Thai Buddhist Amulets of High esteem

Thai amulets, known as “Phra Khruang” or “Krueang Rang,” are deeply embedded in the cultural and spiritual fabric of Thailand. These sacred objects are revered not only for their spiritual significance but also for their historical and cultural value. The tradition of wearing amulets in Thailand is a practice that dates back centuries, intertwining with the country’s religious beliefs, history, and social customs.

The creation of Thai amulets is a diligent and complex ritual process, that involves a blend of spiritual rituals, sacred materials, and artistic craftsmanship. These amulets are often made by revered Buddhist monks, Ruesi hermits, or lay sorcerers who are skilled in mystical arts. The process begins with the selection of sacred materials, which may include powdered herbs, sacred earths, metals, and other substances believed to possess inherent protective qualities. These materials are then mixed with holy water and sacred oils, and often inscribed with ancient scripts or symbols known as “Yant.”

The empowerment of amulets is a crucial aspect, involving the chanting of sacred mantras or “Kata” and the invocation of spiritual entities. This ritual is believed to imbue the amulet with “Itti-rit” or psychic powers, granting it the ability to protect the wearer, bring good luck, or enhance personal attributes such as charm and popularity. This form of magic is known as “Metta Maha Niyom,” which focuses on increasing the wearer’s attractiveness and social influence.

Lanna Master Kroo Ba Nikorn Blessing Nam Tao Gourd Amulets

Kroo Ba Nikorn Blessing Nam Tao Gourd Amulets

Thai amulets can be categorized based on their origin, form, or purpose. Naturally occurring objects such as certain types of iron, boar tusks, and tiger fangs are believed to have intrinsic protective qualities and are often guarded by spirits. Man-made amulets, on the other hand, are crafted using sacred clay admixtures or metallurgical processes, often involving ancient alchemical practices.

forging metallic alchemical amulets

The imagery on Thai amulets varies widely, encompassing depictions of the Buddha, noble monks, Bodhisattvas, Devas, and even gods and demi-gods. Some amulets also feature elements of the dark arts, invoking the spirits of ghosts or otherworldly entities. Despite the diversity in their forms and purposes, all Thai amulets share a common goal: to bring Buddhist virtues and protection to those who wear them.

The historical significance of Thai amulets is profound. They are not only religious artifacts but also cultural symbols that reflect the beliefs and values of Thai society. The practice of wearing amulets is documented as far back as the Rattanakosin period during the reign of King Rama IV, although it likely predates this era, especially considering it is recorded that King Naresuan maharaj wore a Takrut across his chest on a cord, which shows that the practice dates back many centuries more, as well as the Kru Hiding place burial finds which reveal amulets having been made 700-1000 years agot already in Siam. Throughout history, amulets have been used as protective talismans in battles, as symbols of faith, and as objects of personal devotion.

Pra Khun Phaen Ban Krang Ancient Clay Hiding-Place Amulet

One of the most revered figures in the history of Thai amulets is Somdej Toh, a legendary monk known for his profound spiritual wisdom and the creation of the famous Pra Somdej amulets. These amulets are highly valued for their spiritual efficacy and exquisite artistry, making them sought-after items among collectors and devotees alike. The authenticity and age of these amulets are of paramount importance, requiring a keen understanding of the materials and techniques used in their creation.

Macro Close Up of the Pra Somdej Wat Gaes Chaiyo with Somdej Dto

In modern times, the popularity of Thai amulets has only grown, with many people around the world collecting and wearing them for various reasons. Whether for spiritual protection, good fortune, or as a connection to Thai culture, these amulets continue to hold a special place in the hearts of many. The enduring appeal of Thai amulets lies in their ability to bridge the spiritual and the material worlds, offering a tangible connection to the divine and a source of comfort and inspiration in everyday life.

For those interested in exploring the world of Thai amulets, there are numerous resources available. Websites such as ancientamulet.com and thailandamulet.net, authored by Ajarn Spencer Littlewood, provide extensive information on the history, types, and significance of these sacred objects. These platforms offer insights into the art of evaluating and authenticating antique Thai Buddhist amulets, helping collectors and enthusiasts navigate this fascinating realm with confidence and understanding.

Thai amulets are more than just religious artifacts; they are an integral parts the rich cultural heritage and spiritual beliefs of Thailand. Whether crafted from sacred materials or naturally occurring objects, these amulets serve as powerful conduits of protection, embodying the timeless wisdom of the Buddha and the enduring faith of the Thai people.

Rian Run Raek Luang Por Hmun

The most highly preferred and rare guru monk coin amulets of the great Master Monk Luang Phu Hmun of Wat Ban Jan, in Sri Saket, the ‘Rian Run Raek’, or, ‘Rian Laekh 1’ amulet, with number 1 code stamp indented into the front surface of the amulet. Although called the ‘Rian Laekh 1’, meaning ‘coin with number 1’ this amulet was also made without the number 1 code stamp in some exhibits, hence, many people prefer to call it the ‘Rian Run Raek’ (first edition coin), of 2452 BE. Only 5000 amuletsa were made in Nuea Tong Daeng, with only another 35 Gammagarn edition versions in solid silver.

1st edition coin amulet Luang Phu Hmun Wat Ban Jan 2528

1st edition coin amulet Luang Phu Hmun Wat Ban Jan 2528


In truth it is hard to name which coin amulet as Luang Phu Hmun’s first edition, because he released various at various temples, so each temple has a ‘first edition’ amulet which was released and blessed by Luang Phu Hmun, such as the Rian Run Raek Hlang Hanuman released at Wat Ban Jan in 2542, is also referred to as first edition, for its simultaneous release, and the4 fact it was the first and only time that design model was released. Each design has therefore its own ‘first edition’ because often they are made again in later years due to high popularity and demand from devotees in the case of many amulets from many masters. This is a common truth in general in the Thai amulet world.

