LP Waen, Wat Doi Mae Pang, 2527 (1984) (Amulet 244)

Original & Beautiful.
Comes with silver frame.
For reference.



Luang Pho Waen Sujinno (Thai: หลวงปู่แหวน สุจิณโณ, RTGS: Luang Pu Waen Su-Chin-No, also Phra Ajahn Waen Sujinno, popularly known as Luang Pho Waen meaning Venerable Grandfather; 16 February 1887 – 2 July 1985) was a monk in Thailand, and part of the Thai Forest Tradition. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luang_Pu_Waen_Suci%E1%B9%87%E1%B9%87o

Luang Pu Waen
Wat Doi Mae Phang

The supernatural is commonplace in Southeast Asia, and you naturally take precautions in respect of it - whether you're building a house, getting over an illness, going abroad, or making changes in the Cabinet - by consulting one of the palmists, mantra specialists, astrologers, mediums, brahmins or magicians who know how to deal with it. Even Buddhist monks have a role to play, willingly or unwillingly, and during his last decades one of the most famous monks of the North, Luang Phu Waen, was credited with unusual powers, his remote temple visited by enormous numbers of lay-people, from the Royal Family down, most hoping to carry away a little merit from having been in his presence. I myself visited the temple not long before he died, but it was the story told by a doctor-acquaintance about her own visit that brought home to me the mixture of humour, credulity, respect and scepticism with which the Thai view both the supernatural, and those who deal with - as well as the down-to-earth attitude of the monk himself. In retelling the story, I've simply repeated what the doctor told me, as far as possible using her own words.

There were seven of us making the visit: four doctors, a nurse and two photographers. The Prime Minister had asked for a picture to be taken of Luang Phu Waen, to be put in the wing of Chiang Mai's Suan Dawk Hospital recently named after him. Also, Luang Phu Waen was 91 years old and although in fairly good health, his eyes were troubling him, so one of the doctors, an oculist, was sent to look him over. His temple is in the village of Doi Mae Bang, near the amphoe town of Phrao, about seventy miles north of Chiang Mai. You probably know that Luang Phu Waen became famous about five years ago. Of course, even before that people in the locality respected him - the villagers and so on. They think he's an arahan (enlightened being), probably because he's so kind to them, advising and helping them. But before this strange event occurred, no-one outside the amphoe had heard of him.

What happened was that a pilot of the Royal Thai Air Force was flying a plane - well, I don't know how high, but up in the clouds, anyway. And suddenly he noticed a monk outside his cabin sitting in meditation. Yes, he thought that was a bit strange and when he got back to Chiang Mai, he told people about it, but no-one knew who it could have been. He was so interested, so sure he hadn't imagined it, he got his maps out, looked where he'd been flying, and calculated he must have been somewhere over Doi Mae Bang when it happened. So he went back, talked to the villagers and they told him Luang Phu Waen was the person they most respected, so it must have been him. Besides, they knew Luang Bu Waen meditated a lot, and that was already enough to make him unusual.

So back in Chiang Mai, the pilot told people what he'd learned and somehow the story got in the papers and since then Luang Phu Waen's been famous all over Thailand. The King went to see him some time back, busloads of people go every day to pay respects, and you can buy posters and medallions with his image on them just about everywhere. The day we visited Doi Mae Bang - this trip I'm telling you about - two coaches were up there from Bangkok, and that was just an ordinary day for visitors, not even a holiday.

You have to understand you don't get to see Luang Phu Waen just like that, though, and on this particular day, the abbot of the temple, Luang Por Nu, was being particularly difficult.

That's partly understandable, of course. Luang Phu Waen is very old. He needs protection. But even we had trouble getting to see him. Luang Por Nu made it really difficult, saying Luang Phu Waen was tired, it wasn't convenient, why hadn't we come earlier in the day when he makes a brief appearance, and so on… Well, I can't go into all the details, but part of the problem was we'd come to give treatment and take photographs. We weren't buying anything, or making a big donation to the temple so, from the point of view of the abbot, why should we get to see his treasure…?

What? You don't believe me? But why not, I'm telling you exactly what happened. The abbot's well known for the way he holds on to Luang Phu Waen. If he doesn't think there's going to be a suitable contribution, you don't get to see him and that's that. There's even a joke he keeps the old man under lock and key. Just ask anybody…

Well, with a lot of difficulty we managed to persuade Luang Por Nu to let two of the doctors look Luang Phu Waen over in his room. Then afterwards, he was brought out supported by a couple of temple helpers, and sat down on the veranda of his kuti for the photographs.

That was the first time I'd seen him. I looked at him really closely, but to be truthful there wasn't anything special to see. For half an hour he sat while the photos were taken but didn't move at all, not even his eyes. Not even - how do you say it? - blinking. Completely still. I couldn't help wondering if he was really alive.

