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Queen Sirikit
Queen Consort of Thailand
Tenure	28 April 1950 – present &1000000000000006200000062 years, &1000000000000005600000056 days
Coronation	5 May 1950
Spouse	Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX) (Since 28 April 1950)
Issue
Princess Ubolratana Rajakanya HRH Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn HRH Princess Chulabhorn Walailak
House	House of Kitiyakara (by birth) House of Mahidol (by marriage) Chakri Dynasty
Father	HH Prince Nakkhatra Mangkala, the Prince of Chanthaburi II
Mother	Mom Luang Bua Sanidvongs
Born	(1932-08-12) 12 August 1932 (age 79) Bangkok, Thailand
Signature
Religion	Theravada Buddhism

Queen Sirikit of Thailand (Thai pronunciation: [sìríkìt], Thai: สิริกิติ์; Literally: "Her Majesty Queen Regent^{[citation needed]} Sirikit";  listen (help·info); born Mom Rajawongse Sirikit Kitiyakara on 12 August 1932), is the queen consort of Bhumibol Adulyadej, King (Rama IX) of Thailand. She is the second Queen Regent^{[citation needed]} of Thailand (the first Queen Regent^{[citation needed]} was Queen Saovabha Bongsri of Siam, later Queen Sri Patcharindra, the queen mother). As the consort of the king who is the world's longest-reigning head of state, she is also the world's longest-serving consort of a monarch, though Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, more than eleven years her senior, is the oldest currently-serving consort.

Early life[link]

Queen Sirikit was born on 12 August 1932, at the home of Lord Vongsanuprabhand, her maternal grandfather. She is the eldest daughter and the third child of Prince Nakkhatra Mangkala Kitiyakara, the son of Prince Kitiyakara Voralaksana, and Mom Luang Bua Sanidvongs. Her name, which was given by King Prajadhipok, means "the Greatness of Kitiyakhon".

She had three siblings; two elder brothers and a younger sister:

• Prof. Mom Rajawongse Galyanakit Kitiyakara, M.D. (20 September 1929 – 15 May 1987)
• Mom Rajawongse Adulyakit Kitiyakara (2 November 1930 – 5 May 2004)
• Mom Rajawongse Busba Kitiyakara (born 2 August 1934)

Sirikit was raised by her maternal grandparents for a year after her birth, as her father went to United States to work as the secretary of the Siamese Royal Embassy at Washington D.C. Her mother joined her husband three months later. When she was one year old, her parents returned to Thailand. Sirikit lived together with her family in Deves Palace, near Chao Phraya River, Bangkok.

As a child, Sirikit often had outdoor visits with her paternal grandmother. Once in 1933, she traveled with Princess Absornsaman Devakula following King Prajadhipok's tour in Songkla.

Education[link]

The King and Queen after their wedding on 28 April 1950.

Thai Royal Family
HM The King HM The Queen HRH The Crown Prince HRH Princess Srirasmi HRH Princess Bajrakitiyabha HRH Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana HRH Prince Dipangkorn Rasmijoti HRH The Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn HRH The Princess Chulabhorn Walailak HRH Princess Siribhachudhabhorn HRH Princess Adityadhornkitikhun Princess Ubolratana Rajakanya Lady Ploypailin Jensen Lady Sirikitiya Jensen HRH Princess Soamsawali Lady Dasanavalaya Sorasongkram
v t e

At age 4, Sirikit attended the Kindergarten College at Rajini School (sometimes called the Queen’s College). She studied until her first year at the primary level. During that time the Pacific War was being fought; Bangkok was attacked many times, thus making travel unsafe. She then moved to Saint Francis Xavier Convent School, because it was near the palace. She studied at that school from her second year at the primary level to the secondary level.

In 1946, when the war ended, her father moved to the United Kingdom to work as the ambassador to the Court of St. James's, taking his family with him. At that time, Sirikit was 13 and had graduated the secondary level. While staying in England, she learned to play the piano and learned English and French. Because of her father's work as an ambassador, she and her family moved to various countries, including Denmark and France. While living in France, she studied at a music academy in Paris.

Also while in France, Sirikit met King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who at that time had ascended to the throne and had been studying at Switzerland. Both the king and Sirikit (as well as a few other students) were staying at the Thai Royal Embassy in Paris. Sirikit accompanied the king as he visited various tourist attractions. Both the king and Sirikit found much common ground on their likes and dislikes and thus began a relationship.

Marriage[link]

Queen Sirikit during a parade in New York City, July 1960.

On 4 October 1948, while Bhumibol was driving a Fiat Topolino on the Geneva-Lausanne road, he collided into the rear of a braking truck 10 km outside of Lausanne. He hurt his back and incurred cuts on his face that cost him most of the sight in one eye.^[1] He subsequently wore an ocular prosthetic. While he was hospitalised in Lausanne, Sirikit visited him frequently. She met his mother, The Princess Mother Sangval, who asked her to continue her studies nearby so that the king could get to know her better. Bhumibol selected for her a boarding school in Lausanne, Riante Rive. A quiet engagement in Lausanne followed on 19 July 1949,^[1] and the couple married on 28 April 1950, just a week before his coronation.

