BANGKOK, 25 October 2013 His Majesty the King today designated His Royal Highness Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn in presiding over the royally-sponsored bathing rite for the late Supreme Patriarch, His Holiness Somdej Phra Nyanasamvara Suvaddhana Mahathera, at Phra Tamnak Petch Building, Borvoranives Monastery in Phra Nakhon District.
His Royal Highness also laid wreaths of Their Majesties the King and Queen at the casket of the late Supreme Patriarch. His Royal Highness was accompanied on this occasion by Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn and Her Royal Highness Princess Srirasm, Princess Consort to HRH the Crown Prince.
The Supreme Patriarch was born Charoen Khachawatr, on October 3, 1913, in Kanchanaburi Province. He was ordained as novice at the age of 14 at Thewa-sankharam monastery in his home province. He was ordained as monk at Borvoranives Monastery in 1933, having the then Supreme Patriarch, Krom Luang Vajirayanawong as his preceptor.
During his monkhood, the Supreme Patriarch had studied Buddhist Theology and successfully finished all the nine levels in the Buddhism studies. In 1956, His Holiness was picked by the then Supreme Patriarch to be the preceptor of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej during the latter’s stay in monkhood.
Throughout his monastic life, His Holiness Somdej Phra Nyanasamvara had strictly followed the noble eight-fold path in the Buddhist faith including right thought, right livelihood and right concentration. His reputation in such practices and the moral and ethical quality he had showed in him had earned him the highest rank in the Buddhist circle — the Supreme Patriarch, in April 1989, the 19th in the Rattakosin era.
The Supreme Patriarch passed away on October 24, 2013 due to a blood infection, at 100 years and 21 days old.