After a while, I and another of the party got bored, so we went to the special building - the sala - that was built about four months ago to put his waxwork image in. Yes, his waxwork image, from Madame Tussauds in London. What! You don't know about that either? But don't you read the papers?

It must have been about a year ago a doctor in Bangkok became ill. He visited Luang Phu Waen and asked for help. Luang Phu Waen gave him a bit of his robe to keep, and as a result he was cured. The doctor wanted to show his gratitude and tum bun (make merit) at the same time, and as he was rich he asked Madame Tussaud's to make a waxwork image of Luang Phu Waen. No, I don't know how they did it - from photographs, I suppose. And they must have sent all kinds of pictures and measurements. Anyway, according to the papers it cost a million baht (US$25,000 at that time) but Madame Tussaud's halved the price in exchange for a copy of the image for their London museum. So three months ago they finished the work and the image was flown out to Thailand, all kinds of miracles happening when it arrived, apparently…Like what? Oh, it was raining the day the plane arrived, but as soon as the image was taken out the rain stopped, the sun shone, everything became bright, sparkling…Well, it's all in the papers. You can look it up there.

Anyway, now the image is kept in the special sala in the grounds of the temple, life-size. And you know, when I saw it there, I felt it was Luang Phu Waen himself - it was smiling, so realistic. Even the white under the fingernails - what do you call that? A whitlow? Every detail was right, exactly as it should have been. And my companion felt the way I did. We laughed. Which was the real Luang Phu Waen?

Afterwards, the picture-taking over, we joined the others. Luang Phu Waen had been returned to his room, so we left the temple and drove back to Chiang Mai. I felt a little dissatisfied. I asked one of my colleagues who'd examined him - jokingly - if he thought Luang Phu Waen was really alive. He said he'd wondered himself, and while alone with him, to see if he really understood things, he'd asked - just for something to say - if he'd been afraid of tigers when he'd gone on tu dong as a younger man…You know what that is, tu dong? It's when monks who want to meditate wander off in the forest during the dry season, looking for the wildest places they can find to practise in, the more dangerous the better. And Luang Phu Waen, who knows this doctor, said in a very old, very quiet but sharp voice, "You've been a monk, and you can ask that?"

Which we agreed was a sign he was mentally - how do you say? - alive? - alert?

But even better than that…

The other doctor had always been curious about the Royal Thai Air Force pilot's story of the monk up in the clouds, and while he was examining Luang Phu Waen he asked if it had really been him floating up there.

Do you know what Luang Phu Waen said? It's really funny. He didn't move, or show any feeling, or even open his eyes to answer the question. Just a tiny flutter of the lips, and this old, very faint but sharp voice.

'How bor ben nok.' ('You think I'm a bird?')."

Text & Images © J.M. Cadet 2009
The author lives in Chiang Mai and his works - The Ramakien: the Thai Epic among them - are available in major book shop. http://www.chiangmaitouristguide.com/03-2009/feature1.html


What is sacred? Everyone has something sacred within themselves. To have been born as a complete human being is already sacred. One can be sacred only from within oneself, and not by any amulet or other so-called sacred objects. Dhamma is sacred, and to have this sacredness, one must have Dhamma within oneself.

As a very popular monk, Luang Poo Waen Sujinno was often believed to have 'sacred amulets', something which Thais from all walks of life like to receive from respectable monks, for their protective value. People from all over Thailand would often travel to Wat Doi Mae Pang to seek these amulets or other sacred objects from Luang Poo and he would always give the same answer as the one quoted above.

Luang Poo Waen Sujinno was born on the 16th of February B.E.2426 (1883) in Tambon Na Pong, Muang District of Loei to a blacksmith's family. He was named Yarn and had one elder sister. He ordained as a novice monk in 1892 at Wat Bodhi Chai in Na Pong at the age of nine to fulfill the wish of his mother, when she died, while he was five years old. He studied with a number of teachers and later ordained as a monk at a temple in Hua Taparn District of Ubon Ratchathani at the age of 21.

Among the many teachers he studied with was Ajahn Mun Bhuridhatta Maha Thera in Udon Thani, who taught him the virtues of the pursuance of a secluded life and the practice of meditation and Dhamma in the jungles. Subsequently, Luang Poo travelled widely in the Northeast of Thailand in search of isolated places where he could meditate. His travels also took him to Bangkok where he met Chao Khun Phra Upali Gunupamacariya of Wat Bovoranives in 1921 with whom Luang Poo Waen spent several years studying and practising the Dhamma. Later, Chao Khun Phra Upali took him to Wat Chedi Luang in Chiang Mai where Luang Poo Waen decided to make a switch from the Maha Nikaya sect of Thai Theravada Buddhism to the stricter Dhammayutika Nikaya sect.

