THURSDAY, March 28, 2024
nationthailand

Four Westerners among monks honoured by King

Four Westerners among monks honoured by King

His Majesty the King, celebrating his birthday on Sunday, granted “Samanasak” honorary ecclesiastical titles to 74 distinguished senior monks, including four Western representatives of the Theravada Buddhism predominant in Thailand.

The rite took place at the Amarindra Vinichai Throne Hall at the Grand Palace in Bangkok.
The four Western monks honoured were: 
• Phra Rajasumedhajahn (Sumedho Bhikkhu) of the Amaravati Buddhist Monastery in Britain, who now assumes the title Phra Thep Yanavidesa Vi;
• Phra Bodhinyanavidesa (Pasanno Bhikkhu) of the Abhayagiri monastery in the United States, who becomes known as Phra Rajabodhividesa Vi;
• Phra Videsabuddhiguna (Amaro Bhikkhu), also of Britain’s Amaravati monastery, now to be known as Phra Rajabuddhivoraguna Vi;
• And Phra Jayasaro Bhikkhu (Phra Shaun Chiverton) of the Baan Rai Thawsi Monastery in Nakhon Ratchasima, who receives the title Phra Rajabhatcharamanit Vi.
All four were students of the late Phra Bodhinyanathera (Chah Subaddho), an influential teacher of Buddhadhamma in the Northeast and the founder of two major forest monasteries.

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