Dear Yong Peng,

Again your good intentions are noted but history is not so kind :)

The title "Chief High Priest" or the like was given by Ven Dhammananda's own Siam
Nikaya (Sinhalese monks of the Goyigama caste). There are two other Nikayas in Sri
Lanka, the Amarapura Nikaya (roots in Burma) and the Ramanna Nikaya (roots also in
Burma).

The Siam Nikaya is bears the word "Siam" because when the Sinhalese revived their
ordination during the Dutch period, they had some novices ordain in Thailand (then
Siam).

I think (I hope) the Sinhalese Buddhist monastic system is today less caste-centred
than before (in the days of the kings).

Malaysians deeply respect both local and foreign monks, but although after 100 years
the Sinhalese mission there has not produced a significant number (any in fact) of
local monks who remain in Malaysia to work on the mission field.

This is an interesting area in Buddhist missiology that has not been studied although
other religions have do vital critical surveys like the following studies:

(1) "Christianity in China" :
www.illuminatedlantern.com/cinema/features/christianity.html
(2) "The rise and fall of Protestantism in East Asia":
http://icks.korea.ac.kr/down.asp?fn=ICKSWorkingPaper_no1.2.pdf
OR http://icks.korea.ac.kr/public_papers.asp [this is a better connection]

No (2) is excellent and vital reading for anyone interested Buddhist missiology.

My apologies for forcing non-Pali ideas onto this Pali website, but I have interests
in Buddhism both as a doctrine and as a living social reality (how it benefits or
should benefit individuals and society).

BTW I hope Dr Bittar would visit this excellent retreat centre run by Malaysian
Theravada forest monks:

The Sasanarakkha Buddhist Sanctuary
Website: www.sasanarakkha.org
Email: office@...
Tel: 05-8084429 (for info).

This would be a good contrast and balance to the city temples.

Sukhi

Piya

Ong Yong Peng wrote:

> Dear Piya, Dr Bittar and friends,
>
> what Piya say is right, the title of "chief monk" is conventional
> rather than official. The status is, for the most, recognised among
> Theravada buddhists. If I am not wrong, it is given to Ven.
> Dhammananda by the Thai Patriarch to recognise his contribution in
> dhammaduta works(?). Informally, and light-heartedly, some Buddhists
> would address him that way as a form of respect.
>
> metta,
> Yong Peng
>
> --- In Pali@yahoogroups.com, Piya Tan wrote:
> Your kind sentiments are well noted. However, please note that
> neither Malaysia nor Singapore have any "chief monk" or "high
> priest" although certain Nikayas or "sects" may have their own head
> priests appointed by their own HQs in Sri Lanka or elsewhere.
>
>
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