personal and social prosperity. The Temple's construction of a massive religious monument in the late 1990s embodied this message, but also sparked criticism of the Temple's wealth and fund-raising techniques and engendered debates over authentic Buddhism and religious authority. Scott situates this controversy within the context of postmodern Thailand and the Asian economic crisis when reevaluations of wealth, global capitalism, and "Asian values" occupied a preeminent place in Thai public discourse.

Source: http://buddhisttorrents.blogspot.com/2010/...wealth-and.html

[Xangsamhua]

Wat Dhammakaya – Traditional Buddhism or Commodification of Buddhist Piety?

Some notes on Rachelle M. Scott, Nirvana for Sale: Buddhism, Wealth and the Dhammakaya Temple in Contemporary Thailand. Albany. SUNY Press. 2009.

(Please note that the comments below are notes on the book, not a review of the book. If readers want page references, I am happy to provide them.)

Wat Dhammakaya represents a form of Buddhism that sits comfortably with the ethos of many urban upwardly mobile Thais, but is somewhat repellent to those who lament the association of Buddhism and its Sangha with wealth and superstition. Unfortunately for those with a romantic view of Thai ethics and culture, material wealth and superstition are very powerful motivators for many Thais, perhaps most of them in certain sub-populations.

Rachelle Scott has tried to avoid making judgements about the right or wrong of Dhammakaya’s beliefs and practices. She is an anthropologist who wishes to describe and explain why things are the way they are. She doesn’t wish to get into discourses of legitimation, which she regards as the products of competition for power and control over material resources.

It’s several weeks since I read this book and have subsequently been distracted by an overseas trip, but the notes below may shed some light on Wat Dhammakaya as seen by a scholar who attempts to be open-minded, though the strain shows at times, as well as my own less than neutral responses to what she portrays. However, the instinctive repulsion felt by one brought up in a post-Christian society to the apparent bare-faced charlatanism and delusion driving so much of what Dhammakaya is and does has to be restrained when one remembers that Dhammakaya not only reflects an historically legitimate aspect of Theravada (and Mahayana) Buddhism, but is also quite attractive to many perfectly decent and well educated urban Thais.

1. Buddhism in Thailand is generally described and judged by outside observers in terms of two forms of Orientalism. Early Orientalism, the perspective of 19th century Protestant and rationalist scholars, taken on board by Kings Rama IV and Rama V, deplored the pervasiveness of myth and miracle in Siamese presentations of Buddhist teaching. Neo-Orientalism, a later development, laments the association of wealth and its attractiveness with Buddhist institutions and individuals, emphasizing a “pure” Buddhism that is found in the Pali Canon and an austere Sangha that has no truck with money or material acquisition.

2. The fact is, however, that an association of wealth with merit is an ancient and authentic aspect of Buddhist social and personal ethics. The Buddha was himself of noble birth in both his life as Gotama and earlier as Vesantara. He was surrounded by disciples who had had the benefits of a wealthy upbringing and was supported by lay followers who were sometimes fabulously rich. Renunciation itself depended on surplus wealth to cover the loss of earnings to the family of the one who had gone forth into homelessness. Dhammakaya representatives argue that there is nothing wrong with being wealthy or enjoying wealth. Wealth in this life has traditionally been viewed as a reward for merit earned in a previous one. Problems arise when one actively craves wealth, acquires wealth by sinful means and/or uses one’s wealth wrongly.

3. Opponents of Dhammakaya, such as Sulak Sivaraksa, Samana Photirak and Phra Phayom Kalayano, chide Dhammakaya for its materialism, but the Temple responds that generosity to the Sangha and donations for temples and chedis have always been and are still regarded as the most highly valued means of making merit among Thai people. The grandiose structures at Wat Dhammakaya in their view reflect the legitimate aspirations of their donors. They also serve as a sign of and a vehicle for spiritual attainment. (In Christian terms, therefore, they are seen as having a sacramental function.)

4. While acknowledging that the actual possession of wealth is not seen as a sin in any mainstream religion (though Jesus, e.g. in his advice to the rich young man, suggested that one would be spiritually better off without it), Dhammakaya is regarded by its critics as being obsessed with wealth and ostentation. This criticism came to a head in the late 90s when, while many Thais were suffering quite seriously from the effects of the Asian economic crisis, Dhammakaya was building its giant structures in Nonthaburi and calling for more and more donations. To be fair, it had begun some years earlier, when conspicuous consumption and greed were the order of the day, but when it was found that the abbot, Phra Dhammachayo, was accumulating large swathes of land near the temple and registering them in his own name, many people had a sour taste in their mouth. The temple’s and its abbot’s links with the all-conquering Thai Rak Thai party of Thaksin Shinawatra helped to get the charges quashed, but the episode did not speak well of Dhammakaya’s form of Buddhism. Added to that the abbot’s liking for Swiss-designed silk robes, luxury cars, gourmet dining and unwillingness to eat with his monks and it seemed like we had another Baghwan Shri Rajneesh (later Osho) to contend with. However, Abbot Dhammachayo did not compromise his vows in the vulgar and salacious ways that other notorious Thai monks have, so he escaped with his position intact and the loyalty of his followers apparently unquestioned.

