7.3. The Phrapariyattidhamma: Study in the Form of Sanghadhikara

The school was established on the recommendation of the Supreme Council of the Sangha. As a matter of fact, the word school here does not mean a place of study in the reality, instead it implies the place of training on a limited time-scale. Thus, the Sanghadhikara school may be said to be the school for training ecclesiastical administrative officers. The period of study consist of about 30 days, running into at least 150 hours. The general purpose of the school is to provide knowledge of ecclesiastical administration for ecclesiastical official (Sanghadhikara). It also equips them with good knowledge for leading the people on the right path of performing religious duties. The school patronised by the Sangha Supreme Council is divided into two categories, namely, the Sanghadhikara School at the Centre, and the Sanghadhikara School in the provinces.

The following is the aim of the Sanghadhikara School at the Centre:

1) To provide education to ecclesiastical administrative officers (Sanghadhikara) in accordance with a short-term curriculum given by the Principal of the school. The Sanghadhikara to be trained here are:

The Ecclesiastical Provincial Governor,
Vice-Provincial Governor,
The Ecclesiastical District Officer and,
Vice-Ecclesiastical District Officer.

2) To train other senior monks who are going to be promoted as the Sanghadhikara in the rank of.

The Ecclesiastical Provincial Governor,
Vice-Ecclesiastical Provincial Governor,
The Ecclesiastical District Officer and,
Vice Ecclesiastical District Officer.

The school is situated at the Samphraya Monastery of Bangkok within the abbot of that monastery being a Director.^[1]

Whilst the purpose of the Sanghadhikara School in the provinces is like that of the central school. But senior monks who are going to get appointed the Sanghadhikara are:

The Ecclesiastical Commune-Chief,
Vice-Commune-Chief,
The Abbot,
Vice-abbot and,
Assistant Abbot.

The training place was chosen after a careful consideration by the ecclesiastical religious governors after they were satisfied that suitable amenities for the purpose were available.^[2] As regards to the textbooks and teachinglearning method, they had been carried out by academic committee of the central school through favour of the Sangha Supreme Council.

It is matter of sadness that school was officially closed. But sometimes, institutions, i.e. Mahamakut Buddhist University organised privately. Subject taught are any subject useful to the Thai monks who control monasteries, such as Buddhist psychology, Buddhist philosophy, Thai archaeology, general knowledge about the Thai Sangha and so on. The classes are divided into two categories, namely, the lower and the upper grade. By date (1995), the twenty-third batch of students has completed its training course.^[3]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Banpot Veerasai et al (eds.), Thai Sangha and Society: Various Versions., p. 134.

[2]:

Ibid., p. 135.

[3]:

Personal Communication with Phra Nanavarotama, Head of Sanghadhikara, Bangkok, January 1996.