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PUC has been in operation for 16 years. One of its missions is to educate youth to have virtue, loving-kindness, compassion, high moral conduct, and respect human value which is preserved in PUC’s motto, “Sila Samādhi Paññā.” The establishing of Buddhist Sakyabutra International Institute will help everyone who is interested in learning Buddhism to build his or her good mindset.

There have been 536 learners since registration began. “I hope there will be more and more learners of all ages and statuses learning Buddhism,” said venerable San Sochea, President of Buddhist Sakyabutra International Institute.

The institute runs weekdays and weekends. Learners can choose to study at school or online via internet; however, they have to start with a foundation of three years before continuing to either Bachelor, Master or Ph.D. The class will not start until Friday, September 18. “We accept many more candidates in Buddhism learning,” said Venerable Kou Sopheap, Associate Dean of Buddhist Sakyabutra International Institute.

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Biography of Mr. Som Vannak

Meet our former monk Mr Som Vannak, who was born on 09 Jan 1980, his birth place Trok Village Tasous Commune Svay Rieng District svay Rieng Province Cambodia. Father’s name Mr Som Sophea and Mother’s name Madam Tes Neath, Mr Som Vannak who has 5 Siblings. He was Ordinated 8 years in Novicehood from 1992 till 2000. Mr Som Vannak spent many years studying and practising in Thailand and Myanmar and has received higher ordination. Mr Som Vannak has dedicated 16 years of Monkhood life.
Mr Som Vannak Received Higher Ordination as Bhikkhu from 2000 till 2007 (6 Years in Monkhood) and was ordinated as Bhikkhu by Preceptor Savardaw U Sumangalalankara, Tiptakadhara Tipitakakovida in Tipitamahagandhayon Monastery in Kabar Aye Yangon Myanmar.
Mr Som Vannak is better known as Indavudha.

Education

  • Passed the Buddhist Primary certificate
  • Passed the Buddhist secondary diploma from Suramarith Buddhist High School in Kingdom of Cambodia.
  • Passed the certificate level 1 and 2 of Pali Study system of The Kingdom of Thailand.
  • Studied in University of Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya in Wat Sisutaram in Bangkok
  • Studied in Myanmar by starting from Mula Tan (first level of Myanma Buddhist Monks Study system) and passed the first certificate from Union of Myanma under supervision of Tipitaka Mahandhayone Kaba Aye.
  • Passed Pathama Nge Tan certificate from Union of Myanmar
  • Passed pathamaseng examination (the first grate of Samanelankara system) that is conducted by Gandharamika Association of Mahagandhayone Amarpura of Mandalay Myanmar.
  • Studied all the classes such as Pathamalat Tan Pathamakyi Tan and Dhammcariya of government system and completed Dutiyaseng and Tatiyaseng classes as researches.
  • Master degree in major Buddhist Philosophy in international Buddhist programme.

    • Working Experience

  • Pali language professor in charge in teaching Kaccayanaveyakarana in Buddhist Sihanuraja University and Abhidhamathasangaha and Pali in Tutanggha Monastery in Phnom Penh.
  • One and only first Cambodian monk who had propagated the teaching of Buddha through Myanmar Buddhist Study’s system in Cambodia.
  • Deputy General Secretary of Bhuddhist Academy of Pannasastra University of Cambodia.
  • Dean of the Buddhist Sakyaputta International Institute (BSI) of Paññāsāstra University of Cambodia

    • Task

  • Propagating The Buddha’s dhamma by teaching Pariyatti such as Abhidhama and Pali grammar, Vinaya and Suttanta by broadcasting live via Facebook page through his own YouTube channel Mr Som Vannak.
  • Compiling all Buddhist scriptures from Myanmar, Thailand and International Foundation by having a strong commitment to achieve the translation and publishing the Buddhist scriptures for studying at BSI and at some monasteries in Cambodia.
  • Translation the Buddhist scriptures, Mr Som Vannak works into 2 steps: 1. Changing Myanmar Pali Alphabet into Cambodian Pali Alphabet, and 2. Continuing to translate the meaning from Cambodian Pali into Cambodian language.

