Abbot ends death plan

11 กันยายน 2557

Luang Pu Pim agreed to leave his coffin and end his meditation to death plan at the request of senior monks and local authorities in Chaiyaphum.

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Phra Khru Weruwan Chantarungsi, 65, widely known as Luang Pu Pim, the abbot of Wat Weruwan in tambon Thung Phra of Khon Sarn district, is escorted to hospital after ending his meditation to death plan. Post Today photo.

Monks stop abbot’s coffin death plan

POST REPORTERS

Local authorities and senior monks in Chaiyaphum have stepped in to remove a senior monk from a closed coffin he laid for “meditating” himself to death.

Phra Khru Weruwan Chantarungsi, 65, widely known as Luang Pu Pim, the abbot of Wat Weruwan in tambon Thung Phra of Khon Sarn district, had told his fellow monks and laymen that he would end his life by getting into a coffin and meditating until he passed away. But the officials persuaded the abbot to end his fast and enter hospital for treatment. The abbot was said to be tired and in a frail condition.

He entered the coffin at 9pm on Tuesday night, ordering his disciples not to let anyone disturb him, and not to open the coffin until 4pm today.

He said earlier he knew his date of death, which would occur at Sept 9 at 9pm. He learned the news in 1995, through meditation.

Chaiyaphum police chief Pol Maj Gen Pinit Maneerat, accompanied by Phra Ratpawana Warajarn, the province’s ecclesiastical leader, and government and medical officials, showed up at the temple about 3pm to negotiate with Luang Pu Pim. They urged him to cancel his plan and leave the coffin.

The atmosphere was tense as the monk’s many disciples, along with thousands of followers who had gathered in the temple grounds since Tuesday morning, would not allow the group to enter his living quarters.

The authorities told the followers they were only there to do their duty after people complained that Luang Pu’s action was improper. They said the followers could not possibly want a good monk to die.

The disciples then allowed the group to enter the living quarters where they found the monk still alive but exhausted.

Pol Maj Gen Pinit said Luang Pu Pim agreed to emerge from the coffin for talks with Phra Ratpawana Warajarn. He told the monk it was better for him to disseminate the Lord Buddha’s teachings as he was not that old. The monk appeared calm, he said.

The talks took a little more than an hour before Luang Pu Pim agreed to be taken to Khon Sarn District Hospital.

Luang Pu Pim’s daughter Chanakarn Srisombat, 41, said the family had been preparing for his death for 10 years.

She said he was sick and had died once before in a cave near the wat, but then miraculously came back to life.