Secret and Mystical Thai Buddhist Temple Deep in the Jungle near Hat Yai - Part 2

Continues from the Secret and Mystical Thai Buddhist Temple Deep in the Jungle near Hat Yai - Part 1.

The entire ceremony was starkly elemental and it should be stated very moving being akin almost to some sort Christian baptism or rebirth ritual - the cleansing energy of the water and also the other worldliness of the occasion contributed to its spiritual impact. The environment also had a cock crowing with the gentle strains of the nearby river running by and a mother rocking her baby inside a crib all lit by the soft light of  the sun strained with the leaf covering made all of us stop and stare and listen and reflect.

It ought to be noted the Abbott was resolutely non-commercial in his approach not seeking donations and abnormally for most of Thailand the temple didn’t sell Buddha statues or amulets. He pointed out that the region was poor which the local people had little of their own and that it be wrong for that temple to take and consume scarce local assets before people had been fed and housed.

The temple compound also seemed to house a destitute mother and baby as well as a toothless old guy who both appeared to be happy and incredibly grateful to be cared for in such an environment. When my wife asked if the temple had a bank account where we could send donations - he stated that it did not have  - simply remarking that we should return when you can and produce whatever donation you believe appropriate at that time.

His approach and attitude were amazing -  especially so for Thailand where cash is frequently a problem. It got me thinking - is the Abbott a deeply spiritual man who truly has adopted his life work and teachings from the Buddha and had gone beyond attachment - attachment to creating the temple - attachment to money and possessions  as well as being attached  to being seen as a 'success' and by so doing he has produced a place of true spiritual presence and good feeling - faithful towards the message and path of Buddha from over 500 years ago. No Ipads or mobile phones here to distract anyone from the tranquil nature of the place.

And by doing this had created a place shunned by most Thais who see the buidling of vast and ornate temples and monks who encourage large donations to seek this end. It is not the buidling or the Buddha statues that is important but the intent and purpose of the place,

OR alternatively (as my wife suggested might be the case) - is he just damaged after 4 decades of attempting to attain his dream and today being old and with the temple only half-built is seeing his vision fleeting away?

He looked old and ill it should be stated that his face and eyes seemed far away and in appearance sad. I do not know may be the true answer - however I and my loved ones feel attracted to explore further and experience this place's compelling presence once more.

Of all of the temples that I've visited this is actually the one that seems to want to pull me back.

Secret and Mystical Thai Buddhist Temple Deep in the Jungle near Hat Yai - Part 1

Are you looking for a most tranquil and isolated Buddhist temple - seemingly pure in intent and direction ?  Then you may well have found it in what remains one of the finest places I have visited in over 15 years of visiting all parts of the so called Land of Smiles and one that continues to dwell in my mind over two years since last visited.

These videos were shot on a holiday to Thailand in 2012 with my spouse. One of her nieces who resides in Hat Yai, Southern Thailand had been told by a nearby papaya salad seller of a most beautiful and almost secret temple located deep within the Thai jungle near the famous water fall of Ton Nga Chang (that is about 23km from Songkhla) and where the Abbott was to carry out a most distinctive water blessing on the papaya seller after which found her fortunes enhanced substantially.(Money is a driver for much of activity in Thailand as it is still a developing country with little in the way of a social welfare system and every baht has to be fought and won over).

The name of the water fall means 'Ivory Tusk Falls' and is the biggest of many beautiful waterfalls to be found in Songkhla province (it rains a lot in the south of Thailand!). Ton Nga Chang waterfall cascades in total down seven tiers in the national park and at the 3rd tier of the falls , the waters cascade down a rock formation which is said to be like a set of ivory tusks from where it takes its title.

This temple is approached by a dirt road with a turn off from the main road being marked with a granite sign and located just before the National Park entrance.

The Abbott has been focusing on creating a Buddhist temple (Wat in Thai) for pretty much over 4 decades of striving but the primary temple hall is still incomplete and houses a sizable golden brass Buddha statue. You will also find concrete posts which indicate the plans for other large structures nearby which as of now still remain unbuilt.

The temple sits near the river which carries the pure water that is cleaned and oxygenated  by the 7 tiered waterfalls. Also in the temple were a youthful monk and a few nuns in their traditional white garments. The lady who seemed to be the chief nun was smiling and happy and came originally from Bangkok and spoke English very well. There was a small Buddha shrine which she assiduously cleaned- and this was lit with a brilliant shaft of sunshine over and was very evocative and added to the calm , meditative peaceful atmosphere.

The area is extremely tranquil and pastoral - with chickens playing around and the air is cooled and shaded by large trees and the natural air conditioning of the jungle canopy. My spouse and nieces had chosen to go for the lotus flower water blessing ceremony that they had heard of from the papaya salad seller. Firstly the nun cut the lotus heads which they had especially bought for the occasion  into small pieces and added them to a large black dustbin filled wit water from the river.

Next the Abbott came to sit down in front of the three girls that had now been transformed into white clothes and were ready for the water blessing ceremony to start. He began chanting in Pali traditional Buddhist incantations and added some more of the flowers directly into the dustbin full of river water over which he stirred and chanted over - this action completed he started to pour it with a plastic ladle onto the three of the ladies  who repeated his words as the ceremony unfolded.

At the finish of the process,  which went on for around 3 minutes in total  they  changed their wet clothes and took some of the water remaining to pour down a Buddha statue in the adjacent Buddha shrine. The story will be completed in Part 2.