Somdet Phra Buddhakosajarn, or Prayudh Payutto, received an enthusiastic welcome during his visit to his home province of Suphan Buri on Jan 12 -- his first visit in 11 years.
It coincided with his 79th birthday as thousands of Buddhists and well-wishers turned up to express their wishes to the revered monk.
Buddhists have also welcomed the monk's recent promotion to the position of somdet phra racha khana, the second-highest ranking after the Supreme Patriarch in the monastic hierarchy.
Well-known figures -- both monks and laymen -- were also present. The positive reception comes after the recent controversy over the appointment of the Supreme Patriarch.
The well-wishers included Phra Brahmapundit, the rector of Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University, the well-known monk W Vajiramedhi, Kanchana Silpa-archa, the daughter of the late Suphan Buri veteran politician Banharn Silpa-archa, as well as well-known singer Yuenyong Opakul or Ad Carabao.
Widely called Phra Prayudh Payutto, the monk has not been in the best of health, suffering from lung diseases, and has not given sermons in public or met his visitors for several years.
The monk occasionally goes on forest retreats to improve his health such as in Khao Yai in Nakhon Ratchasima's Pak Chong district or in Chachoengsao's Phanom Sarakham district.
Speaking to his followers, Phra Prayudh called on Buddhists to show compassion and kindness to people, and support each other rather than engage in endless fights.
The monk said faithful should cultivate the four Buddhist virtues called brahmavihara -- loving-kindness, compassion, empathetic joy and equanimity.
Buddhists should also follow the principle of sangahavatthu, which focuses on acts of sharing, generosity, kind speech, living a life of service, and behaving properly in all circumstances.
With the Buddhist teachings, the faithful can help the world restore peace and virtue, the monk said.
"Those who lead the country with dhamma and follow the principle of sangahavatthu will bring peace to the world as shown by the example of King Rama IX, who was committed to brahmavihara and sangahavatthu," the monk said.
On Dec 5 last year, birthday of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej, his son His Majesty the King Rama X presided over an annual ceremony to promote senior monks in the monastic ranking system. Phra Prayudh Payutto was among the 159 promoted monks.
The monk has been given the monastic title of Somdet Phra Buddhakosajarn, which is derived from the name of the respected 5th-century Indian Buddhist monk Buddhaghosa, whose best-known work is Visuddhimagga or "Path of Purification".
Buddhist scholars agreed Phra Prayudh deserves the title because he is an eminent scholar who has made substantial contributions to Buddhism.
With the somdet title, the monk automatically becomes a member of the 21-member Sangha Supreme Council, the Buddhist governing body.
Also known by his pseudonym of PA Payutto, Phra Prayudh is one of Thailand's most highly revered monks and a leading scholar of Thai Theravada Buddhism. The initials PA stand for his secular name: Prayudh Aryankura.
His profound knowledge of Tripiṭaka (Buddhist scriptures) is widely recognised and his moral integrity greatly admired.
A prolific writer, he has authored more than 500 books on Buddhism and its relevance to society. His magnus opus Buddhadhamma has received wide acclaim as a masterpiece of Buddhism. Unesco awarded him the Prize for Peace Education in 1994 in recognition of his contribution to education.
Born in Suphan Buri's Si Prachan district on Jan 12, 1938, the monk studied at secondary level at Pathum Khongkha School in Bangkok and was ordained as a novice in Suphan Buri in 1951.
There, he studied Buddhist teachings in Pali and graduated with a certificate in Pali studies at the ninth level, the highest. This achievement entitled him to ordination as a monk in the Temple of the Emerald Buddha on July 24, 1961. The ordination was under the patronage of the late King Bhumibol.
The monk went on to receive a bachelor's degree with first-class honours in Buddhism from Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University. After graduation, he was appointed deputy secretary-general of the Buddhist University.
Phra Prayudh Payutto is now the abbot of Wat Nyanavesakavan in Nakhon Pathom's Sam Phran district. He was also abbot of Wat Phra Piren in Bangkok between 1972 and 1976.