For information on the patriarchs of the Western religions, see Patriarch. For information on the Supreme Patriarch of Armenia, see Catholicos of Armenia. Originally a patriarch is a man who exercises autocratic authority as a pater familias over an extended family. ... His Holiness, the Catholicos of Armenia and of All Armenians (plural Catholicoi, due to its Greek origin) is the head bishop of Armenias dominant church, the Armenian Apostolic Church. ...

The Supreme Patriarch or Sangharaja (Thai: พระสังฆราช) is the head of the order of Buddhist monks in Thailand. The position is formally appointed by the King of Thailand, although the actual selection is made by senior clergymen. It was first established in 1782 at the founding of the Chakri dynasty by King Rama I. Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... Statues of Buddha such as this, the Tian Tan Buddha statue in Hong Kong, remind followers to practice right living. ... The cultural elements of Buddhism vary by region and include: Buddhist cuisine Buddhist art Buddharupa Art and architecture of Japan Greco-Buddhism Tibetan Buddhist sacred art Buddhist music Buddhist chant Shomyo Categories: Buddhism-related stubs ... The history of Buddhism spans from the 6th century BCE to the present, starting with the birth of the Buddha Siddharta Gautama. ... Contents: Top - A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z The following is a List of Buddhist topics: A Abhidharma Ahimsa Ajahn Ajahn Chah Ajanta Aksobhya Alexandra David-Néel Amara Sinha B... Buddhist beliefs and practices vary according to region. ... The percentage of Buddhist population of each country was taken from the US State Departments International Religious Freedom Report 2004 [1]. Other sources used were CIA Factbook [2] and adherents. ... An image of Gautama Buddha with a swastika, traditionally a Buddhist symbol of good luck, on his chest. ... The Buddhist temple Wat Chiang Man, in Chiang Mai, Thailand, which dates from the late 13th century Buddhist temples and monasteries, sorted by location. ... Contents: Top - 0-9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z Several Buddhist terms and concepts lack direct translations into English that cover the breadth of the original term. ... There is great variety in Buddhist texts. ... Before Common Era Trad. ... Statues of Buddha such as this, the Tian Tan Buddha statue in Hong Kong, remind followers to practice right living. ... The Chakri dynasty have ruled Thailand since king Taksin was declared mad in 1782. ... 1782 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... The Chakri dynasty have ruled Thailand since king Taksin was declared mad in 1782. ... His Majesty King Rama I of Siam (portrait in the National History Museum, Bangkok) Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke or Rama I the Great, was king of Thailand from 1782 to 1809. ...

The Supreme Patriarch has legal authority to oversee both of Thailand's Theravada sub-orders, the Maha Nikaya and the Thammayut Nikaya, as well as the small minority of Mahayana Buddhists in the country. He is assisted by a Supreme Sangha Council, which is led by the Sangha Nayaka (literally "director of the sangha"). In the event that the position of Supreme Patriarch is vacant, the Sangha Council also nominates candidates for a successor to the king. There has been recent discussion about reforming the Thai Sangha's leadership structure, including a 2002 proposal which would have moved many of the Sangha Council's and the Supreme Patriarch's powers to a new executive council. Theravada (Pali; Sanskrit: Sthaviravada) is one of the eighteen (or twenty) Nikāya schools that formed early in the history of Buddhism. ... Thammayut Nikaya (Pali), literally Those adhering strictly to the monastic dicipline, also known in the West as the Thai Forest Tradition, is an order of Theravada Buddhist monks in Thailand. ... Relief image of the bodhisattva Guan Yin from Mt. ... 2002 is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The incumbent Supreme Patriarch is Somdet Phra Nyanasamvara Suvaddhana Mahathera, who has served in this position since 1989. He is currently aged 91 and suffers from increasingly serious health problems. In 2003, because of questions about the Supreme Patriarch's ability to fulfill his duties, the government of Thailand appointed a special committee to act in his stead. In early 2004, Somdet Kiaw (also known as Buddhacharya) was appointed acting Supreme Patriarch. Somdet Phra Nyanasamvara Suvaddhana Mahathera is the 19th and current Supreme Patriarch of Thailand. ... 1989 is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2005 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2003 is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Recent news of the Supreme Patriarch's worsening condition has led to considerable speculation in the Thai media about the identity of his eventual successor, similar to the speculation that surrounding the previous Roman Catholic Pope at the end of his life. By tradition, the Supreme Patriarchate alternates between members of Thailand's two main Theravada Buddhist orders. Because Nyanasamvara Suvaddhana is of the Thammayut Nikaya, this implies that the next Supreme Patriarch will come from the Maha Nikaya. The acting Supreme Patriarch, Somdet Kiaw, is seen as a favorite, but he is actively opposed by Venerable Maha Bua, an influential monk.[1] (http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2005/03/04/headlines/data/headlines_16618614.html)[2] (http://www.dhammatimes.com/archives/2005/03/050306-thaimonastic.htm) The Pope is the Catholic Bishop and patriarch of Rome, and head of the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Catholic Churches. ...

