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 | |
| Born | 11 January 1945 Phra Tabong, Thailand |
| Senior posting | |
| Title | Sangharaja |
| Predecessor | Tep Leung |
Samdech Preah Sangkhareach Bour Kry (born January 11, 1945) is a very important religious leader in Cambodia. He is the head, or Supreme Patriarch, of the Thammayut order, which is a major group within Cambodian Buddhism.
Contents
A Monk's Early Life
Bour Kry was born in a part of Thailand that was once Cambodian, called Battambang. In 1963, when he was a young man, he decided to become a Buddhist monk.
As a monk, he spent his first years studying the Pali Canon, which are the holy scriptures of Theravada Buddhism. Because of his hard work, he was given important jobs. He became a secretary for a group of monasteries and was put in charge of a monastery on the border between Thailand and Cambodia.
Leaving Cambodia During a Difficult Time
In 1975, a group called the Khmer Rouge took control of Cambodia. This was a very sad and dangerous time for the country. Many traditions, including Buddhism, were threatened.
Bour Kry had to flee the country to stay safe. He arrived in France in 1976. There, he worked with other Cambodians who had also left their homes. In 1977, they started the Khmer Buddhist Association. This group helped create a new Cambodian Buddhist temple, called Vatt Khémararam, in a town near Paris in 1980.
He also helped start a charity in 1982 to give aid to refugees from Southeast Asia.
Royal Recognition and Return to Cambodia
In 1987, Prince Norodom Sihanouk, who would later become king again, gave Bour Kry the high-ranking title of Spiritual Eminence.
After a peace agreement was signed in 1991, King Norodom Sihanouk gave Bour Kry an even more important role. He made him the Supreme Patriarch, or the highest leader, of the Dhammayuttika Nikaya order of Buddhism in Cambodia.
Helping Rebuild His Country
After 1991, Bour Kry often traveled back to Cambodia. He focused on rebuilding Buddhist schools and monasteries that had been damaged or closed. Thanks to his work, the number of Thammayut monasteries grew to more than 150.
In 1995, he founded the Preah Sihanouk Dhammadhiraj Buddhist Institute. This school helps young, poor Cambodians get an education and job training. It also teaches them about Buddhist beliefs and the rich Khmer culture and traditions.
Bour Kry has also worked to help people in Cambodia stay healthy. He has joined international talks about serious illnesses and has encouraged monasteries to share health information with their communities. He also helps teach people about the dangers of harmful habits.
What Do His Titles Mean?
As the Supreme Patriarch, Bour Kry has a long and respectful official title. In the Khmer language, it is Samdech Preah Aphiserei Sukonthea Mohasangreacheathipadei. This translates to 'Of Higher Merit and Pure Virtue, Great Supreme Patriarch Leader'.
When writing to him, people often use a shorter, respectful title, Samdech Preah Sangreach.
See also
- Buddhism in Cambodia
- Dhammayuttika Nikaya
- Norodom Sihanouk
- Supreme Patriarch of Cambodia
