Laow Panyasiri
Laow Panyasiri (born 7 August 1960) is a Thai Buddhist monk and the abbot of Wat Buddhapadipa in Wimbledon, London.
Laow Panyasiri | |
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Personal | |
Born | Laow Pracharart เหลา ประชาราษฎร์ 7 August 1960 Phayu, Sisaket, Thailand |
Religion | Buddhism |
School | Theravāda |
Education |
|
Dharma names | Paññāsiri ปญฺญาสิริ |
Monastic name | Phra Ratchawithetpanyakhun พระราชวิเทศปัญญาคุณ |
Order | Mahā Nikāya |
Senior posting | |
Teacher |
|
Ordination |
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Previous post | Abbot of Wat Mahathat, Kings Bromley |
Present post | Abbot of Wat Buddhapadipa (since 30 January 2023) |
Name
Laow's birth name was Laow Pracharart (Thai: เหลา ประชาราษฎร์; RTGS: Lao Pracharat). His Dhamma name, in the Pali language, is Paññāsiri (Thai: ปญฺญาสิริ; RTGS: Panyasiri), and his monastic title is Phra Ratchawithetpanyakhun (Thai: พระราชวิเทศปัญญาคุณ).[1]
He is commonly known as Chao Khun Laow (Thai: เจ้าคุณเหลา).[2] Chao Khun is a colloquial title for monks with the rank of Phra Ratchakhana.[3]
Life
Laow was born on 7 August 1960 in Phayu, Sisaket, Thailand. He was ordained as a novice monk (sāmaṇera) at Wat Mahathat in Bangkok on 20 December 1973, at the age of 13. His higher ordination (upasampadā) took place on 13 July 1980, at the age of 19, with Chodok Yanasitthi as his preceptor (upajjhāya).[1]
He received his doctorate from the University of Birmingham in 2004, with a thesis entitled The British Practice of Theravada Buddhism.[4]
He has established a number of temples in Britain, including a temple at Fort Austin in Plymouth.[5]
On 30 January 2023, the Sangha Supreme Council appointed him as the new abbot of Wat Buddhapadipa in Wimbledon, London.[2] He had been the acting abbot since 25 November 2022.[6]
References
- "พระราชวิเทศปัญญาคุณ (เหลา ปญฺญาสิริ ป.ธ.๔ ,ดร.)". Sangkhatikan.com (in Thai). Archived from the original on 7 April 2023.
- "มส.ตั้ง "หลวงพ่ออลงกต" ที่ปรึกษาเจ้าคณะภาค 3 "เจ้าคุณเหลา" เป็นเจ้าอาวาสวัดพุทธประทีป ลอนดอน". Daily News (in Thai). 30 January 2023. Archived from the original on 30 January 2023.
- Jackson, Peter A. (1989). Buddhism, Legitimation, and Conflict: The Political Functions of Urban Thai Buddhism. Singapore: Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. p. 17. ISBN 981-3035-21-8.
- Pracharart, Phramaha Laow Panyasiri (2004). The British Practice of Theravada Buddhism. Doctoral thesis. University of Birmingham.
- Chapman, Peter (28 June 2020). "Incredible tour of Plymouth 'temple of peace' for Thai monks". Plymouth Live. Archived from the original on 29 June 2020.
- "พิธีบำเพ็ญกุศลสวดพระอภิธรรมถวาย พระเดชพระคุณ พระเทพภาวนามงคล วิ. อดีตเจ้าอาวาสวัดพุทธปทีป กรุงลอนดอน อดีตประธานองค์กรพระธรรมทูตไทย" (in Thai). National Office of Buddhism. 26 November 2022. Archived from the original on 28 November 2022.