5. Though one could argue that the focus on spectacle and an excessive interest in capital accumulation were either acceptable in the context or understandable temptations of the day, Dhammakaya’s linkage of money and merit seems to go beyond the bounds of reasonable middle-way Buddhism when the Temple establishes a “Millionaire’s Club”, which guarantees its members rebirth as a millionaire by paying a certain amount regularly into the Temple monthly. Thoughts of Jim and Tammy Bakker come immediately to mind. Likewise, the story of Khun Yay, Luangpor Sot's chief disciple, asking the Buddha for money and getting it seems questionable both on grounds of taste and credibility, but Dhammakaya is not noted for taste, and credibility doesn’t seem to concern them.

6. Among the many miracles and occult abilities associated with Luangpor Sot and Khun Yay are included the belief that by meditation, Luangpor and his disciples at Wat Paknam in Thonburi diverted allied bombers from Bangkok (I don’t know where they dropped their bombs instead) and on another occasion prevented the allies from bombing Bangkok altogether despite the presence of many Japanese in the city. (These two stories may be variations of the one.) Khun Yay, in exchange for donations, had a practice of visiting petitioners’ deceased relatives in hel_l and transferring the petitioners’ merit to those who were suffering the pains of damnation. It was said of Khun Yay that she could move as easily among the different realms of existence as among the buildings in the temple grounds.

7. Perhaps the most spectacular Wat Dhammakaya epiphenomenon was the reported “Miracle in the Sky”, which occurred before thousands of Dhammakaya followers in September 1998 (and which bears a strong resemblance to the widely known Miracle of the Sun reported at Fatima in October 1917). Something occurred or was believed to have occurred that set Dhammakayan nerves tingling and tongues buzzing. However, reports differ as to what actually happened. The Temple reported that the sun was “sucked out of the sky” and replaced by an image of Luangpor Sot. Others saw him as a golden staue, and others as a giant crystal. Professor Somsuda of Kasetsart University saw Luangpor in the sun, but Mr Termpong of the Thanachart Trust (now Thanachart Bank) saw the sun emitting flashing rays and an image of the Buddha. Who knows? Public ephiphenomena of this kind are seen as legitimation at a comprehensive level of the religious institution in whose name they occur – often the Roman Catholic Church, as at Fatima, Lourdes and Medugorge (this one popular, but contested by the official Church). Dhammakaya’s miracle gives credence to Donald Swearer’s view that the Temple sees itself as an international spiritual force while at the same time a bulwark against a possible impending decline of the monarchy and religious institutions in Thailand.

8. There’s much more to be said about Dhammakaya, but this is a posting to a forum, not a journal article, so it will close with reference to the Temple’s view of itself as a meditation centre and as a vehicle for the restoration of the meditation-based Forest tradition in urban Thailand. Dhammakaya, although it publishes lots of short pamphlets and booklets, is not really interested in text-based dhamma or discussion of doctrine. Both Luangpor Sot and Abbot Dhammachayo source knowledge and truth in meditation practice, not texts and discourses. In that respect they are true to the forest tradition of Ajarn Man and others in their reaction to the Pali-text based reforms of monastic education and practice initiated and fostered by Rama IV and V. Hence, Donald Swearer describes Dhammakaya as “fundamentalist”. The Temple has made little effort to counter the 1998 charges brought against them of heresy (they were teaching that nipphan pen atta – nirvana is the self) as they see truth and insight arising within oneself from meditation. There is no point then, in their view, arguing about it on a dialectic stage.

9. Can it be said then that Dhammakaya is indeed the inheritor and flag bearer of traditional Thai Buddhism, with its supernaturalism/superstition, merit-based counter-ethics, love of display and anti-intellectualism? If so, then one can only sympathise with the efforts of the 19th century Thai kings and their monastic relatives to reform Thai Buddhism. This would suggest that the Forest tradition has legitimately had its day and that the nostalgia of Buddhist intellectuals such as Sulak Sivaraksa and Kamala Tiyavanich is touching, but not constructive. Dhammakaya has stepped into the space they mourn.

