Luang Ta Ma (Wiriyatharo)
He started Wat Tham Muang Na with nothing but faith in Luang Pu Doo.
The Origin of the the name ‘Luang Ta Ma’
Around the year B.E. 2525, it was popular for young Thai men to wear a “horse-like” hairstyle. ‘Ma’ refers to horse in Thai. Luang Ta was still a layperson, working at the headquarters of Kasikorn Bank, which in those days, was still located at Soi Ari in Bangkok. After he knocked off work, he would go to Wat Sakae, Thanu Subdistrict, Uthai District, to practice the Dhamma with Luang Pu Doo from Friday nights to Sunday.
Luang Ta mentioned that the roads weren’t very developed yet, so one had to walk on foot for 5km before entering the temple. Luang Ta ‘patibatham’ (practiced the Dhamma) with Luang Pu Doo for about 10 years before deciding to ordain as a monk after a motorcycle accident on the route from Ayutthaya to Bangkok. His skull cracked but his body was totally uninjured, with no blood clotting or hemorrhage in his brain at all, as Luang Pu Doo’s amulet had protected him.
After he recovered, he decided to quit his job and leave the householder life. At that time, General Chatchai Choonhawan was the Prime Minister and the Thai economy was booming (this was before the economic bubble). Luang Ta and his colleagues were earning big bucks (good bonuses) at the bank, and they all said he was crazy to quit his job. Luang Ta replied them, “I am going to build a temple.”
Life as a layperson isn’t easy, there are all kinds of problems. Some people had problems with their family or relationships etc. But if any of them had a problem with meditation, they would consult Luang Ta, who could solve it for them. That is why they gave him the nickname, “Luang Ta”, which refers to a person who has ordained in his middle or old age.
After Luang Ta ordained and left on tudong, he went North at Luang Pu Doo’s advice to search for a suitable cave to practice the kammaṭṭhāna. Finally, he was able to locate a cave at Baan Muang Na, and spent the khao pansa (vassa) there.
Not long after, Luang Ta met one of Luang Pu Doo’s disciples who came climbing up to the cave to look for him. The luksit told Luang Ta that Luang Pu Doo sent him, and was able to describe the location and characteristics of the cave that Luang Ta was staying in. This was surprising as Luang Pu Doo has never been to this cave before, and never even left his kuti in Ayutthaya.
Luang Pu Doo had kindness for Luang Ta and specially consecrated a 19-inch lap Buddha statue for Luang Ta to enshrine and pay homage to in the cave. He instructed his luksits to bring it to Luang Ta. Luang Ta set his mind in samadhi and discovered that this cave was intimately linked with his past lives, which explains why he felt affinity for it and decided to take it for his shelter. Luang Ta saw that this place used to be a monastery in ancient times, possibly in the Ayutthaya era. Later on, people found remains of monk alms bowls from a time long past.
Luang Ta mentioned to his disciples, “Just Luang Phor Doo, one Ong is enough.” (Ong is the classifier for members of royalty, monks and Buddha images). He is the one ahead. All Bodhisattas must wait for him. His energy covers the Three Worlds. Even the devas who are not aiming to be a Buddha or to be reborn with the next Buddha will cultivate affinities with him. This is because divine beings must still die one day, and swim around in the cycle of birth and death.
Luang Pu Doo’s ‘parami’ is wide and all-encompassing. Some people like to visit other Kruba Ajaans, but Luang Ta has only one Ong – Luang Phor Doo, that is enough already.”
…Luang Ta met one of Luang Pu Doo’s disciples who came climbing up to the cave to look for him. The luksit said Luang Pu Doo sent him, and was able to describe the location and characteristics of the cave that Luang Ta was staying in. This was surprising as Luang Pu Doo has never been to this cave before, and never even left his kuti in Ayutthaya…
Who is Luang Ta Ma?
Some people have asked, why follow Luang Ta Ma?
They have never heard of him. In Singapore, Thai Buddhists split into two main camps. There are the strict Buddhists who follow the Thammayut tradition, meditators who like to seek out Ajaans like LP Ganha, Ajaan Dtun, Ajaan Martin, Ajaan Brahm etc. And there are the amulet collectors and wicchaa practitioners who like to find LP Koon, LP Hong, LP Tim, and some have heard of LP Doo and his amulets but that is about it.
But who exactly is Luang Ta Ma? Luang Ta was a close disciple of Luang Pu Doo, who ordained in his middle age, which is why we address him as Luang Ta and not Luang Phor. At first, after he ordained, he was keen on attaining arahantship and enlightenment in this life. Hence after his first rains (vassa) as a monk, he went on thudong up north. He didn’t have much, just the essential thudong items, plus some money and a bucha sized amulet given to him by his master, Luang Pu Doo. He went around looking for a cave to practice, and finally found Tham (Tham meaning cave) Muang Na, Muang Na is the name of the village.