The marriage took place at Srapathum Palace. Queen Sri Savarindira, the Queen Grandmother presided over the marriage ceremony. Both the king and Sirikit signed on line 11 of their certificate of marriage (ทะเบียนการสมรส.) As she was not yet 18, her parents also signed, on line 12 directly under her signature. Reproductions of the certificate are popular as souvenirs, and may be found by searching for its common name, "ใบสมรส สิริกิติ์". [1] She later received the Order of the Royal House of Chakri, and became queen. After the coronation ceremony on 5 May 1950, both went back to Switzerland to continue their studies, and returned to Bangkok in 1952.

Regency[link]

When the king undertook a period of service as a Buddhist monk in 1956 (as is customary for all Thai Buddhist males), Queen Sirikit became regent.^[2] She performed her duties so satisfactorily that she was made queen regent and given the style of "Somdet Phra Nang Chao Sirikit Phra Borommarachininat" by her husband on his birthday, 5 December 1956. Upon this inception, she became the second Siamese queen regent. The first queen regent was Queen Saovabha Bongsri of Siam, who was regent when her husband King Chulalongkorn travelled to Europe, and later became Queen Sri Patcharindra, the queen mother.

Children[link]

Sirikit in Germany with President Heinrich Lübke and his wife Wilhelmine, 1960.

The couple has 4 children; 3 daughters and a son:

• (Formerly HRH) Princess Ubolratana Rajakanya, born 5 April 1951 in Lausanne, Switzerland; married Peter Ladd Jensen, has 2 daughters (one son deceased)
• HRH Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, born 28 July 1952; married first time with Mom Luang Soamsavali Kitiyakara (later divorced and became HRH the Princess Niece); has 1 daughter. Then married second time with Yuvadhida Polpraserth; has 4 sons and a daughter. And married third time with Srirasmi Akharaphongpreecha; has one son.
• HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, born 2 April 1955; unmarried
• HRH Princess Chulabhorn Walailak, born 4 July 1957; married Virayudh Didyasarin, (then divorced); has 2 daughters

Cultural identity[link]

Queen Sirikit's birthday, like the king's, is a national holiday, and is also Mothers' Day in the country. She is particularly revered in the more remote and traditional parts of the country, where the monarchy is regarded as semi-divine. Her work in promoting tolerance and understanding for the Muslim minorities in the southernmost provinces of Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat have made her especially popular amongst the local Muslim populace. The queen has a strong bond with southern Thailand. She spends months in the Muslim-majority provinces every year. This role of the queen is considered to be as one of the more quiet diplomats.^[3]

Books and writing[link]

Personal Standard of Queen Sirikit, often flown in August (near her birthday and Mothers' Day).

Queen Sirikit published the book In Memory of my European Trip in 1964, which described her time in Europe with the king. It was this book that made the people realise that she was a talented writer. Moreover, she composed many songs for performing with The Handsome Band, the music band of the palace.

The songs she composed were:

• Chao Chom Kwan (เจ้าจอมขวัญ)
• Thas Ther (ทาสเธอ)
• Sai Yud (สายหยุด)
• Nang Yam (นางแย้ม)

Charitable works and honors[link]

Queen Sirikit is well known for her charitable work, where she is the honorary president of the Thai Red Cross, a post she has held since 1956. She gained new prominence in this role in the aftermath of the tsunami disaster in southern Thailand in December 2004. She has also been active in relief work for the many refugees from Cambodia and Burma in Thailand.

Many things in Thailand have been named after the Queen:

• The Queen Sirikit Medical Center building, Ramathibodi Hospital
• The Queen Sirikit Centre for Breast Cancer, a new 10 storey hospital in Bangkok
• the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center in Bangkok
• the Queen Sirikit Park in Bangkok
• the Sirikit Dam on the Nan River, Uttaradit Province
• the Queen Sirikit Botanical Garden, Chiang Mai Province^[4]
• the Queen Sirikit Arboretum Garden, Pathum Thani Province
• the Queen Sirikit Cup, an annual Asian-Pacific golf Teams Event
• the Queen Sirikit Crab (Thaiphusa sirikit)
• the Queen Sirikit Rose
• the Queen's Cup, annual football competition

The queen is also active in promoting Thai culture and history, mainly because of her initiative in the making of the Thai movie The Legend of Suriyothai, one of the most lavish and expensive Thai movies ever made.^[5]

Awards[link]

Honorary degrees[link]

Title and ranks[link]

Monarchical styles of Queen Sirikit of Thailand
Reference style	Her Majesty
Spoken style	Your Majesty
Alternative style	Ma'am

Her formal name and title is Somdet Phra Nang Chao Sirikit Phra Borommarachininat (Thai: สมเด็จพระนางเจ้าสิริกิติ์ พระบรมราชินีนาถ; "Her Majesty Queen Regent Sirikit"). However, her official title is just Queen Sirikit.

