The Legacy of Dhammakaya Temple : หน้า 21/135

The Dhammakaya Temple was formally established on Magha Puja Day, February 20, 1970. It was originally called Buddhajhar Meditation Center. The Main Chapel was completed in 1982. The property was later expanded to 1,000 acres in 1985. The great Dhammakaya Cetiya, the world's largest Buddhist monument where 300,000 Buddha images are enshrined on the exterior dome, was completed in the year 2000. The Grand Opening Ceremony of the Cetiya took place on Saturday, April 22, 2000. Khun Yai was 91 years old when the great Cetiya was completed. She lived to see that big day. The Great Dhammakaya Cetiya is indeed a gift to mankind. The compounds surrounding the Cetiya are now the gathering grounds for Buddhists around the world. Over one million Buddhists gather at the Cetiya during important Buddhist events. The Dhammakaya’s mission statement is “World Peace through Inner Peace”. Its goal is to “change the world, one person at a time”. The Dhammakaya Temple, Khun Yai’s brainchild, is now the center of Buddhism for all Buddhists around the world. Khun Yai passed away on the morning of Sunday, September 10, 2000. At her Cremation Ceremony in 2002, 100,000 Buddhist monks from countries all over Thailand, many senior monks from twenty different countries, and hundreds of thousands of others from around the world came to pay their final respect to Khun Yai. This is the biggest gathering of Buddhists in history. Like the story in a fairy tale: A tiny little farmer girl, completely illiterate, took a journey on a spiritual quest, found a Great Master, learned the great Knowledge from the Master, went on to build a great temple, produced many true monks and virtuous people, and brought goodness to mankind. Khun Yai’s legacy lives on.