On February 4, 2022, the Faculty of Arts, Chulalongkorn University hosted the Khyentse Award Ceremony 2021 in a hybrid online-onsite format. This is the second time that the Award Ceremony was organized in this fashion as a response to the COVID-19 outbreak. This year, however, is the first time attendance was open to the public. Due to the short notice and international time difference, many were unable to join, nevertheless, 15 participants attended. The recording was posted on the Faculty’s Facebook page. In this way, the Faculty of Arts hopes to further fulfill the mission of Khyentse Foundation in supporting the studies of Buddhism and further sharing knowledge with the public.
This year’s recipient is Phramaha Wiranit Thanachot, an advisee of Assistant Professor Chanwit Tudkeao from the Department of Eastern Languages. Phramaha Wiranit Thanachot, a Buddhist monk and an M.A. student majoring in Pali-Sanskrit and Buddhist studies, is working on an analytical study of Northeastern Thai Versions of Milindapañhā found in Roi Et Province. His study is the analysis of the Tai Tham scripts, the ancient script of Northeastern Thai dialect translated from Pali. Milindapañhā is a very popular extra canonical scripture (pakaraṇavisesa) translated into different languages. Most translations, regardless of their literary styles, are from the original Pali version.
Many Northeastern Thai versions of Milindapañhā written on palm leaves were discovered in Roi Et Province. All eight versions of the manuscripts, aged 225 years – 100 years were written by unknown authors in the Northeastern Tai Tham script. Their literary styles are of two types: storytelling, the majority, and questions and answers. The manuscript is believed to have not only religious value but also linguistic value. This study explores the work resulting from two ancient languages, as well as exploring the Buddhist culture in Northeastern Thai.
This work, therefore, does not only have religious value but also cultural and linguistic value. The ceremony was co-presided by Professor Bhadra Rujiratat, a Khyentse Fellow who was online at his residence in Nonthaburi and Associate Professor Suradech Chotiudompant, Dean of the Faculty of Arts, onsite at the Faculty of Arts. Honored guests attending the event online included Professor Suwanna Satha-Anand, Khyentse Award committee, Associate Professor Chomanard Setisarn, Head of the Eastern Languages Department and Assistant Professor Sompornnuch Tansrisuk, Head of South Asian Languages Section. Onsite participants also included Assistant Professor Nirada Chitrakara, Associate Dean, Assistant Professor Chanwit Tudkeao, the recipient’s advisor, and the recipient, Phramaha Wiranit Thanachot, zooming at the room next door.
Unfortunately, Assistant Professor Pratum Angurarohita, another Khyentse Award committee was not present as her mother has just passed. She has our heartfelt condolences. The Faculty of Arts would like to thank South Asian Languages Section, Department of East Asian Languages for their academic contribution and Professor Rujiratat’s never ending kindness towards our students and staff. Finally, the Faculty is truly grateful to the Khyentse Foundation for making this event happen.
During the past decade, the Faculty of Arts has been enjoying generous support from the Foundation. In addition to helping motivate research on Buddhist studies, the funding also helps internationalize these areas of studies which, in turn, helps strengthen the position of the Faculty of Arts as a center of international Buddhist Studies. As the metaverse has opened up the horizon in knowledge sharing, we are looking forward to more productive collaborations and to spreading new findings to the international community.
