Martin Seeger

University of Leeds, East Asian Studies, Faculty Member

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From 1997-2000 I was ordained as a Buddhist monk in northern Thailand and subsequently earned my MA and doctorate in Thai Studies at the University of Hamburg. Much of my research focuses on the life and work of the Thai Buddhist thinkers Somdet Phra Buddhaghosajarn Jaroen Ñāṇavaro (1872-1951), Buddhadasa Bhikkhu (1906-1993), Phra Payutto (b. 1939), Khunying Yai Damrongthammasan (1886-1944) and Khun Mae Bunruean Tongbuntoem (1895-1964). I have also done research on Thai Buddhism and environmentalism, Human Rights in Thai Theravada Buddhism and development monks in the northeastern region of Thailand. I continue to work on "female saints in Thai Buddhism". At the moment, I work on a research project with the title "Hagiographical Processes and Religious Symbolism in Modern Thai Buddhism".
Supervisors: Prof Baas Terwiel and Prof Lambert Schmithausen
Address: East Asian Studies
University of Leeds
LS2 9JT
UK

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Books by Martin Seeger

GENDER AND THE PATH TO AWAKENING Hidden Histories of Nuns in Modern Thai Buddhism

In Gender and the Path to Awakening, Martin Seeger lays out the nuances and varying conceptions o... more In Gender and the Path to Awakening, Martin Seeger lays out the nuances and varying conceptions of female renunciation in modern Thai Buddhism. Centered on long-term textual and ethnographic research on six remarkable female practitioners, Seeger considers trends and changes over the last 140 years in the practices of female renunciants and their devotees. He also investigates understandings of female sainthood in Thai Buddhism, its expressions in material culture, and the importance of orality and memory in Thai Buddhist epistemology. Supported by interviews and careful study of sermons, hagiographies, and hitherto untranslated and rare Thai sources, this book examines the social backgrounds, modes of expression, veneration, and historical contexts of Thai women pursuing the Buddhist ideal. Rich in ethnographic detail and with additional grounding in foundational Indian Buddhist texts, this book off ers new insights into the complexities of female renunciation and gender relations in modern Thai Buddhism.

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Papers by Martin Seeger

Soteriological Inclusiveness and Religious Tourism in Modern Thai Buddhism: The Stūpa of Mae Chi Kaew Sianglam (1901–1991)

by Martin Seeger, Adcharawan Seeger, and Prapas Kaewketpong

Journal of Global Buddhism, 2024

While numerous Thai male Buddhist monastics have been deeply and widely revered for their perceiv... more While numerous Thai male Buddhist monastics have been deeply and widely revered for their perceived attainment of full awakening/arahant-ship, the same recognition for Thai female practitioners together with the concomitant phenomena of veneration remain very limited, with only a few notable exceptions. Given the scarcity of acknowledged Thai female Buddhist arahants in comparison to the number of widely venerated male Thai arahants, it is unsurprising that while numerous sacred sites across the country are dedicated to male practitioners of modern Thai Buddhism, equivalent places for the veneration of female Buddhist practitioners are exceedingly rare. The Mae Chi Kaew Stūpa stands out due to its unique purpose: it was built for the memory and veneration of a female arahant of modern Thai Buddhism. Unlike most similar monuments dedicated to male monastic practitioners of modern Thai Buddhism who are believed to have achieved full awakening, this memorial is an unambiguous articulation of women’s potential to realise the summum bonum of Theravada Buddhist soteriology in current times. As we will show in this paper, the Mae Chi Kaew Stūpa has been strategically promoted as a religious tourism site across multiple levels: international, national, provincial, and local. Thus, our research focuses on the question of how tourism may help to effectively spread the message of what the Buddhist Studies scholar Alan Sponberg in relation to early Buddhism termed “soteriological inclusiveness.” Drawing on sustained ethnographic work at the Mae Chi Kaew Stūpa in Thailand’s northeastern province of Mukdahan, this paper aims to examine the interface between modern tourism and Thai Buddhist religiosity.