At present, the queen ranks as Field Marshal, Admiral of the Fleet and Marshal of the Royal Thai Air Force, usually mentioned in official documents that: Chom Phon Ying Chom Phon Ruea Ying Chom Phon Akat Ying Somdet Phra Nang Chao Sirikit Phra Borommarachininat (Thai: จอมพลหญิง จอมพลเรือหญิง จอมพลอากาศหญิง สมเด็จพระนางเจ้าสิริกิติ์ พระบรมราชินีนาถ; "Her Majesty Queen Regent Sirikit, the Field Marshal, Admiral of the Fleet and Marshal of the Royal Thai Air Force"). The queen holds ceremonial supreme power, after her husband who ranks as the Head of the Royal Thai Armed Forces, among the Royal Thai Army.

• 12 August 1932 – 28 April 1950: The Honourable (English style) or Mom Rajawongse (Thai style) Sirikit Kitiyakara
• 28 April 1950 – 5 December 1956: Her Majesty Queen Sirikit of Thailand
• 5 December 1956–present: Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, Queen Regent of Thailand

In 1976, the Thai government honored the queen by declaring her birthday a national holiday. "Her Majesty the Queen's Birthday" is celebrated on 12 August each year.^[6]

Thai Royal Decorations[link]

• The Most Illustrious Order of the Royal House of Chakri
• The Ancient and Auspicious of Order of the Nine Gems
• Dame Grand Cross (First Class) of The Most Illustrious Order of Chula Chom Klao
• Dame Grand Cordon (Special Class) of The Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant
• Dame Grand Cordon (Special Class) of The Most Noble Order of the Crown of Thailand
• Dame Grand Cross (First Class) of The Most Admirable Order of the Direkgunabhorn
• The Order of Symbolic Propitiousness Ramkeerati (Special Class) - Boy Scout Citation Medal
• Freeman Safeguarding Medal (First Class)
• Dushdi Mala Medal
• The Border Service Medal
• King Rama IX Royal Cypher Medal (First Class)
• King Rama IX Rajaruchi Medal (Gold Class)
• The Red Cross Commendation Medal

Foreign Decorations[link]

• Knight of the Elephant, Order of the Elephant of Denmark
• Dame Commander of The Royal Order of the Seraphim
• Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Netherlands Lion
• Grand Cordon of the Order of Leopold I
• Grand Cross of St. Olav of the Royal Norwegian Order of Saint Olav
• Grand Cross of the Royal and Distinguished Spanish Order of Charles III
• Grand Cross (Special Class) of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
• The Most Exalted Order of the Crown of the Realm (Darjah Utama Seri Mahkota Negara)
• Nishan (First Class) of the Order of Pakistan
• Grand Cordon (First Class) of the Order of the Precious Crown
• Grand Cross of the Order of the Redeemer
• Grand Star of the Decoration of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria
• Grand Cross of the Order of Pahlavi
• Grand Cross of the Most Exalted Order of the Queen of Sheba
• Grand Collar (Raja) of the Order of Sikatuna
• Sovereign of The Nepal Decoration of Honour (Nepal Pratap Bhaskara)
• Grand Cross of Saint Jacques of the Orders of Portugal
• The Order of Romania ประเทศโรมาเนีย
• Grand Cross of the Order of Darjah Kerabat Diraja Terengganu Yang Amat Mulia Darjah Yang Kedua - Panglima of Malaysia

Ancestry[link]

References[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Queen Sirikit of Thailand

Wikisource has original text related to this article: Proclamation on Appointment of Queen Sirikit as Regent

v t e Queens and Consorts of the Chakri Dynasty First Reign Amarindra Second Reign Sri Suriyendra Kundhon Dibayavadi Fourth Reign Soamanas Vadhanavadi Debsirindra Pannarai Fifth Reign Sunandha Kumariratana Sukhumala Marasri Savang Vadhana Saovabha Bongsri Sixth Reign Laksamilawan Indrasakdi Sachi Suvadhana Seventh Reign Rambhai Barni Ninth Reign (current) Sirikit (current) Bold indicate Queen Consorts; the others indicate Princess Consorts.

This article may be expanded with text translated from the corresponding article in the Thai Wikipedia. (August 2011) Don't speak Thai? Click here to read a machine-translated version of the Thai article. Click [show] on the right to review important translation instructions before translating. Google's machine translation is a useful starting point for translations, but translators must revise errors as necessary and confirm that the translation is accurate, rather than simply copy-pasting machine-translated text into English Wikipedia. Do not translate text that appears unreliable or low-quality. If possible, verify the text with references provided in the foreign-language article. After translating, {{Translated|th|สมเด็จพระเทพรัตนราชสุดาฯ สยามบรมราชกุมารี}} must be added to the talk page to ensure copyright compliance. For more guidance, see Wikipedia:Translation.

