Wat Aranyawiwake (Thai script: วัดอรัญญวิเวก, RTGS: Wat Aranyawiwek) is a monastery (''

wat A wat ( km, វត្ត, ; lo, ວັດ, ; th, วัด, ; khb, 「ᩅᨯ᩠ᨰ」(waD+Dha); nod, 「ᩅ᩠ᨯ᩶」（w+Da2)) is a type of Buddhist temple and Hindu temple in Cambodia, Laos, East Shan State, Yunnan, the Southern Pro ...

'') in the

Thai Forest Tradition The Kammaṭṭhāna Forest Tradition of Thailand (from pi, kammaṭṭhāna meaning Kammaṭṭhāna, "place of work"), commonly known in the West as the Thai Forest Tradition, is a Parampara, lineage of Theravada Buddhist monasticism. The ...

of the

Theravada ''Theravāda'' () ( si, ථේරවාදය, my, ထေရဝါဒ, th, เถรวาท, km, ថេរវាទ, lo, ເຖຣະວາດ, pi, , ) is the most commonly accepted name of Buddhism's oldest existing school. The school' ...

lineage of

Buddhism Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...

. It is in Mae Taeng,

Chiang Mai Province Chiang Mai ( th, เชียงใหม่, ; nod, , ) is the largest Province ('' changwat'') of Thailand. It lies in upper northern Thailand and has a population of 1.78 million people. It is bordered by Chiang Rai province, Chiang R ...

, northern Thailand. Phra Ajahn Plien Panyapatipo is the current abbot of Wat Aranyawiwake, where he has resided since 1966. Wat Aranyawiwake was established and named by Luang Pho

Mun Bhuridatta (หลวงปู่มั่น)Ajahn Mun ( th, อาจารย์มั่น) , dharma_names = Bhuridatto , birth_date = , birth_place = Ban Khambong, Khong Chiam, Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand , death_date = , death_place = Wat Pa Sutth ...

, the "father" of the current tradition of forest meditation monastics.

The monastery

Wat Aranyawiwake was originally an old monastic residence, established by a group of people from various families in Intakhin Sub-district, Mae Taeng District,

. They had deep interest and faith in

. They invited virtuous monks, who were meditation masters, to reside in the village in order for them to hear the teaching of the

Buddha Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha, was a wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism. According to Buddhist tradition, he was born in ...

. Later on, they heard of a monk who practiced meditation and stopped by a wat in Mae Taeng District, so they invited the Venerable

Ajahn Ajahn ( th, อาจารย์, , ) is a Thai-language term that translates as "professor" or "teacher". It is derived from the Pali word '' ācariya'' and is a term of respect, similar in meaning to the Japanese ''sensei''. It is used as a ...

Mun Bhuridatta. Ajahn Mun accepted the invitation and gathered a group of disciples, to seek an appropriate place for practice of meditation. They searched for four days and Ajahn Mun found this place. At the end of the

rain retreat The ''Vassa'' ( pi, vassa-, script=Latn, sa, varṣa-, script=Latn, both "rain") is the three-month annual retreat observed by Theravada practitioners. Taking place during the wet season, Vassa lasts for three lunar months, usually from July ...

, Ajahn Mun and his disciples left the place to continue their austere practice. Ajahn Mun told his followers, who attended him in Ban Pong, that he had named this place "Aranyawiwake monastic residence".

External links

Receive 2009 New Year Blessing from Luang Por Plien Panyapatipo
Buddhist temples and monasteries of the Thai Forest Tradition Buddhist temples in Chiang Mai province {{Thailand-struct-stub

The monastery

See also

Further reading

External links