1st edition coin amulet Luang Phu Hmun Wat Ban Jan 2528 BE Rear Face

The revered and rare guru monk coin amulets of the esteemed Master Monk Luang Phu Hmun, from Wat Ban Jan in Sri Saket, hold great significance. Among these treasures is the distinguished ‘Rian Run Raek’ or ‘Rian Laekh 1’ amulet, bearing a unique number 1 code stamp delicately etched on its front surface. While it is commonly referred to as the ‘Rian Laekh 1,’ denoting a coin with the number 1, it is worth noting that some examples of this amulet were crafted without the number 1 code stamp. Consequently, many enthusiasts prefer to call it the ‘Rian Run Raek,’ signifying the first edition coin, originating from the auspicious year 2452 BE.

Determining which coin amulet truly represents Luang Phu Hmun’s first edition can be a challenge since he released various editions at different temples. Each temple has its own ‘first edition’ amulet, meticulously crafted and blessed by Luang Phu Hmun. For instance, the Rian Run Raek Hlang Hanuman, released at Wat Ban Jan in 2542 BE, is also regarded as a first edition due to its simultaneous release and the fact that it was the initial and sole occasion this specific design model was made available. Each design, therefore, possesses its own distinct ‘first edition’ as they are often reproduced in subsequent years to meet the immense popularity and demand among devoted followers and collectors. This phenomenon is a common reality in the vibrant realm of Thai amulets, embraced and understood by enthusiasts and practitioners alike.

Rian Laekh 1 Luang Phu Hmun Wat Ban Jan 2542 BE Magazine Documentation


Rian Luang Por Pring Thai Amulet

Presenting a very rare Rian Kanajarn Guru Monk coin amulet, the Rian Roop Khai Nuea Tong Daeng Rom Dam Run Sorng, (second ever edition coin amulet), of the Great Luang Por Pring Intachodto, of Wat Bang Bakork. This exhibit comes already encased in solid gold waterproof casing included in the price. A top Master Class Pra Niyom Category amulet of the High End variety, for serious devcotees and collectors of this great master, whose amulets are among the rarest to encounter.

Rian Luang Por Pring 2514

 

Luang Por Pring Intachodto, was well known to be a ‘Mor Ya’ Traditional Medicine annd Spiritual healing Master. He also had the honor of being Declared a Powerful Adept, by the great Master Monk Luang Phu Sukh, of Wat Pak Klong Makham Tao, and of receiving Kammathāna secrets from the Great Luang Por Parn, of Wat Bang Nom Kho.

A Great Master, whose magic was known in both the 2nd World War and Indo-China wars, as a protective amulet maker of great power. Luang Por Pring was one of the Great Tonburi Masters, whose amulets were highly favored by the miltary and police, and rescue forces, for protective powers during times of war or calamity.

Rear Face Rian Luang Por Pring 2514

The Rian Luang Por Pring is renowned for its Kong Grapan Chadtri and Klaew Klaad powers to save lives in extreme dangerous situations. Luang Por Pring, was one of the various Kroo Ba Ajarn of Grom Luang Chumporn. Even the great Luang Por Parn of Wat Bang Nom Kho came to Wat Bang Bakork to learn the Wicha Look Om from Luang Por Pring. These days the amulets of Luang Por Pring are extremely rare amulets to find anywhere.

 

Encyclopedia of the Amulets of Luang Por Pring

Luang Por Pring made many highly preferred amulets in many froms, ranging from Pra Somdej, Look Om, Buddha Images of various postures and styles,Takrut, and Look Om. LP Pring was famous for his Look Om Maha Gan, and Look Om See Chompoo sacred wishing balls, and many other Muan Sarn Sacred Powders amulets. Of course his most prized amulets with his top devotees are his Monk Coins, for the obvious connection with the Guru, through his image.

But it is perhaps his Look Om which are the most seen and talked about, perhaps because of the fact that many of his other amulets, are now very rare to find in the present day, and less people in general know of their existence, apart from the high-end collectors and devout followers of Luang Por Pring.

Luang Por Pring Intachodto Wat Bang Bakork

The Look Om Luang Por Pring was made mostly in both Gray and Brownish colored Sacred powders, and is an extremely rare and powerful amulet, most highly sought after by devotees of this Genre. In addition, a very small number of Black color, and some of these white colored Look Om are also found in existence, as well as some very rare pink colored models, both of which are most highly preferred of all from this Master along with his grayish ‘Nuea Pong Pasom Toop versions.

Look Om Luang Por Pring

It is assumed that the Wicha he received from making Pra Somdej according to the formula of Somdej Dto, may have influenced this particular mixture of Muan Sarn Sacred Powders used for his Pong Puttakun white versions, which indeed have many aspects which resemble the sacred clay of Pra Somdej Wat Rakang including Pong Bpathamang, Pong Puttakun, Pong Trinisinghae, Pong Ittijae, and Pong Maharach.

It is not every day that one can be lucky enough to encounter a sacred amulet of Luang Por Pring, a Classic Master-Class Kong Grapan Chadtri Klaew Klaad amulet, from a Master Geji Ajarn who carries the status of Kroo Ba Ajarn in Wicha, to the Great Luang Por Parn, of Wat Bang Nom Kho. Powerful Protection from a Niyom Category amulet, of Master-Class Status, of the Great Luang Por Pring.

During the Indojin (Indo-China Wartime) 3rd largest blessing ceremony of amulets in the History of Thai Buddhism at Wat Sutat, LP Pring was invited with a host of other master monks, to bless the world famous Pra Kring amulet, of the great Pra Sangkarach (Pae).

