The Great Master’s Paths
The Great Master’s Paths is the paths of 6 important places involved with the Most Ven. Phramongkolthepmuni (Sod Chandasaro), the rediscoverer of Dhammakaya Vijja and the monk who conquered Mara. Each important place on the Great Master’s Paths will become the place to be established the Gold Image of Phramongkolthepmuni (Sod Chandasaro) which his disciples have casted the gold images together to express their love, respect and gratefulness to his limiltess kindness.
The Great Master’s Paths consists of the following important places
1. His birthplace: The monument of Phramongkolthepmuni Maha Vihara
Luang Pu’s birthplace is the 20-Rai lotus-shape land surrounded by water located in Song Phi Nong district in Suphanburi province. His disciples have constructed the “Phramongkolthepmuni Maha Vihara” which is a octagon golden-hill building. In this building there are his perfection pusuit history since he was young, adult and old. One of six Luang Pu’s gold images has been established in the middle of this building for the congregations to bow and apply his moralities to support and guide their perfection pursuit further and more.
The lotus-shape land surrounded by water
Luang Pu was born on the lotus-shape land surrounded by water on a canal bank opposite Song Phi Nong Temple in Song Phi Nong sub-district, Song Phi Nong district, Suphanburi province. When he was 9 years old, he began to study at Song Phi Nong Temple where his uncle was a monk there. Later, his uncle monk had moved to live at Hua Pho Temple, he followed his uncle monk to study there too. After that, he continued studying at Phrasap’s school, Phrasap was the abbot of Bang Pla Temple.
2. His ordination place: Song Phi Nong Temple in Suphanburi province
Song Phi Nong Temple is an old temple which has been estimated to be constructed in 1669 in the reign of King Somdejphranarai the Great. Now it is the model temple in the community. The origin of its name was there were two brother elephants walking from Phumuang or Paton in Uthong district where was the residence of the king’s elephants. These brother elephants prefered to find something to eat there in summer. They walked again and again until the land became a canal called “Song Phi Nong Canal.”
Song Phi Nong Temple in Suphanburi province
Luang Pu was ordained in July, 1906 when he was 22 years old at Song Phi Nong Temple in Suphanburi province and his monastic name was “Chandasaro.”
- Phrawandee from Pratoosarn Temple in Muang district, Suphanburi province was his preceptor.
- Phrakruwinyanuyoke (Niang Indajoto) from Song Phi Nong Temple in Song Phi Nong district, Suphanburi province was his senior examining monk.
- Phranong Indasuvanno from Song Phi Nong Temple in Song Phi Nong district, Suphanburi province was his ordination–proclaiming teacher.
3. The Dhammakaya attainment place: Bot-bon Bang Kuwiang Temple
Bot-bon Bang Kuwiang Temple is located on the west bank of Bangkok Noi Canal. It has been constructed since the late of Ayutthaya Kingdom.
Bot-bon Bang Kuwiang Temple in Nonthaburi province
In the 11th monastic year, Luang Pu had moved to live in Bot-bon Bang Kuwiang Temple and on the 15th day of waxing moon of the tenth lunar month in 1917, Luang Pu had strong intention to meditate since the dawn. He thought that he had been ordained for 12 years, but he did not attain the Lord Buddha’s Vijja even though he had not stopped studying at all. After he came back from the morning alms round and cleared all of his duties to be free from all worries, he went to mediate in the Main Buddhist Chapel and vowed that he would not stand up until he heard the lunch drum. Then, he meditated and chanted “Samma Arahang” continuously until he felt stiff more and more. So he fidgeted and his mind wandered, however, because of his vowing, he continued doing patiently and did not pay attention in aches. Finally, his mind was calm gradually and focused at one point. He saw a clear sphere as big as the hen’s-egg yolk. It attached him at the center of the body and made him very happy.
