His Holiness the 19th Supreme Patriarch of Thailand, Somdet Phra Chao Krommaluang Vajirañāṇasaṃvara was born Charoen Khachawat in 1913 and ordained as Suvaḍḍhano Bhikkhu in 1933. In 1956, he become the advisor to King Rama IX, who later appointed him sangharaja (“King of the Sangha”) in 1989.

Somdet Yanasangwarara was instrumental in bridging the divide between the Bangkok Hierarchy and the Thai Forest Tradition, learning meditation from many forest masters including Luangta Maha Bua. He also established Wat Yanasangwarara Mahawiharn Monastery which is today home of Ajahn Suchart, one of his many direct disciples.

Somdet Yan died in 2013.

~ Adapted from Wikipedia

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