May 2, 2016 . … Although the Abbot and the sect deny his allegations, the scenes at the Temple of a Thousand Buddhas point to the reason for the Dhammakaya’s immense wealth. The source said Phra Mahatheerachan was fed up with the Dhammakaya scandal and could no longer tolerate the Sangha Supreme Council's waffling … PHOTO: REUTERS Khaosod News: Yellow and Red Seen in Orange folds of Dhammakaya Scandal, June 12th, 2016 "That’s why there’s an operation to destroy Dhammakaya." MANDALAY: Thousands of Buddhist monks gathered in Myanmar's second largest city on Sunday for an event partly organised by the scandal-hit Dhammakaya temple whose abbot is … Illegal title deed issued for mountaintop mansions thought to harbour Dhammajayo; photos show "orchard" was actually pristine forest. Luang Por Dhammajayo (Thai: ธม มชโย, RTGS: Thammachayo, Luang Por being a deferential title), also known by the lay name Chaiyabun Suddhipol, is a Thai Buddhist monk.He was the abbot of the Buddhist temple Wat Phra Dhammakaya, the post he held until 1999 and again from 2006 to December 2011. Abbot Phra Dhammachayo (C) arrives for a ceremony at the Wat Phra Dhammakaya temple in Pathum Thani province, north of Bangkok on Makha … Ruling junta has kept Dhammakaya temple under … The same holds for the large Taiwanese Buddhist organization, Tzu Chi. He has been missing ever since, despite frequent calls for him to be arrested, and former sect member Dr Mano Laohavonich insists he is hiding in a house less than a mile from the compound. Police wanted to question the abbot, Phra Dhammachayo, about alleged money-laundering and building violations, but gave up after protests by monks and … A massive queue forms beside the two cashpoints where people can get their money out to donate and the booming tannoy encourages devotees to dig deep, with messages like: “The millionaire’s wife says put all your energy into getting people to be part of building the temple.”. Wat Phra Dhammakaya (Thai: ว ดพระธรรมกาย) is a Buddhist temple in Thailand.It was founded in 1970 by the maechi (nun) Chandra Khonnokyoong and Luang Por Dhammajayo.The temple's founding has roots in the Dhammakaya tradition founded by Luang Pu Sodh Candasaro at Wat Paknam Bhasicharoen in the early 20th century. But she is the prey of the temple.”. Wat Phra Dhammakaya's assistant-abbot Luang phi Thanavuddho wrote a book about the topic in response to critics. Phra Dhammachayo, the temple former abbot, and Phra Thattacheevo, the temple’s former acting abbot, are to face monastic investigations and both monks are facing legal charges. Thai abbot's scandal poses moral dilemma: The Nation columnist Over 100,000 Buddhist monks and novices gather to receive alms at Wat Phra Dhammakaya temple on April 22, 2016. Prosecutors said on Monday they would decide later this month whether to indict a key disciple of Wat Phra Dhammakaya accused of instigating public disorder during the authorities' futile attempts to arrest former abbot Phra Dhammajayo last year. Phra Mahatheerachan, also abbot of Chanasongkhram Temple and supervisor of monastic Region 1, reportedly told his followers that the Dhammakaya case needed to be resolved shortly otherwise monastic credibility would suffer even greater damage. He denies the charges and his followers claim the sect is an international force for good that’s updating Buddhism for the modern world. He claims his wife was manipulated into handing over cash. The incredible scenes, in a stunning spaceship-like temple in Bangkok, were filmed by Channel 4’s Unreported World at the 50th birthday celebrations of the controversial Dhammakaya movement. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. Outsider abbot sought for Dhammakaya By THE NATION ‘evil plot’ as senior monks at temple probed after row BANGKOK: -- THE NATIONAL Office of Buddhism (NOB) is pushing for the appointment of an outsider as Dhammakaya Temple’s new abbot. Everything you need to know about the Dhammakaya Scandal: A Short Fact Sheet. Updated February 24, 2017. Families suffered and a lot of families were broken.”. Luang Por Dhammajayo (Thai: ธมฺมชโย, RTGS: Thammachayo, Luang Por being a deferential title), also known by the lay name Chaiyabun Suddhipol, is a Thai Buddhist monk.He was the abbot of the Buddhist temple Wat Phra Dhammakaya, the post he held until 1999 and again from 2006 to December 2011.In December 2016, he was given the post of honorary abbot of the temple. The elderly Honorary Abbot of Wat Phra Dhammakaya now suffers from several illnesses, including deep vein thrombosis and a chronic leg ulcer. A tsunami of public anger has arisen over the controversial Dhammakaya abbot and his empire and its grand-scale commercialisation of Buddhism. Noppakow, the online dissident, said the public is free to doubt Dhammakaya and its abbot, but should not mix it up with the secular political divide. The former chemical engineer, now 65, owned his own company and was comfortably off before his wife donated £300,000 without his knowledge. Help is at hand × NOB director Pol Lt-Colonel Pongporn Parmsneh said that the appointment of an outsider would ensure transparency in the monastic investigation into the temple’s senior monks. Stacey Solomon engaged to Joe Swash after he proposed with HUGE diamond in woods, Horrifying moment teen is shot in the neck outside deli in broad daylight, Brexit’s done - fasten your seat belts as the UK economy goes gangbusters, Love Island's Georgia Harrison rushed to hospital telling fans 'I'm scared', Nigel Farage announces Britain has WON Brexit & declares the 'war is over', ©News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. The KCUC has been having some financial troubles since the embezzlement scandal that crippled its balance sheet, but contrary to what DSI has been reporting, it is not because of the "money laundering" scheme DSI is accusing Wat Phra Dhammakaya's honorary abbot, Luang Por Dhammajayo, of that the credit union is in trouble. “They keep secrets all the time from the beginning until now.”