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Buddhist Performing Arts: Thematizing Gender and Developing a New Pedagogy in Modern Thai Buddhism

Journal of BUddhist Ethics, 2024

This article sets out to describe and reflect on the development, execution, and impact of two de... more This article sets out to describe and reflect on the development, execution, and impact of two devised theatre performances that the authors of this paper designed as an innovative and effective way of engaging audiences with Buddhist teachings and gender issues in Thai Buddhism. Based on long-term research into the biographies, soteriological practice and teaching, and veneration of historical Thai female Buddhist practitioners, each of these two plays was staged publicly twice in or near Bangkok in 2018 and 2019 respectively. We will discuss how the educational potential of performing arts can be harnessed to change understandings of audiences and performers or, at least, prompt their curiosity in the study of Buddhism, both as a doctrinal system and in terms of aspects of current religious practices, understandings, and perceptions.

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The Fragmentary History of Female Monasticism in Thailand: Community Formation and Development of Monastic Rules by Thai Mae Chis

The Fragmentary History of Female Monasticism in Thailand: Community Formation and Development of Monastic Rules by Thai Mae Chis, 2022

Abstract: A major challenge in the historical study of female monasticism in Thailand is the pauc... more Abstract: A major challenge in the historical study of female monasticism in Thailand is the paucity of texts written by or about Thai Buddhist female practitioners prior to 1950. Biographical and autobiographical texts and other substantial Buddhist texts authored by Thai female practitioners emerged arguably only in the 20th century and are generally relatively rare, with only few notable exceptions.
In this paper, I will utilize some of the earliest available Thai texts that allow more detailed insights into female monasticism and soteriological teaching and practice, the creation of female monastic spaces and the interrelationships between male and female monastics. Thus, I will examine sets of monastic training rules that, even though based on Pali canonical precepts and teachings, were created in the early 20th century. In addition to monastic code texts and the narratives of foundation
stories, other important sources for my study include the biographies of monastic and female lay practitioners, important benefactors of female monastic communities and prominent male monastic supporters of female monastic and spiritual practice. I will also draw on sermon texts by female and male monastics. Here, I will focus only on the lives of those individuals and histories of female monastic communities that I regard as representative of larger issues, trends and challenges in the
history of female monasticism in 20th century Thai Buddhism. Given the scarcity of sources, the present study cannot aspire to provide comprehensive accounts of the history of female monastic communities in Thailand and their interrelationships. Nor will I be able to reconstruct exhaustively the history of their monastic codes of rules. However, based on the sources that are available I will trace the history of attempts to create a blueprint for the organisation of Thai Buddhist female coeno‑
bitic monasticism.

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The Bhikkhunī-ordination controversy in Thailand

Journal of the International Association of Buddhist Studies, Jun 19, 2008

2 Ideas and Images of Nature in Thai Buddhism: Continuity and Change

Environmental and Climate Change in South and Southeast Asia, 2014

The Ascendancy of Theravada Buddhism in Southeast Asia

South East Asia Research, 2011

The Lovelorn Ghost and the Magical Monk: Practicing Buddhism in Modern Thailand. By Justin Thomas McDaniel. New York: Columbia University Press, 2011. Pp. xiv + 327; 20 halftones. Cloth, $60.00