    • The Buddhist scriptures that Mr Som Vannak committed whole heartly to achieve are as the following:

  • To publish the Tipitakas, Commentaries, Sub-Commentaries (6th Buddhist Council version) into Cambodian Pali alphabet.
  • To translate the Tipitaka, Commentaries, Sub-Commentaries (6th Buddhist Council version) into Cambodian language, with translation into Cambodian, translating word by word, and accompanied by an explanation of each word according to the meaning the Buddha is referred to.
  • To publish the Pali grammar books related to the Pali language based on the Great Grammar Book, such as Mahākaccāyanasaddapāṭho, Moggallāna, Saddanīti, Saddasangha, as well as various grammatical Tīkā such as Padarūpasiddhi, etc.
  • To producing all 28 Tipiṭaka Abhidhāna (1,000 pages each book) from Myanmar Pali to Cambodian Pali and translating into Cambodia language, which is designed in the form of Encyclopaedia and in the near future, there maybe have the electronic format of those documents that allow the learners easily searching for words through electronic devices.
  • The Tipiṭaka Abhidhāna will be conducted in the form of a fully academic study, which all of each word referred to Cambodian Tipiṭaka and the 6th Buddha Council scriptures, as well as the Commentary and Sub-Commentaries.
  • Therefore, the indispensable requirement is that; Mr Som Vannak needs to produce the 6th Buddhist Council versioned Tipiṭakas and as well as the Commentary and Sub-Commentaries in Cambodian Pali; for the reference document of the Tipiṭaka Abhidhāna.
In addition to translating the Buddhist scriptures, Mr Som Vannak also teaches the Abhidhamma Pali and Abhidhamathasanghahabhasadikā classes for both monks and ordinary people who are keen to learn. His class duration from 3-8 hours a day, as well as face-to-face lectures at BSI, and also via Zoom meeting.
Mr Som Vannak lectures through the books that he had published. All his books are recognized as accurate, concrete, profound and, most importantly, Mr Som Vannak did not abandon the Pali words taken from the original scriptures for the sake of avoiding deviations from the original meaning. Mr. Som Vannak did not reproduce the books based on my own ideas, such as the books named Abhidhamathasanghahabhasadikā, which is wrote with four unique special points:
  • To keep the original Pali content of the Abhidhamathasanghaha.
  • To translate into Cambodian language for learners who knows a little Pali.
  • To translate word by word from Pali into Cambodian for Pali learner.
  • To provide the Pali grammatical explanation on the meanings as well as providing the detailed point of views according to various Commentaries and Sub-Commentaries.
Mr Som Vannak strongly believes that the elimination of the original Pali text in most of newly compilation of Dhamma books will be a form of elimination of the original meaning of the Buddha. That is why all of my books are published in the form of the above four unique points. The main purpose of doing this work in such form is to wish to preserve the Buddha's teachings in the original form.
Mr Som Vannak is committed to expand the Dhamma library space in the current location at BSI, Mr Som Vannak also setting up 1 more site to serve Dhamma work. First the construction of a meditation centre on an area of more than 6 hectares, about 15 kilometres far from Pochentong International Airport, and I determined to fulfil this profound work, which should be enjoyed by the Buddhists or Non-Buddhist who wish to support the Pariyatti. This great work requires enormous resources, both human and financial support, to sustain.
Mr Som Vannak has strong goodwill and he is determined to dedicate his whole life to fulfil this great merit for the sake of fulfilling Paññāpāramī and for the benefit of the learners who wish to study, both in this and the next generations to have the opportunity to use these books. Past few years, whether there are people who know or do not, who recognize or do not, who help or do not; Mr Som Vannak has been doing this great work regularly (although not alone, but could be called alone, Mr Som Vannak did it with his small group of people), by using own budget, strength, and intellectual wisdom, along with a partial contribution from some of his students. Many of my works have been published and are being used extensively by the learners of both monk and ordinary people. To date, there are 60 tittles of books have been published by Mr Som Vannak.
Mr Som Vannak main goal and dedication are to make wisdom go viral through his teaching via social media and classroom face to face teachings.
Mr Som Vannak dedicated his whole life to the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha, and from great compassion he taught and trained his followers in the practices leading to Nibbana. It is our sincere wish that the readers of his biography find it to be a source of inspiration and that they experience the deep peace, joy and wisdom that are the fruits of the Buddha's path.

Som Vannak

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toward finishing the development of Bodhi Tree Monastery.

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Volunteer Positions Vacant

Mr Som Vannak is seeking volunteers for book editors, Pali examiners, translators from Myanmar to Cambodian, technicians, typists and the printers to accomplish this great task. On the other hand, this wonderful work is a great historical work that all Cambodian Buddhists should unite to fulfil. Mr Som Vannak has devoted his whole heart into this work to Dhammapuja.

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BSI

The institute runs weekdays and weekends. Learners can choose to study at school or online via internet; however, they have to start with a foundation of three years before continuing to either Bachelor, Master or Ph.D. The class will not start until Friday, September 18. “We accept many more candidates in Buddhism learning,” said Venerable Kou Sopheap, Associate Dean of Buddhist Sakyabutra International Institute.

Read More →