The Holy Monk - Luang Phor Koon Paritsuttho
Luang Phor Koon (LP Koon) was born on the 4th day of October in 1923 (B.E.2466) in a small village called Ban Rai, Dan Khun Thod District, Nakhon Ratchasima Province (It is also commonly known as Korat). LP Koon was the eldest son and had two younger sisters. His mother died when he was at the age of 11. His aunties then took LP Koon's care. Not long after his mother died, his father remarried, and LP Koon was sent to Wat Ban Rai to study Buddhism. During the day, he helped his father to plow the field and fed and bathed the buffalo; at night, he went to the temple to study and help to clean up the temple during his spare time.
When LP Koon was 20, his auntie and relatives gave's some money and sent him to Wat Thanon Hatyai. LP Koon was ordained as a monk at 21 at Wat Thanon Hat Yai in May 1944 ( B.E.2487). Phra Kru Wijahn Dtigit was the preceptor, and Phra Kru Atigahn Torng Suk was his dhamma teacher. His monk's name is called Paritsuttho. During the year, during the summer observation vacation, he went to Wat Nongpho to learn meditation under the master Luang Phor Daeng (LP Daeng) and further his studies on Buddhist knowledge.
After several years, through his exceptional intelligence, he studied almost everything from LP Daeng, such as Dhamma, Samadhi, and Wichah (magic). Then LP Daeng told him. “You have now acquired a firm foundation against basic meditation and the Sanskrit language, and it is time for you to seek for another renowned master to further your knowledge.” He introduced a high-ranking monk to LP Koon, Luang Phor Khang (LP Khang). When LP Khang met LP Koon, he could immediately tell that LP Koon was a very unusual monk and would have a bright future ahead and accepted him as his disciple.
LP Koon learned to cultivate Buddhist practice and all forms of spiritual powers from LP Khang. During his studies, he had to climb over the mountains and enter the forest to practice his spiritual skills on remote mountain peaks. Three years went by, and when LP Koon had learned everything, he left his master LP Khang and decided to go on his own to fulfill the Buddhism faith and help the needy. Wherever he goes, he is a well-respected monk by the villagers. Later, LP Koon meets with LP Kong (a Thudong monk). When LP Kong went to Thudong, he brought LP Koon along. Besides Dhamma and Samadhi, LP Kong also taught LP Koon with magic chanting and inserting takrut. After learning from LP Kong for some time, LP Koon went to Thudong alone as far as Laos, Cambodia, and other places in the Northeast and stayed in the forests for many years.
One day when LP Koon went to Thudong and reached a mountain border between Thailand and Laos, the mountain area was extraordinary and surrounded with unusual weird-looking trees. On that evening, several woodcutters were seen rushing down the mountain. LP Koon enquired about it and learned that the hill was previously a Kingdom. Because many had died there, many grievance spirits roamed out at night to cause harm and disturbances to the villagers. All the villagers were afraid, and nobody dared to enter or stay on the mountain at night. The woodcutters advised LP Koon to leave the hill as many monks had encountered misfortunes. LP Koon replied, “Since there are many grievance spirits in the mountain, as a monk, I should help them and hope to take them out from their realms of suffering.” The woodcutters remained silent and thought they would have to return the next day to collect his dead body.
LP Koon then found a suitable area and set up his tent under a tree. After purification, he started to meditate and chant prayers inside his tent. In the middle of the night, a strange wind occurred, and in the course of it, he heard a voice crying in the wilderness, and the sound was getting nearer and nearer to him. Later he heard a voice speaking to him; LP Koon listened and listened to the grievance spirit and said, "Hey! Here you come again, the guy in a yellow robe. You are so daring. You do not know how many of these guys with yellow robe had died here. You will experience death in a little while. Ha-ha-ha."
The crying sound became louder as the wind blew stronger. At that time, LP Koon keeps chanting mantras, and suddenly a bright yellow light comes down and enshrines his tent. The surrounding trees were swaying heavily from side to side, and it's seen to wind up the canvas of LP Koon. The yellow light expels even the trees about to fall on his tent. LP Koon keeps on concentrating on meditation inside the tent.