Sirindhorn
Princess Maha Chakri
Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn in 2009
House	House of Mahidol Chakri Dynasty
Father	King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX)
Mother	Queen Sirikit
Born	(1955-04-02) April 2, 1955 (age 57) Bangkok, Thailand
Religion	Theravada Buddhism

Thai Royal Family
HM The King HM The Queen HRH The Crown Prince HRH Princess Srirasmi HRH Princess Bajrakitiyabha HRH Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana HRH Prince Dipangkorn Rasmijoti HRH The Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn HRH The Princess Chulabhorn Walailak HRH Princess Siribhachudhabhorn HRH Princess Adityadhornkitikhun Princess Ubolratana Rajakanya Lady Ploypailin Jensen Lady Sirikitiya Jensen HRH Princess Soamsawali Lady Dasanavalaya Sorasongkram
v t e

Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn^[1] (Thai: มหาจักรีสิรินธร, Thai pronunciation: [má.hǎː ʨàk.rīː sì.rīn.tʰɔːn]; RTGS: Maha Chakkri Sirinthon; April 2, 1955 — ) is the second daughter of King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

Her full ceremonial title is “Somdet Phra Theppharatratsuda Chao Fa Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Ratthasimakhunakonpiyachat Sayamborommaratchakumari”^[2] (สมเด็จพระเทพรัตนราชสุดา เจ้าฟ้ามหาจักรีสิรินธร รัฐสีมาคุณากรปิยชาติ สยามบรมราชกุมารี), which was bestowned upon her on December 5, 1977. Thais commonly refer to her by reducing such title to “Phra Thep”, meaning “princess angel”.

Because her title in Thai is the female equivalent of the title held by her brother, Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn,^[3] she is informally referred to as "crown princess".^{[citation needed]}

The Thai constitution was altered in 1974 to allow for female succession, thus making her eligible for the throne.^{[citation needed]} As the eldest female child of the royal family (excluding Ubol Ratana, who married a foreign commoner), her position is equivalent to a princess royal.^{[citation needed]}

Biography[link]

Sirindhorn, born April 2, 1955, is the third child of King Bhumibol and Queen Sirikit. Because the royal couple has only one son, the Thai constitution was altered in 1974 to allow for female succession. This made Sirindhorn second-in-line to the throne (after Vajiralongkorn) until the birth of Princess Bajrakitiyabha in 1978. Air Chief Marshall Siddhi Savetsila, a member of the privy council, told a former U.S. ambassador in early 2010 that Sirindhorn could be named successor in the event of Vajiralongkorn's death, i.e. the crown prince's children, including Prince Dipangkorn, might be passed over.^[4] The privy council will submit the name of a successor when the throne becomes vacant.^[5]

Education[link]

Sirindhorn attended kindergarten to upper secondary levels at Chitralada School. She ranked first in the National School Examinations in the primary level (grade 7) in 1967, first in upper secondary level (grade 12) in 1972 and fourth in the National University Entrance Examination.

She obtained a Bachelor of Arts in History (First Class Honor, Gold Medal) from Chulalongkorn University in 1976, and a Master of Arts in Oriental Epigraphy (Sanskrit and Cambodian) from Silpakorn University in 1978 with the thesis entitled 'The Inscriptions Found at Prasad Bnam Run (Prasat Phnom Rung)'. She also obtained a Master of Arts in Pali and Sanskrit from Chulalongkorn University in 1980 with the thesis entitled 'Dasapāramī in Theravada Buddhism'.

HRH Princess Sirindhorn also obtained doctor of philosophy in educational development from Srinakharinwirot University in 1986 with the thesis entitled 'Development of an Innovative Design for the Instruction of Thai Language at the Upper Secondary School Level'.

Works[link]

In Thailand, she is often referred to as the "Princess of Technology" or the "Princess of Information Technology", due to her interest and expertise in applying science for the country's development.

Besides her passion for technology, she holds degrees in history and a doctorate in Educational Development. In addition to Thai she speaks fluent English, French and Chinese and is currently studying German and Latin. Sirindhorn has a very good background in Chinese culture, as well as other oriental cultures. In recent years she has paid many visits to China, both officially and privately, for her studies of the Chinese language and culture. An accomplished musician, she plays the trumpet and several Thai traditional instruments, including the ranat (xylophone) and saw duang.^[6] She also teaches at the History Department of the Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy, where she is the nominal head of the department.