Below; Somdej Pra Sangkarach Pae, of Wat Sutat

Somdej Pra Sangkarach Pae Wat Sutat

All the Bhikkhus who attended the empowerment ritual, inscribed Magical Khom Agkhara Spells onto Sacred Yantra Foils. These sacred plates were smelted and poured into the molds.

When Luang Phor Pring’s Yantra Foil spells were placed inside the smelting furnace to be smelted intosacred ingots along with the other Yantra Foils from other Masters, it is told that it was not possible to get them to melt at that heat. This astonished those who witnessed this, and so Luang Por Pring was asked to assist in helping them to melt.

 

Rear Face Rian Luang Por Pring Wat Bang Bakork 2514

Luang Por Pring performed some special incantations, and cast some spells over the sacred furnace, and slowly but surely, the Yantra Foils began to melt and mix with the other Sacred chanuan metals.

Luang Por Pring’s protective magic was famous since around the 2nd World War and Indo-China Wartimes, when a Japanese Base was built nearby to the temple of Wat Bang Bakork. It was believed that lp Pring has made a protective Kata and Magical Shield around the area to protect the temple and the local inhabitants around it. So at that time, many people moved to live in tyhe surrounding area, in the belief that they would be safe from the bombing which was being performed by the Western Forces during that time of Japanese Occupation in Thailand.

Another story of his legendary magical powers, was the fact that the Great Magician and Looksit of Luang Phu Sukh, and Royal Prince, Admiral Grom Luang Chumporn Udomsak, sought out lpo Pring to beseech magical Wicha from him and his tutelage.

Below; Luang Phu Sukh  Wat Pak Klong Makham Tao

Luang Phu Sukh Wat Pak Klong Makham Tao

The legend tells, that LP Pring initiated him fully,and as a gift of Initiation, presented Grom Luang Chumporn with a Ban Neng (forehead of the skull), imbued with the spirit of the Mae Nak Pra Khanong Hoeng Prai Deva Spirit. The very same Mae Nak Pra Khanong which you can see in a shrine at Pra Khanong in Bangkok, on the Sukhumvit Road to this very day.

Below: Grom Luang Chumporn

Grom Luang Chumporn Udomsak

This is the very same spirit, who was so famously untamable, due to her anger at her unforeseen early death, and great desire to remain with her still living husband, that was bothering many people in the area. When Grom Luang Chumporn took the Ban Neng to the Palace, and various relatives within the Royal Palace witnessed seeing the ghost.

It is said that the great Somdej Pra Puttajarn (Dto) Prohmrangsri performed a ritual to subdue the spirit once and for all, by inscribing the forehead bone and inserting a spell to ‘sakot’ (bind) the spirit once and for all.

It is recorded in the diary of Pra Maha Saeni Wongs Na Ayuttaya, who authored the official documentational biography of Somdej Pra Puttajarn (Dto) Prohmrangsri, that, after the passing of Somdej Dto, the Ban Neng Forehead Bone of the Mae Pra Khanong Hoeng Prai Ghost, was handed down to Somdej Pra Puttajarn Tut, who in turn, gave the Ban Neng to Luang Por Pring. Luang Por Pring then, as already told, passed the Ban Neng on to Grom Luang Chumporn.


Luang Phor Pring was born on the Lunar Precession of 15 Kam (full moon), on a Sunday the fourth of April, in the year 2412 BE. He was hence born in the Chinese Horoscrope astrological year of the horse. He was ordained as a Samanera Novice Monk at a young age, and was educated at Wat Plab Officially known as Wat Rachasitaram), in Tonburi (then still countryside, but now part of Bangkok).

Look Om and other Amulets of Luang Por Pring

He remained ordained as a Samanera, until he reached age 20, in the year 2432. It was here that he began to study and practice Wicha Akom (Buddha Magic), and became adept, for Wat Plab was indeed always one of the main academies of Magical Arts. Wat Plab is known to have been the place where most of the Great master Monks of Olden days we all know and revere went, to develop and test their skills in psychic empowerment. Masters such as Luang Phu Sukh, Luang Por Ngern, Luang Phu To, Somdej Pra Puttajarn (Dto) Prohmrangsri, and the like, all passed the proving grounds of psychic adepthood at Wat Plab.

Side View of Rian Luang Por Pring 2514

It is said that only Great Masters can pass the test of the proving ground of Magic that is Wat Plab, and is part of where the Great Masters obtained their full cotrol of their powers. It was hear by monks close to Luang Por Pring, thaty he secretly learned the Wicha Long Hon (Invisibility spell), and became a Master Adept of Kong Grapan Chadtri Magic, as he was still a young Samanera Novice at Wat Plab.

He was then ordained on the 1st March in the year 2432 BE to become a fully-fledged Bhikkhu in the Buddha Sasana, at the temple of Wat Tong Noppakun, in Klong Sarn.

After ordination, he received the ‘Chaya’ (Monk’s name), of “Pra Kroo Prasas Sikij Intachodti” and moved to Wat Bang Bakork. After a mere 3 years or so, he was elected to become the Abbot, as at the time there were only a very few monks staying there, and the temple was in need of repair, and advancement, for the temple was in disrepair, and there were many things missing for the necessities of daily life.

Side View of Rear Face Rian Luang Por Pring 2514

Not all his works of development of Wat Bang Bakork are recorded, but one of the well known atainments he made was his restoration of the Uposatha Shrineroom, Kuti Huts for kore Bhikkhus to come and reside, and the many fracilitieds necessary such as refectory, prayer hall, meditation hall, temple bell, Chedi Stupa, and the like.