Religious Studies Review, 2013

“หัดธรรม” อุปมานิทัศน์นิยายแนวพุทธ ร.ศ. ๑๒๓-๑๒๘ ฤ คือผลงานของคุณหญิงดำรงธรรมสาร

by Martin Seeger and Naris Charaschanyawong

ศิ ล ป วั ฒ น ธ ร ร ม Art and Culture Magazine, 2018

“หัดธรรม” ชื่อของจินตนิยายแนวพุทธ ประพันธ์ขึ้น ณ ปลาย สมัยรัชกาลที่ ๕ ระหว่าง ร.ศ. ๑๒๓-๑๒๘ (พ.ศ. ... more “หัดธรรม” ชื่อของจินตนิยายแนวพุทธ ประพันธ์ขึ้น ณ ปลาย
สมัยรัชกาลที่ ๕ ระหว่าง ร.ศ. ๑๒๓-๑๒๘ (พ.ศ. ๒๔๔๗-๕๒) ดำเนิน
เนื้อหาหลักโดยอุบาสิกา ๑๑ อนงค์ ผู้ล้วนได้รับการตั้งชื่อตามลักษณะ
เฉพาะของบุคคล (อุปมานิทัศน์-allegory) และครู ๑ ท่าน โครงสร้าง
จัดวางแบบ “ปุจฉา-วิสัชนา” ผ่านการสนทนาธรรมะได้อย่างมิเพียง
สนุกสนาน ทั้งยัง “เปนแต่พูดโวหารโต้ตอบกันให้เรืองปัญญา...”

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หนังสือ "ดำรงธรรม" โดย คุณหญิงดำรงธรรมสาร (ใหญ่ วิเศษศิริ, พ.ศ. ๒๔๒๕-๘๙) บันเทิงธรรมในวิชาการสัญจร

by Martin Seeger and Naris Charaschanyawong

published in ศิลปวัฒนธรรม Art& Culture Magazine ปีที่ ๓๗ ฉบับที่ ๑๐ สิงหาคม ๒๕๕๙

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The Bhikkhuni-Ordination Controversy in Thailand

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'The (Dis)appearance of an Author' - Some Observations and Reflections on Authorship in Modern Thai Buddhism

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"The 'Sammācāriṇī' of Wat Thepsirin during the time of Somdet Phra Buddhaghosajarn (Jaroen Ñāṇavaro): the Significance of Orality and Memory for the Study of the Dhamma"

by Martin Seeger and Naris Charaschanyawong

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Orality, Memory, and Spiritual Practice: Outstanding Female Buddhists in the Early 20th Century

Through a study of a number of biographies of outstanding female Thai Buddhists in the period bet... more Through a study of a number of biographies of outstanding female Thai Buddhists in the period between 1880 and 1950, I want to investigate the access of Thai women to Buddhist teachings and practice. Here I will give particular attention to the religious life and work of Khunying Yai Damrongthammasan, who appears to have produced one of the first significant Buddhist treatises ever authored by a Thai woman. In addition, I will also examine how her major teacher Somdet Phra Buddhaghosajarn Jaroen Ñānavaro conveyed and reflected on Buddhist knowledge. In order to add further evidence to the major arguments I intend to develop in this article, I will also investigate, albeit only briefly, or refer to relevant aspects of the religious life of a number of female Buddhist practitioners of the same time period, many of whom did not come from a privileged social stratum as Khunying Yai did; she belonged to the nobility. The case studies will allow
me to examine the significance of orality and memory for female Buddhist practice and education in early 20th century Thai Buddhism.

format_quotePrior studies oversimplify women's access to Buddhist teachings, necessitating a nuanced examination of their roles in Thai Buddhism.format_quote

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“พุทธมามิกา เอก อุ” แห่งยุค ๒๔๗๕

by Martin Seeger and Naris Charaschanyawong

คล้อยหลังจากการตีพิมพ์บทความ "ตามรอยเรื่องราวของนักปฏิบัติธรรมหญิงโดดเด่นที่ถูกลืม คุณหญิงใหญ่ ด... more คล้อยหลังจากการตีพิมพ์บทความ "ตามรอยเรื่องราวของนักปฏิบัติธรรมหญิงโดดเด่นที่ถูกลืม คุณหญิงใหญ่ ดำรงธรรมสาร (๒๔๒๙-๘๗) และปัญหาว่าด้วยความเป็นเจ้าของผลงานประพันธ์เชิงพุทธศาสนาอันสำคัญ” ในศิลปวัฒนธรรม เดือนเมษายน พ.ศ. ๒๕๕๖ ทางผู้เขียนได้รับผลตอบรับที่ดีจากหลายฝ่ายโดยเฉพาะสำนักข่าว BBC ที่ได้นำเสนอเรื่องราวดังกล่าวผ่านสื่อเว็บไซต์ และวิทยุกระจายเสียงทั้ง BBC Radio World Service และ BBC Radio Leeds กระทั่งมีผู้นำเนื้อหานี้บรรจุเข้าในสารานุกรม Wikipedia