Titles & Styles[link]

Royal cypher of Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn

Styles of Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of Thailand
Reference style	Her Royal Highness
Spoken style	Your Royal Highness
Alternative style	Ma'am

• April 2, 1955 – December 5, 1977: Her Royal Highness The Princess Sirindhorn Debaratanasuda
• December 5, 1977 – : Her Royal Highness The Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn

The Princess's style and title in full: Somdech Phra Debaratanarajasuda Chao Fa Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Rathasimagunakornpiyajat Sayamboromrajakumari (Thai: สมเด็จพระเทพรัตนราชสุดา เจ้าฟ้ามหาจักรีสิรินธร รัฐสีมาคุณากรปิยชาติ สยามบรมราชกุมารี; is equivalent to the British title of The Princess Royal)

Thai Royal Decorations[link]

• The Most Illustrious Order of the Royal House of Chakri
• The Ancient and Auspicious of Order of the Nine Gems
• Dame Grand Cross (First Class) of The Most Illustrious Order of Chula Chom Klao
• Dame Grand Cordon (Special Class) of The Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant
• Dame Grand Cordon (Special Class) of The Most Noble Order of the Crown of Thailand
• Dame Grand Cross (First Class) of The Most Admirable Order of the Direkgunabhorn
• Freeman Safeguarding Medal (First Class)
• Dushdi Mala Medal in Humanities
• The Border Service Medal
• Chakra Mala Medal
• The Boy Scout Citation Medal (First Class)
• King Rama IX Royal Cypher Medal (First Class)
• King Rama IX Rajaruchi Medal (Gold Class)
• Red Cross Medal of Appreciation (First Class)

Foreign Decorations[link]

• Grand Gwanghwa Medal (First Class) of Order of Diplomatic Service Merit
• Grand Cross 1st Class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
• The Most Glorious Order of Ojaswi Rajanya of the Kingdom of Nepal
• Banda de Dama (First Class) of the Order of Isabella the Catholic
• Commander of Ordre des Palmes Academiques (Order of Academic Palms)
• The Most Esteemed Royal Family Order Seri Utama of Brunei
• Grand Cordon (First Class) of the Order of the Precious Crown
• Dame Commander of The Royal Order of the Seraphim
• Grand Cross of the Order of the Dannebrog
• The Royal Victorian Chain
• The Royal Order of Pouono of the Kingdom of Tonga
• Grand Commander of the Most Esteemed Order of the Crown of Malaysia
• Grand Decoration of Honour in Gold with Sash (Second Class) of the Decoration of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria

Ancestry[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn

• Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn’s Personal Affairs Division
• "Biography of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn", at Kanchanapisek Network
• Maha Chakri Sirindhorn and Thai Heritage Conservation
• The Forest Herbarium
• Scholarship Website Information

References[link]

Phra Dharmavisuddhimonggol (Bua Ñāṇasampanno)
School	Theravada, Dhammayutika Nikaya
Lineage	Thai Forest Tradition
Other name(s)	Ajahn Maha Bua Ajahn Maha Boowa Luang Ta Maha Boowa
Dharma name(s)	Ñāṇasampanno
Personal
Nationality	Thai
Born	(1913-08-12)August 12, 1913 Baan Taad village, Udon Thani Province, Thailand
Died	January 30, 2011(2011-01-30) (aged 97) Baan Taad village, Udon Thani Province, Thailand
Senior posting
Based in	Wat Pa Baan Taad
Title	Abbot of Wat Pa Baan Taad
Successor	Phra Ajahn Sudjai Dantamano
Religious career
Teacher	Venerable Ajahn Mun Bhuridatta Mahathera
Website	Luangta.com

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Phra Thamma Wisutthi Mongkhon (Bua Yanasampanno) or Phra Dharma Visuddhi Monggol (Bua Ñāṇasampanno) (Thai: พระธรรมวิสุทธิมงคล (บัว ญาณสมฺปนฺโน)), commonly known as Ajahn Maha Bua or in Thai Luang Ta Maha Bua (Thai: พระอาจารย์มหาบัว, หลวงตามหาบัว; the word "Ajahn" (Thai: อาจารย์; RTGS: Achan) means "teacher"), born as Bua Lohitdee (Thai: บัว โลหิตดี), (August 12, 1913 – January 30, 2011), was a Thai Buddhist monk. Bua is one of the best known Thai Buddhist monks of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. He was widely regarded as an Arahant — a living Buddhist saint. He was a disciple of the esteemed forest master Ajahn Mun Bhuridatta, and was himself considered a master in the Thai Forest Tradition.^[1] He was a harsh critic of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra as well as of events taking place in Watpa Salawan after the death of its abbot Luangpho Phut.^[2]

Biography[link]

Early years[link]

Bua was born in Baan Taad village in the northeastern province of Udon Thani. He was one of 16 children of a rich family of rice farmers.^[3] When he was 21, his parents asked him to enter the monkhood for a season, a Thai tradition to show gratitude towards one's parents. He entered Yothanimit monastery and was ordained on May 12, 1934 with Venerable Chao Khun Dhammachedi as his preceptor. His preceptor gave him the Pali name 'Nanasampanno', meaning 'one endowed with wisdom'. At the time, Bua had no intention of remaining a monk for the rest of his life.

