Somdet Daeng Silawaddhano

Somdet Phra Wannarat Daeng
Title	Abbot of Wat Suthat Thepwararam Ratchaworamahawihan Chief of the Southern Sector
Personal life
Born	(1822-12-11)11 December 1822
Died	5 January 1901(1901-01-05) (aged 78)
Education	Pali Grade 8
Religious life
Religion	Buddhism
Sect	Mahanikaya
Dharma names	Silavaddhano (สีลวฑฺฒโน)

Somdet Phra Wannarat (birth name Daeng, monastic name Silavaddhano) was a Somdet Phra Racha Khana (royal ecclesiastical rank) and the Chief of the Southern Sector of the Thai Sangha. He was the former abbot of Wat Suthat Thepwararam Ratchaworamahawihan and the founder of Wat Phothinimit Sathit Mahasimaram.

Biography

Somdet Phra Wannarat was born as Daeng on Wednesday, 11 December 1822 (13th waning day of the first lunar month, Year of the Horse). He was the son of Mr. Pho and Mrs. Mi, of Dawei descent.

At the age of 13, he was ordained as a novice under Phra Thamuthesacharn (Chim), then a ranking monk at Wat Intharam. He followed his teacher to study Dhamma at Wat Saket Ratchaworamahawihan. When Phra Thamuthesacharn became a scholar monk, he moved to Wat Suthat Thepwararam, and Novice Daeng followed him there.

He was ordained as a monk in 1842 (Year of the Tiger) with Somdet Phra Phutthachan (Son) of Wat Saket as his preceptor, receiving the monastic name Silavaddhano.

It is not recorded when he passed the Pali studies examinations, but he achieved the 4th level and, in 1849 (Year of the Rooster), attained the Pali Grade 8 at the age of 29.

Ecclesiastical Titles

• 1860 (Year of the Monkey): Appointed Phra Ratchakhana with the title Phra Srisomphot
• 1872 (Year of the Monkey): Promoted to senior Phra Ratchakhana with the title Phra Thep Kawi
• 3 March 1880: Elevated to Deputy Chief Monk of the South with the title Phra Thammavarodom Boromayanadul Sunthon Nayok Tripitaka Khun-alangka Phusit Thaksinthis Khana Risorn Bovornsangharam Kamavasi
• 20 March 1891: Promoted to Somdet Phra Racha Khana and Chief of the Southern Sector under the title Somdet Phra Wannarat Pariyattiphiphatpong Wisutthasongkhaparinayok Tripitaka Kosol Wimon Kambhirayan Sunthon Mahathaksinkhanarisorn Bovornsangharam Kamavasi Aranyavasi ^[1]

Death

Somdet Phra Wannarat suffered from old-age illness. Royal physicians provided medical care, and his condition initially improved before deteriorating again. He died on Saturday, 5 January R.S. 119 (1901), at around 11 p.m., aged 78 years, 25 days.

The next afternoon, King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) attended the royal bathing ceremony for the remains. His coffin was placed in a twelve-tiered wooden urn on a double-tiered pedestal. Eight monks performed the daily Abhidhamma recitation until the royal cremation. ^[2]

On 14 February R.S. 119, his coffin joined the royal funeral procession with that of Mom Chao Phra Phutthachan (That Seniwongse). The urns were placed on royal carriages and moved to the royal crematorium at Sanam Luang. King Chulalongkorn personally offered robes at the cremation on the following evening. On the morning of 16 February, officials returned the relics to his monastery. ^[3]

Notable Disciples

• Ariyavangsagatayana (Pae Tissadeva)
• Somdet Phra Ariyavongsagatayana (Yoo Yanotayo)
• Somdet Heng Khemachari
• Somdet Phra Phutthakosachan (M.R. Charern Yannachando)
• Phra Sasanasopon (On Ahisako)
• Chao Phraya Aphairacha Mahayutthamat (M.R. Lop Sudasna)
• Mom Chao Phrom Ladawan

References

Notes

1. Royal Gazette, Appointment of Monastic Positions, Vol. 8, Section 52, 27 March R.S. 110 (1891), p.465.
2. Royal Gazette, Obituary of Somdet Phra Wannarat (Daeng), Vol. 17, Section 42, 13 January R.S. 119 (1901), p.606.
3. Royal Gazette, Funeral of Mom Chao Phra Phutthachan and Somdet Phra Wannarat, Vol. 17, Section 48, 24 February R.S. 119 (1901), pp.687–689.

Bibliography

• Thanit Yupo (1973). The Legend of the Ecclesiastical Titles Somdet Phra Wannarat and Somdet Phra Racha Khana of the Rattanakosin Era. Bangkok: Sivaporn. pp. 34–38.
• Sommamornphan (2002). On the Appointment of Senior Monastic Dignitaries in the Rattanakosin Period, Vol. 1. Bangkok: Fine Arts Department. p. 428. ISBN   974-417-530-3.