Wat Paknam Bhasicharoen
Wat Paknam Bhasicharoen is a royal wat located in Phasi Charoen district, Bangkok, at the Chao Phraya River. It is part of the Maha Nikaya fraternity and is the origin of the Dhammakaya tradition. It is a large and popular temple, supported by prosperous community members. Wat Paknam was established in 1610, during the Ayutthaya period, and received support from Thai kings until the late nineteenth century.
By the beginning of the twentieth century, the temple had become nearly abandoned and had fallen into disrepair. The temple underwent a major revival and became widely known under the leadership of the meditation master Luang Pu Sodh Candasaro, who was abbot there in the first half of the twentieth century. Seven years after Luang Pu's death, became the new abbot until his death in 2021.
Somdet Chuang made international headlines when his 2015 appointment as Supreme Patriarch, acting head of the Thai monastic community, was stalled and finally withdrawn, due to reasons generally interpreted as political, leading to heated debate and protests in Thailand. Somdet Chuang and his assistant were accused of tax fraud, but Somdet's charges were dropped, and his assistant was acquitted due to lack of evidence, two days after Somdet Chuang's nomination as Patriarch was withdrawn.
Wat Paknam is known for its charity and a nationwide project to propagate the five precepts in Thai society. The temple is popular among mae chi. One of its mae chi, Mae chi Chandra Khonnokyoong, went on to establish another temple which later became widely known, the Wat Phra Dhammakaya. Wat Paknam has an international presence and has a long history of activities and contact with Buddhists from other countries. In 2012, Somdet Chuang finished building a huge stupa at the temple, named "Maharatchamongkhon", complete with interior Buddhist art. In 2021, construction was completed of a large bronze Buddha image, placed in front of the stupa. The stupa and the statue has made the temple a popular attraction for international tourists.
History
Pre-modern times (1610–1915)
Wat Paknam Bhasicharoen is a royal wat located in Phasi Charoen district, Bangkok, at the Chao Phraya River. Wat Paknam was established in 1610, during the Ayutthaya period. Records indicate that King Suriyenthrathibodi called the temple "Wat Prasat Suan Sawan". However, the name "Wat Paknam" and "Wat Paknam at the river Bang Luang" appear in historical documents of palace administration from 1780 onward. Paknam simply means 'literally: mouth of the water' or 'river/canalmouth', which refers to the position of the temple. The temple was renovated at least three times, during the periods of King Taksin, Rama III, and King Chulalongkorn. However, during the period of King Rama VI, the temple had greatly deteriorated and had no abbot.Revival by Luang Pu Sodh (1916–59)
In 1916, senior monk Somdet Puean assigned Luang Pu Sodh Candasaro as abbot. Luang Pu Sodh was known for his charisma and outspokenness. The temple underwent a major change after he became the abbot, from a temple with only thirteen monks that was in disrepair, to a prosperous center of education and meditation practice with five hundred monks and hundreds of mae chi. The temple became well known through Luang Pu Sodh's meditation method. Apart from teaching meditation, Luang Pu Sodh also built a school for Pali studies in 1950, which became a leading institute of the country. Luang Pu Sodh has had a lasting impact on the temple, as his teachings and guided meditations are still sold at the temple today and his promotion of Buddhist scholarship has still continued. In the time of Luang Pu Sodh, the temple became popular with and well-supported by a prosperous community of high social class, mostly from the Bangkok area. To compensate for the lack of local supporters, and at the same time dealing with the problem of local delinquent children causing trouble for the temple, Luang Pu Sodh set up a free primary school. Later, when the Thai government set up schooling all over the country, Luang Pu Sodh had the government take over the school.Luang Pu Sodh died in 1959, and his body has been kept in a coffin. The coffin is still a major point of attraction for the temple. His remains have not been cremated, because of the large number of people still visiting the temple to pay their respects. Monastics at the temple still hold memorial ceremonies on a regular basis.
One of the most significant parts of Luang Pu Sodh's heritage is the combination of learning and meditation, both in monastic practice and teaching to laypeople.
