Bour Kry facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bour Kry |
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| បួរ គ្រី | |
Samdech Preah Sangkhareach Bour Kry at Wat Khemararam
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| Religion | Buddhism |
| School | Theravada |
| Lineage | Dhammayuttika Nikaya |
| Dharma names | Candagiriko ចន្ទតិរិកោ |
| Personal | |
| Nationality | Cambodian |
| Born | 11 January 1945 Battambang, Cambodia, French Indochina |
| Senior posting | |
| Title | Sangharaja |
| Predecessor | Tep Leung |
Samdech Preah Sangkhareach Bour Kry (born January 11, 1945) is a very important Buddhist leader in Cambodia. He is the seventh and current Supreme Patriarch of the Thammayut order. Think of him as the head of a major Buddhist group in Cambodia.
Contents
Discovering Buddhism: Early Life
Bour Kry was born in Battambang, a city in Cambodia. He became a Buddhist monk in 1963. During his early years as a monk, he spent a lot of time studying the Pali Canon. This is a collection of ancient Buddhist texts.
Later, he was given an important spiritual job. He became the Secretary of the Mekon. He was also put in charge of a monastery near the border between Thailand and Cambodia.
Life in France: Helping Others
In 1975, a difficult time began in Cambodia. Many people had to leave the country. Bour Kry managed to go to France in 1976.
In 1977, he started the Khmer Buddhist Association. He worked with other monks and people who had also left Cambodia. This group grew over the years. In 1980, they built Vatt Khémararam. This is a Buddhist temple in Créteil, a town near Paris.
Bour Kry also helped many refugees from Southeast Asia. In 1982, he started a group called Secours Bouddhique International. This group helps people in need around the world.
Becoming a Royal Leader
In 1987, Prince Norodom Sihanouk gave Bour Kry a special title. He was called Spiritual Eminence.
After an important agreement in 1991, King Norodom Sihanouk gave Bour Kry an even higher position. He was made the head of the Dhammayuttika order of Buddhism in Cambodia. His new title was Supreme Patriarch.
Making a Difference: Social and Religious Work
After 1991, Bour Kry often returned to Cambodia. He helped rebuild Buddhist schools and monasteries. Since then, the number of Dhammayuttika monasteries has grown to over 150.
In 1995, he helped create the Preah Sihanouk Dhammadhiraj Buddhist Institute. This institute helps young people in Cambodia. It offers education and job training. It also helps teach about Buddhism and Khmer culture.
Bour Kry has also worked to spread health information. He has talked about important health topics like AIDS at international meetings. He encourages monasteries to share health facts with their communities.
Important Titles
As the Supreme Patriarch of the Dhammayuttika Nikaya, Bour Kry has a very long official title. It is Samdech Preah Aphiserei Sukonthea Mohasangreacheathipadei. This means 'Of Higher Merit and Pure Virtue, Great Supreme Patriarch Leader'. Sometimes, a shorter title is used, like Samdech Preah Sangreach.
See also
- Buddhism in Cambodia
- Dhammayuttika Nikaya
- Norodom Sihanouk
- Supreme Patriarch of Cambodia