Luang Poo Waen travelled extensively by foot through thick jungles and remote mountains and even ventured to Myanmar and India where he paid homage at several historic sacred Buddhist sites. In the year of 1955, news of a foot injury sustained during his stay in seclusion at Wat Paa Ban Pong in Mae Taeng District, Chiang Mai, reached Phra Ajahn Noo Suchitto of Wat Doi Mae Pang, who later arranged for Luang Poo Waen to stay in Wat Doi Mae Pang permanently. Wat Doi Mae Pang then became the residence of Luang Poo Waen until his passing away in B.E.2528 (1985). Even then, Luang Poo did not reside in the monastery itself, but in a secluded hut a short distance away from the actual monastery.

Luang Poo Waen began consecrating amulets and sacred images for people after settling down in Wat Doi Mae Pang. Luang Poo's amulets and sacred images were all consecrated for meritorious purposes, like raising funds for charitable organisations and hospitals. Many of his pendants were also specially created and distributed to armed forces personnel for their protection. Many devotees also started having miraculous experiences with him and his amulets then, the most famous one, which was also mentioned in the Asia Magazine, being the incident of him being spotted floating in the sky by an airforce pilot. Please read the full magazine article from the Asia Magazine via the link below:

Luang Poo Waen Sujinno was also widely rumoured to possess the mystical power to float in the air, to cure illness and to energize amulets that protected the wearer from bullets and knives. General Kriangsak Chamanand, supreme commander of the armed forces, in 1979 gave Thai soldiers amulets of Luang Poo Waen to protect them against what he described as Thailand's greatest enemy at that time, the Communist Party. The King in 1978 sponsored a medallion with the images of Luang Poo Waen Sujinno and the royal crown which was sold to pay for the construction of several hospitals. The popular amulets were distributed through large banks and businesses and raised millions of baht.

On the 15th of April 1985, Luang Poo Waen was found to be unable to eat or move and was admitted into the Maharaj Hospital. He was operated on 4th of June 1985 in order to insert a tube into his stomach through which he would be fed. However, various complications developed and Phra Ajaan Noo, the abbot of Wat Doi Mae Pang, requested doctors not to perform any more operations as he wanted Luang Poo to rest peacefully. His request was granted by doctors and the Governor of Chiang Mai, Mr. Chaiya Punsiriwong.

On the 2nd of July B.E.2528 (1985) at 9.54pm, Luang Poo Waen finally passed away after having been in the monkhood for almost 90 years. He was given a royally-sponsored bathing ceremony at Sala Ang Klaew in Chiang Mai University which was attended by the King and Queen of Thailand as well as the general public. The staff of the Maharaj Hospital in Chiang Mai observed three minutes of silence as a mark of respect for Luang Poo in a memorial service. Plenty of pictures were taken by reporters for news reports. Many people were amazed when the pictures were developed, as what seemed like images of Luang Poo had appeared miraculously on many of the pictures taken on that day.

Luang Poo's sacred remains were kept in Wat Doi Mae Pang for about year for devotees to pay their last respects. The remains were cremated at a Royal Funeral on 16 January 1986. The cremation was attended by the King and Queen of Thailand, the Prime Minister and half a million devotees. Just as the sacred fire was consuming the remains of Luang Poo amidst the chanting of monks and devotees, the image of Luang Poo Waen miraculously manifested within the flames upon the funeral pyre. This incident was witnessed my many devotees and was well-documented in many magazines and books about Luang Poo.

Subsequently, the remains of Luang Poo transformed into smooth grains like sand and glass shortly after the cremation, leading many people to strongly believe that Luang Poo had attained the state of an Arahant. However, despite much attention given to the miracles related to Luang Poo, there is no doubt that what Luang Poo would have wanted us to remember about him would be his legacy of pure Dhamma practice.  http://www.amuletz.com/gallery3/index.php/pages/show/lpwaen

Sharing LP Waen amulet, this amulet save my whole family....
actually the story about 25 years ago, when i stil stay in my old house, one night my father pray as usual, he used to offer with sticks and candle. After praying, he sleep.
The next day when he step into the altar room, he was shock because the lower side of wall is black and the upper side is normal (last time our house is made of wood )
U know wat seperate the upper and lower part of the wall? our LP Waen amulet is hanging there..... the candle drop down and burn the altar table then extend to the wall but believe or not? the fire stop just after burning the LP Waen amulet...
don ask me y the fire stop like that i also don know y???
Wat we believe is the LP Waen rian stop the fire being spread through our house, if not LP Waen i think our whole family...........thanks LP WAEN...:)  http://amuletforums.com/threads/lp-waen.1807/

Great story. My aunt gave my mother (who gave it to me) a similar LP Waen to the amulet you posted a picture of. As the story goes, my mother was riding in a bus when the bus got into an accident and toppled over. She walked away from the accident without any harm.  http://amuletforums.com/threads/lp-waen.1807/

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