Somdet Chuang Varapuñño as abbot (1960–2012)
When Luang Pu Sodh died in 1959, no successors were appointed, which led to discussion about who should be the next abbot. For seven years, Somdet Pun Punnasiri, who was a nephew and former attendant of Luang Pu Sodh, was caretaker abbot, waiting for a permanent candidate. He was replaced by Somdet Chuang Varapuñño.Somdet Chuang, born Chuang Sutprasert, was ordained as a samanera when he was fourteen years old in 1939, in his hometown in Samutprakan. He heard about Luang Pu Sodh's reputation and aspired to move to Wat Paknam. Two years later, his teacher allowed him to do so, and he lived as a novice at Wat Paknam until he was fully ordained there in 1945, as a monk under Luang Pu Sodh. After Somdet Chuang ordained, Luang Pu Sodh saw his potential and had him continue his Pali studies and work as a secretary at Wat Benchamabophit to the fourteenth Supreme Patriarch Ariyavongsagatayana, who had a reputation for strict discipline. Somdet Chuang learned about the management of temples from him. In reflection, Somdet Chuang has stated about this period that he "learned from different temples, because a temple is also a sort of teacher". After completing his Pali studies, Luang Pu Sodh had Somdet Chuang come back to Wat Paknam to learn about the work at Wat Paknam.Somdet Chuang is known to rarely give interviews or answer questions of journalists. However, he has shown strong engagement with Thai society. In 2014, he asked the Thai government to do more to support the monks in the South, who suffer because of the insurgency there. He has also promoted ethics in Thai society, requesting television stations to remind viewers of the five Buddhist precepts during their broadcasts, and reminding viewers himself in a 2016 television broadcast of the Magha Puja festival. Since the time of his appointment as an abbot, the temple's activities have expanded, and in 1969, King Bhumibol Adulyadej led the Kathina ceremony at the temple.
Somdet Chuang used to be monastic Chief of Region in the Northeast, South and North, respectively. He later became Chief of the Northern Region and supervised missionary work abroad, as well as Pali studies. Moreover, Somdet Chuang significantly contributed to the compiling of a special Tipitaka set in honor of King Bhumibol's sixtieth anniversary. In recognition of his merits, he received honorary degrees from the Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University, Thammasart University and Sripatum University in Thailand. He received the royal honorific names Phrasrivisuddhimoli, Phraratchavethi, Phrathepwarawethi, Phra Thamthirarathmahamuni, Phrathampanyabodi and Phra Maha Ratchamangalacharn. His last honorific made him officially a member of the Supreme Sangha Council. He has presided over meetings of the council since 2005, when he became the acting Supreme Patriarch.
Although the number of monks and mae chi has decreased since the time of Luang Pu Sodh, the temple still boasts a number of 200–400 monks, 80–150 novices, 160–300 mae chi and 30–100 resident volunteers, as reported in the 1990s and 2000s.
Appointment as Supreme Patriarch stalled (2013–15)
After the deaths of Somdet Phra Yanasangworn and caretaker Somdet Kiaw in 2013, Somdet Chuang became the acting Supreme Patriarch. However, he did not receive the full position, as the Thai junta refused to forward the nomination to the King for approval.In December 2013, during the protests which led up to the 2014 coup d'état, Somdet Chuang made a public statement opposing the protests, asking protest leaders Phra Suwit Dhiradhammo and Suthep Thaugsuban to stop causing civil unrest, in respect of King Bhumibol's birthday. After the coup d'état, the junta started a National Reform Council to bring stability to Thai society, which the junta stated was required before elections could be held. As part of the council, a panel was started to reform Thai religion. This panel was led by Paiboon Nititawan, a former senator who had played a crucial role in the coup. Backed by the bureaucracy, military and Royal Palace, Paiboon sought to deal with any shortcomings in the leading Thai Sangha through legislative means. He was joined by coup leader Phra Suwit Dhiradhammo, a then monk and former infantryman.
On 5 January 2016, Somdet Chuang had been nominated by the Supreme Sangha Council to take the post of Supreme Patriarch officially. Phra Suwit objected to this nomination, and held a petition to stop it, which succeeded. Moreover, in February 2015, Paiboon tried to reopen the 1999 case of Luang Por Dhammajayo's alleged embezzlement of land. Somdet Chuang and the rest of the Sangha Council were also involved in this, as they were accused of being negligent in not defrocking Luang Por Dhammajayo. First, the Sangha Council reconsidered the embezzlement and fraud charges, but concluded that Luang Por Dhammajayo had not intended to commit fraud or embezzlement, and had already returned the land concerned; after that, Phra Suwit enlisted the help of the Ombudsman, who asked the General-Attorney and the National Office of Buddhism to reconsider the criminal law case of embezzlement.
