Dhamma practice and Phapa ceremony at Wat Khanti Parami branch 201
The venerable Luang Pu Nenkham Chatigo joined a meditation practice and Phapa ceremony at Wat Khanti Parami branch 201, Ban Saensuk, Tambon Thung Maha Charoen, Amphor Wang Nam Yen, Sa Kaew province, which was organized during October 6-7th, 2009. A large number of Buddhists participated in the activity and donated over 500,000 Baht to help build a multipurpose pavilion, a monks’ living quarter, and toilettes for visitors. In addition, a teak Kuti (monk’s small house) was donated to Luang Pu Nenkam for his use whenever he visited this branch.
On October 7, 2009, Luang Pu Nenkham Chatigo, head of the Sangha of Watpa Khanti Dhamma, Tambon Yang, Amphor Kanthrarom, Sisaket province, and Chairman of Moral and Quality of Life Promotion Foundation, with monks and followers travelled to join a meditation practice and Phapa ceremony that an abbot of the Wat Khanti Parami of the Wat Khantibaramee branch 201, together with Mr. Sombat - Ms. Krisana Saowabutr, layperson-side’s chairpersons, together with villagers of Saensuk, Tambon Thung Maha Charoen, Amphor Wang Nam Yen, Sakaew province, jointly organized the event. People from neigboring areas and provinces also attended the activity.
Before the arrival of Luang Pu Nenkham, a large group of Buddhists, mainly female, had started wearing white robe, observing the 8 precepts and started meditation since the morning of October 6. Meditations were conducted for sitting, standing, and walking postures as taught by Luang Pu Nenkam. In the event, a 24 years old American who had just been ordained as a monk joined the ceremony and would stay on at the monastery for 15 days. On the night of October 6, toward the morning of October 7, people who gathered to practice Dhamma also had a chance to listen to dhamma discourse and had conversations with monks throughout the night.
The venerable Luang Pu Nenkham made a good remark mentioning of his recent trip to Paris, France, where he saw devotion of Christians to their religion. Every religion needs faith and devotion of its people in order to sustain its prosperity. Every religion wanted its people to have a high level of moral standard, full of merits, and practice themselves to be considered successful in the directive of each religion. Every religion’s teaching is good. He believed that if people of every religion love peace, love other people, and have generosity to others, conflicts and wars among religions would not occur. The World would be totally peaceful. However, the venerable Luang Pu Nenkham stressed that Buddhism is the only religion among other religions that allow everyone, men or women, layman or monk, to be developed to the status of Ariyans (the 4 classes of people in Buddhism with morally developed mind, who have less or eventually are free of defilement / impurity). Lord Buddha had shown since 2.5 millenia ago and examples of people with elevated mind quality have been numerous up to now. Women and men could access the Dhamma, Nirvana. This is different from other religions which only give faith and spirituality, while Buddhism gives more to people since everyone can reach Nirvana. All Thais are lucky. We are fortunate enough to be born on this land, have H.M. the King and the Queen, and Buddhism as the major pillars, to help wipe tears out of your eyes.
The land where the 14 Rai (5.6 acres) Wat Khanti Parami branch 201 situated was formerly an orchard of Ajarn Sombat - Ajarn Krisana Saowabutr. They have strong faith in Buddhism and Luang Pu Nenkham, so they donated 9 Rais of land, and Mr. Chana Phan-Singh, village headman, and other villagers jointly donated 5 additional Rais on July 5. They then built a meditation shelter, monk’s quarter, and toilettes. They also constructed an access road to the Wat. Villagers also donated teak for the construction of a small house for Luang Pu. Khun Mae (mother) Boonchuey Pimphra with her children donated 100,000 Baht toward the construction materials. The total budget for Luang Pu’s house was over 300,000 Baht.
The abbot of branch 201 said that, at present, there were 3 resident monks for the branch 201. For the donated money of over 500,000 Baht, the monastery would use it to improve the facilities and area to better serve incoming visitors. In the future, meditation courses as taught by Luang Pu would be regularly organized, starting with short weekend courses.