. PHRA DHAMMACHAYO, the controversial abbot of Dhammakaya Temple, has been officially blacklisted by the Immigration Bureau, effectively blocking him from leaving the country. General. May 2, 2016. Dhammakaya acting abbot faces charges. “The Abbot was very fond of Adolf Hitler,” he says. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. Thai authorities seek to defrock scandal-hit Buddhist abbot This article is more than 3 years old. 2,200 Thai police and soldiers may storm temple to arrest scandal-hit abbot Dhammachayo More than 2,200 police and military personnel will be deployed to … Luang Por Dhammajayo Stands Wrongly Accused In 2017, a scandal broke when a sect devotee, who ran a bank, was accused of embezzling £25million of customers’ money and giving it directly to Abbot Dhammajayo, with victims losing between £50k to £250k each. 25; Thailand. As this case continues to evolve, this document will be updated with events and facts as they become available. Venerable Dhammajayo, the current abbot of Wat Phra Dhammakaya. ON a huge compound in the heart of Thailand, thousands of white-robed men, women and children unite in a chant as Buddhist monks collect food offerings from the crowd. By Reuters 22 January 2018 MANDALAY — Thousands of Buddhist monks gathered in Myanmar’s second largest city on Sunday for an event partly organized by a scandal-hit Thai temple whose abbot is wanted for In 2017, a scandal broke when a sect devotee, who ran a bank, was accused of embezzling £25million of customers’ money and giving it directly to Abbot Dhammajayo, with victims losing between £50k to £250k each. Abbot Phra Dhammachayo (C) arrives for a ceremony at the Wat Phra Dhammakaya temple in Pathum Thani province, north of Bangkok on Makha … Dhammakaya abbot 'free to spend donations on land' ... A religious regulator said that the Dhammakaya scandal, fuelled by its unorthodox teaching and the controversial solicitations, is a sensitive issue, needing cautious handling to avoid splits among followers as the temple continues to attract huge numbers of worshippers. Meanwhile, Pongporn has pledged to take action against people involved in a social … Articles have written in foreign publications about the temple in both supportive and critical ways. “It made me suffer a lot in life because I found out too late,” he tells the show. Its founder, Abbot Dhammajayo, has been in hiding since evading arrest in 2017 over allegations the sect had laundered £25m of stolen money. When the ceremony is over the devotees form a huge queue at a cashpoint to take out thousands of pounds for donations - as tannoy messages tell them handing over cash is the way to “Nirvana”. Dhammakaya acting abbot faces charges published : 3 Dec 2016 at 14:18 writer: Pongpat Wongyala. Dhammakaya monks await … “They never declare [their accounts],” he says. He adds that Abbot Dhammajayo has evaded capture because “he has plenty of money and in this country money can buy anything”. Back in 2002, the Dhammakaya scandal also prompted a draft bill to reform the clergy. Joom was born into a poor family and came to Bangkok at 14 with nothing, but says her fortunes changed when she began donating to the sect. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/, Comments are subject to our community guidelines, which can be viewed, Devotees of the Dhammakaya meet at the Temple of a Thousand Buddhas, The stunning temple was built with millions donated by followers, The sect's leader Abbot Dhammajayo has been on the run for three years, Buddhist monks worship at the Temple of a Thousand Buddhas, Marcel Theroux was given access to the 50th birthday celebrations, Thai police outside the compound in 2017, during attempted arrest of the Abbot, The sect's founder hands out religious gifts to his monks, Victims of the alleged embezzlement leave posters calling for justice outside the temple gates, Devotees are encouraged to be generous in their donations, Dr Mano Laohavonich is a former member of the sect who believes it is too money orientated, Marcel with Dhammakaya devotee Joom, who has handed over £1m for new buildings, First look at Netflix’s The Vow documents real life sex slave cult NXIVM that sent shockwaves through Hollywood, Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). “If (the abbot) thinks he is innocent he should surrender and enter the judicial process,” said Col. Paisit Wongmuang. Mano has not only been a vocal critic of Dhammakaya since breaking his connections with the temple in 1995, but has also known Dhammajayo personally THE NATIONAL Office of Buddhism (NOB) is pushing for the appointment of an outsider as Dhammakaya Temple’s new abbot. News Corp is a network of leading companies in the worlds of diversified media, news, education, and information services. Chatchai is not the only one who claims to have lost their to. A previous life, ” he said Buddhist movements, the Dhammakaya also... A massive embezzlement scandal running in the form of a public donation rich, ” he says airs on 4. Vein thrombosis and a lot in life because I actually still love my wife organization Tzu.: REUTERS his temple for mass meditation mansions thought to harbour Dhammajayo ; photos show orchard... Love to be rich, ” said Col. Paisit Wongmuang to termination of allegedly... Publications about the topic in response to critics reform the clergy of and. 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