Luang Pu Doo Prompanyo

Luang Pu Doo Prompanyo

In the later part of his life, Luang Pu started falling ill due to old age. There were disciples of his who were concerned, telling him they “felt worried for him”.

Luang Pu would reply them that it would be more appropriate for them to worry about themselves. 

Because he was still concerned about his disciples whose hearts lacked a strong foundation and not yet ready to deal with old age, sickness, death and separation from loved ones that would arrive one day. 

Towards the end of his life, Luang Pu’s body started to weaken. Just getting up alone, he had to support himself with his arms until they trembled. 

But with the strong determination to keep on fighting until the day he died, he made the effort to continue meeting his disciples.

Despite being diagnosed with a leaky heart valve and advised by the doctor to rest at the hospital, Luang Pu refused to go. 

Luang Pu mentioned, “At most, just continue fighting till death comes. Who can be like me? 

I am beyond the death of the body.”

Luang Pu Doo Prompanyo

Wat Sakae, Ayutthaya 

Cr. to the original owner of the photo

20 June 2023

Luang Pu Doo Prompanyo

Luang Pu Doo Prompanyo

If you’ve ever been to Wat Palelai, the one in Suphanburi Province - not the one in Singapore, you might be able to view and pay homage to the undecaying body of Luang Phor Thira. It also appears that the nails and hairs of LP Thira are still growing. 

One of the devotees of Luang Pu Doo saw this and went back to him asking for an explanation. Luang Pu taught, “There are three types of people whose body do not decompose after they have passed away.

1. People who have consumed magical herbs 

2. People who are expert in katha aakom (incantations) who blessed their rice before consuming regularly

3. Phra Arahants who have adithan-ed to keep their body intact for the blessings of their disciples to pay respect to, such as Luang Phor Nong of Wat Khlong Madan”

The disciple still harboured some doubts as it seems it is not easy to tell whether an undecayed body belonged to an Arahant or not. 

Luang Pu then explained further, “We have to look at the person’s practice and glow or radiance. Those who use herbs or kathas to maintain their body will lack the radiance. Their complexion and skin color will not become bright.”

The luksit then recalled that when Luang Pu Doo was young, his skin was quite dark, but as he grew older, he seemed to have a natural radiance and rosy bright skin. This was the same for Luang Pu Budda as well. 

Luang Pu then spoke up saying, “If bones can be purified into relics, why can’t the skin become bright?”

On another occasion, Luang Pu asked the disciple, “Compare you and me, whose radiance and complexion is better?”

The disciple replied, “To be honest, Luang Pu’s one is better khrap.”

Luang Pu smiled saying, “The radiance of secular laypeople cannot match those of the Dhamma.”

Luang Pu Doo Prompanyo

Wat Sakae, Ayutthaya Province

19 May 2023

Luang Pu Doo Prompanyo

Luang Pu Doo Prompanyo

Once a luksit of Luang Pu Doo asked him, “For people like us who are laypersons, we are still involved with worldly and secular affairs. Our practice and actions will involve both meritorious and unwholesome aspects. 

Sometimes we make mistakes or sinful actions...This causes our hearts to become discouraged…Is there any way to improve ourselves?”

Luang Pu had compassion to teach him, “Just focus on one day itself…Take a look at our actions, which actions are good and which are bad? Since morning until evening and then analyse and compare them to one another. Just persevere in behaving well and improving ourselves.”

Luang Pu added that when one sits in meditation and closes one’s eyes, and if brightness occurs, that it is good. This is the beginning of merit. If we offer our mind and hearts and have faith in the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha more and more, the brightness will continually increase. 

Luang Pu gave this analogy, if you make your heart bright, you can go and travel anywhere. But if it is still dark, how are you able to find your way? Therefore we must make our mind and heart bright first. 

Then Tahn commented, “When you were in your mother’s womb, it was dark. After you have been born and come out of the womb, are you [content to let your life] remain in darkness?”

Luang Pu Doo Prompanyo

Wat Sakae, Ayutthaya Province

Photo cr. Amatatum

23 March 2023

Luang Pu Doo Prompanyo

Luang Pu Doo Prompanyo

"Wherever a person is

If he misses me

I will also be thinking of him

Whenever he stops recollecting me

I am still thinking of him

Because I always pray for everyone, everyday without fail. 

Three times a day, at dawn, in the evening and at night before I sleep. To help all of you to be safe and well."

Luang Pu once said, “A person who that does pawana, is a person that all beings love. Not just humans or animals, even tewadas also will anumodana and bless him…If you regard the kilesas (defilements of greed, hatred and delusion) as though they were something rotten or stinking, that is also a good thing.”

Once a luksit informed Luang Pu, “I’ve been meditating for a long time. The others, they have all seen nimittas, colors and the like. But I haven’t seen anything.”

Luang Pu replied, “Have your greed, anger and delusion diminished or not? If they have, then I believe your meditation is still doable.”

Luang Pu Doo Prompanyo

Wat Sakae, Ayutthaya Province

22 January

“Metta does not mean to allow a person to act as he pleases”

“Metta does not mean to allow a person to act as he pleases”

Uncle Gae was a close disciple of Luang Pu Doo. Because he was an orphan since young, Luang Pu had special loving-kindness towards him so he was like an adopted son of Luang Pu. 

