PRACTICING THE TEACHINGS OF THE BUDDHA AT KHAO SUKIM
On January 4, 2507, Mr. Haw Soonyaian and Mr. Kwan Jai-ngam came to invite Tan Phra Ajarn Somchai and 9 of the monks to go to Klong Plu Kradoi Village (Now called Khao sukim), in Khao Baisri Tambon, Tah Mai District, Chanthaburi, for a religious retreat. When they got there thelocal people invited them to go up on the hill which they thought would be very suitable for dhamma and meditation practice. After Tan Phra Ajarn Somchai and the group reached the top of the hill, they soon saw that it was indeed an ideal place for meditation. It was covered with trees, it was cool and peaceful, the air was clean, and there was a good supply of water. So Tan Phra Ajarn Somchai and a group of 2 monks and 2 novices, along with 10 lay persons decided to stay there.
The monks and novices set up their umbrellas under trees of among the boulders on the hill. They spent their time in meditation, with the growing realization that this was an excallent place for intense meditation practice. Many months passed until the Lenten season of 2507 was drawing near.
Tan Phra Ajarn Somchai indicated that it was his intention to remain on Khao Sukim for the Lenten season, some of the people there, knowing that it rained all year long in Chanthaburi, got together to build 15 temporary huts and a tem- porary pavilion. The huts had thatched roofs and bark walls, and the floor of the pavilion was rough undressed wooden planks. However, both the temporary huts and pavilion made it possible for Tan Phra Ajarn Somchai and the group to escape from the bright sun and the rain when they were practicing meditation. During this first Lenten season at Khao - Sukim in 2507 there were 7 monks and 4 novices with Tan Phra Ajarn Somchai. They were joined by many others. They spent the whole time in practice of the dhamma, and at the end of Lent decided to stay on at Khao Sukim. In the 2508 Lenten season there were 8 monks and 6 novices with Tan Phra Ajarn Somchai, as well as an increasing number of lay people who came to practice their meditation.
Throughout these two years Tan Phra Ajarn Somchai Tidhawiriyo did not think of building anything permanent. Since it was his intention to stay there only temporarily, he was satisfied to stay on in the crude dwellings that had been put up.
By the begining of 2509, the number of lay persons had increased steadily. The villagers who lived in the surrounding area tuened more and more to their Buddhist faith as their confidence and belief in the principles taught by Tan Phra Ajarn Somchai Tidhawiriyo grew.
The people saw how able Tan Phra Ajarn Somchai was in his religious principles, his administrative ability, and his knowledge and ability in other areas. Thus they were all determined to do everything they could to bring to fruition a real temple on Khao Sukim, one that would grow and prosper in the future.
|
Developer by Mr. Taweesak Rattanakom Science Computer, Rajabhat Institute Rambhaibarni |