The nasty wind storm stopped; eventually, many trees were felled, but LP Koon remained unhurt. The evil spirit was dissatisfied with LP Koon and wondered why this yellow robe guy could not be hurt. LP Koon then used his spiritual power and told the nerves, I am here for you, and I wanted to help you relieve yourself from suffering in this human world.
Suddenly, many ghosts were rising and standing in front of LP Koon. Among them is the ghost King of the mountain. When the spirit King saw LP Koon, he knelt before him. Then the King was asked by LP Koon why he had not taken a reincarnation, and the ghost King replied that the mountain was once the Royal Kingdom and he was the King. The people of the Kingdom lived a peaceful and happy life. One day, the whole Kingdom was infected with the contagious disease; all the villagers were killed by the infectious disease causing the death of hundreds of thousands that spread to them. Because were a treasured been passed down by the ancestors, the spirits were there to keep guard over the treasured by prohibiting any outsiders from taking them away. Anybody who comes to the mountain will die or be punished eventually.
After LP Koon heard the conclusion of the whole matter, he advised the Buddhist philosophy to convince the ghost. He said, Since everybody had died and the body in the physical form had perished, all the treasures were useless anymore as they could not be worn. What is the use of possessing them? Moreover, you all have killed so many people, especially those in yellow robes who were observing the precepts; how long will the revenge end? Put off the evil thoughts and embrace Buddha! "All of you must know that birth, ageing, sickness and death are the cosmic law of Samsara, and everybody has to face such a law, and no one can avoid, not even the Buddha himself. All of you will have to suffer from the effect of Samsara and the retribution for all the evil deeds caused and can never take reincarnation if evil acts are continued. Is it worthwhile?"
The ghost King kept silent and asked LP Koon, Do we have the chance to repent? LP Koon answered, "Of course, previously you have done many evil deeds harmed and killed many innocent people. Although you repent now, all of you should also face the retribution for your past misdeeds as everyone is equal under the concept of karma. The good deeds will be rewarded, and the wrongdoings will be punished. All of you will suffer the retribution of Samsara and will be born in the animal realm in the next life."
The ghost King was so touched and impressed with LP Koon's words. He offered three bows to LP Koon in appreciation and said with sincerity: "We hope that LP Koon will help us from the ghosts realm to attain the fruit of Buddhahood. We are not afraid to be rebirth in the animal realm." LP Koon put his palms together and chanted prayers on deliverance. The chanted prayers were able to clear the cycle of Samsara. From then on, the mountain returned to its quiet and peaceful state. The villagers began to enter the mountain to cut wood and ploughlands.
Over time, LP Koon returned to Thailand after several decades of Thudong. During the rainy season, LP Koon will stay in any temple near town to Khow Pansa (rainy season for a monk to stay indoors); if he were still in the forest, he would remain in the woods and continue his Thudong. Over LP Koon returned to his village to visit his grandmother, and his grandmother said, "You are always out to dedicate the Buddhist faith, why don't you consider developing a temple in our village? The temple in the village is in bad condition and so run-down and the monk's here do not have a decent place to chant their prayers." With the advice given by his grandmother, LP Koon decided to stay back and determine to develop and rebuild the temple in his village.
LP Koon then asked the villagers and his lay disciples to source funds for the temple's construction. At that time, when people knew LP Koon was constructing the temple, many devotees around every corner came forward to help. When the temple was almost completed, LP Koon made many amulets and offered them as gifts to all devotees who had helped. LP Koon is one of Thailand's most famous and top guru monks.
LP Koon is excellent in the Wichah (magic) of entering takrut. He would personally insert the takrut into the arm of devotees. This takrut protects a person from accidents, Metta (kindness), and Kong Grapan (immunity from weapons). For almost two decades, LP Koon chanted a mystical incantation and inserted takrut for devotees.
LP Koon stopped inserting takrut to devotees in his unhealthy condition and passed away on 16 May 2015 (2558) at the age of 92. The takrut that LP Koon used to insert into the body of devotees. . . .
Many years ago, the phone cards used in the United States also used the image of the holy monk, Luang Phor Koon.