Luang Pu put him up at Wat Sakae as a temple boy and allowed him to live there. 

Even though Uncle Gae had passed away already, the senior disciples at Wat Sakae still remember him. When Uncle Gae came to live with Luang Pu, Luang Pu was still young and had more energy. Uncle Gae mentioned that Luang Pu had taught Uncle Gae by himself. 

All kinds of wichaa including Thai language, mathematics, as well as kammathan meditation (wichaa can mean knowledge or subjects not just magic). 

Uncle Gae emphasised that Luang Pu’s temperament was not the same during his younger days. Perhaps Luang Pu did not have so much energy as he aged or perhaps he became milder in personality. He mentioned that Luang Pu ever used to cane him when he was young. 

When the temple seniors asked Uncle Gae why he got caned, Uncle Gae replied that he was rather naughty and wild as a child. He liked to go out of the temple to play, and even ran away from school. When he got back, he saw Luang Pu standing there holding a cane and waiting for him. 

The temple seniors understood the moral of the story to mean that when our Phor Mae Kruba Ajaans scold us or reprimand us, it does not mean that they have no metta or compassion for us. But sometimes they have the intention to help us develop in better ways. If they had no metta for us, they would just ignore us and leave us be instead of spending time to correct and guide us.

Cr. Sith Poror

13th December, 2022

Dhamma Advice to Lay Disciples Luang Pu Doo Prompanyo

Dhamma Advice to Lay Disciples
Luang Pu Doo Prompanyo

As long as you are still secular, you are still lay persons. It is like stepping on two boats, you must not upset the worldly, and yet you must not discard the Dhamma. 

Do not behave in an extreme manner. One must practice the Dhamma depending on the status and circumstances of each person. For example, when you are giving alms, look at the people around you. You can’t behave as though you are a wealthy philanthropist [and give all your money away]. 

If you are keeping the 8 precepts, you may not necessarily do it on a Buddhist holy day. But choose a date that doesn’t affect you having dinner with your family because that is still an important activity. 

Meditation does not mean to focus with your eyes closed, just sitting at the temple. During working hours, wherever you go, you should try to have mindfulness and sati. 

No matter how well you practice, if you can’t get along with your peers and people end up hating you, then what will the benefit be?

The world and the Dhamma are related. We can understand Dhamma through worldly matters. At the same time, the Dhamma is not above and beyond the worldly.

Dhamma Advice to Lay Disciples

Luang Pu Doo Prompanyo

Wat Sakae, Ayutthaya Province

4th December, 2022

Luang Pu Doo Prompanyo

Luang Pu Doo Prompanyo

Don’t think that to make merit, you have to go take rice and bring to the temple to put in the monks’ bowls everyday. Or that you have to go and sponsor Kathina ceremonies and go build Ubosots, Salas and other structures. 

The way that the radio and newspapers “sell merit”, giving out envelopes to raise funds until people feel that it is a burden to donate whenever you go to the temple on a regular basis. 

The Buddha said making merit not only involves giving (dana), but is also about keeping the precepts (sila), chanting and meditation (sati-samadhi). 

Every time you give generously, you are working to counteract the kilesa of greed. Similarly, each time you choose to uphold the precepts and meditate, you are fighting with other defilements of our mind such as ignorance, hatred etc.

Luang Pu Doo Prompanyo

Wat Sakae, Ayutthaya Province

Brother Joo Teck specially brought some candles to offer to Tahn Chao Khun Keng. After accepting them, Tahn Chao Khun told him to bring some incense to him as well.

Then he proceeded to adithanjit and bless both the joss sticks and candles, before returning them to brother Joo Teck, who was shocked and deeply appreciated the kindness of Tahn Chao Khun Keng. 

Wishing Tahn a safe return flight to Melbourne! ☺️🙏

Luang Pu Doo Prompanyo

Luang Pu Doo Prompanyo

Luksit: “I want to practice [at the temple] but I’m scared of all the ghosts”

LP Doo: “Then what about the pig ghosts, duck ghosts and chicken ghosts in your stomach, aren’t you afraid of them?”

Luksit: “Luang Pu, I don’t have much money, so I cannot journey to visit and see you often.”

LP Doo: “It is okay if you can’t come, don’t worry. I’ll be the one who (sends my citta out to) find you instead.”

Luksit: “Luang Pu, please help pluksek a Phra Roop amulet for me, one just like you, I would like to invite it and put it in my car for blessing.”

LP Doo: “I am not a Guardian of Cars.”

Luksit: “Luang Pu, if I transfer my merit often to all sentient beings, will my store of merit be reduced?”

LP Doo: “It will not decrease. Because what is shared is not the merit itself, but rather the radiance and light generated by the merits.”

Luksit: “Luang Pu, is brightness in meditation important? Or is it enough just to reach calmness?”

LP Doo: “Would you rather travel in the dark or where there’s light? If you must travel in the dark, having a torch beside you, won’t that be good?”

Luang Pu Doo Prompanyo

Wat Sakae, Ayutthaya Province

Photo cr: Plabpluengs Gallery