As Pra Nanasampanno, he studied the incarnations of the Buddha and his Arahant Disciples. He has said he was so impressed that he decided to seek the same enlightenment as had the Buddha's original disciples. He tried to understand the ways of practicing the Dhamma (Dharma) which would eventually lead to Nibbana (Nirvana).

He studied Pali, the language of Theravada Buddhism, as well as the Vinaya (the monastic rules of correct conduct). After seven years, he passed the third level of Pali studies, and achieved the highest level in Dhamma and Vinaya studies. He then concentrated entirely on the practice of Dhamma in hopes of studying with Venerable Ajahn Mun, one of the most renowned meditation masters of his time.^[4]

Venerable Ajahn Mun[link]

From left: Ven. Ajahn Mun Bhuridatta, Ven. Luangpu Khao Analayo, Ven. Luangpu Louis Chandasaro and Ven.Luangta Maha Bua. The picture was probably taken at old main sala of Wat Pa NongphueNa Nai in Sakok Nakhon.

Nanasampanno then went in search of Venerable Ajahn Mun. When he finally met him, he was pleased with his efforts, since it seemed as if Mun already knew his desires, intentions, and doubts. Mun clarified the questions in his mind and showed him the paths leading to Nibbana still exist. Nanasampanno said to himself:

"Now, I have come to the real thing. He has made everything clear and I no longer have doubts. It is now up to me to be true or otherwise. I'm determined to be true!"

He learned the meditation methods followed by Mun, based on the principles of Buddhism and the code of Buddhist discipline. He continued to follow these methods in his own teaching of monks and novices. Due to his deep respect and admiration for Mun, whom he likens to a father and mother to his students, he was inspired to write a biography of Mun to disseminate his methods of practice and document his character for coming generations. He has also written many books on the practice of Buddhist meditation and recorded teachings on Dhamma so Buddhists may have a guide in practicing meditation.^[5] One of his fellow student monks was Ajahn Thate.

Seclusion and establishing a monastery[link]

In 1950, after the death of Mun, Bua sought a secluded place. He went to Huey Sai village in Mukdahan province. He was very strict and serious in teaching the monks and novices, both in the austere dhutanga practices and in meditation. He continued his teaching until these same principles became established amongst his followers.

Learning that his mother was ill, he returned home to look after her. Villagers and relatives requested that he settle permanently in the forest south of the village and no longer wander in the manner of a forest monk. As his mother was very old and that it was appropriate for him to look after her, he accepted the offer. With a donation of 64 acres (26 ha) of land, he began to build his monastery in November 1955. It was given the name Wat Pa Baan Taad.^[5]

Wat Pa Baan Taad[link]

Bua said:

"This monastery has always been a place for meditation. Since the beginning it has been a place solely for developing the mind. I haven't let any other work disturb the place. If there are things which must be done, I've made it a rule that they take up no more time than is absolutely necessary. The reason for this is that, in the eyes of the world and the Dhamma, this is a meditation temple. We're meditation monks. The work of the meditation monk was handed over to him on the day of his ordination by his Preceptor - in all its completeness. This is his real work, and it was taught in a form suitable for the small amount of time available during the ordination ceremony - five meditation objects to be memorized in forward and reverse order - and after that it's up to each individual to expand on them and develop them to whatever degree of breadth or subtlety he is able to. In the beginning the work of a monk is given simply as: Kesa - hair of the head, Loma - hair of the body, Nakha - nails, Danta - teeth, Taco - the skin which enwraps the body. This is the true work for those monks who practice according to the principles of Dhamma as were taught by the Lord Buddha."

The wilderness surrounding the monastery has vanished, as it has now been cleared for cultivation. The forest inside the monastery is all that remains. Wat Pa Baan Taad preserves this remnant in its original condition, so that monks, novices, and lay people can use its tranquility for the practice of the Dhamma as taught by the Lord Buddha.^[5]

Rise to fame[link]

Bua has traveled to London to give lectures. He also founded the Help Thai Nation Project, a charitable effort dedicated to helping the Thai economy. He has been visited and supported by the King and Queen of Thailand.

Bua's biographer wrote:

"Ven. Ajahn Maha Bua is well known for the fluency and skill of his Dhamma talks, and their direct and dynamic approach. They obviously reflect his own attitude and the way he personally practiced Dhamma. This is best exemplified in the Dhamma talks he gives to those who go to meditate at Wat Pa Bahn Tahd. Such talks usually take place in the cool of the evening, with lamps lit and the only sound being the insects and cicadas in the surrounding jungle. He often begins the Dhamma talk with a few moments of stillness — this is the most preparation he needs — and then quietly begins the Dhamma exposition. As the theme naturally develops, the pace quickens and those listening increasingly feel its strength and depth."^[1]

Some basic teachings on the 'Citta'[link]