In the year 2479 BE, Luang Por Pring was elevated in status and given the Chaya name of ‘Pra Kroo Pra Sasana Sikij, for many of his devotees were Royal Courtiers, and he had a National Following of Devotees, that resounded around the country, for his great deeds and powerful magic. Members of Royal family and their Courtiers would often come to stay and keep precepts and practice meditation under Luang Por Pring. It is not documented as to the year of his passing, as far as our investigations have led to date.

Luang Por Pring was known both for his diligent practice and prowess in the Buddha-Dhamma Vinaya, as well as for ppossessing and developing many Magical Wicha, and methods of empowering different amulets, and the mastery of making powerful Muan Sarn Sacred Powders, and psychic empowerment.


Luang Phu Mun Puritatto

Rian Lai Ganok Sacred Guru Monk Coin with ‘Ganok’ flamed embellishments around the edges, and the Image of Luang Phu Mun Puritadto, of Wat Pha Sutawas emblazoned. This is a limited series Gammagarn version, with series code stamp, which is seen on the Sangkati sash of the Guru Monk, bearing the Code Met Nga Sesame seed shaped stamp, with a Khom Sanskrit Letter embossed.

Luang Phu Mun Thai amulet

The amulet has the images of an almsbowl, a kettle and a Glod Umbrella, the basic traveling necessities of the Thai Tudong Forest Tradition Lineage of LP Mun. The amulet was released in 2520 BE, and is first edition, after Luang Por Kinaree released his own first edition coin with his own image in the year 2519 BE. This series of amulets were fashioned in the same shape, but with the image of Luang Phu Mun Puritatto, blessed by Lineage Master, and Abbot of Wat Gantasilawas, Luang Por Kinaree Jantiyo, in Grand Buddha Abhisekha ceremony. The ceremony was held directly at Wat Gandtasilawas in Nakorn Phanom, with a host of other great Tudong Masters of the Luang Phu Mun Thai Forest Tradition.

The amulet has the Kata ‘namo Wmudtaanang Namo Wimudtiyaa’ on the rear face below the almsbowl, the Kata of LP Mun, representing the heart of the Tudong Kammathana Practice. The amulet is forged from Nuea Tong Daeng Sacred Copper Brazen Alloy, and was blessed on the 13th April 2520 BE after Traimas three month nightly empowerments at the temple beforehand. The amulet has the words ‘Puritadto’ on the front of the base of the amulet, with Luang Phu Mun seated in meditation above.


The amulets were released in the year 2513-2514 BE in a very special Buddha Abhiseka, at the temple of Wat Gantasilaram, with a large number of some of the greatest Guru Masters of the time present to empower, from the lineage of Luang Phu Mun

Ajarn Mun Bhuridatta Thera (Thai: มั่น ภูริทตฺโต, rtgs: Ajarn Mun Phurithatto; Lao: ຫຼວງປູ່ມັ່ນ ພູຣິທັຕໂຕ), 1870–1949, was a Thai bhikkhu of Lao descent who is credited, along with his mentor, Ajarn Sao Kantasīlo, with establishing the Thai Forest Tradition or “Kammaṭṭhāna tradition” that subsequently spread throughout Thailand and to several countries abroad. Ajarn Mun was born in Baan Kham Bong, a farming village in Ubon Ratchathani Province, Isan.
Ordained as a monk in 1893, he spent the remainder of his life wandering through Thailand, Burma, and Laos, dwelling for the most part in the forest, engaged in the practice of meditation. He attracted an enormous following of students and, together with his teacher, Sao Kantasīlo (1861–1941), established the Thai Forest Tradition (the kammaṭṭhāna tradition) that subsequently spread throughout Thailand and to several countries abroad. He died at Wat Suddhavasa, Sakon Nakhon Province.

Ajarn Mun was born in Baan Kham Bong, a farming village in Ubon Ratchathani Province, Isan. Ordained as a monk in 1893, he spent the remainder of his life wandering through Thailand, Burma, and Laos, dwelling for the most part in the forest, engaged in the practice of meditation. He attracted an enormous following of students and, together with his teacher, Sao Kantasīlo (1861–1941), established the Thai Forest Tradition (the Kammaṭhāna tradition) that subsequently spread throughout Thailand and to several countries abroad. He died at Wat Pha Sutawas, Sakon Nakhon Province. (Wikipedia)

We would like to share a passage written by Luang Por Thanissaro Bhikkhu (Ajarn Geoffrey de-Graaf), who wrote a most explanatory essay of the role of the Great Ajarn Mun in the revival of the true Buddhist Practice and the Rise of the Thai Tudong Kammathana Forest tradition;

Throughout its history, Buddhism has worked as a civilizing force. Its teachings on karma, for instance — the principle that all intentional actions have consequences — have taught morality and compassion to many societies. But on a deeper level, Buddhism has always straddled the line between civilization and wilderness. The Buddha himself gained Awakening in a forest, gave his first sermon in a forest, and passed away in a forest.

The qualities of mind he needed in order to survive physically and mentally as he went, unarmed, into the wilds, were key to his discovery of the Dhamma. They included resilience, resolve, and alertness; self-honesty and circumspection; steadfastness in the face of loneliness; courage and ingenuity in the face of external dangers; compassion and respect for the other inhabitants of the forest.

These qualities formed the “home culture” of the Dhamma.
Periodically, as Buddhism spread and adapted to different societies, some practitioners felt that the original message of the Dhamma had become diluted. So they returned to the wilderness in order to revive its home culture. Many wilderness traditions are still alive today, especially in the Theravada countries of Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia. There, mendicant ascetic monks continue to wander through the remaining rainforests, in search of Awakening in the same environment where the Buddha found Awakening himself.

