Maha Nikaya
Encyclopedia
"Maha Nikaya" refers to one of the two principal sects of modern Thai Buddhism. The other principle sect is Dhammayuttika Nikaya. Generally, the Dahmayutti Nikaya sect of Theravada Buddhism is more strict than the Maha Nikaya sect.
The Maha Nikaya is the largest order of Theravada
Buddhist
monk
s in Thailand
.
The identification of the Maha Nikaya as a single, discrete, entity is an innovation of the Thai state. After the founding of the Dhammayuttika Nikaya by the then-monk Prince Mongkut
in 1833, decades later all recognized monks not ordained in the Dhammayuttika order were considered to be part of the 'maha nikaya', the 'great collection' of those outside the new Dhammayuttika fraternity. As such, most monks in Thailand belong to the Maha Nikaya more or less by default; the order itself did not originally establish any particular practices or views that characterized those adhering to its lineage. There were in reality hundreds of different Nikayas throughout the Thai areas that were lumped together as the "Maha Nikaya".
In Cambodia, a similar situation exists; the Dhammayuttika Nikaya was imported from Thailand in 1855, and those monks remaining outside the Dhammayuttika order were recognized as being members of the 'Maha Nikaya' (Khmer
: មហានិកាយ Mohanikay). A separate supreme patriarch
for the Dhammayuttika Nikaya was appointed by King Norodom; the previous national supreme patriarch then became the titular head of the Cambodian Maha Nikaya.
In Thailand, a single supreme patriarch is recognized as having authority over both the Maha Nikaya and the Dhammayuttika Nikaya. In recent years, some Maha Nikaya monks have campaigned for the creation of a separate Maha Nikaya patriarch, as recent Thai supreme patriarchs have invariably been drawn from the royalty-supported Dhammayuttika Nikaya.
The Maha Nikaya is the largest order of Theravada
Theravada
Theravada ; literally, "the Teaching of the Elders" or "the Ancient Teaching", is the oldest surviving Buddhist school. It was founded in India...
Buddhist
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
monk
Monk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
s in Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
.
The identification of the Maha Nikaya as a single, discrete, entity is an innovation of the Thai state. After the founding of the Dhammayuttika Nikaya by the then-monk Prince Mongkut
Mongkut
Phra Bat Somdet Phra Poramenthramaha Mongkut Phra Chom Klao Chao Yu Hua , or Rama IV, known in foreign countries as King Mongkut , was the fourth monarch of Siam under the House of Chakri, ruling from 1851-1868...
in 1833, decades later all recognized monks not ordained in the Dhammayuttika order were considered to be part of the 'maha nikaya', the 'great collection' of those outside the new Dhammayuttika fraternity. As such, most monks in Thailand belong to the Maha Nikaya more or less by default; the order itself did not originally establish any particular practices or views that characterized those adhering to its lineage. There were in reality hundreds of different Nikayas throughout the Thai areas that were lumped together as the "Maha Nikaya".
In Cambodia, a similar situation exists; the Dhammayuttika Nikaya was imported from Thailand in 1855, and those monks remaining outside the Dhammayuttika order were recognized as being members of the 'Maha Nikaya' (Khmer
Khmer language
Khmer , or Cambodian, is the language of the Khmer people and the official language of Cambodia. It is the second most widely spoken Austroasiatic language , with speakers in the tens of millions. Khmer has been considerably influenced by Sanskrit and Pali, especially in the royal and religious...
: មហានិកាយ Mohanikay). A separate supreme patriarch
Sangharaja
Sangharaja is the title given in many Theravada Buddhist countries to a senior monk who is the titular head either of a monastic fraternity , or of the Sangha throughout the country...
for the Dhammayuttika Nikaya was appointed by King Norodom; the previous national supreme patriarch then became the titular head of the Cambodian Maha Nikaya.
In Thailand, a single supreme patriarch is recognized as having authority over both the Maha Nikaya and the Dhammayuttika Nikaya. In recent years, some Maha Nikaya monks have campaigned for the creation of a separate Maha Nikaya patriarch, as recent Thai supreme patriarchs have invariably been drawn from the royalty-supported Dhammayuttika Nikaya.