Somdej Toh
- Somdet To (สมเด็จโต)
- Khrua To (ขรัวโต)
Somdet To (1788–1872; B.E. 2331–2415), known formally as Somdet Phra Buddhacarya (To Brahmaramsi) (Thai: สมเด็จพระพุฒาจารย์ (โต พฺรหฺมรํสี); RTGS: Somdet Phra Phutthachan (To Phrommarangsi)), was one of the most famous Buddhist monks during Thailand's Rattanakosin period and continues to be the most widely known saintly monk in Thailand.[1] He is revered for spiritual powers and his amulets are sought after.[2] His images and statues are some of the most popular religious icons in Bangkok.[3]
Biography
Somdet To was born in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province, the illegitimate son of King Rama II.[4] He studied the Buddhist scriptures of the Pāli Canon with several Buddhist masters. After becoming a well-known monk, he became the preceptor for Prince Mongkut, later King Rama IV, when Mongkut became a monk. During Rama IV's reign Somdet To was given the ceremonial name Somdet Phra Buddhacarya (To Brahmaramsi – Buddh[a]charya meaning teacher (acharya) of Buddhism) by the King and used to be one of his trusted advisers, having left a lot of teaching stories around him and the King.[5]
He was noted for the skill of his preaching and his use of Thai poetry to reflect the beauty of Buddhism, and for making amulets called Somdej. The amulets were blessed by himself and other respected monks in Thailand. He also appears in many versions of the story of the ghost Mae Nak Phra Khanong, and he is said to be the one to finally subdue her. Somdet To also wrote the Jinapanjara, a protective magical incantation which is widely chanted and used by Thais.[6]
Legacy
Wat Luang Phor Toh in Sikhio Town features a golden statue representing Somdet To.[7]
Sources
- Legends of Somdet Toh, Ven. Thanissaro Bhikkhu,
References
- ^ McDaniel, Justin Thomas. The Lovelorn Ghost and the Magical Monk: Practicing Buddhism in Modern Thailand.
- ^ McDaniel, Justin Thomas. The Lovelorn Ghost and the Magical Monk: Practicing Buddhism in Modern Thailand.
- ^ McDaniel, Justin Thomas. The Lovelorn Ghost and the Magical Monk: Practicing Buddhism in Modern Thailand. It is a lesser known fact, that Somdet Toh, was also the grandson of His Majesty King Rama I of Thailand, and the son of His Majesty King Rama II, which was until recently a completely unknown fact, due to his mother not being of Royal Status, so the fact was never allowed to be known by the folk, during Somdet Toh's lifetime. This was of course because an illegitimate child, would damage the image of the Kingdom. This is however also the real reason that he reached such an elevated status as a monk, and was called to the Palace, and bestow with the Abbotship of Wat Rakhang, because he was the son of the second King of the Chakri Dynasty, but not an Heir to the Throne.
- ^ [Maha-Amarttri Phaya Thipkosa Sorn Lohanan, Biography of Somdet To, (Bangkok: Nithitham Printing, 1930)]
- ^ Legends of Somdet Toh
- ^ McDaniel, Justin Thomas. The Lovelorn Ghost and the Magical Monk: Practicing Buddhism in Modern Thailand.
- ^ "Sikhio Tourist Attractions". Mountain Creek Golf Resort. Archived from the original on 4 December 2023. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
- v
- t
- e
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/67/Buddhism_Symbol.png/25px-Buddhism_Symbol.png)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/77/Flag_of_Buddhism.svg/25px-Flag_of_Buddhism.svg.png)
Outline
- Glossary
- Index
- Four Noble Truths
- Three Jewels
- Noble Eightfold Path
- Nirvana
- Middle Way
- Tathāgata
- Birthday
- Four sights
- Eight Great Events
- Great Renunciation
- Physical characteristics
- Life of Buddha in art
- Footprint
- Relics
- Iconography in Laos and Thailand
- Films
- Miracles
- Family
- Suddhodāna (father)
- Māyā (mother)
- Mahapajapati Gotamī (aunt, adoptive mother)
- Yaśodharā (wife)
- Rāhula (son)
- Ānanda (cousin)
- Devadatta (cousin)
- Places where the Buddha stayed
- Buddha in world religions
- Kaundinya
- Assaji
- Sāriputta
- Mahamoggallāna
- Ānanda
- Mahākassapa
- Aṅgulimāla
- Anuruddha
- Mahākaccana
- Nanda
- Subhūti
- Punna
- Upāli
- Mahapajapati Gotamī
- Khema
- Uppalavanna
- Asita
- Channa
- Yasa
- Avidyā (Ignorance)
- Bardo
- Bodhicitta
- Buddha-nature
- Dhamma theory
- Dharma
- Enlightenment
- Five hindrances
- Indriya
- Karma
- Kleshas
- Mental factors
- Mindstream
- Parinirvana
- Pratītyasamutpāda
- Rebirth
- Saṃsāra
- Saṅkhāra
- Skandha
- Śūnyatā
- Taṇhā (Craving)
- Tathātā
- Ten Fetters
- Three marks of existence
- Two truths doctrine
- Ten spiritual realms
- Six realms
- Deva realm
- Human realm
- Asura realm
- Hungry Ghost realm
- Animal realm
- Naraka
- Three planes of existence
- Bhavana
- Bodhipakkhiyādhammā
- Brahmavihara
- Buddhābhiṣeka
- Dāna
- Devotion
- Deity yoga
- Dhyāna
- Faith
- Five Strengths
- Iddhipada
- Meditation
- Merit
- Mindfulness
- Nekkhamma
- Nianfo
- Pāramitā
- Paritta
- Puja
- Offerings
- Prostration
- Chanting
- Refuge
- Sādhu
- Satya
- Seven Factors of Enlightenment
- Sati
- Dhamma vicaya
- Pīti
- Passaddhi
- Śīla
- Threefold Training
- Vīrya
- Twenty-two vows of Ambedkar
- Gautama Buddha
- Nagasena
- Aśvaghoṣa
- Nagarjuna
- Asanga
- Vasubandhu
- Kumārajīva
- Buddhaghosa
- Buddhapālita
- Dignāga
- Bodhidharma
- Zhiyi
- Emperor Wen of Sui
- Songtsen Gampo
- Xuanzang
- Shandao
- Padmasambhāva
- Saraha
- Atiśa
- Naropa
- Karmapa
- Hōnen
- Shinran
- Dōgen
- Nichiren
- Shamarpa
- Dalai Lama
- Panchen Lama
- Ajahn Mun
- B. R. Ambedkar
- Ajahn Chah
- Thích Nhất Hạnh
- Timeline
- Ashoka
- Kanishka
- Buddhist councils
- History of Buddhism in India
- Great Anti-Buddhist Persecution
- Greco-Buddhism
- Buddhism and the Roman world
- Buddhism in the West
- Silk Road transmission of Buddhism
- Persecution of Buddhists
- Banishment of Buddhist monks from Nepal
- Buddhist crisis
- Sinhalese Buddhist nationalism
- Buddhist modernism
- Vipassana movement
- 969 Movement
- Women in Buddhism
- Abhijñā
- Amitābha
- Brahmā
- Dharma talk
- Hinayana
- Kalpa
- Koliya
- Lineage
- Māra
- Ṛddhi
- Siddhi
- Sacred languages
Category
Religion portal
![]() | This Buddhist biography-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
- v
- t
- e
![]() ![]() | This Thai biographical article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
- v
- t
- e