Phramongkolthepmuni
Phramongkolthepmuni
Biography
Biography
1. History before Ordination
Birth and Early Life
Luangpu was born as Sodh Mikaewnoi on October 10, 1884 to the family of Ngeun and Sutjai Mikaewnoi in Songpinong, Suphanburi, 60 miles west of Bangkok. At age nine, Sodh began formal education with his uncle, a monk at Wat Songpinong. He studied Khmer characters at Wat Bang-pla, Bang-lane district, Nakon Prathom Province until he was able to read and write fluently.
After he finished his elementary studies, he helped his father in his rice trading business. He would typically help two or three times a month to buy rice from farmers, ship it along the waterways, and sell it to rice mills in Bangkok and Nakorn Chaisri, a district of Nakorn Pathom.
At the age of 14, Sodh’s father passed away leaving him to take care of his rice trading business. Sodh’s earnestness, hard work and intelligence soon won the love and respect of his crew as well as his relatives. His business prospered and the family became well established.
The Awakening
On one trading trip when he was nineteen, Sodh sold all of his rice in Bangkok and headed home., He took a detour through Klong Bang-Eetan (which was later renamed Klong Bang-nangtan) in order to avoid the treacherous waters of the main river. This specific waterway was typically infested with pirates and bandits. As he travelled this route, he thought:
“To make a living is difficult. My father lived his life making a living like this. He had no time. Always rushing to earn money. If he would not have done this, he would be a low-class man that no one respects. He would be ashamed to socialize with his neighbors. My ancestors also lived the same path. Now I myself still follow this same path even after my ancestors have already died. Why should I focus on making such a living when after I die, I cannot take all these assets with me? I shall ordain.”
He then made a wish:
“May I not die. May I have a chance to ordain and once I ordain, I will not leave the Buddhist monkhood. I will be a monk throughout my entire life”
After setting his intention, he became worried with his mother’s future. Therefore, he worked very hard in order to save enough money for his mother to live comfortably for the rest of her life.
Ordination
In July 1906, Sodh was ordained at Wat Songpinong at the age of twenty-two. His monastic name was ‘Candasaro’
Which means “the One with a Bright Radiance like the Moon.” The next day after his ordination, he started to learn meditation with Phra Niem at Wat Noi in Bangplama, Suphanburi province. During his first rains retreat at Wat Songpinong, he also studied Buddhist scriptures in addition to his meditation practice. At one point in his scriptural study, he came across a Pali word, ‘avijjapaccaya’, and was curious as to what this word meant. He asked the monks at the temple, and to his surprise, none of them knew the meaning. This made him realize that he needed to go elsewhere to find the knowledge he sought.
After his first rains retreat at Wat Songpinong, he decided to go to stay at Wat Phra Chetuphon Wimon Mangkhalaram in Bangkok to further his knowledge of the scriptures. Besides scriptural study, he also searched for Samatha and Vipassana teachers. Luang pu had the opportunity to study with Thailand’s most renowned masters at various places, quickly achieving mediation results that were much to his teachers’ satisfaction.
Attaining Vijja Dhammakaya
Rediscovery of Dhammakaya
In 1917, after eleven years of meditation practice with some of the best teachers Thailand had to offer, Luangpu traveled to stay that rains retreat at the quiet, peaceful Wat Bote-bon, in Bangkuvieng, Nonthaburi. On the full moon night of the tenth lunar month, after attending the fortnightly recitation of the fundamental precepts in the evening with his fellow monks, he proceeded to the main chapel to meditate. Sitting in front of the Buddha statue, he declared:
“Upon this sitting, if I cannot attain even a small part of the ultimate Dhamma realized by the Lord Buddha, then I shall sit unmoved in this spot … or die in the attempt.”
He pleaded to the Buddha:
“May the Most Exalted One show me compassion and grant me the least and easiest of thy Enlightened Knowledge. Should my attainment of thy Enlightened Knowledge bring harm to Buddhism, don’t grant it to me; but if it can benefit Buddhism, then, O Lord, please grant it to me. I shall be thy champion to uphold the greatness of thy Teachings until the last day of my life.”