Bot-bon Bang Kuwiang Temple
In the evening of that day, after he had listened to code of monastic conduct (Patimokkha) with his monk friends, Luang Pu hurried to do his personal business and took a bath, then, he went to the Main Buddhist Chapel only. He bowed the Main Buddha Image and vowed that if he would be helpful to the Buddhism, the Lord Buddha please gave him a piece of Dhamma which the Lord Buddha had enlightened and he would serve for Buddhism throughout his life.
After making a vow, he began to meditate. At that time ants living in the holes between the stone sheets Luang Pu was sitting on were climbing to his body and made him uncomfortable. Luang Pu picked up the parafine oil and would paint it around his sitting place to prevent the ants, he suddenly thought that he dedicated his life for meditation, why he minded of these ants. So he placed down the parafine oil and continued meditating. In the late at night, he began to see the Pathama Magga Sphere or the Dhamma Sphere to keep an individul to be human being and alive. When he attained Dhamma, he understood at once that this Dhamma was so deep and difficult for common people to attain.
4. The first place of Dhammakaya Vijja Dissemination: Bang Pla Temple
Bang Pla Temple
When Luang Pu attained Dhammakaya, he determined to meditate to reach the utmost Dhamma. The more he practiced, the deeper Dhamma he got. After there was the Kathina Ceremony at his temple, he bowed the abbot of Bot-bon Bang Kuwiang Temple and left to live in Bang Pla Temple because he saw while he was meditating that some people were able to attain Dhamma like him there. Luang Pu taught how to meditate at Bang Pla Temple and then there were 3 monks and 4 laypeople attaining Dhamma like him.
5. The place of using Vijja to conquer Maras (until he passed away): Paknam Bhasicharoen Temple in Bangkok
When Luang Pu had been promoted to be the abbot of Paknam Bhasicharoen Temple, he was strict to monks and novices to follow the discipline seriously. There were the Pali and Dhamma studying, meditation teaching and supporting as well, so that there were a lot of monks, novices, and laypeople studying and meditating at Paknam Bhasicharoen Temple until the temple became the center of meditation and Pali studying.
Paknam Bhasicharoen Temple in Bangkok
Although Luang Pu had a lot of management works, he never abandoned the meditation and Dhammakaya Vijja dissemmination. While he was researching and practicing, he was also teaching others to attain Dhammakaya. So, he had selected a group of people who meditated well to study and reserch the deeper Dhammakaya Vijja called “Vijja to conquer Maras.”
6. The Dhammakaya Vijja Dissemination Place (to spread Dhammakaya Vijja worldwide): Dhammakaya Temple
Among Luang Pu’s disciples, the Master Nun Chand Khonnokyoong was one of the most successful disciple who was good at the Advanced Dhammakaya Vijja. She got Luang Pu’s compliment that she was second to none.
After Luang Pu had passed away, the Master
Nun Chand disseminated Dhammakaya Vijja because of Luang Pu’s command. One day there was a student who loved meditation bowing her and asked
to be her student. He has an excellent inner experience and laer, he
has been ordained and his monastic name is “Dhammajayo.”
Dhammakaya Temple in Pathum Thani province
In 1970, Luang Phaw Dhammajayo and the Master Nun as well as their disciples constructed Dhammakaya Temple in Khlong Sam sub-district, Khlong Luang district, Pathum Thani province to support the increasing practitioners and spread Dhammakaya Vijja worldwide. We have strong intention that we will build the temple to be the real temple, develop the monks to be real monks and develop people to be good people.
Phramongkolthepmuni (Sod Chandasaro) Maha Vihara in Dhammakaya Temple
To express his love, respect and gratefulness to Luang Pu’s limitless kindness, his disciples led by Luang Phaw Dhammajayo casted the gold statues of Luang Pu together and at Dhammakaya Temple, we open the chance for congregations to bow the gold image of Luang Pu on Saturday and Sunday.
Translated by Chadawee Chaipooripat
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