Wat Luang Phor Sodh Buddhist Meditation Institute (BMI)

An Associated Institution of the World Buddhist University

Wat Luang Phor Sodh Dhammakayaram is a Theravada Buddhist Temple in Damnoen Saduak District of Rajburi Province, Thailand, two hours from Bangkok. The campus is a beautifully landscaped 33-acre park, featuring a lake and rivers surrounded by grass and trees. Temple buildings are vividly white, to signify purity. There are generally about 100 monks and 60 novices in residence, joined continually by hundreds of short-term participants in the Wat’s constant stream of varied educational programs. It is lovingly named for the Most Venerable Phra Mongkol-thepmuni, Luang Phor Wat Paknam, whose given name was Sodh. The Venerable Abbot, Dr. Phra Rajyanvisith is one of Thailand’s most eminent Meditation Masters and Buddhist Scholars, now serving as President of National Coordinator of Provincial Meditation Institutes throughout Thailand. He initiated retreats at the forerunner institute in 1982 and personally established the temple which was formally registered in 1991.

International outreach began when the Wat luang Phor Sodh Buddhist Meditation Institute (BMI) was approved as an Associated Institution of the World Buddhist University on April 19th, 2006, during the 23rd, General Conference of the World Fellowship of Buddhists at Fo Guang Monastery, Kaohsiung, Taiwan Since then.

Its objective is to extend Buddhist meditation to individuals worldwide caught up in the pressure and emptiness of modern consumerism, in order to foster personal serenity, social harmony, and global peace.

Success

BMI has taught a total of 400 meditators from over 30 countries, mostly from Europe and the Americas. Very few were monks. Over half were women. Many came via volunteer exchange programs (Greenway, Global Service Corps & Imaginations), but increasingly they are sent by former participants or arrive on their own.

Essentially all participants found inner peace. Over half (53%) of those who stayed more than one day meditated to absorption or jhana, seeing and becoming some refined inner body. Four out of ten (40%) meditated to transcendence, seeing and becoming some Dhammakaya; and one out of four (24%) meditated to personally visiting and experiencing Nirvana temporarily. Our teaching has improved over the years. Now, two-out-of-three become a refined body; half transcend to Dhammakaya; and four-out-of-ten visit Nirvana. Starting this year, some participants who cannot experience Nirvana are being taught directly by their Noble Disciple Dhammakayas. Thus, they can carry their teacher with them for the rest of their lives. Most participants rate the experience very or extremely valuable. For many, it opened new worlds.

BMI Team

Dr. Phra Rajyanvisith (Hon. D.)

The Abbot is the Principal of BMI and teaches advanced Meditators personally.

Phra Bart or Khru Baitika Dr. Barton Yanathiro

He is an American monk, heads the BMI management team and teaches introductory and intermediate meditation with notable success. He is a former professor and international development specialist, with a Ph.D. in Sociology & Social Psychology from Cornell University, who has been a monk since March 6th 2002. Phra Bart was a professor of research methodology and was impressed by the depths of what Lord Buddha learned just sitting under a tree. He has concluded that meditation is the best methodology for understanding reality and how to live profitably, and is eager to teach it to all who are interested, worldwide.

Phra Natpakanan Kunanggaro

Phra Nat or Phra Natpakanan Kunanggaro is a Thai monk who studied and worked in the United states for six years. Phra Nat is spearheading translation efforts, publication and website development. He also developed the www.dhammacenter.org website for BMI.

The BMI Team is assisted by many Thai layperson volunteers. Khun Vishan coordinates a large number of volunteers who help during retreats, and Acharn Damrong, teaches advanced meditation in Thai and Mandarin Chinese during retreats or by special arrangement.