On 11 July 2025, Venerable Phramaha Nopporn Punyachayo, an assistant abbot of Wat Phra Dhammakaya, related that Wat Phra Dhammakaya and Dhammakaya Foundation collaborated with other Buddhist temples around Isipatana to organize the mass ordination for 300 ordinands at the birthplace of Buddha and Dhammayatra (monks’ pilgrimage) around Isipatana – the place that the Buddha delivered his first sermon known as the Dhammacakka Sutta to announce the beginning of Buddhism. The new monks circumambulated Dhamek Stupa before receiving alms from laypeople at Wat Thai Sarnath. Later, they lighted 8,000 lanterns in honor of the Buddha and recited Dhammacakka Sutta with the monastic community of Sarnath.
Venerable Phrakhrupaladrattanaveerawat, abbot of Wat Phra Dhammakaya assigned Venerable Phramaha Nopporn Punyachayo to convey a message of Laung Por Dhammajayo and to thank the international organization networks for reviving Buddhism at the birthplace of Buddha. With the collaboration of Wat Sarnath Mahaviharn, Maha Bodhi Society of India, Wat Thai Sarnath, international Buddhist organizations and supporters of other religions, this activity has been consecutively organized for 8 years and in 2025, the training for ordinands started on 30 June 2025.
