Thailand’s controversial Wat Phra Dhammakāya has grown exponentially. In just three decades, it has come to have millions of followers in and outside of Thailand and over forty branches overseas. The esoteric teaching of meditation taught by the leaders of the community has inspired thousands of young men and women from various universities

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Esoteric Teaching of Wat Phra Dhammakāya

Mano Mettanando Laohavanich
Pridi Banomyong International College,
Thammasat University

Thailand’s controversial Wat Phra Dhammakāya has grown exponentially. In just three decades, it has come to have millions of followers in and outside of Thailand and over forty branches overseas. The esoteric teaching of meditation taught by the leaders of the community has inspired thousands of young men and women from various universities to sacrifice their lives to serve their Master, something that has never been seen before in Thailand or elsewhere in the Theravāda world. What is the nature of this esoteric teaching? Why is it so appealing to these young minds? These questions are discussed and analyzed by the author, who was one of Wat Phra Dhammakāya’s founding members.

"Wat Phra Dhammakāya is an established international organization"”a spiritual empire that grew out of the charismatic leadership of Phra Phromayanthera or Phra Chaiboon Dhammajayo which vows to promote the mission of the founding father of the meditation technique worldwide. In fact, the monastic activities are merely the tip of this iceberg; the material and financial expansions of the community have been more progressive than meditation retreats.
Equipped with its own twenty-four-hour satellite TV, infinite funding, superb location, gigantic piece of land not far from Bangkok, and millions of followers, many of whom hold high positions in the cabinet, private sector, military and political parties"”Wat Phra Dhammakāya will expand, not only to fulfill its apparent mission, but also to make radical changes to the political system of Thailand."