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Published on October 11, 2007

 

Khuhasawan in Phatthalung's Muang district on May 11, 1911, and was originally called Pan Sanehcharoen.

Ordained as a novice at Wat Uppananthanaram in Ranong when he was 18 years old, Phra Panya later entered the monkhood at the age of 20 in Nanglad temple in Muang Phatthalung in 1931 - with Phra Jaroonkaranee as his preceptor.

Phra Panya went to study Dharma at Buddhist schools in provinces such as Nakhon Si Thammarat, Songkhla and Bangkok. He passed as the Phuket Diocese's top "Naktham Tri" (dhamma scholar elementary level). He went on to pass the "Naktham Tho" (dhamma scholar intermediate level) and "Naktham Ek" (dhamma scholar advanced level) the next year in Nakhon Si Thammarat.

Phra Panya studied Pali at Bangkok's Wat Samphraya and passed the 7th grade in Pali examination as constituted by the Thai Sangha before the start of World War II, which forced him to end his studies and return to Phatthalung.

He started teaching Lord Buddha's Dharma in various places in the South and had spent some rainy season retreat periods at Wat Sitawanaram and Wat Pin Bang On in Malaysia's Penang State, where he studied both English and Chinese as tools to further spread the Dharma teachings. In 1932, Phra Panya joined an Italian monk, Phra Lokanart, to travel barefoot through Burma on a pilgrimage to India and

other parts of the world, but their journey ended in Burma after which Phra Panya returned to Thailand.

From 1932 to 1933, Phra Panya had the chance to travel aboard

to teach Dharma in several countries until he became known as

the first Thai Buddhist monk to announce the Lord Buddha's teachings in Europe.

In 1934, Phra Panya went to stay at Suan Mokkh, a forest Dharma centre in Surat Thani's Chaiya district.

There he dedicated his life to Buddha's teaching together with his peers, including the late Phra Buddhadasa Bhikkhu, who was entered on Unesco's list of great international personalities in 2005. In 1949, Phra Panya was invited to stay at Wat Umong in Chiang Mai, where he taught Dharma to the public on Buddhist holy days and Sundays.

He also taught Buddhist monks at the Buddhanikom he founded, while writing newspapers articles and many Dharma books.

He was well-known as Phra Panyanandha Bhikkhu in Chiang Mai, where he also established the Mettasuksa Foundation at Wat Chedi Luang and was involved in many activities that benefited society.

In 1959, the Royal Irrigation Department built Wat Chon Pratan Rangsarit in Nonthaburi's Pak Kred district and invited Phra Panya to be the abbot in 1960 - and where he stayed until his death.

 He was conferred three honorary doctorate degrees in Education - from Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University in 1981, from Ramkhamhaeng University in 1988, from Srinakharinwirot University in 1991.

He also obtained two honorary doctorate degrees in Liberal Arts from Chulalongkorn University

in 1993 and from Thammasat University in 1994, and an honorary doctorate in Philosophy

and Religions from Prince of Songkla University in 1993.

Phra Panya revolutionised the traditional method of monks reciting Dharma teachings from a pulpit holding a "talipot" fan, to giving public lectures and citing examples from the contemporary world, and attracting many to study Dharma.

This shift was initially met with objections but was later

widely accepted. Phra Panya's followers would go to listen to his

lectures, and he was invited to teach Dharma via radio and

television.

He was also invited to teach Dharma in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand and was a regular speaker at world religious meetings, such as the 1993 Parliament of the World's Religions in Chicago.

Phra Panya received numerous awards and honours for his activities benefiting Buddhism and

Thai society, such as a Dharma teaching project aboard, fund-raising for a Krom Chon Pratan Hospital building and Wat Panyanandaram - both of which are currently under construction.

The Nation