คุณหญิงใหญ่ ดำรงธรรมสาร ชื่อที่ครั้งหนึ่งถูกรับรู้ในวงจำกัดว่า เป็นเพียงผู้อุปถัมภ์พระพุทธศาสนาผ่านการสร้างวัดวาอาราม บัดนี้ได้ถูกรื้อฟื้นสู่พื้นที่ดังกล่าวในหลากมิติมากขึ้น ทั้งฐานะบทบาทสตรีในช่วงระหว่างการเปลี่ยนแปลงโครงสร้างสังคมครั้งสำคัญในประเทศไทย วรรณกรรมพุทธที่ก่อนหน้าท่าน ล้วนถูกผูกขาดโดยบุรุษ กระทั่งถึงปัจจุบัน ที่งานประพันธ์ของท่าน ถูกทำให้เข้าใจผิดว่า เป็นบทสนทนาธรรมของพระอาจารย์กรรมฐานสำคัญแห่งยุคเช่นพระอาจารย์มั่น ภูริทตฺโต

available here: http://www.dharma-gateway.com/ubasika/ky-yai/history/ky-yai-hist-02.htm

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"Ideas and Images of Nature in Thai Buddhism: Continuity and Change"

In 2005, during the course of a research project on the involvement of Buddhist monks in developm... more In 2005, during the course of a research project on the involvement of Buddhist monks in development projects in the north-eastern region of Thailand, our research team was engaged in discussions with a Thai ‘development monk’ about the motivations of local people for environmental protection. The monk drew attention to significant shifts in the attitudes of rural Thai people to nature and also argued that nowadays, the combination of a variety of motivational factors is necessary to understand the reasons for the desire to protect the environment. The following sources of motivation have to be taken into account: respect for charismatic figures, fear of state authority, sense of communal ownership, respect and awe for the supernatural character of nature, and scientific understanding of the importance of environmentalism. Based on these empirical observations, I examine concepts of Buddhist environmental ethics, as proposed by one of the most influential Thai Buddhist thinkers, the monk Phra Payutto, in connection with shifting meanings and ambiguities in Thai conceptions of nature. I also consider conceptions of the forest as a spiritual ‘training ground’ and of karma as potential motivational factors for environmental protection. The focus of this article is to consider how a number of Thai Buddhists have sought to explain the causes of environmental degradation and how they have responded to it by proposing a variety of different strategies informed by religious beliefs, practices and teachings.

Reversal of Female Power, Transcendentality, and Gender in Thai Buddhism: The Thai Buddhist female saint Khun Mae Bunruean Tongbuntoem (1895–1964)

Recently we have seen an increasing number of publications, mostly of an ethnographic nature, des... more Recently we have seen an increasing number of publications, mostly of an ethnographic nature, describing and discussing the significant religious roles and achievements of Thai Buddhist women, not only in the field of Buddhist education, and with regard to their monastic roles, but also in terms of their roles as accomplished Buddhist practitioners. This paper examines the changes occurring in the status and position of women in Thai Buddhist practice. In this regard I focus on the analysis of one of the first widely acknowledged female saints of modern Thai Buddhism: Khun Mae Bunruean Tongbuntoem (1895–1964). Khun Mae Bunruean has obtained her increasing reputation through the advanced meditative achievements which her followers believe she possessed. I use hagiographical accounts of her as a focal point to unravel and examine Thai beliefs in relation to female sainthood in present-day Thai Buddhism. This is done by discussing gendered hagiographical writing against the background of relevant canonical and post-canonical Pali texts that have exerted authority in religious discourses on gender by informing and nurturing Thai religious value systems. This textual research is complemented by the ethnographic examination of Thai Buddhist beliefs and venerational practices which cannot be found in authoritative Pali texts but which still play a significant role in the understanding of the particularities of female saints in modern Thai Buddhism. I do not confine myself to hagiographical accounts and venerational practices directly linked to gender, but also devote some attention to other conspicuous aspects, elements, and expressions of Mae Bunruean's sainthood and her veneration.

