Ex-monk now married
The Nation on Sunday

BANGKOK: -- The former abbot of Sunandavaram forest monastery in Kanchanaburi's Sai Yok district, Mitsuo Shibahashi, has married a 52-year-old Thai businesswoman Suttirat Muttamara in Japan, after he had shocked his many followers by quietly leaving the monkshood on June 8.

Shibahashi, 61, previously known as Phra Phra Ajahn Mitsuo Gavesako, registered his marriage with Suttirat in Iwate prefecture on Friday.

He explained on a brief YouTube video clip that he had married Suttirat, "after being a monk for 38 rainy seasons without a thought of ever leaving monkshood or getting married", until he met her, because he believed the woman was his destined spouse.

A day prior to the registration, the woman has introduced herself publicly through her Facebook page. Suttiratt, 51, runs a widely known medical beauty centre. Her Facebook page carries a number of undated photos showing her posing with the former monk, now wearing normal clothes.

-- The Nation 2013-06-30

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... and good luck to him ...

No longer a Monk ... now 'just a man' ...

and about to discover the pain joy of being married ...

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Congratulations to both and I hope they have a good life together.

Good Luck and best wishes for a happy life together. I hope the media leaves both of you alone but am not holding my breath.

After all those years of religion he's finally seen the light...!

Good for him. (And her). Congrats.

after being a monk for 38 rainy seasons

Does this mean that outside the rainy season he was out on the lash doing amyl nitrate with a gaggle of teenage hookers?

At least he just went home and left the monkhood, instead of these charlatans who hang around and continue to solicit donations.

This is a good story, but the slant I feel is that it's negative.

he get married with Louis Vetton bag and go for honeymoon in jet.

Sunisa.

"after he had shocked his many followers by quietly leaving the monkhood" What is more shocking is the flocks of the gullible who are willing to empty their pockets for a false promise of a future reward. Were they shocked by his actions (which are very human) or by having to face reality.

To paraphrase a comment by late Christopher Hitchens. "What is more probable, that the laws of physics will be suspended in your favor or that you have been lied to?"

Best wishes to this man for his honesty.

And to use another quote: Whatever moments you get of happiness, use it up, you know, if you can, because it don’t come that often. Comment by Bobby “Blues” Bland. (Recently deceased American blues artist).

Wonder if he paid a sin sot ?

He paid 38 years worth of sinsot.

As the old Buddhist saying goes, mazel tov.

I wish him the best...and hope that the karma he gained in the 38 years continues to grow.

Her too.

nirvana at last...

He did absolutely the right thing in leaving the monkhood once he felt that he had desires for a woman, and indeed, it would have been a greater blight on the religion had he stayed and covered up his (supposed) transgressions.

I infer doubt on his transgressions, because, for all we know, he may have retained his vow of celibacy until he left the monkhood, so the hypotheses of those who began this campaign against him may well be totally unfounded.

As I previously commented, he has nothing to be ashamed of, and the media ought to be leaving this issue alone now.

I think the shocked people should cut the dude some slack. He prayed for 38 years and when he finally got his reward, folks are pissed? Anyway his business, monky or not, is his own.

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... and good luck to him ...

No longer a Monk ... now 'just a man' ...

and about to discover the pain joy of being married ...

......and know what Buddha meant by "all life is suffering".

After all those years of religion he's finally seen the light...!

Possibly his arthritis prompted the decision

After all those years of religion he's finally seen the light...!

Possibly his arthritis prompted the decision

I knew it was a bone problem.

Good Luck and best wishes for a happy life together. I hope the media leaves both of you alone but am not holding my breath.

Having worked in the media all my life, I fear they will not be left alone, even for a "Honeymoon Period."

Congratulations to both of them!!!

I wish them all that they could ever wish for. I also hope that the media will leave them alone to enjoy their life together.

after being a monk for 38 rainy seasons

Does this mean that outside the rainy season he was out on the lash doing amyl nitrate with a gaggle of teenage hookers?

No, it does not.

Seriously, some monks have disgraced themselves but they're not all like that. Above all, the Buddha's teachings cannot be tainted anyway.

Now he has made his self a prisoner of his own home with marriage

After all those years of religion he's finally seen the light...!

'Not sure that's the takeaway here...

Congrats to him and his wife.

After all those years of religion he's finally seen the light...!

there is always one smart ar*e good luck to the ex monk and his new bride ,

After all those years of religion he's finally seen the light...!

Not really....he most likely developed an erection

The fiftytwo year old virgin, hope she can handle the load...

As already said, good luck to newly wed couple. The gentleman showed the rest of the sagha how to do it in the right order.