Bua sees the essential enduring truth of the sentient being as constituted of the indestructible reality of the citta (heart/mind), which is characterized by the attribute of Awareness or Knowingness. This citta, which is intrinsically bright, clear, and Aware, gets superficially tangled up in samsara but ultimately cannot be destroyed by any samsaric phenomenon. Although Bua is often at pains to emphasise the need for meditation upon the non-Self (anatta), he also points out that the citta, while getting caught up in the vortex of conditioned phenomena, is not subject to destruction as are those things which are impermanent, suffering, and non-Self (anicca, dukkha, anatta). The citta is ultimately not beholden to these laws of conditioned existence. The citta is bright, radiant, and deathless, and is its own independent reality:

'Being intrinsically bright and clear, the citta is always ready to make contact with everything of every nature. Although all conditioned phenomena without exception are governed by the three universal laws of anicca, dukkha, and anattã, the citta’s true nature is not subject to these laws. The citta is conditioned by anicca, dukkha, and anattã only because things that are subject to these laws come spinning in to become involved with the citta and so cause it to spin along with them. However, though it spins in unison with conditioned phenomena, the citta never disintegrates or falls apart. It spins following the influence of those forces which have the power to make it spin, but the true power of the citta’s own nature is that it knows and does not die. This deathlessness is a quality that lies beyond disintegration. Being beyond disintegration, it also lies beyond the range of anicca, dukkha, and anattã and the universal laws of nature. ….'^[6]

The fundamental problem that besets human beings, according to Bua, is that they have taken fake and false things as their true self and lack the necessary power to be their 'own true self'; they allow the wiles and deceits of the mental defilements to generate fear and anxiety in their minds. Fear and anxiety are not inherent within the citta; in fact, the citta is ultimately beyond all such things and indeed is beyond time and space. But it needs to be cleansed of its inner defilements (the kilesas) before that truth can be realised. Bua states:

‘Our real problem, our one fundamental problem—which is also the citta’s fundamental problem—is that we lack the power needed to be our own true self. Instead, we have always taken counterfeit things to be the essence of who we really are, so that the citta’s behavior is never in harmony with its true nature. Rather, it expresses itself through the kilesas’ cunning deceits, which cause it to feel anxious and frightened of virtually everything … As a result, the citta is forever full of worries and fears. And although fear and worry are not intrinsic to the citta, they still manage to produce apprehension there. When the citta has been cleansed so that it is absolutely pure and free of all involvement, only then will we see a citta devoid of all fear. Then, neither fear nor courage appear, only the citta’s true nature, existing naturally alone on its own, forever independent of time and space. Only that appears—nothing else. This is the genuine citta’.^[7]

Bua goes on to attempt to describe the inner stages and experience of the cleansed citta. When its purgation of defilements is complete, it itself does not disappear – only the impermanent, suffering, and the non-Self disappear. The citta remains, experientially abiding in its own firm foundation, yet ultimately indescribable:

‘Once the Citta has become so well-cleansed that it is always bright and clear, then … even though the citta has not ‘converged’ in samãdhi, the focal point of its awareness is so exceedingly delicate and refined as to be indescribable. This subtle awareness manifests as a radiance that extends forth in all directions around us. We are unconscious of sights, sounds, odors, tastes, and tactile sensations, despite the fact that the citta has not entered samãdhi. Instead, it is actually experiencing its own firm foundation, the very basis of the citta that has been well-cleansed to the point where a mesmerizing, majestic quality of knowing is its most prominent feature.

‘Seeming to exist independent of the physical body, this kind of extremely refined awareness stands out exclusively within the citta. Due to the subtle and pronounced nature of the citta at this stage, its knowing nature completely predominates. No images or visions appear there at all. It is an awareness that stands out exclusively on its own. This is one aspect of the citta.

‘Another aspect is seen when this well-cleansed citta enters meditative calm, not thinking or imagining anything. Ceasing all activity, all movement, it simply rests for awhile. All thought and imagination within the citta come to a complete halt. This is called “the citta entering a state of total calm.” Then, the citta’s essential knowing nature is all that remains. Except for this very refined awareness—an awareness that seems to blanket the entire cosmos—absolutely nothing else appears… Distance is not a factor. To be precise, the citta is beyond the conditions of time and space, which allows it to blanket everything. Far is like near, for concepts of space do not apply. All that appears is a very refined awareness suffusing everything throughout the entire universe. The whole world seems to be filled by this subtle quality of knowing, as though nothing else exists, though things still exist in the world as they always have. The all-encompassing flow of the citta that has been cleansed of the things that cloud and obscure it, this is the citta’s true power.

'The citta that is absolutely pure is even more difficult to describe. Since it is something that defies definition, I don’t know how I could characterize it. It cannot be expressed in the same way that conventional things in general can be, simply because it is not a conventional phenomenon. It is the sole province of those who have transcended all aspects of conventional reality, and thus realize within themselves that non-conventional nature. For this reason, words cannot describe it.

