On bealf of the Supreme Sangha Council of Thailand,
I congratulate the sri lankan Buddhists on the 250th anniversary
of the siam nikaya in Sri Lanka. Following the footprints of Phra
Upali, the Supreme Sangha Council of Thailand has sent me to
participate in thes International Conference on Buddhasasana as a
gesture of our intention to strengthen relation between the Sri
Lanka and thai Sanghas have to work closely for the sake of Buddhasasana.
Phra Upali - the greatest
Sri Lanka and Thailand share a long history of religious
relation. Theravada Buddhism in Thailand is known as Lankavamsa.
This is because 700 years ago King Ramkhamhaeng invited a leader
of Sri Lankan monks form Nakhon Si Thammarat in the South to
preach Sri Lankan Buddhism in Sukhothai.That was the bginning
of Lankavamsa in Thailand. And 250 years ago Thai people had
opportunity to return a favor to Sri Lanka when King Boromkot sent
Phra Uple and others to revive the higher ordination tradition in
Sri Lanka , after the ordination lineage in this island had been broken
by Portuguese persecution. Through a great sacrifice of Phra Upali,
the higher ordination tradition was reintroduced to Sri Lanka and
was followed by the establishhment of the Siam Nikaya.
I congratulate the sri lankan Buddhists on the 250th anniversary
of the siam nikaya in Sri Lanka. Following the footprints of Phra
Upali, the Supreme Sangha Council of Thailand has sent me to
participate in thes International Conference on Buddhasasana as a
gesture of our intention to strengthen relation between the Sri
Lanka and thai Sanghas have to work closely for the sake of Buddhasasana.
Phra Upali - the greatest
Sri Lanka and Thailand share a long history of religious
relation. Theravada Buddhism in Thailand is known as Lankavamsa.
This is because 700 years ago King Ramkhamhaeng invited a leader
of Sri Lankan monks form Nakhon Si Thammarat in the South to
preach Sri Lankan Buddhism in Sukhothai.That was the bginning
of Lankavamsa in Thailand. And 250 years ago Thai people had
opportunity to return a favor to Sri Lanka when King Boromkot sent
Phra Uple and others to revive the higher ordination tradition in
Sri Lanka , after the ordination lineage in this island had been broken
by Portuguese persecution. Through a great sacrifice of Phra Upali,
the higher ordination tradition was reintroduced to Sri Lanka and
was followed by the establishhment of the Siam Nikaya.
We are gathering here to remind us of the great service that
Phra Upali has done to Buddhism in Sri Lanka. When Phra Upali
decided to come to Sri Lanka he might have know that it was a
journey of no return. He was ready to sacrifice his life for the benefit
of mankind and for agation of Buddhism. He followed the
Buddhas' instruction given to the first group of 60 Dhammadutas
"Caratha Bhikkhave carikam bahujanahitaya bahujanasukhaya
lokanukampaya-Go,monks, for the benefit and happiness of the world,
out of compasion for the world." Phra Upali passed away
in Sri Lanka after spending three years to revive the higher
ordination tradition in this land. I personally regard Phra Upali as
the greatest Dhammaduta or missionary monk that thailand has ever
produced. This is because of the reason that phra upali not only
accomplished his mission in Sri Lanka but also succeeded in
establishing here the greatest Nikaya which was named after his
motherland and his name as Syamopali Mahanikaya, the Siam Upali
lineage or simply the Siam Nikaya.
It is interesting to learn that whareas the major nikaya of
Buddhism in Sri Lanka is known as Siam Nikaya, Buddhism in
Thailand is called Lankavamsa. This is due to ahistorical Fact that
Thailand received Theravada Buddhism From Sri Lanka during the
Sukhothai period in the 12th Centure of the Common Era, and has
maintained a canonical tradition and an unbroken ordination lineage since.
In contemporary Thailand , Buddhism is the state religion of
the country . Under the Constitution, the King , as a symbol of the
nation, must be aBuddhist. The Crown and the State have always
been involved in supporting and assisting the Ordained Sangha and
in promoting Buddhism among the people. According to the latest
census, with a total population of 63 million, approximately 94%
of Thais are Buddhist. as of 2002, there were 32,000 monasteres,
265,956 monks and 87,695 novices in the Kingdom. Besides
numerous forest monasteries where monks may go for extended
meditation,there is a monastery in nearly every village and there
are many more monasteries in the cities, Schools are often located
on monastery grounds, and the sangha is actively involved in the
efforts of the State to raise the educational level of the people as
a whole. Buddhism and the Sangha, therefore, are deeply
interwined with the daily lives of the people of Thailand.
Sangha Organization
Today,in Thailangde, there are two Theravada Nikayas,the
Maha Nikaya and the Dhammayut Nikaya.TheMaha Nikaya is by
far the larger and traces its lineage directly to the Lankan
establishment of the Sangha during the Sukhothai period.The
Dhammayut was established in 1883 by H.R.H. Prince Mongkut,
who later ascended the throne,as a smaller Nikaya dedicated to a
more strict observance of the Vinaya.Both Nikayas come under the
direction of the Supreme Sangha council and the Supreme Patriarch
and subsequent internal reforms have greatly reduced the differences
between them.
Over the last century,the Sangha in Thailand has governed
itself under the regulations of the first Sangha Act(1902),the second
Sangha Act(1941),and the current Sangha Act, enacted in 1962
and amended in 1992.Two major Divisions are recognized by law,
the Mahayana division with Chinese and Vietamese sects,and the
Theravada division with the Maha Nikaya and Dhammayut Nikaya.
Both divisions come under direction of the Supreme Patriarch,or
Sangharaja,who is appointed by the King from on of the Theravada
Nikayas and who serves for life.The Supreme Patriarch is assisted
by the Supreme Sangha Council,or Mahathera Samakhom,which
has eight permanent members and 12 rotating members appointed
by the Supreme Patriarch.
The Supreme Sangha Council, led by the Supreme Patriarch
has the duty and the authority to command the Sangha, to issue rules
and regulations,and to appoint Sangha administrators from both
Nikayas.Sangha administration is assisted by the National Bureau
of Buddhism whose office serves as the secretariat of the Supreme
Sangha Council.The National Bureau of Buddhism functions as a
liaison office to achieve harmonious cooperation between the
sangha and the State.It is responsible for the care of monks and
monasteries by budgeting financial support form government funds
and by assisting Sangha officers with their administrative duties.
As regulated by the Sangha Act,the Thai Sangha is well
organized.Many thousands of monasteries and a quarter million
monks and novices come under centralized administration and the
Sangha enjoys the recognition and support of the State.There is
uniformity in Sangha affairs,education and rite.with a centralized
hierarchy, Sangha activities can be cosely supervised,discipline
maintained and there is a channel of communication between the
central administration and the outlying provinces. with such an
organization,cooperation and concord with the State have been
maintained and the monks have been able to contribute to the unity
of the people and to national security. On the other hand,such a
centralized organization may be excessively dependent on a small
leadership,which, in turn may not be able to repond quickly to
changing social conditions.
There is curruntly need for a new law,and a Sangha reform
act is being drafted and debated. The general administrative
structure of the Sangha will be changed in such a way that the
absolute power of the Supreme Sangha Council will be dlegated
to an executive committee called Mahaganissara.
