Luang Phor Inthawai Santusoko

Luang Phor Inthawai Santusoko

During the Buddha’s time, there were many lay persons who attained the fruit of stream-entry and became Sotapannas. 

When the Buddha finished his sermons, there were people who successfully attained the path and fruition and became Phra Ariya or Phra Sotapans, and had full unshakable faith and confidence in the Lord Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha. 

How did the Buddha teach? What is the teaching of the Dhamma? What did the Sangha believe? Doing good, you get good results. Committing unwholesome acts, you reap unwholesome consequences. Both good and evil are real in terms of kammic results. The lower realms are real and heavenly realms are also real. 

Phra Sotapans believe in this. In their hearts they believe in this 100%. No matter what others say, they won’t be shaken. Phra Sotapan have set their heart firmly on this. Because they have considered things carefully with wisdom and have no doubt about it.

Phra Sotapans maintain the 5 precepts automatically. It isn’t that some days they remember and then they keep the 5 precepts, and some days they forget and don’t keep them. Phra Sotapans maintain their 5 precepts at all times. 

The importance of right physical actions, speech and mental thoughts, kamma and precepts always live in the hearts of Phra Sotapans. 

Phra Sotapans are upright and not shaken easily. They are not superstitious and do not believe in auspicious omens and the like. They don’t subscribe to auspicious hours or timing, movement of the stars or the moon and so forth. 

Because they believe in kamma. If you do good, you must get good. If you do evil, you must suffer bad results. If you do evil deeds, how can you get good results? The Phra Sotapan believes in kamma and the results of kamma. He or she is therefore not shaken. 

This is the faith of the devotees during the time of the Buddha, those who achieved stream-entry. Phra Sotapan are only on the first level, ready to climb up to Sakadagami and then to Anagami and then finally reach Phra Arahant.

There are lay Arahants, but very few of them have been recorded. Therefore lay persons can reach all Phra Sotapan, Phra Sakadagami, Phra Anagami and Phra Arahant. 

Luang Phor Inthawai Santusoko

Wat Pa Na Kham Noi, Udon Thani Province

29 May 2023