The Most Venerable Professor Dr. Phra Dharmakosajarn is currently Rector of Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University (MCU), Ecclesiastical Governor of Region II covering the provinces of Ayutthaya, Saraburi, and Ang Thong, Chief Abbot of Wat Prayurawongsawat in Bangkok, and a member of the Secretariat of the Supreme Sangha Council of Thailand.

He was born on September 17^th, 1955, in a village in Suphan Buri province, and entered the monastic life as a novice at the age of 12. In 1976, while still a novice, he completed the highest degree of traditional Pali Studies in Thailand, Pali Grade IX. In the same year, His Majesty, the King of Thailand, sponsored his higher ordination in the Royal Chapel of the Grand Palace in the temple of the Emerald Buddha.

Two years later, he received his Bachelor's degree in Philosophy, with first-class honours, from MCU. He then entered the University of Delhi, India, where he obtained the Diploma in French, an M.A., M.Phil. and a Doctorate. His Ph.D. thesis, written in English and published as Selflessness in Sarte's Existentialism and Early Buddhism has been very popular and reprinted many times.

After receiving his Doctorate, he lectured for a time at MCU. In 1986, the Thai Sangha Supreme Council posted him to the Thai Buddhist Temple in Chicago, U.S.A. as a Dhammaduta (missionary monk).

He returned to MCU to serve as Director of the Academic Division and later served as the first Dean of the Graduate school, Deputy Rector for Research and Planning, and Deputy Rector for Academic Affairs. His Holiness, the Supreme Patriarch of Thailand, made him Rector of MCU in 1997, and a year later appointed him Ecclesiastical Governor.

He is the author of more than 60 books on Buddhism and philosophy. His published works in English include, among others, A Buddhist Approach to Peace, Buddhist Morality, Buddhist Worldview, and International Recognition of the Day of Vesak.

He has been invited to give Dhamma talks on radio and television in Thailand. He has delivered lectures throughout Thailand and abroad and has been invited to give Dhamma lectures in the United States and overseas at least once a year for the past fifteen years.

In 1994 alone, he presented papers at the Symposium of the General Conference of the World Fellowship of Buddhists, held in Bangkok, and at the Religious Leaders Seminar, held in connection with the United Nations International Conference on Population and Development in Cairo, Egypt.

In August 2000, he was invited to give a lecture, A Buddhist View on Conflict Resolution, to the Millennium World Peace Summit of Religious and Spiritual Leaders at the United Nations, New York, U.S.A. Three months later, he delivered the distinguished lecture, Buddhism Propagation for Word Peace, at the Second World Buddhist Propagation Conference (Buddhist Summit) at Buddhamonthon, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand.

He was Director-General of the Organising Committee of the Buddhist Summit, co-hosted by MCU and the Nenbutsushu Buddhist sect of Japan. The conference was held in order to exchange ideas and techniques in the propagation of Buddhism, to build friendships among Buddhist leaders of the world and to celebrate the 72^nd anniversary of the birth of Majesty, the King of Thailand.

He was, in addition, President of the Organising Committee of the Board Meeting of World Council of Religious Leaders held at MCU, in February, 2004. He was also President of the Organising Committee of the International Conference on Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism Working as One: Buddhist Unity and Cooperation, held at Buddhamonthon and the UN Conference Center, Bangkok, from July 16-20, 2004.

One year later, he acted as President of the Organising Committee of the International Buddhist Conference on the United Nations Day of Vesak, held at Buddhamonthon and the UN Conference Center, Bangkok, from May 18-22, 2005.

Recently, he was Chairman of the Joint International Organising Committee (IOC) for the Third International Buddhist Conference on the United Nations Day of Vesak, held at Buddhamonthon and the UN Conference United Nations, from May 7-11, 2006.

On December 16, 2003, His Majesty, the King of Thailand graciously appointed him to the position of Professor of Philosophy at MCU.

Previously known as Phra Maha Prayoon Mererk, Phra Methithammaphon, Phra Rajavaramuni, and Phra Thepsophon, he was given the new title of Phra Dharmakosajarn by His Majesty, the King of Thailand, on December 5^th, 2005 in recognition of his continuing contributions to the Sangha and to the broader society.