Luangphor Viriyang Sirintharo

Somdet Phra Ñāṇavajirottama (Thai: สมเด็จพระญาณวชิโรดม; RTGS: Somdet Phra Yanawachirodom; born Viriyang Boonteekul, 7 January 1920 – 22 December 2020), also known as Luang Phor Viriyang Sirindharo (Thai: วิริยังค์ สิรินฺธโร), was a Thai monk, Meditation Master and Patriarch of the Dhammayuttika Nikaya Order in Canada. He was born in Saraburi, Thailand.

After recovering from a severe illness, Viriyang was inspired to dedicate his life to follow the Buddha’s path. He was ordained as a bhikkhu monk in 1941. He founded Wat Dhammamongkol, where he was the Abbot of the temple. It houses the statue of the world’s largest green Jade Buddha commonly known as the Jade Buddha Wat Dhammamongkol. Throughout his life, Viriyang was admired by many for his Buddhist teachings, his promotion in the teaching of meditation, and charitable works. In 1975, Viriyang founded the Prateep Dek Thai project, an early childhood development programme for children aged 2 to 6 that has since expanded to 2,000 centres throughout Thailand in 2021.

As a meditation master enthusiast, Viriyang promoted the teaching of meditation training throughout Thailand and abroad. He served as a Meditation Master and founded the Willpower Institute, which provides meditation programmes to support people to meditate with the purpose of propagating meditation, reduce world conflict and also attain world peace. By 2021, the institution had grown and operates in Thailand, United States of America, Canada and Australia.

Viriyang received a number of honours, including the 2005 Knight of the Order of the Star of Italian Solidarity, and the 2010 Medal for Culture from World Fellowship of Buddhists. Viriyang died on 22 December 2020, at age 100.