Brief Biography of Phrathepyanmahamuni
(The Most Venerable Dhammajayo Bhikkhu)
The Founder of Peace Revolution
Phrathepyanmahamuni (The Most Venerable Dhammajayo Bhikkhu) was born Chaiyaboon Suthipol on the 22 April 1944 in Promburi District, Singhburi Province, Thailand. It was said that on the day he was born, all of his relatives came together to celebrate his arrival, despite the fact that they had not seen one another for a long time.
Young Chaiyaboon was eager when it came to acquiring knowledge, and was happy spending his free time gaining more knowledge at bookstands or at the markets where a variety of books could be found. If he found books on Dhamma (Buddhist doctrine), he would find himself reading them over and over again. His reading prompted him to ask questions that were quite advanced for a child of his age; in particular, “why were we born?” and “what is the goal of life?”
During secondary school, he listened to Dhamma lectures from many scholars and this inspired him and his friends to establish a Buddhist Youth Program. His appetite to learn more Dhamma increased. Chaiyaboon’s spiritual interests grew which caused his life path to be different from his contemporaries.
One day, he came across a book titled, “Dhammakaya”, written in the format of a sermon by the Most Venerable Phramongkolthepmuni (Luang Pu Sodh Candasaro), the Abbot of Paknam Bhasicharoen Temple. The following quote greatly stirred his consciousness: “If one wants to follow in the right path of Buddhism, one has to practice until one gains complete comprehension and understanding.” When he read about the meditation expertise and teaching of the Nun Khun Yay Upasika Chandra Khonnok-yoong, a disciple of the Most Venerable Luang Pu, he saw that his path would lead him to this Temple.
After meeting Khun Yay Upasika Chandra Khonnok-yoong (“Khun Yay”), she accepted his request to become her student. Even as he continued his university studies, he fully applied himself to his meditation practice, sometimes spending nearly 12 hours each day meditating and learning with Khun Yay at Paknam Bhasicharoen Temple. Through her, he found answers to all the profound questions he had been asking himself and the motivation to spread peace across the world.
Chaiyaboon then decided to ask Khun Yay for permission to become ordained as a Buddhist monk but she told him to finish his degree first, reasoning that having worldly knowledge would make him more effective as a monk. Chaiyaboon graduated with a Bachelor′s degree in 1969, with a major in Economics and Administration and a minor in Farming. With his parents′ permission, he ordained as a Buddhist monk on 27 August 1969 at Paknam Bhasicharoen Temple.
In February 1970, he and Khun Yay helped to break ground on the construction of Phra Dhammakaya Temple, starting with 32 hectares of donated land and a construction budget of less than US$150. As the Temple′s membership rapidly increased, the land area for the Temple expanded to 404 hectares with the aim of developing the Temple into an international meditation center. This goal, and the growing popularity of the ceremonies and meditation led by Luang Phaw, led to the construction of the Great Assembly Hall which can seat 300,000 people, the Dhammakaya Cetiya (pagoda), and the Meditation Amphitheatre which can accommodate one million monks and laypeople.
As a result of the Most Venerable Dhammajayo Bhikkhu′s dedication, wisdom, and compassion, in 1996 His Majesty the King of Thailand bestowed upon him a High Royal Order of the monastic “Raj level”, granting him the title “Phrarajbhavanavisudh”. Since then, he has been honored with a series of international awards and recognitions. He received the Tobacco-Free World Award of 2004 from the World Health Organization. In 2005, Akhil Bharat Rachanatmak Samaj federation presented Phra Rajbhavanavisudh with the Mahatama Gandhi Peace Award for his four-decades of devotion towards promoting the world peace and youth development. In 2006, World Buddhist Sangha Youth gave him its Universal Peace Award.
The Most Venerable Dhammajayo Bhikkhu continues to devote and dedicate all his time and effort to preserving and carrying on the Dhammakaya tradition. His purpose is to create an inner happiness that can develop to a lasting peace on earth. Everything that he has accomplished and everything he does today and will do in the future derives from a single goal: peace on earth.