Acharn's Life History

all the pictures have "mouse-overs"

Phrakru Prakartbuddhapak, known affectionately as Luang Pa (fatherly monk), was born in 1954. He is the oldest of seven children born to Suan and Kon Moonsuwan, farmers in the village of Naklang, in the province of Nongbualumphu (formerly Udon Thani). At the age of 14 Luang Pa became a novice monk in the village temple, Wat Mahachai Thamayutika.

One year later, he moved to Bangkok where he lived in Wat Makutkasattriyaram, the temple of Thailand's Supreme Patriarch(Somdej Phra-ariyawongsakatayarn) Juan Utthayee (Seated in the picture below.). There he studied the Pali language and different aspects of Buddhism. Four years later he received his Buddhist studies degree, Nuktham-Eak and a degree in Pali, Parientham Phrayoke 3.

In 1974 at the age of 20, he was ordained as a Thamayutika monk in Wat Makutkasattriyaram. Three high Buddhist officials certified the ordination. One of the men was Phrarachakawee, who is now an assistant to the Supreme Patriarch (Somdej Phrabuddhachinawong). He had the title of Phra-u-patchar or the head of the committee that allowed him to become a monk. The second person was Suwan Kanjano who held the position of Phrapariyatimetee; he now holds the position of Phratepmetajarn. During the ordination his position on the committee was that of Phrakamawajajarn. The third person on the committee was Phramahabanjong Kallito (who now holds the position of Phrateppanyakawee). Phramahabanjong's position on the committee was that of Phra-anusawanajarn.

After ordination, unhappy with the congestion of the big city, Luang Pa, went back to northeastern Thailand where he began intensive meditation practice. He studied with many different meditation teachers including Luang Pu Kao, and Luang Pu Thet. In Chaing Mai he studied with Luang Pu Van. But it was in Rayong that he met the monk he considers to be his mentor, Luang Pu Fueng.

Luang Pu Fueng lived an exemplentary life of hard work and simple living, He was not concerned about monastic titles or exemplary ceremonies. His emphasis was on meditation. He taught ana-panasati to monks and lay people and spent almost all of his free time in meditation, stopping only to eat and sleep.

In 1983 the monk who presided over Luang Pa's ordination, Phrarachakawee, asked Luang Pa to teach meditation at Wat Makutkasattriyaram. Luang Pa did and then in 1985 he was invited by Thai monks and lay people living in the United States to teach meditation there. He would spent most of the next six years in the Untied States.

In 1989 he again began to teach meditation in Bangkok. Then in 1992 he took a bus from Bangkok to Bang-bung in Chon Buri province and began "tudong" or walking meditation in the wooded hills near there. An old monk told him about a small cottage at the top of a mountain. Lung Pa walked up the mountain, found the cottage, and stayed there for six months. His lay followers brought him food, which allowed him to practice his meditation.

One of the local people who visited Lung Pa decided to offer him 80 rai (about 40 acres) of nearby land for the establishment of a temple. In 1994 the first building on the temple grounds was constructed.

In the future Luang Pa would like to build a dormitory for lay people and a library.