That night, he meditated until his mind was still. He discovered a supremely bright and pure image resembling that of the Buddha with 32 characteristics sitting deep in meditation, the crest of his crown shaped like a lotus bud. This was the ‘Dhammakaya’—the Body of Enlightenment. Arriving at this stage of experience in meditation is called “attaining Dhammakaya”.
In this moment, he discovered a crystal clear inner body that, in fact, resides—largely undiscovered—within every human being within every human being. As his mind continued to remain perfectly calm and still, several transcendental bodies appeared, one after another, each new one bigger, brighter, and more beautiful than the previous one. Until, finally, a supremely bright and pure image resembling that of the Buddha appeared.
Read more on Luang Pu’s enlightenment at “Enlightenement”
Propagation of Vijja Dhammakaya
After he attained this deep level of Dhammakaya, he saw in his meditation that Wat Bang-pla, in Bang-lane district, Nakorn Pathom province, would be the first place that he would propagate his new-found Dhammakaya Knowledge. Therefore, he traveled to Wat Bang-pla after the rains retreat. After teaching meditation for four months, three monks and four lay people followed in his footsteps and attained Dhammakaya.
Being the Abbot of Wat Paknam
In 1918, as Somdej Phra Wanarat, the monastic governor for Bhasicharoen District, offered Luangpu the position of acting abbot of Wat Paknam. Luangpu, together with four monks from Wat Phra Chetuphon then moved to Wat Paknam, and two years later, Luangpu was appointed the abbot in 1920. In addition to managing the temple based on strict monastic disciplines, he also energetically promoted Dhamma studies for monks and novices to supplement their moral training.
His daily routine was to lead monks and novices for morning and evening chanting. Every Sunday and Buddhist holy day, he would teach Dhamma in the chapel himself, assembling all the monks to mediate along with him. Every Thursday at 2 pm, he would teach meditation to monks, novices, nuns, temple residents, and the public at large.
Development of Wat Paknam
Establishment of Meditation Workshop
The Great Master taught Dhammakaya Meditation at Wat Paknam throughout his life. From 1935-1959, he ran a meditation workshop reserved for super-advanced meditation practitioners those who had reached the supramundane level of the absorptions. These gifted meditators meditated as a team in shifts, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, nonstop. Their mission was to carry out the investigation of the spiritual world that lies beyond the path to Dhammakaya. The workshop meditators gave up everything, even their own free time. They had almost no time to sleep. The Dhammakaya Meditation became associated with Wat Paknam. Candasaro’s name became synonymous with Wat Paknam, and the name “Luangpor Wat Paknam,” as he was later called, became a household name.
Establishment of Wat Paknam Canteen
When Luang Pu became abbot of Wat Paknam in 1916, he set up a canteen to offer food to monks and novices because when he lived at Wat Phra Chetuphon and faced difficulties with alms, he resolved that he would set up a canteen to feed monks and novices so that they may have time and opportunity to study the Dhamma fully and commit to Buddhist practice. This also makes it convenient for benefactors to offer food and make merit at the temple, with a cook to prepare both breakfast and dinner, the benefactors only need to offer food. If there is no benefactor on that day, Luang Pu will use his personal funds to pay for feeding monks and novices. This is the only temple in Thailand where monks do not have to go on almsround.
In 1938, there were about 150 monks and novices, and the number gradually increased to 600. Still, Luang Pu never worried about this burden, and has been donating to feed monks and novices for 37 years.
Governance
Luang Pu fulfilled his duty as abbot using the principles of alleviating sufferings and sustaining happiness for monks and novices as well as dependents. Like a father looking over his sons and daughters, giving equally without bias. Whoever is wrong is faulted, whoever is right is praised. Even those who have left his temple, Luang Pu will be watchful for news, fearing they would forget the merciful teachings given by Luang Pu. These generosities made the disciples who had been under his abbotship affectionally call him “Luang Por,” or “Venerable Father.”
Education
As a strict adherent of Buddhist discipline and education, monks and novices at Wat Paknam must commit to choosing to study a particular subject. Whoever does not study and does not practice will usually occupy the administration role within the temple.
