• Abbot, Wat Luang Phor Sodh Dhammakayaram (July 9, 1991),
• President of the Executive Committee, National Coordination Center of Provincial Meditation Institutes of Thailand (Elected by the Directors of Provincial Meditation Institutes from throughout the country at a Seminar and Practicum organized by the National Buddhist Office 23-25 April 2008 at Wat Yanawa, Bangkok, Thailand and recognized by the Sangha Body),
• Director and Principal-Meditation Master, Wat Luang Phor Sodh Buddhist Meditation Institute (Since 2006)  An Associated Institution of the World Buddhist University,
• Vice-chairman of the Administrative Committee, Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University Region 15 Academic Services Center (November 19, 2007),
• Director, Dhammakaya Buddhist Meditation Institute (1981),
• Manager, Rajburi Provincial Pali Studies Center (Appointed by the Sangha Body, October 20, 1999),
• Director, Rajburi Provincial Meditation Practice Center (Appointed by the Sangha Body, March 6, 2001),
• Director, Center for Development of Virtues and Ethics for the Security of the Nation, Religion and Monarchy (2009).

Phra Thepyanmongkol’s mission is to revitalize Buddhism, placing equal emphasis on scripture study and meditation practice. He has published over 80 books, 250 articles, and two journals. He makes monthly radio and weekly TV broadcasts nationwide and internationally in both Thai and English, and has recorded over 900 Dhamma lectures. His efforts have achieved noteworthy success both in the national Dhamma and Pali examinations and in training over 2,000 senior monks as Vipassana meditation teachers. Phra Thepyanmongkol has studied and practiced Buddhist meditation since 1970. He has passed Nak Dhamma Ek & Pali Level 6, and has taught meditation since 1982. From 1986-1989, he taught Buddhism at 17 universities and temples throughout the United States.

Phra Thepyanmongkol has been the Abbot of Wat Luang Phor Sodh, which he founded and built, since July 9, 1991. The Wat currently trains over 15,000 participants per year. It has been designated by the Sangha Body as both a Provincial Pali Studies Center (on October 20, 1999) and as a Provincial Meditation Training Center (on March 6, 2001). At that time, less than 100 of the 35,000 temples in Thailand had achieved this honor. In 1998, he received the Royal Ecclesiastical Rank of Phra Bhavana Visutthikhun, and in 2004 the rank of Phra Rajyanvisith. He received an honorary doctorate in Buddhist Principles in Management from Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University in BE 2550 (2007) and a second honorary doctorate in Buddhist Studies from Mahamakut University in BE 2552 (2009). In BE 2551 (2008), he became President of the National Coordination Center of Provincial Meditation Institutes of Thailand.

Phra Thepyanmongkol’s mission is to revitalize Buddhism, placing equal emphasis on scripture study and meditation practice. He has published over 80 books, 250 articles, and two journals. He makes monthly radio and weekly TV broadcasts nationwide and internationally in both Thai and English, and has recorded over 900 Dhamma lectures. His efforts have achieved noteworthy success both in the national Dhamma and Pali examinations and in training over 2,000 senior monks as Vipassana meditation teachers. Phra Thepyanmongkol has studied and practiced Buddhist meditation since 1970. He has passed Nak Dhamma Ek & Pali Level 6, and has taught meditation since 1982. From 1986-1989, he taught Buddhism at 17 universities and temples throughout the United States.

Phra Thepyanmongkol has been the Abbot of Wat Luang Phor Sodh, which he founded and built, since July 9, 1991. The Wat currently trains over 15,000 participants per year. It has been designated by the Sangha Body as both a Provincial Pali Studies Center (on October 20, 1999) and as a Provincial Meditation Training Center (on March 6, 2001). At that time, less than 100 of the 35,000 temples in Thailand had achieved this honor. In 1998, he received the Royal Ecclesiastical Rank of Phra Bhavana Visutthikhun, and in 2004 the rank of Phra Rajyanvisith. He received an honorary doctorate in Buddhist Principles in Management from Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University in BE 2550 (2007) and a second honorary doctorate in Buddhist Studies from Mahamakut University in BE 2552 (2009). In BE 2551 (2008), he became President of the National Coordination Center of Provincial Meditation Institutes of Thailand.

Wat Luang Phor Sodh Dhammakayaram

Phra Thepyanmongkol has led Wat Luang Phor Sodh to become a recognized center of excellence in meditation practice, Pali language, scripture studies, and temple administration. The temple conducts or coordinates training locally for Rajburi Province, regionally for Ecclesiastical Region 15 (four central provinces), nationally for the Thai National Office of Buddhism, and internationally for the World Buddhist University.

At the provincial level, Wat Luang Phor Sodh is one of very few temples in Thailand designated as both a Provincial Pali Studies Center (since 1999) and a Provincial Meditation Institute (since 2000).

At the regional level, Wat Luang Phor Sodh serves as an Academic Services Unit for Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University, training monks from throughout Ecclesiastical Region 15, which consists of four central provinces: Samut Song Khram, Ratchaburi, Petchaburi, and Prachuapkhirikhan. The Wat currently provides pre-university courses for monks lacking pre-requisites, and a Bachelor’s Degree Program in Buddhist Studies, and a Master’s Degree Program in Buddhist Administration.

At the national level, Wat Luang Phor Sodh has served as the Coordination Center for all Provincial Meditation Institutes throughout Thailand since 2008. Also, in collaboration with the National Office of Buddhism, the temple has trained over 1,500 senior Thai monks from throughout the country to become teachers of Vipassana Meditation. In addition, Venerable Phra Thepyanmongkol’s perceptive Dhamma lectures are broadcast regularly over the National Broadcasting System of Thailand, on both radio and TV, in both Thai and English.

At the international level, the Wat Luang Phor Sodh Buddhist Meditation Institute (BMI) has been recognized as an Associated Institution of the World Buddhist University since 2006. It trains a continual stream of international meditators in English, with exceptional results.

Profile as a Monk

Name:	Phra Thepyanmongkol (Phra Ajahn Maha Sermchai Jayamanggalo) Abbot of Wat Luang Phor Sodh Dhammakayaram, and Director of Dhammakaya Buddhist Meditation Institute
Date of birth:	March 6, 1929.
Entered monkhood:	March 6, 1986.
Buddhist Dhamma:	Completed grade three of Buddhist Theory, and grade six of Pali studies.
Meditation Master:	Venerable Phra Rajbrahma-Thera, Deputy Abbot, Meditation master, Wat Paknam
Meditation Experience:	Practiced Buddhist meditation since 1970.
Preceptorship:	Appointed since January 31, 1996.
Ecclesiastical Title from December 5, 1998:	Phra Bhavana Visutthikhun
Ecclesiastical Title from December 5, 2004:	Phra Rajyanvisith
Ecclesiastical Title from December 5, 2011:	Phra Thepyanmongkol
Honorary Doctorates
2007	An honorary Doctorate in Buddhist Principles in Management from Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University in 2007.
2009	An honorary Doctorate in Religious Study in Buddhism from Mahamakut Buddhist University in 2009.

 Profile before Monkhood

Work:	Research specialist, United States Information Services (USIS), Bangkok. Visiting lecturer in research methodology, research and evaluation, and public opinion surveys to various academic institutions (Thammasart University, Bangkok University, etc.)
Academic Qualifications:	Certificate in accountancy, Bachelors of Commerce, and Masters of Arts in public administration (Honors), Thammasart University. Certificate in social science research, Institute of Social Research, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA. Certificate in Wang OIS Management Courses, organized by USIS, Washington DC, USA.

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