Saturday, September 26, 2009

PT Kling of Wat Thaluntong

Portan Kling was a famous guru monk in Nakhon Si Thammarat known for making Phra Pikanet and also Jatukam amulets. He passed away not long ago and his body can be viewed at Wat Thaluntong. Above we see the temple gate.
The golden Chedi building housing the body of PT Kling.
The Sala with a small amulet counter. Unfortunately very little of Portan Kling's amulets are left at the temple.
Rahu gate, used for luck changing rituals.
The Ubosot.
PT Kling's undecaying body in a glass casket.

A close-up video of PT Kling's body. A small shrine.
Parting shot of the Chedi.

Sunday, September 20, 2009

PT Klai of Wat That Noi

Portan Klai (1876-1970) of Wat That Noi was one of the most famous guru monks in Nakhon Si Thammarat (NST) one generation ago. He was called the "Golden Mouth Master" because he kept a vow of silence for many years. PT Klai did not want to speak because whatever he said came true, and he felt sad for the bad things that happened as he predicted. Although he did not speak, followers found ways to get around his vow - they got him to nod or shake his head in response to their queries on various matters. Above we see one of the temple gates of Wat That Noi.
The Sala.
A 3-D model of the entire temple.
A Chinese shrine.
Inside the shrine was the skeletal Bodhisatta, the 5 ascetics, Phra Indra playing the lute (to remind the Bodhisatta of the Middle Way) as well as the lady Sujata who offered milk rice to him before his final struggle towards Enlightenment.
A pavilion.
Inside the pavilion was a Pang Palelai Buddha and PT Klai.
A very live wax statue of PT Klai. Beside him was the portrait of the current abbot (didn't get his name).
The big white Chedi housing the body of PT Klai.
Another big Sala.
A large Phra Non (Reclining Buddha) facing the Chedi.
The 1st storey entrance to the Chedi building.
The 2nd storey entrance to the Chedi itself.
The body of PT Klai.
A closer shot. Only his skeleton was left after 39 years.
PT Klai's Katha:
Namo Tassa Bhagavato Arahato Samma Sambuddhasa (3x)
Buddhang Arahang Buddho
Dhammang Arahang Buddho
Sanghang Arahang Buddho
Phra Kru Pisit Anthagaro Namo Buddhaya.
The Buddha altar beside PT Klai's casket.
Another Chinese shrine to Bodhisatta Guanyin. There are many Chinese devotees from Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore supporting this temple.
Inside the vice abbot's kuti. This was the main altar.
The side altar with a Buddha painting, a wax bucha of PT Klai and various Jatukam buchas.
The kind vice abbot, Ajarn Chamnan. He treated us to lunch and a big bunch of chikus as desert. He speaks good English and had visited Singapore many times!
A 5" bucha of PT Klai that I chowed at the temple.

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Wat Tonliap in Songkhla

Wat Tonliap is the sacred place in Songkhla where the mysterious Cobra gave the baby Poo (future LP Tuad) a crystal ball, and also the place where LP Tuad's mother buried his placenta. Above we see the LP Tuad Sivali shrine with a cobra below.
This is the statue of LP Tuad seated on a coiled cobra, similar to those at Wat Pako.
And this is the Chedi (partially covered by the yellow cloth) under the Banyan Tree where LP Tuad's mother was said to have buried his placenta.
The full view of the old Banyan Tree.
The Vihara in front of the Banyan Tree.
The main altar inside the late abbot's (LP Jamnian) kuti. This is also where they keep the amulets and buchas.
The shrine to the sacred cobra. When I was back the 2nd time, an image of baby Poo (LP Tuad's birth name - means crab) was added to the cobra statue.
This is a close-up shot of the sacred Naga pearl given to LP Tuad by the cobra, which is now enshrined at Wat Pako.
The main altar inside the LP Jamnian Vihara.
A big portrait of the late LP Jamnian.
Another standing portrait of him. LP Jamnian's undecaying body can still be viewed inside the LP Jamnian Vihara. Although he passed away several years ago, but we could still remember him as one of those famous guru monks in Songkhla who specialized in LP Tuad like Ajarn Nong of Wat Saikow and LP Daeng of Wat Si Mahapo.

A video of the undecaying body that I took.
Newspaper cutting showing a batch of LP Tuad roops and rians being consecrated in 2538 (1995).
Photo of LP Jamnian conducting the consecration.
A LP Tuad on Cobra special pim bucha by LP Jamnian.

Friday, September 11, 2009

Wat Diluang in Songkhla

Wat Diluang in Songkhla is one of those famous LP Tuad temples where Ajarn Tim made LP Tuad amulets for from 2505- 2506 BE. The first thing that strikes you when you visit this temple is the large LP Tuad statue above the main shrine building.
Climbing up the stairs, I took a closer look of the statue. In front of LP Tuad is a smaller Buddha statue with Ayuttaya royal attire.
Looking down from the shrine.
The Vihara below the LP Tuad statue.
The Sala.
The Ubosot.
Photos of a new batch of Wat Diluang Iron and Matchbox LP Tuad amulets.
The Luang Por at Wat Diluang. He is not the abbot so I did not ask his name, but he looked very much like Ajarn Nong of Wat Saikow during his younger days! I thought maybe he was a relative of Ajarn Nong.
Silver LP Tuad Stamps I chowed from the temple.