Luang Pho Phrom, Whose Words Came True — When Luang Pho Itthi Sought His Blessing at Wat Khanon Nuea

In this issue the writer must ask your leave to present the story of the making of the Phra Kring Weluwan by Phra Khru Sophit Wiriyaphon — known and addressed by everyone as Phra Ajahn Itthi — a young monk in his forties, accomplished in the sacred arts, the heir-disciple who carries on the Buddhist lore of Luang Pho Nueang of Wat Chulamanee, a renowned master of years past on the Mae Klong river, as I hinted in the previous issue of Namo.

Many readers may be wondering: why, in the middle of writing about Luang Pho Phrom, has the writer suddenly turned to write about Phra Ajahn Itthi? Could there be some connection to Luang Pho Phrom?

The writer must answer that there certainly is a connection, for Phra Ajahn Itthi is one of Luang Pho Phrom's disciples — and not an ordinary disciple like the rest of us, but one to whom Luang Pho Phrom passed on his sacred knowledge. Though not the whole of it from beginning to end, he studied a great many subjects; and even before offering himself as a disciple, Phra Ajahn Itthi had already witnessed Luang Pho Phrom's prowess for himself.

The first evening — "Go away. I'm not receiving any more visitors."

In B.E. 2527 (1984), Phra Ajahn Itthi travelled from Wat Chulamanee in Samut Songkhram to Wat Khanon Nuea, hoping to pay his respects to Luang Pho Phrom and wishing Luang Pho Phrom would give him a sacred oil tattoo. By the time he arrived it was nearly dark, and every door and window of the monk's quarters was shut.

Phra Ajahn Itthi calmed himself and weighed whether to call out or go home. But having come all that way, and on his very first visit, he decided to knock on the door and call to Luang Pho — yet no voice answered.

So Phra Ajahn Itthi knocked again, and this time shouted for Luang Pho once more. It turned out that Luang Pho Phrom, who was bathing in the washroom at the time, shouted back:

"Go away. I'm not receiving any more visitors."

Phra Ajahn Itthi did not give up, and shouted back to Luang Pho:

"Luang Pho, I've come a long way. Just let me pay my respects to you once, that's all I ask."

"Far or not, that's your business. Go on home nicely. Whatever happens, I'm not opening this door for you."

Luang Pho Phrom shouted it back as the final word.

Faced with this, Phra Ajahn Itthi hung his head and had no choice but to withdraw, travelling home in disappointment, wondering and feeling hurt that Luang Pho had shown no sympathy for someone who had come from so far.

Even so, with his burning wish to pay respects to Luang Pho Phrom and to receive the sacred oil tattoo, he made a silent vow that he would come again the next day, and asked that Luang Pho grant his wish — even if it were only a character or two of a yantra, he would be content.

He thought this way because Phra Ajahn Itthi had heard Luang Pho's disciples say that in recent years Luang Pho seldom tattooed anyone with his own hand, since he had passed the secrets of tattooing in full to Phra Ajahn Mok, his nephew, and had entrusted Phra Ajahn Mok with this task in his place. Luang Pho would then perform the incantation and blessing himself afterwards.

The next morning — "I knew you'd be coming for sure."

The next day Phra Ajahn Itthi set off before dawn and reached Wat Khanon Nuea a little after six in the morning. This time the door of the quarters stood open, so he went in and saw Luang Pho Phrom sitting sipping tea. He crawled forward to pay his respects, and before Phra Ajahn Itthi could say a word, Luang Pho Phrom spoke first:

"Next time don't come in the middle of the night — that's when I chant and sit in meditation. As it happens I have an invitation this morning, but I knew you'd be coming for sure, so I waited for you. I'll do your blessing first and go after that."

When Phra Ajahn Itthi heard Luang Pho say this, all his disappointment and hurt vanished entirely, and instead his faith grew many times over. For the night before, while Luang Pho was bathing, he could not have seen who the visitor was or what he looked like, nor even whether he was a monk or a layman, since Phra Ajahn Itthi had not said so. On top of that, Luang Pho had spoken correctly and knew the purpose of his visit. This filled him with joy at having the chance to come and pay his respects and receive potent blessing from a master of such high insight that he could read people's minds.

Luang Pho Phrom said to Phra Ajahn Itthi:

"Truth be told, you already have a good teacher and potent knowledge of your own. I don't see why you'd need to come for tattoos and blessings — least of all from me, just a country monk with no special prowess."

Phra Ajahn Itthi answered Luang Pho:

"I have studied and received blessings from many masters, but what I know is still a long, long way from you, Luang Pho. So I very much hope to offer myself as your disciple and to study under you — even if I gain only one part in a hundred, I would be glad."

Luang Pho Phrom laughed, pleased that Phra Ajahn Itthi was so humble — and clever too, knowing how to say just the right flattering thing — and said:

"If that's what you want, I'll help you. Just keep coming, that's all. But today I'll give you the sacred oil tattoo first, and it'll have to be my highest art, since you're already plenty potent yourself."

That day Luang Pho Phrom performed the sacred oil tattoo for Phra Ajahn Itthi with his own hand, tattooing his head and, across his back, the image of Phra Narai Plaeng Rup (Narayana in transformed form) — reckoned the very highest of Luang Pho Phrom's arts. From that day on, Phra Ajahn Itthi regularly travelled to study the sacred arts further under Luang Pho Phrom.

Luang Pho Phrom's prophecy

Luang Pho Phrom once said to the writer:

"Just you watch. Tan Itthi is going to be famous while he's still a young monk, and respected and trusted by people everywhere."

A closing word from the author

Today, 2 February B.E. 2565 (2022), is the day I take this story from 38 years ago, first printed in Namo magazine in B.E. 2542, and set it down again to share on the Ruangsurat Amulet Centre page and in the Luang Pho Phrom group.

As for the words in the last paragraph, in which Luang Pho Phrom foretold the future of Phra Ajahn Itthi of Wat Chulamanee, I surely need not confirm them or add anything more, for the renown and honour of Phra Ajahn Itthi today are plain for all to see. And as for Luang Pho Phrom, there is nothing else to say but the final words of this story: "Luang Pho Phrom, whose words came true."