Dhammakaya tradition
According to the anthropologist and Asian studies scholar Edwin Zehner, the term Dhammakaya (also spelled Thammakai) has four contextual meanings, though all four are "written and pronounced exactly alike":[3] The term Dhammakaya, states Zehner, has close affinities to the Mahayana Buddhism concept of Dharmakaya (spiritual essence of the Buddha), and the word appears in many early Pali and Sanskrit texts,[4] where its early meaning was "the collection of the dhamma".
[32] After discovering the Dhammakaya meditation approach, Luang Pu Sodh first taught it to others at Wat Bangpla, Bang Len District, Nakhon Pathom.
[47] Additionally, this technique is claimed in its advanced stages to bring forth abhiñña, or mental powers, and allow the meditator to visit past lives and alternate planes of existence, wherein one can affect the present life's circumstances.
[50][53][62] After that, Luang Pu Sodh would usually describe the level of attainment in terms of inner bodies (Pali: kāya) within every human being,[63] which are successively more subtle, and come in pairs.
[74] At this stage, is believed practitioners can understand birth, death and suffering at a deeper level, when they see the literal essence of these phenomena through meditative attainment.
[29] This dispute arose again in the 1990s when monastic scholar monk Phra Prayudh Payutto published a book criticizing the Dhammakaya tradition's teachings on nirvana.
[90] Although some scholars have criticized Dhammakaya's teachings on nirvana in the past, these critiques garnered virtually no public attention until the 1990s when Phra Payutto published his book.
According to religion scholar Rachelle Scott, Phra Payutto's word was largely considered authoritative in Thai Theravada Buddhism, and thus legitimized Dhammakaya's interpretation of nirvana as controversial.
[94] Williams summarizes the views of Luang Por Sermchai and states that these ways of reading Buddhism in terms of "... a true Self certainly seem to have been congenial in the East Asian environment, and hence flourished in that context where for complex reasons Mahayana too found a ready home".
Any scholarly account of Buddhist doctrine as it has existed in history in its totality has to accept diversity on the issue, even if it is true that the not-Self advocates appear to have been in the overwhelming majority".
[92]According to James Taylor, a scholar of Religious Studies and Anthropology, Dhammakaya's doctrinal views on nirvana and "enduring notions of self" are similar to the Personalist School of early Buddhism.
[57] Mackenzie argues that much of the criticism toward these beliefs comes from people who simply disapprove of Wat Phra Dhammakaya's high-profile status and fundraising practices.
[102][103] Dhammakaya publications, however, do extensively emphasize the miraculous and healing power of Buddhist amulets (Thai: phra khruang rang), and markets and distributes them.
[114][115] Buddhist Studies scholar Peter Harvey states that group meditation is seen in part as a means to "help overcome the influence of evil Mara" against this world.
Boonprakob notes the idea that Luang Por Dhammajayo is believed to be a messiah is based solely on the testimony of Laohavanich, who claims to know this through secret "insider" knowledge from his time at Wat Phra Dhammakaya, and that by nature nobody can actually refute his allegation.
[131][132] By "fundamentalism" he is referring to the emerging tendencies in Theravada communities of Thailand and Sri Lanka where a "religiously grounded communal identity" is asserted along with an activist role of the laity.
This tendency includes an apologetic, modernistic reinterpretation and reassertion of doctrines and practices, one that is combined with a "uniquely aggressive, critical, negative and absolutist" character.
[27][31][137] Several scholars, states Martin Seeger, have described the disputes and relationship between the mainstream Thai Sangha and the Dhammakaya tradition as reflecting "intolerance and undermining freedom of religion".
[138] Of these, Wat Phra Dhammakaya—the most influential in this regard—has been accused by Payutto of "distorting Buddhist ideas, insulting Buddha's teachings", and showing "disrespect to the Pali canon".
This orientation echoes in Wat Phra Dhammakaya's approach to female spirituality, praising Maechi Chandra as an example of a meditation master, but at the same time not supporting the Bhikkhuni ordination movement.
[155] Wat Paknam, in Luang Pu Sodh's leadership, produced and sold amulets (Thai: phra khruang rang) that gained a reputation in Thailand for their alleged powers.
[156] The Phutthamonthon park effort was started under Luang Pu Sodh's leadership in the 1950s and much of the construction work done in the 1970s, being financed by amulets issued by Wat Paknam.
[179][180][181] Initially, the temple was founded as a meditation center, after Maechi Chandra and the just ordained monk Luang Por Dhammajayo could no longer accommodate the rising number of participants in their activities at Wat Paknam Bhasicharoen.
[185] During the period of the Asian economical crisis, however, the temple became subject to criticism as Luang Por Dhammajayo was charged with embezzlement and removed from his office as abbot.
[187][188][189] Under the 2014 military junta, the abbot and the temple were put under scrutiny again and Luang Por Dhammajayo was accused of receiving stolen money through the donations of a supporter.
[202][203][178] According to Sandra Cate, an anthropologist with a focus on Southeast Asia, the historic merit-making Buddhist practice has been "taken to new extremes" by Wat Phra Dhammakaya in how it seeks monetary donations and deploys sophisticated marketing techniques and networking.
[205] Phra Mettanando has criticized these merit-making practices as a "solution to all personal and social problems" and thereby "luring faithful devotees to make ever-increasing donations".
[207] According to Rungrawee Chalermsripinyorat, the publications of Wat Phra Dhammakaya repeatedly reinforce the belief in the fruits of merit-making and amulets by "reproducing stories of a miraculous survival after a severe car accident, an unexplainable recovery from malignant cancer and incredible success in business after making merit".
This was done in Wat Pho as well, making for a total of thousand inscriptions, meant as a storehouse of ancient knowledge which Rama III feared might be lost during the wars.
[257] Phra Khru Bart was a western monk who organized exchange student programs and gave meditation instruction and retreats in English language.