[eggomaniac]

Is this like prosperity Christianity that cobbles together quotes and parts of quotes to show they are supposed to be rich?

In the NT, one can pray for 'our daily bread'

In the OT, it was not to be so poor that life's struggles would preclude devotion and not to be so rich as to forget devotion. < This could roughly coincide with how a lay Buddhist could conduct their affairs. Did Buddha not teach that 'greed for money' one of the 'poisons' of mankind? Of course, monks have a greater standard for disowning material goods. [real monks]

----------

As for the architecture, within 1/11 of a second of seeing the first pictures, a few months ago, I surmised they planned a traditional Wat but found that a structure that size would not hold the weight, without costing a few more billion.

It would be interesting to see what the original drawings looked like.

The Bird's Nest Olympic Stadium's original 'winning' design was based on ancient pottery, not a bird's nest. There was no available engineering software to model the structure. When they lowered the construction supports, they were not 100% sure it would not collapse.

-------

Most Thais seem to indicate that their complete understanding of Buddhism is that if you give what money you can, you gain merit and will be saved. If somebody recognized this market trend and/or target market, good on them, eh?

---------

The Dhamkayans aint the only ones. What was the comment about the Dali Lama, 'a humble holy man shuffling around in gucci shoes'. I wonder what the carbon foot print of his fleet of land rovers and private jet would add up to? private suites in luxury hotels

He actually gives lectures on conserving resources. 555

[eggomaniac]

In answer to your question at #9, I am, for one, prepared to answer, yes. I'm not sure, but I think you are making the same point as my post; the customary, practiced form of Buddhism in Thailand, the way you perceive it, coincides with my observations, as well.

I would only clarify that I agree with you in terms of, recent 'traditional' practices, not the original 'traditional' practices.

I mean no attack on the real, intended, traditional Thai Buddhism, which is worthy of high respect and adherence. [There often seems to be a word or two whereby a well intentioned message could be misconstrued. If you mean 'the flag bearer of the trappings of Thai Buddhism', then your concept is measurable, at least, to me.]

Buddhism has had history of losing the message finding it again, losing and finding.

----------------------

Oh, One thing I have learned in this Forum is to not necessarily dismiss, arguably, 'errant'sects as cults. Maybe, possibly?, this is stage for those with more sand in their eyes, as Brahma told Buddha, 'some will have less sand in their eyes than others'.

Wat Dhammakaya – Traditional Buddhism or Commodification of Buddhist Piety?

Some notes on Rachelle M. Scott, Nirvana for Sale: Buddhism, Wealth and the Dhammakaya Temple in Contemporary Thailand. Albany. SUNY Press. 2009.

(Please note that the comments below are notes on the book, not a review of the book. If readers want page references, I am happy to provide them.)

Wat Dhammakaya represents a form of Buddhism that sits comfortably with the ethos of many urban upwardly mobile Thais, but is somewhat repellent to those who lament the association of Buddhism and its Sangha with wealth and superstition. Unfortunately for those with a romantic view of Thai ethics and culture, material wealth and superstition are very powerful motivators for many Thais, perhaps most of them in certain sub-populations.

Rachelle Scott has tried to avoid making judgements about the right or wrong of Dhammakaya's beliefs and practices. She is an anthropologist who wishes to describe and explain why things are the way they are. She doesn't wish to get into discourses of legitimation, which she regards as the products of competition for power and control over material resources.

It's several weeks since I read this book and have subsequently been distracted by an overseas trip, but the notes below may shed some light on Wat Dhammakaya as seen by a scholar who attempts to be open-minded, though the strain shows at times, as well as my own less than neutral responses to what she portrays. However, the instinctive repulsion felt by one brought up in a post-Christian society to the apparent bare-faced charlatanism and delusion driving so much of what Dhammakaya is and does has to be restrained when one remembers that Dhammakaya not only reflects an historically legitimate aspect of Theravada (and Mahayana) Buddhism, but is also quite attractive to many perfectly decent and well educated urban Thais.

1. Buddhism in Thailand is generally described and judged by outside observers in terms of two forms of Orientalism. Early Orientalism, the perspective of 19th century Protestant and rationalist scholars, taken on board by Kings Rama IV and Rama V, deplored the pervasiveness of myth and miracle in Siamese presentations of Buddhist teaching. Neo-Orientalism, a later development, laments the association of wealth and its attractiveness with Buddhist institutions and individuals, emphasizing a "pure" Buddhism that is found in the Pali Canon and an austere Sangha that has no truck with money or material acquisition.

