UCC establishes research post in Buddhism

University College Cork has become the first institute of its type in Ireland to establish a research post in Buddhist studies.

The post is funded by a European charity supported by The Dhammakaya Foundation, a modern Buddhist movement with over a million members in Thailand.

The researcher, Dr Phibul Choompolpaisal, now at UCC, will conduct research onsite and in Thailand.

He will also organise an international conference in Cork in September on pioneering Western Buddhists. These include the “Irish Buddhist”, U Dhammaloka.

Dhammaloka, a migrant from Dublin, arrived in Bangkok as a Buddhist monk in 1903 and opened a school which still exists.

He was known by several names, including Laurence Carroll and William Colvin. The name Dhammaloka was given to him at ordination.

From 1900 he attracted frequent press attention in Burma.

Prof Brian Bocking, head of UCC’s Department of the Study of Religions, said the last year has been a fruitful one for religious studies at UCC. “In September 2011 we appointed Ireland’s first lecturer in Indian religions, Dr Lidia Guzy.

“In December, the Teaching Council of Ireland approved our Religions and Global Diversity BA programme for intending teachers of religious education. And now we have a full-time research post in Buddhist studies, the first ever in the Republic.”