A Brief History of Wat Phra Dhammakaya: A Spiritual Oasis : หน้า 19/91

B RIEF HISTORY 1 In the midst of the daily rush and bustle demanded by modern metropolitan life has grown up a unique cultural centre to encourage and awaken people to the transformation that can be wrought by people in their own lives when they emphasize the inner spiritual aspect of human life rather than the material one. Where in society can one look for somewhere to slow the pace and set the example of life that has more to it than a headlong gallop after material prosperity in life? Such an oasis that quenches the thirst of those in quest of the higher things of life is Wat Phra Dhammakaya, Pathumthani, Thailand, the headquarters of the Dhammakaya Foundation. 2 Situated only sixteen kilometres north of Bangkok International Airport, Wat Phra Dhammakaya is more than just temple buildings. It is a community that exemplifies a culture of peace and non-violence where meditation comes first and material concerns are put to one side. Here closer to nature and with an emphasis the first thing the visitor will notice on arriving at the temple is self-discipline and cleanliness that form part of a culture that turn the mind inwards a higher quality and potential. The hub of culture for the improvement of the quality of the mind is the practice of meditation. 3 The Dhammakaya Foundation arose in Thailand in an era of cultural turbulence brought about by a generation who were embracing the new (and primarily material) culture without sufficient cultural analysis to realize the values of the old culture which should be cherished and adapted to the modern era. From it inception the fundamental goals of Dhammakaya Foundation have been to initiate and perpetuate the lasting world peace through facilitating a higher level of the human mind. This is accomplished by re-establishment of the spiritual teachings of moral development among children and adult. It has long been known among the quality of the human mind the potential for harmony and peace in the world. 4 At the outset, and at many times during its history, the leaders of the tradition emphasized primarily on to preserve the Dhammakaya meditation rediscovered the early tradition: a tradition of late meditation master through the dedication of the Phramonkothepmuni (1884-1959). Because of the need of the modern generation for guidance on adaptation of tradition values to modern society, the Dhammakaya activities to a wider varieties of meditation and virtue needed to upgrade the consciousness of our society. 5 The Dhammakaya tradition in our era started in 1919 when the Great Abbot of Wat Paknam (Phramonkothepmuni) strove with a determination to the degree that he was prepared to lay down his life and re-discovered the highest wisdom of meditation. Meditation, previously considered nothing more than a mental exercise or spiritual austerity, became popular through this master's dedication to teaching and research in the Dhammakaya Tradition he has rediscovered. The Great Abbot's most gifted disciple was a nun, Khun Yay Upasika Jan Kohn-nok-yung) 6 After the passing of Phramonkothepmuni, his leading disciple and protege Khun Yay Upasika Jan Kohn-nok-yung(b. 1909) inherited the task of perpetuating the Dhammakaya Tradition and taught at her own small house at Wat Paknam Basicharoen until the number of students exceeded the space available. Khun Yay's group moved to the present site of Wat Phra Dhammakaya in Pathumthani, Thailand in 1970. There they started the challenging task of reclaiming barren paddy fields and re-establishing the woodland that today makes Wat Phra Dhammakaya famous as a haven for meditation practice and training.