Phra Sirimangkalajarn

Phra Sirimangkalajarn (Northern Thai: ᨻᩕᩈᩥᩁᩥᨾᩘᨣᩃᩣᨧᩣᩁ᩠ᨿ᩼, Phra Sirimangalācariya) was a Buddhist monk from Chiang Mai, Lan Na, who lived approximately between 1477 and 1535. He authored four important Buddhist literary works: Vessantaraṭīpanī, Sankhya Pakāsakaṭīkā, Mangaladipani, and Cakkavaladipani.^[1]

Phra Sirimangkalajarn
ᨻᩕᩈᩥᩁᩥᨾᩘᨣᩃᩣᨧᩣᩁ᩠ᨿ᩼
Personal life
Born	Sripingmueang c. 1477 Chiang Mai, Lan Na
Died	c. 1525 – c. 1535 Chiang Mai, Lan Na
Buried	Wat Suan Dok, Chiang Mai, Lan Na
Religious life
Religion	Buddhism
Creed	Theravada
Dharma names	Sirimangalācariya

Biography

Phra Sirimangkalajarn was born in Chiang Mai with the birth name Sripingmueang. According to legend, he was born during a great storm that destroyed his family's home. His mother, heavily pregnant at the time, had taken shelter at the base of a Bo tree (known locally as "Siri tree") and gave birth there. His father thus named him Sripingmueang.^[2] He was ordained as a novice at the age of 13 and later traveled to Sri Lanka^[3] to study under the guidance of Phra Buddhavīra, likely a monk of the Sinhalese tradition.^[4]

Upon returning to Chiang Mai during the reign of Kaew, he was appointed as Phra Sirimangkalajarn by royal decree and became abbot of Wat Ched Yot (Wat Photharam Maha Wihan). Here, he composed three of his works: Vessantaraṭīpanī, Cakkavālaṭīpanī, and Sankhya Pakāsakaṭīkā.

In 1524, a great flood damaged Wat Tamnak Suan Khwan Sirimangkalajarn, prompting him to move to a secluded abandoned residence to write Mangalaṭṭhapanī, which he completed in 1517.

Phra Sirimangkalajarn died around 1525–1535 during the reign of Ket. His cremation likely took place at Wat Suan Dok, where he had served as abbot, and a stupa was built to house his relics. The stupa was demolished in 1927.^[5] He lived approximately 47 years.^[6]

Works

• Vessantaraṭīpanī (Northern Thai: ᩅᩮᩔᨶ᩠ᨲᩕᨴᩦᨷᨶᩦ), completed in 1517 during the reign of Kaew, explaining the Vessantara Jataka commentaries with interesting details.
• Sankhya Pakāsakaṭīkā (Northern Thai: ᩈᩘᨡ᩠ᨿᩣᨷᨠᩣᩈᨠᨭᩦᨠᩣ), completed in 1520, clarifies the Sankhya Pakāsaka text by Phra Ñāṇavilāsa Thera for easier understanding.
• Mangalaṭṭhapanī (or Mangalaṭīpanī) (Northern Thai: ᨾᩘᨣᩃᨲ᩠ᨳᨷᨶᩦ), composed in 1524, is a major work explaining the teachings of the Maṅgala Sutta.
• Cakkavāladīpanī (Northern Thai: ᨧᨠ᩠ᨠᩅᩣᩊᨴᩦᨷᨶᩦ), completed in 1520, describes the universe, terrestrial elements, animal habitats, food sources, mountains, rivers, deities, demons, and more.