Upali Thera
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Upali Thera | |
|---|---|
 Statue of Phra Ubali in the Mahathera Museum | |
| Title | Phra Ubali |
| Died | 2298 BE |
| Religious life | |
| Religion | Theravāda Buddhism |
| Temple | Wat Buppharam |
Upali Thera (Thai: อุบาลี, RTGS: Ubali), also known as Phra Ubali, was a Thai Theravāda monk and royal missionary during the reign of King Borommakot of the Krung Sri Ayutthaya. He is best known as the founder of the Siam Nikaya in Sri Lanka and for reviving the upasampadā (higher ordination) lineage among Sinhalese monks in 1753.[1]
Early life and mission
Phra Ubali initially resided at Wat Thammaram, a modest monastery bordered by Wat Thakarong, Wat Kasatrathirat, and the Chao Phraya River in present-day Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province.[citation needed]
In 1752., he led a delegation of Thai monks to Kandy, Sri Lanka, upon the request of the Sinhalese King, to restore the upasampada ordination lineage, which had lapsed for centuries.[2] He and his entourage resided at Wat Buppharam, now known as Malwatta Vihara, and within three years had ordained over 700 monks, including Samanera Saranankorn and his group.[3]
Founding of the Siam Nikaya
His actions led to the establishment of the Siam Nikaya—the most prominent and orthodox Buddhist monastic order in Sri Lanka. Upali Thera considered the existing Sangha to be corrupt, due in part to practices like astrology, and sought to purify it. His reformation introduced a stricter Vinaya adherence modeled after Thai practices.[1]
Reformation of the Sacred Tooth Relic Procession
Upali Thera also reorganised the Kandy Esala Perahera, the annual Procession of the Temple of the Tooth. Previously centered around veneration of Hindu deities incorporated into local Buddhist traditions, the festival was reoriented by Upali to emphasise devotion to the Buddha. A royal decree declared: “Henceforth Gods and men are to follow the Buddha.”[1]