Among these wilderness traditions, the one that has attracted the largest number of Western students, and is beginning to take root in the West, is the Kammatthana (Meditation) Forest tradition of Thailand.

The Kammatthana tradition was founded by Ajarn Mun Bhuridatto in the early decades of this century. Ajarn Mun’s mode of practice was solitary and strict. He followed the Vinaya (monastic discipline) faithfully, and also observed many of what are known as the thirteen classic dhutanga (ascetic) practices, such as living off almsfood, wearing robes made of cast-off rags, dwelling in the forest, eating only one meal a day.

Searching out secluded places in the wilds of Thailand and Laos, he avoided the responsibilities of settled monastic life and spent long hours of the day and night in meditation. In spite of his reclusive nature, he attracted a large following of students willing to put up with the hardships of forest life in order to study with him.
He also had his detractors, who accused him of not following traditional Thai Buddhist customs. He usually responded by saying that he wasn’t interested in bending to the customs of any particular society — as they were, by definition, the customs of people with greed, anger, and delusion in their minds. He was more interested in finding and following the Dhamma’s home culture, or what he called the customs of the noble ones: the practices that had enabled the Buddha and his disciples to achieve Awakening in the first place.

This phrase — the customs of the noble ones — comes from an incident in the Buddha’s life: not long after his Awakening, he returned to his home town in order to teach the Dhamma to the family he had left six years earlier. After spending the night in a forest, he went for alms in town at daybreak. His father the king learned of this and immediately went to upbraid him. “This is shameful,” the king said. “No one in the lineage of our family has ever gone begging. It’s against our family customs.”
“Your majesty,” the Buddha replied, “I now belong, not to the lineage of my family, but to the lineage of the noble ones. Theirs are the customs I follow.” Ajarn Mun devoted many years of his life to tracking those customs down. Born in 1870, the son of rice farmers in the northeastern province of Ubon, he was ordained as a monk in the provincial capital in 1892. At the time of his ordination, there were two broad types of Buddhism available in Thailand; Maha Nikkaya and the Dhammayut Movements.

The first can be called Customary Buddhism — the mores and rites handed down over the centuries from teacher to teacher with little, if any, reference to the Pali canon. For the most part, these customs taught monks to live a sedentary life in the village monastery, serving the local villagers as doctors or fortune tellers. Monastic discipline tended to be loose. Occasionally, monks would go on a pilgrimage they called “dhutanga” which bore little resemblance to the classic dhutanga practices. Instead, it was more an undisciplined escape valve for the pressures of sedentary life. Moreover, monks and lay people practiced forms of meditation that deviated from the path of tranquillity and insight outlined in the Pali canon. Their practices, called vichaa aakhom, or incantation knowledge, involved initiations and invocations used for shamanistic purposes, such as protective charms and magical powers. They rarely mentioned nirvana except as an entity to be invoked for shamanic rites. The second type of Buddhism available at the time, was Reform Buddhism, based on the Pali canon and begun in the 1820’s by Prince Mongkut, who later became King Rama IV (and still later was portrayed in the musical The King and I).

Prince Mongkut was ordained as a monk for twenty-seven years before ascending the throne. After studying the canon during his early years as a monk, he grew discouraged by the level of practice he saw around him in Thai monasteries. So he reordained among the Mons — an ethnic group that straddled the Thai-Burmese border and occupied a few villages across the river from Bangkok — and studied Vinaya and the classic dhutanga practices under the guidance of a Mon teacher. Later, his brother, King Rama III, complained that it was disgraceful for member of the royal family to join an ethnic minority, and so built a monastery for the Prince-Monk on the Bangkok side of the river. There, Mongkut attracted a small but strong following of like-minded monks and lay supporters, and in this way the Dhammayut (lit., In Accordance with the Dhamma) movement was born.

In its early years, the Dhammayut movement was an informal grouping devoted to Pali studies, focusing on Vinaya, the classic dhutanga practices, a rationalist interpretation of the Dhamma, and the revival of meditation techniques taught in the Pali canon, such as recollection of the Buddha and mindfulness of the body. None of the movement’s members, however, could prove that the teachings of the Pali canon actually led to enlightenment. Mongkut himself was convinced that the path to nirvana was no longer open, but he felt that a great deal of merit could be made by reviving at least the outward forms of the earliest Buddhist traditions. Formally taking a bodhisattva vow, he dedicated the merit of his efforts to future Buddhahood. Many of his students also took vows, hoping to become disciples of that future Buddha.

Upon disrobing and ascending the throne after his brother’s death in 1851, Rama IV was in a position to impose his reforms on the rest of the Thai Sangha, but chose not to. Instead, he quietly sponsored the building of new Dhammayut centers in the capital and the provinces, which was how — by the time of Ajarn Mun — there came to be a handful of Dhammayut monasteries in Ubon.
Ajarn Mun felt that Customary Buddhism had little to offer and so he joined the Dhammayut order, taking a student of Prince Mongkut as his preceptor. Unlike many who joined the order at the time, he wasn’t interested in the social advancement that would come with academic study and ecclesiastical appointments. Instead, his life on the farm had impressed on him the sufferings inherent in the cycle of life and death, and his single aim was to find a way out of the cycle. As a result, he soon left the scholarly environment of his preceptor’s temple and went to live with a teacher named Ajarn Sao Kantasilo (1861-1941) in a small meditation monastery on the outskirts of town.

Ajarn Sao was unusual in the Dhammayut order in that he had no scholarly interests but was devoted to the practice of meditation. He trained Ajarn Mun in strict discipline and canonical meditation practices, set in the context of the dangers and solitude of the wilderness. He could not guarantee that this practice would lead to the noble attainments, but he believed that it headed in the right direction.
After wandering for several years with Ajarn Sao, Ajarn Mun set off on his own in search of a teacher who could show him for sure the way to the noble attainments. His search took nearly two decades and involved countless hardships as he trekked through the jungles of Laos, central Thailand, and Burma, but he never found the teach
er he sought.

