Luang Po Thuat History

Luang Po Thuat History. Luang Po was born on the 3rd March 1582 in a southern province of Thailand and died in 1682 in Malaysia. His parents Chan and Hu were poor farmers of Chinese descent and both parents were devout Buddhists. At an early age, Chan and Hu’s son showed a keen interest in Buddhism and the teachings of Buddha.

The story of Luang Po Thuat started at the age of 6 months. Leaving their son close by under a tree his parents Chan and Hu worked the rice fields. Luang Po’s mother noticed he was surrounded by a large snake. Fearing for her son Hu noticed he was not disturbed by the reticulated python. Hu stayed calm and she remembered a story she had heard years before.

The story was about the Gods coming to the earth in the form of snakes. Without panic, she picked and placed fresh flowers by the python. The snake spat a crystal ball on the floor and slithered away. The crystal ball was precious to Luang’s mother until a greedy man forced her to part with the ball. Upon stealing the crystal ball sadly the greedy man’s family one by one became ill. Consulting a spiritualist the greedy man discovered the crystal was protective to only Luang Po. He returned the crystal without delay fearing for his own life.

Luang Po a Monk at Twelve

At the age of five years, Po began to study the Dharma teachings. The speed Luang absorbed the teachings surprised even the most practised of monks. Mastering the teachings in a short period of time allowed him to travel to other temples. At the age of twelve Luang ordained as a monk at the Wat Pakok Temple.

Travelling by boat to the capital of Thailand Ayuthaya a severe storm hit the boat. Knocking the boat off its course and miles from land the crew were growing anxious. They had no drinking water and it forced panic amongst the crew. The storm persisted for days and the crew were suspicious of Luang Po. The crew decided to throw Luang overboard they believed he was responsible for their bad luck. Luang Po remained calm and thoughtful amongst the panic of the crew. Performing a miracle Luang calmed the raging sea and the water surrounding the boat became fresh drinking water. Luang and the crew were saved from drowning and from dying of thirst. Thankful to Luang Po the crew spread the word of his miracle.

Gaining Status as a Monk

Turned away from the monasteries because of his dishevelled appearance Po’s arrival to Ayuthaya was difficult. Luang Po settled in a run-down monastery and his life was meditation and the teachings of Buddhism. The King of Sri Lanka offered Thailand’s leaders boats full of gold if they could solve a Buddhist puzzle. The great minds and the senior practised monks failed to solve the puzzle for the king. A fellow monk asked Luang Po if he could solve the puzzle. Without hesitation, he completed the puzzle to the amazement of the other monks. With the permission of the King, Po restored the dilapidated Wat Pha Khoh Temple. Po later became the abbot at the Wat Changhai Temple in Pattini Thailand.

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