On Wednesday, July 10, 2024, Phra Maha Sutham Suratano, Pali IX, Dr., Assistant Abbot of Wat Phra Dhammakaya, Vice President of the Union of Thai Sanghas in Oceania (UTO), President of the Dhammachai International Research Institute (DIRI) of New Zealand, and Abbot of Wat Phra Dhammakaya Auckland, New Zealand, along with monks from Wat Phra...Read More

On Saturday, June 29, 2024, 12:00 -12:30 PM, local time, Kittipong Vongagsorn, a Ph.D. student from Dhammachai International Research Institute of New Zealand (DIRI) who is currently studying at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, presented his research titled “Moggallāna Lost in Another World-System: The Enduring Influence of Mahāyāna in a Thai-Lao Legend” at the “Theravāda and East Asia”...Read More

Oxford, June 20, 2024 – In a significant development, the Dhammachai International Research Institute (DIRI) of New Zealand has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the University of Oxford, UK. This pioneering partnership is dedicated to advancing research into ancient meditation practices within Theravada Buddhism. This collaboration comes as DIRI celebrates the 80th...Read More

Highlight Dr. Phra Maha Sutham Suratano met with Professor Richard Gombrich at the Oxford Centre for Buddhist Studies, celebrating a decade-long partnership that has advanced global Pali language education and Buddhist knowledge. Continuing the work of spreading Buddhism and the work of searching for evidence of Dhammakaya from the pioneering era June 12, 2024 –...Read More

On Thursday, April 25, 2024, 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Department of Eastern Languages, South Asian Languages section, Chulalongkorn University recently hosted a doctoral dissertation seminar for doctoral students of Pali-Sanskrit language and Buddhist Studies major in the second semester of the 2023 academic year. This venue of seminar was the room 502, South Asian...Read More

On April 1st , 2024, Ms Charmaree Tangkasikit, a scholarship doctoral student of Dhammachai International Research Institute (DIRI) presented her work in the international conference “Theravada Buddhism and Social Engagement” which was held at Hyatt Centric Hotel, Uttarakhand, India. The opening ceremony was graced by Ram Nath Kovind, the 14th president of India, and Gen....Read More

On Thursday, March 21, 2024, at 3:30 p.m., New Zealand time, Phramaha Sutham Suratano, Pali IX, Dr, chairman of the Dhammachai International Research Institute of New Zealand (DIRI) provided annual scholarships to the University of Otago students who got excellent scores in each subject related to Buddhist studies and provided annual financial support for teaching...Read More

Under the MoU between the Dhammachai International Research Institute (DIRI) and the Religion Programme, the University of Otago, we are pleased to invite everyone to join the Buddhist Texts seminar series between 19-23 February 2024, 2-5 pm (NZ time).   This seminar series examines 20th century Buddhist texts and biography to show how major and...Read More

Phra Akbordin Paññāratano, a PhD candidate ring the historical bell On January 25, 2024, Phra Akbordin Paññāratano, a PhD candidate in Religious Studies at the University of Otago, and a researcher at the Dhammachai International Research Institute of New Zealand (DIRI), rang the University bell and took pictures with his supervisors and friends after submitting...Read More

OCBS DIRI Lecture Series Suicide, Meditation and Anti-realism: Three Problems in the Study of Early Buddhism Dr Alexander Wynne This lecture series will consider three apparently distinct problems in the study of early Buddhism: one ethical (suicide), one spiritual (meditation) and one metaphysical (anti-realism). By bringing out underlying connections and discontinuities between these subjects, the...Read More