2. The fact is, however, that an association of wealth with merit is an ancient and authentic aspect of Buddhist social and personal ethics. The Buddha was himself of noble birth in both his life as Gotama and earlier as Vesantara. He was surrounded by disciples who had had the benefits of a wealthy upbringing and was supported by lay followers who were sometimes fabulously rich. Renunciation itself depended on surplus wealth to cover the loss of earnings to the family of the one who had gone forth into homelessness. Dhammakaya representatives argue that there is nothing wrong with being wealthy or enjoying wealth. Wealth in this life has traditionally been viewed as a reward for merit earned in a previous one. Problems arise when one actively craves wealth, acquires wealth by sinful means and/or uses one's wealth wrongly.

3. Opponents of Dhammakaya, such as Sulak Sivaraksa, Samana Photirak and Phra Phayom Kalayano, chide Dhammakaya for its materialism, but the Temple responds that generosity to the Sangha and donations for temples and chedis have always been and are still regarded as the most highly valued means of making merit among Thai people. The grandiose structures at Wat Dhammakaya in their view reflect the legitimate aspirations of their donors. They also serve as a sign of and a vehicle for spiritual attainment. (In Christian terms, therefore, they are seen as having a sacramental function.)

4. While acknowledging that the actual possession of wealth is not seen as a sin in any mainstream religion (though Jesus, e.g. in his advice to the rich young man, suggested that one would be spiritually better off without it), Dhammakaya is regarded by its critics as being obsessed with wealth and ostentation. This criticism came to a head in the late 90s when, while many Thais were suffering quite seriously from the effects of the Asian economic crisis, Dhammakaya was building its giant structures in Nonthaburi and calling for more and more donations. To be fair, it had begun some years earlier, when conspicuous consumption and greed were the order of the day, but when it was found that the abbot, Phra Dhammachayo, was accumulating large swathes of land near the temple and registering them in his own name, many people had a sour taste in their mouth. The temple's and its abbot's links with the all-conquering Thai Rak Thai party of Thaksin Shinawatra helped to get the charges quashed, but the episode did not speak well of Dhammakaya's form of Buddhism. Added to that the abbot's liking for Swiss-designed silk robes, luxury cars, gourmet dining and unwillingness to eat with his monks and it seemed like we had another Baghwan Shri Rajneesh (later Osho) to contend with. However, Abbot Dhammachayo did not compromise his vows in the vulgar and salacious ways that other notorious Thai monks have, so he escaped with his position intact and the loyalty of his followers apparently unquestioned.

5. Though one could argue that the focus on spectacle and an excessive interest in capital accumulation were either acceptable in the context or understandable temptations of the day, Dhammakaya's linkage of money and merit seems to go beyond the bounds of reasonable middle-way Buddhism when the Temple establishes a "Millionaire's Club", which guarantees its members rebirth as a millionaire by paying a certain amount regularly into the Temple monthly. Thoughts of Jim and Tammy Bakker come immediately to mind. Likewise, the story of Khun Yay, Luangpor Sot's chief disciple, asking the Buddha for money and getting it seems questionable both on grounds of taste and credibility, but Dhammakaya is not noted for taste, and credibility doesn't seem to concern them.

6. Among the many miracles and occult abilities associated with Luangpor Sot and Khun Yay are included the belief that by meditation, Luangpor and his disciples at Wat Paknam in Thonburi diverted allied bombers from Bangkok (I don't know where they dropped their bombs instead) and on another occasion prevented the allies from bombing Bangkok altogether despite the presence of many Japanese in the city. (These two stories may be variations of the one.) Khun Yay, in exchange for donations, had a practice of visiting petitioners' deceased relatives in hel_l and transferring the petitioners' merit to those who were suffering the pains of damnation. It was said of Khun Yay that she could move as easily among the different realms of existence as among the buildings in the temple grounds.

7. Perhaps the most spectacular Wat Dhammakaya epiphenomenon was the reported "Miracle in the Sky", which occurred before thousands of Dhammakaya followers in September 1998 (and which bears a strong resemblance to the widely known Miracle of the Sun reported at Fatima in October 1917). Something occurred or was believed to have occurred that set Dhammakayan nerves tingling and tongues buzzing. However, reports differ as to what actually happened. The Temple reported that the sun was "sucked out of the sky" and replaced by an image of Luangpor Sot. Others saw him as a golden staue, and others as a giant crystal. Professor Somsuda of Kasetsart University saw Luangpor in the sun, but Mr Termpong of the Thanachart Trust (now Thanachart Bank) saw the sun emitting flashing rays and an image of the Buddha. Who knows? Public ephiphenomena of this kind are seen as legitimation at a comprehensive level of the religious institution in whose name they occur – often the Roman Catholic Church, as at Fatima, Lourdes and Medugorge (this one popular, but contested by the official Church). Dhammakaya's miracle gives credence to Donald Swearer's view that the Temple sees itself as an international spiritual force while at the same time a bulwark against a possible impending decline of the monarchy and religious institutions in Thailand.