'Why do we speak of a “Conventional” Citta and an “absolutely pure” citta? Are they actually two different cittas? Not at all. It remains the same citta. When it is controlled by conventional realities, such as kilesas and ãsavas, that is one condition of the citta. But when the faculty of wisdom has scrubbed it clean until this condition has totally disintegrated, the true citta, the true Dhamma, the one that can stand the test, will not disintegrate and disappear along with it. Only the conditions of anicca, dukkha, and anattã, which infiltrate the citta, actually disappear.

'No matter how subtle the kilesas may be, they are still conditioned by anicca, dukkha, and anattã, and therefore, must be conventional phenomena. Once these things have completely disintegrated, the true citta, the one that has transcended conventional reality, becomes fully apparent. This is called the citta’s Absolute Freedom, or the citta’s Absolute Purity. All connections continuing from the citta’s previous condition have been severed forever. Now utterly pure, the citta’s essential knowing nature remains alone on its own….

'Since this refined awareness does not have a point or a center, it is impossible to specifically locate its position. There is only that essential knowing, with absolutely nothing infiltrating it. Although it still exists amid the same khandhas with which it used to intermix, it no longer shares any common characteristics with them. It is a world apart. Only then do we know clearly that the body, the khandhas, and the citta are all distinct and separate realities…'^[8]

Some of the notions found here are reminiscent of the Tathagatagarbha tradition - although the latter posits an original, primordial purity to the mind, whereas Bua sees that purity as needing to be established through mental and moral cultivation.^[9]

Kammatthana[link]

Kammatthana literally means "basis of work" or "place of work". It describes the contemplation of certain meditation themes used by a meditating monk so the forces of defilement (kilesa), craving (tanha), and ignorance (avijja) may be uprooted from the mind. Although kammatthana can be found in many meditation-related subjects, the term is most often used to identify the forest tradition (the Kammatthana tradition) lineage founded by Ajahn Sao Kantasilo Mahathera and his student Ajahn Mun Bhuridatta Mahathera.^[1]

Criticism of Thaksin Shinawatra[link]

On 27 September 2005, Manager Daily published a sermon by Luang Ta Maha Bua.^[10][11] The sermon was extremely critical of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. Especially controversial were the following quotes:

"They complained to me about PM Thaksin and Mr. Visanu and two other people that I don’t remember. This is the big ogre, big power. Atrocious power will swallow our country, bite liver and lungs and aim for the presidency....He will put a torch to the country. He will never listen....This savagery and atrocity appear in every aspect of him.... All he has are things to be used for burning."

"He is clearly aiming for the presidency now. The monarch trampled, the religion trampled, the country trampled, by this savage and atrocious power in a few people in the government circle. That is the circle of ogres, of ghosts, of trolls, of demons, all in there....So even Devadatta saw the harm he caused, and he was rewarded for his good deed. He would attain Buddhahood. For those who have made mistakes, if we see the harm we cause, we can still get by. But what is it with Thailand? What kind of governance?"

"They even dare to accuse Luangta Maha Bua of playing politics. Politics, what dog shit. There’s only shit all over the country. I brought the Buddha’s dharma to cleanse in order for them to repent and recognize good and evil. Because they’re the government. The world flatters them as smart people, but don’t be smart down in a toilet. Don’t be smart about putting a torch to the head of everyone in the country, from Nation, Religion, and Monarchy on down. These guys will get burned unless they recognize the truth. I’m saddened by all this. How does this come about?"

On 11 October 2005, Thaksin sued Manager newspaper for THB 500 million.^[12] As monks have traditionally been above criticism, Thaksin did not sue Luang Ta Maha Bua. "This is an exercise of an individual's right to protect his reputation and privacy. The newspaper did not criticise the prime minister fairly as a public official, but rather it took him to task personally, using harsh words, which was damaging to him," Thana Benjathikul, Thaksin's lawyer said.

Thaksin's legal team noted that other newspapers only published selected passages of the sermon, and furthermore, that a slanderous headline was used. Respected civil rights lawyer Thongbai Thongpao has noted that Thaksin's lawsuit did have merit. He added that the lawsuits "do not constitute an attack on freedom of the press".^[13]

The case, along with several other libel cases, was withdrawn after King Bhumibol Adulyadej indirectly advised against such legal action during his annual birthday speech.

As recently as 14 March 2006, Luang Ta Maha Bua asked Thaksin to resign. In a sermon that the monk called "most vehement since the temple was set up," the monk said it was time for Thaksin to abandon the "rotten system he is presiding over". He described the government as "wicked, corrupt, power-hungry, and greedy".^[14]

See also[link]

• Ajahn Mun Bhuridatta
• Wat Pa Baan Taad
• Thai Forest Tradition
• Ajahn Chah

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Bua Ñanasampanno

• Luang Ta Maha Bua's homepage
• Arahattamagga Arahattaphala - The Path to Arahantship
• Buddhanet's page on Ajahn Maha Bua
• The Dhamma of Ajaan Panyavaddho