The Changing Roles of Thai Buddhist Women: Obscuring Identities and Increasing Charisma

Thai Buddhism is characterised by a complex polymorphism that has become manifest in the pluralit... more Thai Buddhism is characterised by a complex polymorphism that has become manifest in the plurality of religious movements and cults. There exists an enormous variety of belief systems and religious practices that are based on widely differing interpretations of religious texts or other sources of normative and formative authority. These systems and practices are far from static, but changing with a similar pace as current Thai society as a whole does. This religious plurality and change can also readily be perceived in the socio-religious roles of Thai Buddhist women. With this paper, I intend to contribute to the existing body of academic literature on the changing roles of Thai Buddhist women, by reporting on the lives of a sample of outstanding Buddhist women, who excel in various realms. While doing so, I will show the significance of their lives and work in the context of current Thai Buddhism.

format_quoteEducational opportunities for maechis increased significantly with two Buddhist universities offering equivalent programs for maechis as monks.format_quote

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''แม่ชีกับสภาพปัญหาและโอกาส ในการเข้าถึงอุดมศึกษาที่จัดโดยคณะสงฆ์ไทย''

This research investigates the relationship between Thai mae chis’ access to higher monastic educ... more This research investigates the relationship between Thai mae chis’ access to higher monastic education, provided by the sangha, and their opportunities to find appropriate accommodation and financial support. While the Mahanikaya Sangha has supported mae chis in their Abhidhamma Studies since 1951, the Dhammayuttika-Nikaya Sangha has provided mae chis with the opportunity to pursue Pali Studies in a similar way to monks since 1963 (even though there still exist some significant differences). As a consequence of the enactment of their University Acts in 1997, both Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University and Mahamakut Buddhist University have been able to admit mae chis to their programmes. Our research will show that monastic educational career opportunities for mae chis have improved significantly over the last 10 years or so. A major objective of our research is to provide an analytical investigation of the interviews we conducted with students, administrators and teachers in higher monastic education. Here, we will discuss the views and experiences of our interviewees in order to study the potential and effectiveness of the monastic education that has been made available to Thai mae chis in recent years.

Keywords: Thai mae chis, access to higher monastic education, gender in Thai Buddhism, Pali Studies, Buddhist Studies, bhikkhunī

•"'Against the Stream': the Thai female Buddhist saint Mae Chi Kaew Sianglam (1901-1991)"

Both Thai and Western academia have recently paid increasing attention to the changing roles of T... more Both Thai and Western academia have recently paid increasing attention to the changing roles of Thai Buddhist women. Still conspicuously missing, however, are more in-depth studies of female Buddhist saints in Thailand and the attendant symbolism, which would provide a more adequate depiction of the contemporary Thai Buddhist landscape. Similar to the prominent role of the mae chi in monastic education, the emergence of hagiographies and the veneration of female Buddhist saints has not, to date, been given sufficient attention in academic studies. To help remedy this situation, this paper provides a life account of one of the most outstanding female practitioners of modern Thai Buddhism: Mae Chi Kaew Sianglam (1901–1991). A summary of an increasing number of available biographical materials on Mae Chi Kaew's life is followed by a thematic analysis in which the author examines various aspects of her life accounts and her veneration. The purpose is to study the enormous significance of Mae Chi Kaew's biographies and attendant symbolic representations in the context of the religious landscape of Thai Buddhism. The author shows that many hagiographical elements in the sacred biographies of Mae Chi Kaew approximate the hagiographical paradigms not only of the Buddha and other Pali canonical figures, but also of modern saints of the Thai forest tradition. At the same time, however, significant hagiographical and venerational particularities can be observed.

Martin Seeger

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