Gradually he realized that he would have to follow the Buddha’s example and take the wilderness itself as his teacher, not simply to conform to the ways of nature — for nature is samsara itself — but to break through to truths transcending them entirely. If he wanted to find the way beyond aging, illness, and death, he would have to learn the lessons of an environment where aging, illness, and death are thrown into sharp relief. At the same time, his encounters with other monks in the forest convinced him that learning the lessons of the wilderness involved more than just mastering the skills of physical survival.

 

He would also have to develop the acuity not to be misled by dead-end sidetracks in his meditation. So, with a strong sense of the immensity of his task, he returned to a mountainous region in central Thailand and settled alone in a cave.
In the long course of his wilderness training, Ajarn Mun learned that — contrary to Reform and Customary beliefs — the path to nirvana was not closed. The true Dhamma was to be found not in old customs or texts but in the well-trained heart and mind. The texts were pointers for training, nothing more or less. The rules of the Vinaya, instead of simply being external customs, played an important role in physical and mental survival. As for the Dhamma texts, practice was not just a matter of confirming what they said. Reading and thinking about the texts could not give an adequate understanding of what they meant — and did not count as showing them true respect. True respect for the texts meant taking them as a challenge: putting their teachings seriously to the test to see if, in fact, they are true. In the course of testing the teachings, the mind would come to many unexpected realizations that were not contained in the texts. These in turn had to be put to the test as well, so that one learned gradually by trial and error to the point of an actual noble attainment. Only then, Ajarn Mun would say, did one understand the Dhamma.

 

This attitude toward the Dhamma parallels what ancient cultures called “warrior knowledge” — the knowledge that comes from developing skills in difficult situations — as opposed to the “scribe knowledge” that people sitting in relative security and ease can write down in words. Of course, warriors need to use words in their training, but they view a text as authoritative only if its teachings are borne out in practice. The Canon itself encourages this attitude when it quotes the Buddha as teaching his aunt, “As for the teachings of which you may know, ‘These teachings lead to dispassion, not to passion; to being unfettered, not to being fettered; to divesting, not to accumulating; to modesty, not to self-aggrandizement; to contentment, not to discontent; to seclusion, not to entanglement; to aroused persistence, not to laziness; to being unburdensome, not to being burdensome’: You may definitely hold, ‘This is the Dhamma, this is the Vinaya, this is the Teacher’s instruction.'”
Thus the ultimate authority in judging a teaching is not whether the teaching can be found in a text. It lies in each person’s relentless honesty in putting the Dhamma to the test and carefully monitoring the results.
When Ajarn Mun had reached the point where he could guarantee that the path to the noble attainments was still open, he returned to the northeast to inform Ajarn Sao and then to continue wandering.

 

Gradually he began to attract a grassroots following. People who met him were impressed by his demeanor and teachings, which were unlike those of any other monks they had known. They believed that he embodied the Dhamma and Vinaya in everything he did and said. As a teacher, he took a warrior’s approach to training his students. Instead of simply imparting verbal knowledge, he put them into situations where they would have to develop the qualities of mind and character needed in surviving the battle with their own defilements. Instead of teaching a single meditation technique, he taught them a full panoply of skills — as one student said, “Everything from washing spittoons on up” — and then sent them into the wilds.
It was after Ajarn Mun’s return to the northeast that a third type of Buddhism emanating from Bangkok — State Buddhism — began to impinge on his life. In an effort to present a united front in the face of imperialist threats from Britain and France, Rama V (1868-1910) wanted to move the country from a loose feudal system to a centralized nation-state. As part of his program, he and his brothers — one of whom was ordained as a monk — enacted religious reforms to prevent the encroachment of Christian missionaries. Having received their education from British tutors, they created a new monastic curriculum that subjected the Dhamma and Vinaya to Victorian notions of reason and utility.

 

Their new version of the Vinaya, for instance, was a compromise between Customary and Reform Buddhism designed to counter Christian attacks that monks were unreliable and lazy. Monks were instructed to give up their wanderings, settle in established monasteries, and accept the new state curriculum. Because the Dhammayut monks were the best educated in Thailand at the time — and had the closest connections to the royal family — they were enlisted to do advance work for the government in outlying regions.
In 1928, a Dhammayut authority unsympathetic to meditation and forest wanderers took charge of religious affairs in the northeast. Trying to domesticate Ajarn Mun’s following, he ordered them to establish monasteries and help propagate the government’s program. Ajarn Mun and a handful of his students left for the north, where they were still free to roam. In the early 1930’s, Ajarn Mun was appointed the abbot of an important monastery in the city of Chieng Mai, but fled the place before dawn of the following day.

He returned to settle in the northeast only in the very last years of his life, after the local ecclesiastical authorities had grown more favorably disposed to his way of practice. He maintained many of his dhutanga practices up to his death in 1949.
It wasn’t until the 1950’s that the movement he founded gained acceptance in Bangkok, and only in the 1970’s did it come into prominence on a nationwide level. This coincided with a widespread loss of confidence in state monks, many of whom were little more than bureaucrats in robes. As a result, Kammatthana monks came to represent, in the eyes of many monastics and lay people, a solid and reliable expression of the Dhamma in a world of fast and furious modernization.
Buddhist history has shown that wilderness traditions go through a very quick life cycle.

