THE LIFE AND TEACHING OF CHAO KHUN MONGKOL THEPMUNI AND THE DHAMMAKAYA By Terry Magness

CHAPTER V

It was in recognition of his vigilance and the signal service he rendered the Buddha Sasana that the Chao Khun earned from the late lord Patriarch of the Thai Sangha the posthumous praise of being the finest teacher in both Samatha kammatthana and Vipassana kammatthana, as being without peer in this respect, combined with the personality of a great and compassionate sage.

That his personality is still a living force has expressed itself in evident forms. For one thing, even four years after his decease, the disciples and layfolk have refrained from cremating his remains, and his coffin is still displayed on the top floor of the Pali Institute in the temple precincts, where the faithful pay their respects whensoever they wish.

The Uposatha itself has been completely renovated, a project which cost almost a million, funds for which were supplied by disciples and layfolk. It still remains a matter for surprise to many a high-ranking ecclesiastic that the Chao Khun, even after his decease, should exert such an influence on the minds of the faithful that they still continue to donate funds in support of the activities which he initiated and established. Wat Paknam with its hundreds of resident bhikkhus, samaneras, upasakas, and upasikas, is probably the only temple of its kind in Thailand where the bhikkhus are fed regularly each day without their having to go the round for alms. One high-ranking ecclesiastic expressed it as the influence of just one thing, summing it up in a word. Namely, compassion.

The Chao Khun died on the 3rd of February 1959, after teaching for almost forty years.