Important people
College Patron
His Holiness Somdej Phra Maharatchamongkol Muni
(Thongchai Thammachot)
Wat Traimit Witthayaram Worawihan
The head of the monastic order
Phra Ratchawachraphotikhun
abbot of Wat Tharn Nam Lai
Suan Mokkhaphalaram
Founder
Mr. Suthep Thaugsuban
Mass People's Foundation for the Benefit of Thailand.
The origins of the college.
Today, the world has advanced significantly, possessing material wealth, values, and cutting-edge technology. However, morality and ethics in the heart have declined. This may be because people in this high-tech era, living fast-paced and superficial lives, view Dharma as distant, boring, or unnecessary. Furthermore, the current education system focuses primarily on vocational training, neglecting the cultivation and emphasis on moral teachings—which are directly applicable to work and life. Even if people become highly knowledgeable and intelligent, without morality guiding their hearts, their intellect and lives will never be truly complete.
Venerable Buddhadasa once said that studying only books and vocational subjects is insufficient, as it doesn’t include learning Dharma. Students may know books and professions, but lack the Dharma necessary for proper humanity. This is what he called a “dog with a docked tail” education system. He further observed that Thailand’s education system is incomplete and deficient, particularly in the area of Dharma. For education to be complete, it must include the study of Dharma. The curriculum must incorporate daily practice of Dharma in students while at school. Therefore, Thai education needs reform. The Mass People’s Foundation initiated the establishment of the Bhavana Bodhikun Vocational College as a model for educational reform that uses “Dharma” to guide “Wisdom,” the first of its kind in Thailand. Located on Koh Samui, Surat Thani province, the college offers free tuition, accommodation, and meals to selected students, providing comprehensive support to cultivate individuals who are not only knowledgeable but also responsible and morally upright in their lives.
Cultivating wisdom, building professional skills, awakening with Dharma as a guiding principle.
“Studying only academic subjects and vocational skills, without sufficient study of Dharma… This is what is called a ‘dog with a docked tail’ education system.”
Phrathammakosachan (Nguem Indapanyo)
The Phawana Bodhikun Vocational College held a foundation stone laying ceremony on Monday, May 23, 2016, at 9:49 AM, the 3rd day of the waning moon of the 6th lunar month. The ceremony was presided over by His Eminence Phra Thammavimol Moli, the Chief Abbot of Region 16, and chaired by Mr. Suthep Teharansuban, who is overseeing the construction of the mass temple in Thailand…
Bhavana Bodhikun Vocational College was founded with the vision of Phra Rajavachara Bodhikun (formerly known as Phra Bhavana Bodhikun (Pho Chanthasaro)) and the unwavering commitment of the Mass People’s Foundation to establish a vocational college as a model for educational reform. The college’s curriculum follows the principles of Buddhadasa Bhikkhu, emphasizing vocational training alongside Buddhist teachings, fostering professionals who are virtuous and committed to the philosophy of sufficiency economy.