Dhamma Gathering and Scholarship Presentation at Wat Suthat Thepwararam

24 August 2026 | Bangkok, Thailand

A special Dhamma gathering and scholarship presentation ceremony was held at Wat Suthat Thepwararam on 24 August 2026, bringing together senior members of the Buddhist Saṅgha, scholars, and young novice monks in the temple’s historic Ubosot, the principal ordination hall.
The ceremony was graciously presided over by Somdet Phra Suthatsana Wachiramuni, Member of the Supreme Sangha Council, Abbot of Wat Suthat Thepwararam, and Deputy Head of the Dhamma Studies Division (Sanam Luang).

During the gathering, scholarships were presented to novice monks of Wat Suthat Thepwararam, followed by a Dhamma discourse offering encouragement and guidance in their monastic studies and spiritual development. The occasion was also honoured by the participation of Phra Maha Watthana Dhammanusari (P.Dh. 9), Assistant Abbot of Wat Suthat Thepwararam and a student at the University of Oxford, together with Rev. Wadigala Samitharathana (MA, London; MPhil, Oxford; Royal Pandit), Head Monk of the Oxford Centre of Theravāda Buddhism in the United Kingdom.

They joined the ceremony in presenting commemorative gifts and meeting with the young novices. Drawing upon their own educational and monastic journeys, they shared reflections on the importance of studying the Pāli language, developing knowledge through traditional Buddhist education, and the opportunities available to continue Buddhist scholarship within higher education internationally. The gathering highlighted the enduring importance of Pāli and Dhamma education in preserving the Buddha’s teachings while encouraging a new generation of monastics to pursue both traditional learning and wider academic study. May the noble pursuit of Pāli and Dhamma learning continue to illuminate the path of future generations, preserving the profound heritage of the Buddha’s Dispensation while opening new horizons of wisdom, scholarship, and service.

Oxford Buddhist Society