Entrance

Meditation on the medulla and tailbone chakra

Metta meditation

Anapanasati meditation

Paritta suttas

Gallery of paintings

Dasa Parami sutta

Hans artistique...

Wat Koo Tao - a temple in Chiang Mai

Exphibition in auberge Kérizac, France

 

Ajahn means teacher. Not only monks who teach but also professors at Universities are addressed as Ajahn. But in the case of Krooba Ajahn it has a deeper meaning. The word Ajahn is derived from [Thai] Phra Chan, which means moon. The moon, that in the dark night reflects the sunlight, is here a metaphor for the reflection of wisdom. The name that was given to Krooba Ajahn when he became abbot was Phra Chantarang Sri Pikul. Krooba Ajahn is not just a teacher spreading knowledge,  but someone who teaches how certain knowledge can be used to get insight in life.

 

Krooba Ajahn was born from a poor family in Northern Thailand. Shortly after giving birth, his mother died. Ajahn showed to be an eager learner who wanted to know everything about EVERYTHING. When he was five years old he first stated that he wanted to become e monk. At six years old he tried that out for a while as a dek-wat, an assistant for the monks. Life in a monastery clearly fitted him and he decided to become a novice at the age of seven.

 

Under the guidance of the famed monk Luang Phor Laa he grew up in the monastic life. From the start he showed deep interest in meditation practice. During his development he has made many pilgrimages to meet the old and wise teachers from the same lineage as Luang Phor Laa. During his years of study he often underwent severe practice. Sometimes he wandered all alone through the jungle of Thailand and Myanmar, where he met exceptional teachers who were prepared and able to initiate him into the deepest insights in life.

 

He also met the famed teachers Krooba Thammachai, Krooba Noi and Krooba Phat. In those days, when a teacher wanted to test his pupil whether he was serious in his practices, he would ask his pupil if he would let him set a tattoo with special texts on his body. From the many tattoos on his body you can take that Krooba Ajahn was a very serious student who had many special teachers. Sometimes Krooba Ajahn is also called Ajahn Sak - the teacher with the tattoos.

 

Three weeks after his 21st birthday and becoming a real monk, he became the abbot of Wat Koo Tao, a temple in Chiang Mai.

Wat Koo Tao is over 700 years old and is unique because of its very peculiar Chedi. This Chedi has the shape of five huge watermelons standing on top of each other. According to Burmese chronicles, king Mengsuaithao of Burma once gave order to build Chedi Kutao to keep the relics of his deceased brother. When you are in Chiang Mai, Wat Koo Tao is certainly worth a visit. Ajahn resides in a part of the temple that is called the Guti. There he also receives his guests from all over the world.

 

His growing reputation he uses to organise help for the hill-tribes that seek refuge from the barbaric military regime in Myanmar and to renovate temples. Especially in the North of Thailand Krooba Ajahn is much revered and loved. In the past decades he has become patriarch of over 200 temples. On his birthday, that is celebrated the first weekend in October, all great teachers come to Wat Koo Tao for a special ceremony. That Sunday there are lots of festivities organised on the temple grounds. There is music and dancing and delicious food served from various small market stalls. Everyone is welcome to join the party.

Krooba Ajahn

 

 

The full name of Krooba Ajahn is Phra Khru Phra Phat Chantarang Sri Pikul. But those who know him well usually call him Krooba Ajahn. Phra Khru is actually a title that was given to him when he successfully completed his Dhamma studies. Phra Phat is also a title, showing that he is revered and respected by the Sangharaj, the highest council in Thai Buddhism.

In Northern-Thai tradition, Krooba stands for a monk who has joined the monkshood and has become an officially ordained monk before his 21st birthday and, after an intensive practice and training and sufficient spiritual maturing, has become an abbot.