P. A. Payutto

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P. A. Payutto
ป.อ. ปยุตฺโต
Personal
Born
Prayudh Aryankura
ประยุทธ์ อารยางกูร

(1938-01-12) 12 January 1938 (age 86)
Mahā Nikāya
Senior posting
Ordination
PostAbbot of Wat Nyanavesakavan
(since 1994)

P. A. Payutto (Thai: ป.อ. ปยุตฺโต; born 12 January 1938), also known by his current monastic title, Somdet Phra Buddhaghosacariya (Thai: สมเด็จพระพุทธโฆษาจารย์), is a well-known Thai Buddhist monk, an intellectual, and a prolific writer.

Payutto has lectured and written extensively about a variety of topics related to Buddhism, including the position of women in Buddhism[1] and the relationship between Buddhism and the environment.[2] He was awarded the 1994 UNESCO Prize for Peace Education.[3]

Because changes in Thai monastic title involve adding or changing monastic names, Payutto has been known by, and published under, a variety of different names over his career. Previously, he was known as Phra Rajavaramuni, Phra Debvedhi, Phra Dhammapitaka, and Phra Bhramagunabhorn. Upon his appointment to the Sangha Supreme Council in 2016, his current title is Somdet Phra Buddhaghosacariya.[4][5]

Early life

Payutto was born as the fifth child of Samran and Chunkee Aryankura on 12 January 1938 in Si Prachan district, Suphan Buri province, Thailand.[6]: 1987 [7] Payutto received his early education in Suphan Buri. During his childhood, Payutto suffered a lot of illnesses, some of which involved him in surgeries and many have followed him until today. Poor health made it difficult for him to commit to school and formal education. Discouraged by his health, Payutto came back to Suphanburi after completing junior high school at Pathum Khongkha School in

Vipassanā. Under his father's encouragement, he moved to Wat Phra Piren in Bangkok and went on to achieve the highest-level (ninth-level) studies in the Pali language while still a samanera, for which he was granted a royal ordination ceremony into the monkhood at Wat Phra Kaew on 24 July 1961.[6]: 1988 [7] He embraced the monastic name "Payutto", literally "a person with unrelenting efforts". Payutto received a bachelor's degree in Buddhist studies from Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University
in 1962.

A scholarly monk

After securing instructor qualifications, Payutto was appointed Associate Dean of Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University and had maintained this position for the following ten years. He played an important role in modernizing Sangha's education by relating knowledge in Buddhism to contemporary social issues. Payutto assumed the post of Deputy Abbot of Wat Phra Piren in 1973, but resigned three years later to dedicate himself to academic work. He published a number of books and articles, and regularly attended academic seminars and conferences, surrounding himself with contemporary scholars and intellectuals. He authored Buddhadhamma, recognized as a masterpiece among Buddhist scholars. He received honorary degrees from more than ten universities, both domestic and foreign. When he received UNESCO's Prize for Peace Education, he donated all the funds received to the Ministry of Education of Thailand for the establishing of Phra Dhampitaka Education for Peace Foundation.

Payutto is currently serving as Abbot of Nyanavesakavan Temple (Wat Nyanavesakavan), located in Tambon Bang Krathuek,

Nakhon Pathom Province
.

Defending the Pali Canon

Payutto strongly believes in strict interpretation of Pali Canon, very much in line with the

Dhammakaya Movement. Payutto reviewed the essence of the Pali Canon, cited Pali texts he believed were misinterpreted by the temple, and came up with counterarguments in the context of the Pali Canon. He argued that the term Dhammakaya was not correctly interpreted, and claimed that if the temple continued to uphold false interpretations, it could not do so any longer under the umbrella of Theravada Buddhism.[8]

I.B. Horner, but Payutto dismissed these as incorrect.[11]

Achievements

Payutto has published a number of books that examine contemporary social issues, such as

natural laws and that it forms a basis of modern sciences.[13] Payutto also points to Buddhism as the indispensable path to happiness.[14]

International awards and recognitions

  • 1994 UNESCO Prize for Peace Education
  • 1995 Appointed to a post of Tipitaka Acharaya, as a scholar well versed in the Pali Canon, by Nava Nalanda Institute[7]
  • 2005 Awarded the Most Eminent Scholar as a guru of
    Theravada Buddhism by The World Buddhist University[7]

References

  1. ^ Where women stand by Bhikkhu Prayudh Payutto – Dharmaweb Archived 2007-06-09 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ Buddhism :: Ecology :: Wheel of Life
  3. ^ Faces and Lives of Prayudh Payutto, Ven
  4. ^ "Sangha Act set to pass - The Nation". The Nation. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  5. ^ "Buddhists welcome promotion of Phra Payutto". Asean Breaking News. 10 December 2016. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
  6. ^ a b Payutto, P. A. (2021). Buddhadhamma: The Laws of Nature and Their Benefits to Life (PDF) (4th ed.). Bangkok: Buddhadhamma Foundation. Archived (PDF) from the original on 11 September 2021.
  7. ^ a b c d "Wat Nyanavesakavan". Wat Nyanavesakavan. Archived from the original on 1 January 2008. Retrieved 12 February 2008.
  8. ^
    ISBN 974-575-455-2
    . (in Thai)
  9. ISBN 974-7308-18-5
    .
  10. ^ Ireland, John D. "Tittha Sutta: Sectarians (1) (Ud 6.4)". Access To Insight. Access to Insight (Legacy Edition). Retrieved 20 August 2016.
  11. ISBN 9781441624109
  12. ISBN 974-7092-09-3
    . (in Thai)
  13. ISBN 974-565-556-2
    . (in Thai)
  14. ^ พระพรหมคุณาภรณ์ (2004). สุขภาวะองค์รวมแนวพุทธ. กรุงเทพฯ: โรงพิมพ์อักษรสัมพันธ์. (in Thai)

Further reading

External links

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