 

As one loses its momentum, another often grows up in its place. But with the wholesale destruction of Thailand’s forests in the last few decades, the Kammatthana tradition may be the last great forest tradition that Thailand will produce. Fortunately, we in the West have learned of it in time to gather lessons that will be help in cultivating the customs of the noble ones on Western soil and establishing authentic wilderness traditions of our own.
Perhaps the most important of those lessons concerns the role that the wilderness plays in testing and correcting trends that develop among Buddhists in cities and towns. The story of the Kammatthana tradition gives lie to the facile notion that Buddhism has survived simply by adapting to its host culture. The survival of Buddhism and the survival of the Dhamma are two different things. People like Ajarn Mun — willing to make whatever sacrifices are needed to discover and practice the Dhamma on its own terms — are the ones who have kept the Dhamma alive.

Of course, people have always been free to engage in Buddhist traditions in whatever way they like, but those who have benefited most from that engagement are those who, instead of reshaping Buddhism to fit their preferences, reshape themselves to fit in with the customs and traditions of the noble ones. To find these customs isn’t easy, given the bewildering variety of traditions that Buddhists have spawned over the centuries. To test them, each individual is thrown back on his or her own powers of relentless honesty, integrity, and discernment.

There are no easy guarantees. And perhaps this fact in itself is a measure of the Dhamma’s true worth. Only people of real integrity can truly comprehend it. As Ajarn Lee, one of Ajarn Mun’s students, once said, “If a person isn’t true to the Buddha’s teachings, the Buddha’s teachings won’t be true to that person — and that person won’t be able to know what the Buddha’s true teachings are”.

Source; The Customs of the Noble Ones”, by Thanissaro Bhikkhu. Access to Insight (Legacy Edition), 7 June 2010, http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thaniss… ©1999 Thanissaro Bhikkhu


Rian Glom Lek 2505 BE Por Tan Klai Wajasit (2)

Presenting a tiny but powerful and rare classic amulet from one of the Great Khao Or Masters of the 20th Century, Rian Glom Lek Hlang Chedi 2505 BE Nuea Tong Daeng Miniature Guru Monk Coin Por Tan Klai Wajasit

This Sacred amulet of the Great Khao Or Master of Nakorn Sri Tammarat, Master of Wat San Khan and Wat Pratat Noi, is a very rare amulet from Por Tan Klai’s 2505 BE Blessing Ceremony Edition, and is considered a ‘Jaek mae Krua’ type amulet (meaning ‘give to the kitchen maids and temple helpers’), which is suitable not only for men, but due to its miniature size, a perfect amulet for ladies or children to wear.

Rian Glom Lek 2505 BE Por Tan Klai Wajasit

Rian Glom Lek 2505 BE Por Tan Klai Wajasit Wat Suan Khan

The 2505 BE edition of amulets of Por Tan Klai, is a highly preferred edition, which saw his famous ‘Rian Glom’ round Monk coin amulet with Chakra released, The Rian Glom Lek Hlang Chedi, and the Roop Tai Por Tan Klai Guru Monk Blesséd Photographamulets such as look om chan hmak and ya sen tobacco balls, and sacred powder amulets of various models.


A very rare and highly prized amulet for the devotees of Por Tan Klai to associate with his image and pray to him with a blessed image of the Guru, and the Chedi Relic Stupa on rear face for Buddhanussati and Marananussati. A powerful and Sacred amulet which has passed through the hands of the Guru and been blessed by him.

Por Tan Klai was one of the Top Guru Master Monks of the Last Century, and is considered one of the Four Great Masters of the Previous Generation of Lineage Masters of the Khao Or Southern Sorcery Lineage.

Kata Bucha Por Tan Klai

Ancient Amulet - Thai Buddhist Pra Niyom Category Amulets

Ancient Amulet - Thai Buddhist Pra Niyom ('Pra Niyom'; meaning 'High End Preferred Class Antique amulets') Fine Authentic Amulets from the Great Thai Buddhist Sorcerer Monks, Lersi Ascetics, and Lay Masters of Olden Days

SIGN IN OR CREATE ACCOUNT

Discover the mesmerizing world of Thai Buddhist heritage with our unique collection of Pra Niyom amulets. These 'High End Preferred Class Antique amulets' are more than just collectibles; they are authentic spiritual artifacts hailing from the profound traditions of Thai Buddhist Sorcerer Monks, Lersi Ascetics, and revered Lay Masters of yesteryear. Our Pra Niyom amulets are a preservation of the memory of the Great Magical Masters of the past, and the Magic they wielded, and hopes to be a bridge to preserve this knowledge in the present and future. The information within Ancient Amulet website provides reference study material, textual and visual knowledge, for those seeking a deeper understanding of Thai spirituality and culture. These exquisite ancient Thai amulets,are not just for the seasoned collector but for anyone with an appreciation for authenticity, craftsmanship, and the deep-rooted traditions they represent.

 

 

 

 

 

Prakam 108 Met Nuea Mai Saksit Dtid Rian Kroo Ba Gaew 2520 BE – a Sacred wooden bead Blessėd Rosary with Guru Monk coin, from the great Lanna Monk, Kroo Ba Gaew Sutto, of Wat Doi Mokkhala, in Chiang Mai. Serm Duang (Good Karma) Maha Mongkol (Auspicious Blessings), Klaew Klaad (Evade Dangers), Maha Lap (Lucky Fortunes)

The rosary has a 2520 BE Rian Roop Muean Guru Monk Coin with the image of Kroo Ba Gaew gazing sideways on the front face, and a Sacred Nam Tao Yantra with Khom Agkhara on the rear face. A highly recommendable item for Buddhanussati and Gurunussati, Meditation, Prayer Counting, Protection and Mercy Charm. Wear as a necklace with amulet of the Guru. and use for counting your prayers and Kata Chants.