At that time, this was an “ulu” remote cave in the middle of nowhere. It was located 1km away from the Burmese-Thai border. There is literally nothing there, except a very backward village of Thai-Yai (Shan) villagers. You can ask the famous Singaporean Thammayut monk – Chao Khun Keng of Wat Palelai about this, in fact, he stayed together with Luang Ta Ma in the same cave in Muang Na when he went up thudong almost 30 years ago.
So back to Luang Ta’s story. He secluded himself in the cave, for a long time, what I heard was 3 to 4 years, supported by the villagers. This is similar to what Kruba Boonchum does, who coincidentally is also the disciple of Luang Pu Doo, and is of Thai-Yai (Shan) origin. During this period of isolation, Luang Ta’s meditation powers increased dramatically. He could see the past and the future. He saw that he could not attain enlightenment in this life as he had practised for many lifetimes cultivating Bodhicitta (菩提心), which is the heart to help all beings, on his path to enlightenment. He also was able to communicate with Luang Pu Doo, who passed away not long after Luang Ta found Muang Na cave. He experienced the power of Luang Pu Thuad, the stream of energy of Luang Pu Thuad’s consciousness, which he found to be identical to Luang Pu Doo’s.
Luang Ta also saw his own future – he was going to become a famous monk. He tried telling the villagers, that Tham Muang Na was going to be a famous temple, it will become famous in Thailand, and renowned world-wide. The villagers just laughed at him, what a silly old Luang Ta. The cave was remote, it was in the middle of nowhere, it was located at the border, where there were drug wars, drug smuggling at its peak.
In fact, if you want to go to Wat Tham Muang Na now, you’d have to pass through military checkpoints. Can you imagine what it was like in the past? There’s nothing there of interest, normal tourists won’t even go there. It is a 3 hour ride from Chiang Mai, where you’d had to take a plane to if you’d coming from overseas or other parts of Thailand, who on earth would want to go to Tham Muang Na?
Yet look at it now. Look how many people thronged the cave, which is now built into a beautiful temple. How can it be possible? People ask Luang Ta. Luang Ta will humbly reply, it is not because of him, it is all due to the parami of Luang Pu Doo. In fact, Luang Ta named this temple Wat Buddha Prompanyo, as Prompanyo is LP Doo’s monastic name. Buddha, is because LP Doo will be the next Buddha. Wat Tham Muang Na is just the local name we use to refer to the temple.
There are so many temples in Thailand, in Singapore and Malaysia. None has rivalled the energy of the simple cave in Muang Na village. Back in 2015, an old grandma from Bangkok had died there. Since she has died here, while coming here to meditate, cremate her here, said Luang Ta. And they did, cremate her body in an open fire right in the middle of the compound. But yet there was no fear at all. Because of Luang Pu Doo, his energy could be felt here.
How could this remote temple become famous? There are so many stories of miracles, no matter who you are, rich or poor, if you have a problem, and you come here, there will be a solution. Luang Ta would not shower you with holy water on your head. Luang Ta does not perform exorcisms, or removes black magic, or tells your future. Luang Ta would only tell you, “Suad Mon.” Meditation. Chanting. Whatever you wish, just stay here and pray the Jakkapat katha. Visualise LP Doo. Eat. Sleep. Pray. It doesn’t matter what the problem is, some people come here because their business has failed. Some of them, their health is failing. So they would come and suad mon. Those with faith – they all left happily with a smile. And they would tell their friends, and their friends would come here.
Luang Ta spends his days travelling Thailand, working from dawn to dusk. He sleeps very late at night, and wakes up early to travel again. He spends his time teaching people about Luang Pu Doo, giving Dhamma talks in the evening, and in the car on the way to each venue, he will chant the Jakkapat to 超渡 (send to rebirth) the hungry ghosts along the roads. All the people staying for free at Wat Tham, are fed and sheltered and supported by him. He lives up to his name, Wiriyatharo, as Wiriya (Viriya) in Pali meaning diligence and effort. Every moment he spends, he dedicates it to helping all living beings, whether they are human, animal or spirit.
As Luang Ta likes to say, who knows when you will die? Why are you born for? Don’t enjoy yourself too much in this world, your life will end one day. If you can still meditate, then you should meditate. Keep on chanting, keep on visualising LP Doo. When you die, you will have the chance to choose your rebirth. Don’t let King Yama decide for you, make the merit now, and you can decide for yourself.
Luang Ta would only tell you, “Suad Mon.” Meditation. Chanting. Whatever you wish, just stay here and pray the Jakkapat katha. Visualise LP Doo. Eat. Sleep. Pray.