7/29/2019 A Monk's Dream Comes to Life: Phra Viriyang Sirintharo

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1/7/12 9:46 PMA Monk's Dream Comes to Life: Phra Viriyang Sirintharo

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Phra Viriyang SirintharoFor Phra Viriyang Sirintharo, Lord Abbot of WatDhammamongkol, the journey towardsenlightenment began more than sixty years ago inthe north-eastern village of Nakhorn Rachasimawhen, as a boy of 13, he witnessed a miraculousevent that would change his life forever.

The day was much like any other, filled with hardwork and household chores, beginning at dawn withthe collecting of watermelons in the fields. Aftertaking them to the market, the young boy wouldhave to wait until they were all sold. As usual, he

would not return home until after dark, but the dayswork was not yet over. All the water jars wereempty. The nearest stream was about 500 metresfrom the house and it would take him many trips,returning each time with two fully laden buckets,

before the jars were filled.

Although very tired and ready for his bed, Viriyang was allowed only a short breakfor dinner before being sent out again, this time to fill the rice buckets which werealso empty. In those days, mechanical rice mills were unheard of in the ruralareas and each family had to husk the paddy for themselves. This was done bypounding the paddy in a large wooden mortar and pestle, a rather primitive deviceoperated by vigorously stamping on a wooden lever.

That evening, Viriyang took up his position to begin the rhythmic pounding.Harder and harder he worked, gradually becoming oblivious to his exhaustedstate and quite unaware of the late hour. Then, suddenly, everything went blackand the boy collapsed.

He remained unconscious for aboutan hour, but when he eventuallycame to, he was shocked to findhimself unable to move a singlemuscle. He was totally paralysed.

For about one month, Viriyang laystricken while his parents tried invain to find someone with the abilityto restore his health. Secretly, theboy made a vow to devote the rest ofhis life to Buddhism should he becompletely cured of his paralysis.

Seven days later, a strangerappeared in the village; a white-robed ascetic who went directly to Viriyangs house and told his father that he hadcome to cure his son. The man whispered in the boys ear, saying that he knew of

his secret promise of eternal devotion and, after making him repeat the vowaloud, he proceeded to bring him back to health.

The next mornin , the ascetic returned and made Viri an re eat the vow once

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more, then instructed the boy to meet him at the local temple later that afternoon.Arriving there at the appointed hour, Viriyang found the stranger waiting under atamarind tree. After asking the boy to repeat his vow yet again, he led him to awooded area beyond the temple where they found a buffalo. Quite unexpectedly,the ascetic took a knife from his bag and, with one swift stroke, severed thebuffalos tail. Then, while reciting a prayer, he rejoined the tail as good as new,without seeming to hurt the beast in any way.

The strange man went on to teach Viriyang a prayer and made him promise torecite it daily for the next 10 years. Naturally, the boy agreed to do as he wasinstructed and, with this, the mysterious stranger turned and walked away, neverto be seen again. It was this dramatic encounter that set Phra Viriyang on theroad to enlightenment. At 15 he was enrolled as a novice in the same localtemple and became a monk at the age of 20.