Luang Phu Kroo Ba Gaew was trained in his early ordination under the lineage of Luang Phu Mun Puritatto, and is one of the great Kroo Ba Ajarn of the Northern Lanna Region, who was a very close companion of the Great Luang Phu Hwaen Sujjino, of Wat Doi Mae Pang.

 

Luang Phu Kroo Ba Gaew has somewhat of a mysterious past, because his biography was never officially documented, and Kroo Ba Gaew himself was not prone to talk about himself very much. This of course common with High Arya Sangha who have practiced and attained inner peace, and is in itself a sign of great attainments. Sadly however, this results in little being known about his early life as a monk in the lineage of Luang Phu Mun, leaving us with only a partial knowledge of his Biography.

 

But the miracles of this Great Monk have been told and retold over many decades, and by word of mouth, Kroo Ba Gaew became a Great Kroo Ba Ajarn of the region, on the merits of Miracles made. It is said, that once during the time Kroo Ba Gaew was still living, a Naga Serpent came up from the underworld near the temple, and was run over by a truck as it slithered across the road, and was hurt. The Naga crawled up to the temple and called Luang Phu Kroo Ba Gaew to come out and heal him with holy water.

Another famous legend is the tale of the three Buddha images in the Mae Nam Ping river, which were embedded in the stream. Luang Phu Kroo Ba Gaew performed a ceremony to invite them to rise up from the waters to perform miracles for humanity, and come to reside at the temple.

 

The statues rose up from the depths and were able to be transported to the temple, where they reside to this day. It is said these Buddhas can make the rain fall in the proper season to make the crops grow, which is a matter of life and death from many farming communities in the region. The Buddhas are hence extremely sacred for the local devotees, and Kroo Ba Gaew’s miracle of calling them, is perhaps his most famous legend.

 

Luang Phu Kroo Ba Gaew’s amulets are extremely rare, because he never ever really focused on making amulets of many kinds. he would only release mainly Buddhist amulets such as his monk coins, and ‘Roop Tai’ blessėd monk photos, and items of reverence and practice such as the Prakam Saksit Blessėd Rosary. Devotees of Kroo Ba Gaew like to wear his rosaries with one of his coin amulets attached for prayer and protection of the Guru. HIs devotees are very reluctant to part with their amulets of Luang Phu Kroo Ba Gaew, for they believe them to possess very powerful protection, and bring auspicious blessings.

 

The Wongarn Pra Krueang Lanna Northern Amulet Appreciation Society have registered the pantheon of amulets of Kroo Ba Gaew as residing within the Dtamrap Pra Krueang Lanna Yord Niyom ‘Top List of Most Preferred Amulets of the Lanna Region’.

Use the Traditional Thai Buddhist Method for Bucha;

1. Chant Maha Namasakara (3 Times)

2. Chant the Trai Soranakom (3 Times)

3. Chant Kata Aaraatanaa Pra Krueang (3 Times)

Kata Maha Namasakara

Namo Dtat-Sa Pakawa-Dto Araha-Dto Sam-Maa Sam-Put-Dtat-Sa

Namo Dtat-Sa Pakawa-Dto Araha-Dto Sam-Maa Sam-Put-Dtat-Sa

Namo Dtat-Sa Pakawa-Dto Araha-Dto Sam-Maa Sam-Put-Dtat-Sa

 

Trai Soranakom

Puttang Cheewidtang Yaawa Nipaanang Saranang Kajchaami

Tammang Cheewidtang Yaawa Nipaanang Saranang Kajchaami

Sangkang Cheewidtang Yaawa Nipaanang Saranang Kajchaami

Tudtiyambpi Puttang Cheewidtang Yaawa Nipaanang Saranang Kajchaami

Tudtiyambpi Tammang Cheewidtang Yaawa Nipaanang Saranang Kajchaami

Tudtiyambpi Sangkang Cheewidtang Yaawa Nipaanang Saranang Kajchaami

Dtadtiyambpi Puttang Cheewidtang Yaawa Nipaanang Saranang Kajchaami

Dtadtiyambpi Tammang Cheewidtang Yaawa Nipaanang Saranang Kajchaami

Dtadtiyambpi Sangkang Cheewidtang Yaawa Nipaanang Saranang Kajchaami

 

Kata Aaraatana Pra Krueang

Puttang Aaraatanaanang

Tammang Aaraatanaanang

Sangkang Aaraatanaanang

Puttang Prasittimae

Tammang Prasittimae

Sangkang Prasittimae

 

Ancient Amulet - Thai Buddhist Pra Niyom Category Amulets

Ancient Amulet - Thai Buddhist Pra Niyom ('Pra Niyom'; meaning 'High End Preferred Class Antique amulets') Fine Authentic Amulets from the Great Thai Buddhist Sorcerer Monks, Lersi Ascetics, and Lay Masters of Olden Days

SIGN IN OR CREATE ACCOUNT

Discover the mesmerizing world of Thai Buddhist heritage with our unique collection of Pra Niyom amulets. These 'High End Preferred Class Antique amulets' are more than just collectibles; they are authentic spiritual artifacts hailing from the profound traditions of Thai Buddhist Sorcerer Monks, Lersi Ascetics, and revered Lay Masters of yesteryear. Our Pra Niyom amulets are a preservation of the memory of the Great Magical Masters of the past, and the Magic they wielded, and hopes to be a bridge to preserve this knowledge in the present and future. The information within Ancient Amulet website provides reference study material, textual and visual knowledge, for those seeking a deeper understanding of Thai spirituality and culture. These exquisite ancient Thai amulets,are not just for the seasoned collector but for anyone with an appreciation for authenticity, craftsmanship, and the deep-rooted traditions they represent.