Ajahn suthep biography books
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The past few weeks I have been doing pilgrimage in Chiang Mai for the first time, an important Buddhist site in North Thailand with hundreds of ornate and stunning Buddhist temples (Wats) on every street. It is my first time to this region of Thailand and I can honestly say it is one of the most blissful, stunning, sensual places I have ever visited as a woman and a Buddhist. Access to the most amazing Thai food on every street corner, boutique hotels, a river with fresh flower market daily, and of course hills and unbelievably stunning Buddhist temples.
In the first of a series of articles about this magnificent town in Thailand, I give a brief overview of its history and some photos of the main Wats I visited. Photos never do a place justice but for now, here are some photos I took of some of my favourite temples in Chiang Mai itself, Doi Suthep (a wat at one of the high mountains next to Chiang Mai), Wat Phra Singh (the Lion Buddha temple), Wat Sri Suphan (the
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Ajahn Suthep was in my home monastery, Vivekavana Solitude Grove, in June 2011 giving a retreat here, as he does normally around twice a year, and I discussed my proposed trip to Chiang Mai with him, and asked where it would be possible to stay.
He showed me two Temples where he had contacts. One was a forest monastery outside of town, and one was Wat Sri Suphan, an old Temple on the edge of town. I looked for information on the places as I had never been to Chiang Mai before.
When I saw some photographs of Wat Sri Suphan I went no further, as it looked such a wonderful place to stay, and the Abbot was known to Ajahn as someone who was knowledgeable about Lanna culture and arts, which is just what I needed.
Although he had to go back to his own Temple in Kanchanaburi after the retreat, he very kindly agreed to come up to Chiang Mai and introduce me to Phra Kru Pitat Sutthikoon, the Head Monk at Sri Suphan, so I would be able to stay there, and make sure I was settled in OK.
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Recollecting the Devas
September 28, 2009
There was a monk back in the early part of the 20th century, Kruba Srivichai, who was well-known all over nordlig Thailand. He sponsored many construction projects and was responsible for getting lots of temples built. Bridges were built, even the road up to Doi Suthep was built bygd volunteer labor under his direction. Someone once asked him why all the projects he set his mind to succeeded. He answered that it was because he chanted the Mahasamaya Sutta three times every day. The devas liked hearing it and so gave him their behind-the-scenes help with his projects.
During my early years in Thailand, I happened to hear that story. I mentioned it to Ajaan Fuang. We were about to build a chedi at the kloster, and so he asked me to chant the Mahasamaya every day, and he chanted it every day. Even though at that point he was into his 60’s, he was able to memorize it. And it became the basic chant at the kloster, the theory being that th