Next, Phra Suwit Dhiradhammo led two hundred soldiers and civilians to pay a visit to Wat Paknam. He made an offering to Somdet Chuang and asked several critical questions with regard to the verdict of innocence of Luang Por Dhammajayo. The questions were answered by Sangha Council secretary Phra Suchat Dhammaratano on Somdet Chuang's behalf. Critics interpreted Phra Suwit's visit, followed by his PR through social media, as aggressive, disrespectful, and inappropriate for a monk, and Phra Maha Show, administrator at the, filed a lawsuit against Phra Suwit. At this point, criticism against the reform panel rose. Several Thai intellectuals and news analysts asserted that Paiboon and Phra Suwit were abusing the Vinaya for political ends, and did not really aim to reform Buddhism. A number of Buddhist organizations, as well as the National Office of Buddhism, started to charge online news outlets for libel with regard to Somdet Chuang's person and spreading panic, only to be halted by Somdet Chuang himself. He stated simply: "There is no real problem, you don't have to do anything against them". In February 2016, Chao Khun Prasarn, vice-rector of the, assistant abbot of Wat Mahadhatu, and proponent of Somdet Chuang's appointment, held a protest of over a thousand of Thai monks in the Phutthamonthon Park, as a response to the postponing of the appointment. He demanded that the Thai junta not interfere with the Sangha's affairs, in particular the appointment of the next Supreme Patriarch. The junta responded by sending soldiers to control the site, and it came to a few scuffles. At 9 pm, the protest was ended when the monks announced they would repeat their protests if their demands were not met. However, the junta saw the protests as another reason to stall the appointment.
In response to the rising tensions, eventually junta Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha intervened and brought an end to the attempt to revive the embezzlement case: it had already been closed in 2006 by the then Attorney-General. He also dissolved the religious panel of the reform council. Paiboon and Phra Suwit continued to address the leading Sangha's shortcomings through judicial means, however, and cited these shortcomings to support the stalling of the appointment. Meanwhile, Chao Khun Prasarn was sent to an "attitude adjustment" camp for some time.
News analysts and scholars have suggested several underlying motivations to explain the conflicts with regard to Somdet Chuang's appointment. It has been pointed out that if Somdet Chuang were to become Supreme Patriarch, it would mean a leader from the Maha Nikaya fraternity, rather than the Dhammayuttika fraternity, which historically has always been the preferred choice by the Thai government and monarchy. They also suggested that an important reason for the stalling is that Somdet Chuang is the preceptor Luang Por Dhammajayo, abbot of Wat Phra Dhammakaya, and Wat Phra Dhammakaya has been associated with the Red Shirt pressure group, opposing the junta. As part of the junta's efforts to "de-Thaksinize" the country, i.e. free the country from former PM Thaksin's influence, Wat Paknam and Wat Phra Dhammakaya's influence had to be limited too.
The relation between Wat Paknam and Wat Phra Dhammakaya had been subject of speculation since 1999, when Wat Phra Dhammakaya was accused by Phra Adisak Viriyasakko, a former monk of Wat Phra Dhammakaya, of embezzlement and other wrongdoings through a report of television station iTV. Somdet Chuang was displeased by the report and had Phra Adisak leave Wat Paknam, but the latter asked Somdet Chuang for pardon and reconsideration. When Phra Adisak's accusations led to an investigation by the Supreme Sangha Council into Wat Phra Dhammakaya, the council decided there was no need to prosecute Luang Por Dhammajayo, but gave four directives for the abbot to practice. Somdet Chuang's role was disputed as he was both member of the council and preceptor of Luang Por Dhammajayo. In the same year, in an interview with news outlet Thai Rath, Somdet Chuang said he was not favoring Luang Por Dhammajayo, and considered all the accusations in the light of the Vinaya, as a parent would be just to his children. In 2015, nine years after the 1999 charges against Luang Por Dhammajayo had been withdrawn, Paiboon addressed Somdet Chuang's relation with Wat Phra Dhammakaya again. Paiboon pointed out that Somdet Chuang had stated he had received large donations from Wat Phra Dhammakaya for the building of the Phramaharatchamongkhon stupa, which Paiboon believed indicated a relationship of patronage. Chao Khun Prasarn defended Somdet Chuang, however, stating that Somdet Chuang's relation with Luang Por Dhammajayo was typical for a preceptor–student relationship, and that Somdet Chuang had no biases in his role as a Sangha administrator.