BSc(KMIT Ladkrabang), MA, PhD(Silpakorn)
Visiting Lecturer, Buddhist Studies
Room: Richardson 5C24, 5th Floor, Richardson Central Tower
Email prasong.somnoi@otago.ac.nz
Profile
Prasong is a dedicated scholar specialising in Sanskrit and Buddhist studies. She holds a Master’s degree in Sanskrit Studies from the Faculty of Archaeology, Silpakorn University, Bangkok, Thailand, and has completed her PhD in Sanskrit Studies at the same institution.
With a strong academic background, Prasong has achieved the Grade 9 level in Pāli studies in Thailand, the highest level of traditional Pāli education, along with an advanced level of Dhamma studies.
Her research focuses on Mahāyāna sūtras and early Buddhist manuscripts. She has worked extensively on translating key Sanskrit texts, including the Daśabhūmikasūtra and Gaṇḍavyūhasūtra. Her Master’s thesis: A Comparative Study of Spiritual Practice in the Daśabhūmikasūtra and Visuddhimagga, explores the intersections of Buddhist practice across traditions, while her PhD dissertation: A Critical Study of the Gaṇḍavyūhasūtra, offers an in-depth analysis of one of Mahāyāna Buddhism’s most intricate texts.
In addition to her expertise in Sanskrit and Buddhist literature, Prasong is a qualified reader of the Lanna script, which is found in palm leaf manuscripts from Northern Thailand.
Her research interests include early Buddhist manuscripts, textual transmission, and Buddhist practice, with a focus on bridging historical texts with contemporary Buddhist thought.
Teaching
Papers taught in 2025.