Counseling Department
Luang Pu established a school of Buddhist Pariyat. By fundraising, he was able to organize a Dhamma and Pali Education. When having a sufficient amount of people to study, eventually Luang Pu was elevated to the status of an official school and education department. Wat Paknam Bhasicharoen grew steadily because Luang Pu always encouraged the education of monks and novices. Buddhist monks and novices who passed the Pali exam will receive public and personal praise and enjoy rewards as encouragement.
As for the giving sermons, monks perform on Sundays and Buddhist Holy Days at the chapel on a regular basis. As well as other days when benefactors come to offer food and request for Dhamma. Luang Pu will teach Buddhists to have faith in practicing Dhana, observing precepts, and practicing meditation by giving examples of Dhamma tales, ending with meditation. This allows the audience to have a deeper understanding of the story of Buddhism as well as enjoy listening to Dhamma.
He also arranged for monks and novices to learn to give solo sermons. As a result of this practice, many monks and novices at Wat Paknam because Dhamma Kathu and were regularly asked to perform sermons outside of the monastery.
Vipassana Meditation
Luang Pu Wat Paknam had been researching Vijja Dhammakaya since the first day of ordination as a Buddhist monk at the age of 22 until he was 70 years old. Luang Pu taught the practice of Dhamma as well as Pariyat when he had opened his school, with both monastic and laypeople attending in great numbers, making Wat Paknam at that time famous not only for its Dhamma, but also for Vipassana practice, as many people who attended were able to practice the Dhamma and attain the Dhammakaya.
Illness and Death
Since Luang Pu Wat Paknam assumed the role of abbot onwards, he had a heavy burden to bear. Luang Pu taught and propagated Vijja Dhammakaya, established Pariyat schools and canteen, as well as alleviating sufferings of those who request help from Luang Pu. He devoted his life to Buddhism and had very little time to rest. Though his physical health deteriorated, mentally he remained strong as before. He refused to abandon his duty, giving sermons, chanting, and distributing Buddhist amulats as usual. He did not like to burden others. Even when he was ill, he did not allow anyone sit up. Even for matters of meals he not demanding. Luang Pu ate whatever was offered to him.
In 1956, Luangpu became fatally ill with hypertension and a hernia which necessitated a surgery at Siriraj Hospital in Bangkok. Subsequently his health deteriorated and he had to be hospitalized twice at the Monastic Hospital. Luangpu knew his illness was incurable. He told the monks close to him that his illness was the karmic retribution from his past evil deeds, something which was not escapable. Although the doctors tending to him were the best Thailand could offer, he said no medicine could cure his karmic illness, that it was as if an impermeable stone was blocking the path of the medicine preventing it from reaching where it was needed.
When he became gravely ill, he called his disciples to continue propagating Vijja Dhammakaya.
Before Luangpu passed away, he made prophecies about the temple. He said that Wat Paknam would become very popular and there would be many new students coming to join the congregation. To ensure the prosperity of the temple, he ordered his body to be embalmed instead of cremated. He told them, “The ‘dead’ will feed the ‘living’.” In other words, this was meant to indicate that his corpse would attract pilgrims to visit Wat Paknam and pay homage. And the pilgrims will make donations to the temple, thus feeding the ‘living’. Instructions for meditation would be given to the pilgrims from a tape recording of Luangpu’s voice in the chamber where his body lies.
Merits
- Revered Monk Dictionary
December 12, 1921, earned the title of Phra Kru Sannabut at Phra Kru Samana Dham Samanatan
December 4th, 1949, earned the title of Samana Phrabhavana Kosolthera
1951, awarded the title of Honorary Fellow, King of the Ordinary Classs, Vipassanthera Department
December 5th, 1955, King of the Royal Order at Phramongkolratchamuni Suthasasilpornniwet Jesadathorn Yatikanisorn Baworasangaram Kamvasi
- December 5th, 1957 earned the title King of the Royal Order at Phra Mongkolthepmuni Srirattanaprasad Samativatsunthorn Mahakanisorn Baworasangaram Kamvas
- December 5th, 1957 earned the title King of the Royal Order at
Key Disciples
Khun Yay Maharatana Upasika Chandra Koonokyoong, founder of Wat Phra Dhammakaya Pathum Thani, regarded by Luang Pu, “Second to None”