List of Supreme Patriarchs

1782 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... 1794 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... 1782 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... 1794 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... 1794 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... 1816 was a leap year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... 1794 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... 1816 was a leap year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... 1816 was a leap year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... 1819 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... 1816 was a leap year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... 1819 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... 1820 was a leap year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... 1822 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... 1820 was a leap year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... 1822 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... 1822 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... 1842 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... 1822 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... 1842 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... 1843 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... 1849 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... 1843 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... 1849 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... Events January 23 - The flip of a coin determines whether a new city in Oregon is named after Boston, Massachusetts, or Portland, Maine, with Portland winning. ... 1853 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... Events January 23 - The flip of a coin determines whether a new city in Oregon is named after Boston, Massachusetts, or Portland, Maine, with Portland winning. ... 1853 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... 1853 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... 1892 was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... 1853 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... 1892 was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... 1893 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... 1899 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... 1893 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... 1899 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... 1900 is a common year starting on Monday. ... 1921 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... 1900 is a common year starting on Monday. ... 1921 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... 1921 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... 1937 was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1921 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... 1937 was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1938 was a common year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1944 was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1938 was a common year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1944 was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1945 was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1958 was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1945 was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1958 was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1960 was a leap year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1962 was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1960 was a leap year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1962 was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1963 was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1965 was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1965 calendar). ... 1963 was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1966 was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1966 calendar). ... 1965 was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1965 calendar). ... 1971 is a common year starting on Friday (click for link to calendar). ... 1965 was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1965 calendar). ... 1971 is a common year starting on Friday (click for link to calendar). ... 1972 was a leap year that started on a Saturday. ... 1973 was a common year starting on Monday. ... 1972 was a leap year that started on a Saturday. ... 1973 was a common year starting on Monday. ... 1973 was a common year starting on Monday. ... 1988 is a leap year starting on a Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1973 was a common year starting on Monday. ... 1988 is a leap year starting on a Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Somdet Phra Nyanasamvara Suvaddhana Mahathera is the 19th and current Supreme Patriarch of Thailand. ... 1989 is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1989 is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• English website (http://www.sangharaja.org/en_main.asp) of the Supreme Patriarch
• A website (http://mahamakuta.inet.co.th/english/somdet01.html) with information about each Supreme Patriarch
• Entry on the current Supreme Patriarch (http://everything2.com/index.pl?node=Somdet%20Phra%20Nyanasamvara) at Everything2
• Buddhism in contemporary Thailand (http://www.mcu.ac.th/mcu_eng/article/Buddhism_in_Contemporary_Thailand/002.html), information from Mahachulalongkornrajvidyalaya University
• Buddhism in Thailand (http://www.dhammathai.org/e/thailand/ratanakosin.php), information from Dhammathai.org
• A Review of Reform Movements in Thai Buddhism (http://www.wb-university.org/research/article-tavivat.htm) by Dr. Tavivat Puntarigvivat