8. There's much more to be said about Dhammakaya, but this is a posting to a forum, not a journal article, so it will close with reference to the Temple's view of itself as a meditation centre and as a vehicle for the restoration of the meditation-based Forest tradition in urban Thailand. Dhammakaya, although it publishes lots of short pamphlets and booklets, is not really interested in text-based dhamma or discussion of doctrine. Both Luangpor Sot and Abbot Dhammachayo source knowledge and truth in meditation practice, not texts and discourses. In that respect they are true to the forest tradition of Ajarn Man and others in their reaction to the Pali-text based reforms of monastic education and practice initiated and fostered by Rama IV and V. Hence, Donald Swearer describes Dhammakaya as "fundamentalist". The Temple has made little effort to counter the 1998 charges brought against them of heresy (they were teaching that nipphan pen atta – nirvana is the self) as they see truth and insight arising within oneself from meditation. There is no point then, in their view, arguing about it on a dialectic stage.

9. Can it be said then that Dhammakaya is indeed the inheritor and flag bearer of traditional Thai Buddhism, with its supernaturalism/superstition, merit-based counter-ethics, love of display and anti-intellectualism? If so, then one can only sympathise with the efforts of the 19th century Thai kings and their monastic relatives to reform Thai Buddhism. This would suggest that the Forest tradition has legitimately had its day and that the nostalgia of Buddhist intellectuals such as Sulak Sivaraksa and Kamala Tiyavanich is touching, but not constructive. Dhammakaya has stepped into the space they mourn.

[caf]

Some of the nonsense that Dhammakaya used to teach their disciples in the past is unbeliveable.

Disciples were (Perhaps still are) taught Luang Pu Wat Paknam was a truly miracle monk who had supernatural powers. Many of these miracles made newspaper headlines for weeks on end. It was taught that during WWII the allied powers had plans to test out their atomic bomb on Bangkok! It was only through intensive meditation by Dhammkaya monks that Japan was bombed instead!

Not only that, there were headline reports of Dhammakaya nuns floating in the sky the same time as bombed rained down. Quite miraculously none of those bombed fell on Dhammakaya. The source of such reports? Dhammakaya and their followers.

You made similar comments on your main forum.

I am neither pro or anti dhammakaya but you always seem to support the anti side, a bit biased are we?

I recall you did some back tracking when it was pointed out the abbot had been given a high honour by the king.

Even pseudo journalists should check their bias or are you just supporting your ( equally biased and out to lunch ) boss.

[caf]

I spent two weeks in a meditation class at Wat Luang Por Sodh Dhammakaya in Rajburi in 2007. It was pretty strange. They were very adamant about Luang Por Sodh's meditation techniques. They claimed this style was the only way to reach nirvana. It was way too detailed for me.

Hmmm...I have been to their meditation programme before but they didn't tell me this meditation technique is the only way to reach nirvana. They told me taking meditation is like choosing a road to travel. Meditation technique is like a road. Every road goes to the same place, some road may has shorter path, some road maybe easier. It's up to us to choose, and Dhammakaya is just one of the roads that lead us to nirvana, and it's a shorter, more comfortable road. Personally I kindna like the teaching. However, I am Thai and all the instructions were in Thai, so maybe English version was different?

No the English version is the same. This thread is not very factual. Lots of unsubstantiated comments Why?

[sabaijai]

PM urged to halt grand temple plan

By The Nation

Published on May 10, 2010

Activists and NGOs yesterday submitted an open letter to the prime minister asking him to put on hold a proposal by the Dhamamakaya Temple to offer a Bt1-billion fund to the Office of Basic Education Commission (OBEC) to train more than 10 million students and 70,000 officials over a three-year period.

The letter, submitted by noted thinker Sulak Sivirak, called for an abrupt halt to this proposal and an immediate investigation, while suspending all OBEC officials involved.

The temple has offered scholarships to provide training on Bud-dhism, meditation and morality lessons to 10 million high school students in all 30,000 schools across the country, along with around 700,000 teachers, community leaders and politicians over a three-year period starting later this year.

The 43 activists and NGO members are questioning, besides other things, the training project costs, which are not specified, and the content of Buddhism teachings by the temple, as to whether they are accurate enough and in line with mainstream Buddhist doctrines.

-- The Nation 2010-05-10

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