f I

authority of the Sahgha to Phra: parama guru
Tiloka-tilaka-siratana -silagandhd- vandvasl-dkar-
makitti-sahgkaraja-mahasvami-chao. It will be seen
how a long high-sounding title was given to the head of
the Buddhist Church in Siam. As before he had the
titles of Sahgha rajz and mahasvami. But a signifi-
cant title has now been added, namely, Parama guru
(the great spiritual preceptor), It may be due to the
influence of Tantrikism, in which guru plays an im-
portant role.

After the death of this Parama gurut the monks
with the adyice of the king Dharmarajadhirfija and
the queen mother and monks in general, gave the
supreme authority to the monk Phra: ratana-
tnahgala-vilasa mahathera.

At the death of this monk, they made another
bhik$u their chief. The name of this bkt&su is not
given in the inscription.1

IV—SUVANNACANDA

(1388 A. D.)

After the death of the king Paramarajadhiraja,
his young son Suvannacanda came to the throne.
He is known in the Siamese Text as Thong Lan and
Thong Chan in the Mongkut Text. Unfortunately,
he reigned only for 7 days, after which Ramessura
usurped the royal power again and reigned for six
years (A. D. 1388-1394).

1. Le Siam Ancien, I, p. 209.