Wat Bowonniwet
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Wat Bowonniwet Vihara (Thai: วัดบวรนิเวศวิหาร) is a major Buddhist temple in Phra Nakhon district, Bangkok, Thailand. The temple is a center of the Thammayut Nikaya school of Thai Theravada Buddhism and has been a major temple of patronage for the Chakri dynasty. It is the shrine-hall of Phra Phutthachinasri (พระพุทธชินสีห์) which was moulded in about 1357.
[edit] Royal patronage
Prince Bhikku Mongkut ordained in the temple in 1836 and eventually became its abbot. He later acceeded to the throne of Siam as King Rama IV. His great grandson, King Bhumibol Adulyadej also ordained at the temple for a short period period after he became King. Bhumibol's mentor, Phra Yanasangworn, eventually became abbot of the temple and the Supreme Patriarch of Thai Buddhism. Exiled dictator Thanom Kittikachorn returned to Thailand as a novice monk to join Wat Bowonniwet leading to large public demonstrations and a bloody crackdown in October 1976. King Bhumibol Adulyadej's son, Prince Vajiralongkorn was ordained at the temple for a short period, as well as several of the Prince's own sons.
[edit] References
- DhammaThai.org A Guide to Meditation Centres in Thailand: Wat Bovornives Vihara, last retrieved 15 September 2006
[edit] External links
- http://www.watbowon.org Website of the temple
