Chapter Five - Persecution of Phra Phimontham (Vimaladhamma) Bhikkhu

Summary

One monk in particular, Phra Phimontham (Aat Asaphathera) Bhikkhu, has been at the centre of efforts to democratically reform the administration of the Thai sangha in the twentieth century. Because of his unconventional and progressive views, Phimontham became the victim of a concerted campaign against dissent in the sangha during the regime of Sarit Thanarat. The movement to obtain legal justice for Phimontham has been an important focus of agitation for change within the sangha and Phimontham's biography provides many insights into the relationships between the state and Buddhism in the past three decades.

Phra Aat Asaphathera (lay name: Aat Duangmala) was born in the northeastern province of Khon Kaen in 1901. He proved to be an able scholar and administrator and progressed rapidly within the ranks of the Mahanikay Order after his ordination. He obtained a degree in Pali studies at the grade of parian 8 in 1929 and in 1932 was appointed abbot of a royal monastery in Ayutthaya north of Bangkok, subsequently being appointed abbot, and then Sangha Provincial Governor of Ayutthaya province. In 1943 Phra Aat was appointed Sangha Regional Governor for the Central Region of the country and in 1945 he became Sangha Minister for Clerical Education. He was awarded a Phra Ratchakhana title of Theep grade in 1946 and of Rorng Somdet grade in 1947. Phra Aat is most widely known by the Phra Ratchakhana title of Phimontham that he held for over three decades. In 1947 Phimontham was appointed abbot of Wat Mahathat in Bangkok, the administrative centre of the Mahanikay Order, and in 1949 he became Sangkhamontri for Sangha Administration. Because of the speed with which he rose through the ranks of the sangha hierarchy and because of his recognised administrative skills, many monks, especially in the Mahanikay Order, regarded him as a likely future Sangharaja. Phimontham was innovative in his approach to Buddhism, travelling to Burma to study vipassana (insight meditation), visiting the West, and sending Thai monks to study Buddhism in India.