On 8/19/2020 at 12:13 PM, webfact said:

Temple raided in Prachinburi: 10 million baht in cash and jewels stolen from the abbot

Buddhism isn't about money and material things. 

23 hours ago, JeffersLos said:

Buddhism isn't about money and material things. 

It shouldn't be, no.  I was a little shocked after I ordained in Thailand to find it was.  

On 8/22/2020 at 8:09 PM, bluesofa said:

Sounds to me like he had a very dry sense of humour.

I would like the opportunity to visit his birthplace in Lumphini - out of interest.
Here's my little dig: So far, any Thai I have asked about Lumphini tell me it's in Bangkok. Asking them if there's another one, or if they know the origin of the word, has always resulted in a blank look.
 

I know there's the forever ongoing discussion regarding whether buddhism is a religion or a philosophy. As a philosophy I like it, but not what it's sadly evolved to become in Thailand - a money making business, no different to any other religion.

I know there are several, but the only temple in Thailand I personally know isn't interested in making a business out of Buddhism is Wat Pah Nanachat up in Ubon Rachathani.  Ajahn Chah established this temple for non-Thai's in 1975.  I know 2 monks who actually studied with him.  One American and One British.  The British monk just retired, sort of, The American monk still lives by himself in a small temple up near Pak Chong.  But Wat Pah Nanachat is even hard to go visit because of their strict rules about cell phones, and other electronic devices.  

4 hours ago, khaowong1 said:

I know there are several, but the only temple in Thailand I personally know isn't interested in making a business out of Buddhism is Wat Pah Nanachat up in Ubon Rachathani.  Ajahn Chah established this temple for non-Thai's in 1975.  I know 2 monks who actually studied with him.  One American and One British.  The British monk just retired, sort of, The American monk still lives by himself in a small temple up near Pak Chong.  But Wat Pah Nanachat is even hard to go visit because of their strict rules about cell phones, and other electronic devices.  

In a previous life in the UK I used to go the The Forest Hermitage - the Warwick branch of Wat Pah Nanacha, run by Luang Por Khemadhammo.

I remember him being quite hard on the Thais who used to go there. He would tell them off because of their lack of adherence to buddhist principles, which bemused some of them.

 

19 hours ago, bluesofa said:

In a previous life in the UK I used to go the The Forest Hermitage - the Warwick branch of Wat Pah Nanacha, run by Luang Por Khemadhammo.

I remember him being quite hard on the Thais who used to go there. He would tell them off because of their lack of adherence to buddhist principles, which bemused some of them.

 

Yep, L.P. Khemadhammo is the 3rd student of Ajahn Chah that I know of.  I follow him on Facebook. I've had talks with several people from England who wanted to become monks, I told them to go see Luang Por Khemadhammo, they came back and told me he required them to be student/novice monks for like 5 years before he would let them ordain with him.  LOL. That stopped them flat.  I think now the same is true up at Wat Pah Nanachat, 5 years of practice before you get ordained. 

50 minutes ago, khaowong1 said:

Yep, L.P. Khemadhammo is the 3rd student of Ajahn Chah that I know of.  I follow him on Facebook. I've had talks with several people from England who wanted to become monks, I told them to go see Luang Por Khemadhammo, they came back and told me he required them to be student/novice monks for like 5 years before he would let them ordain with him.  LOL. That stopped them flat.  I think now the same is true up at Wat Pah Nanachat, 5 years of practice before you get ordained. 

As I said before I'm an atheist, but I did enjoy talking to L.P. Khemadhammo. It's good he appears to be more devoted than some monks here in Thailand.

22 hours ago, bluesofa said:

As I said before I'm an atheist, but I did enjoy talking to L.P. Khemadhammo. It's good he appears to be more devoted than some monks here in Thailand.

Although L.P. Kemadhammo is admired here in Thailand, many senior monks don't much like him.  They claim he really doesn't understand, Thainess.  LOL. 

 

1 hour ago, khaowong1 said:

Although L.P. Kemadhammo is admired here in Thailand, many senior monks don't much like him.  They claim he really doesn't understand, Thainess.  LOL.

Ha ha ha! I'm sure you'll agree Thainess is just an attempt at a face-saving excuse.

I'd say L.P. Kemadhammo understands buddhism a lot better than the monks here who criticise him.