[Wat] Ayum (Bodhisattārama), Takeo, Cambodia វត្តពោធិសត្ថារាម

[Johann]

Wat Bodhisattārama, វត្តពោធិសត្ថារាម (known as Wat Ayum), Prey Kabach village, Prey Krabach district, Takeo province, Kingodm of Cambodia.

View form above (googlemap)

Ātman was able to stay here for more that a half year and was kindly provided with the possibilities to work and share Dhamma in and around the online monastery, supported by shelter of the community and laity, medicine and daily alms food by the surrounded devoted villagers and Laifollower of the near neighborhood.

This not so old Monastery, founded by a Forest Monk of the Dhammayutika Nikaya of Cambodia, have been in the middle of Forest, before the days of Cambodias wars, and is today located in the middle of villages, houses and highway.

As a part of the Order of this Nikaya, does Monks here have been not reodinated under the new Patriarch in the early 90ies, but are still in connection of the old Tradition, re-derived from Thailand "1855, King Norodom of Cambodia invited Preah Saukonn Pan, also referred to as Maha Pan, a Khmer bhikkhu educated in the Dhammayuttika Nikaya, to establish a branch of the Dhammayuttika order in Cambodia".

The Land and Monasteries of this tradition, others then "normal" Monasteries, are given directly by the King, as the holder of authority of Cambodias Land without strings to the Sangha. That is something not so normal and the reason why there are less monasteries of this order, since it is seen something not "national" and always field of politics.

Direct in the neighborhood of the Monastery are two other Village Monasteries of the Mahanikaya Branch, all together live very harmonious together and there are many laypeople who always try to invite both orders if they make offerings to the Sangha. Of course such as conceit and issues are not excluded, but in general there is an outstanding coexistence and less politics.
Even the Mahanikaya Monks, here in this area, are very disciplined and make their alms rounds merely correct and suitable, things that are not so standard here in Cambodia. So both profit form the good reputations and critics, given by the lay people. The most reason why the Dhammayut Order is not so beloved is, because they use to cite the Pali as good as possible in the original and international usual pronunciation which is different to the unique Khmer-style, unknown and not understandable for Pali-scholars everywhere. But its a matter of identity and national tradition.

There are of cause less monks of the old left, and a whole generation is actually missing. Sure there are young novices, but they are not easy lead-able and miss teacher everywhere. So there are like mostly everywhere just monks who serve the rituals of the laity and give them as much as possible a good ground for doing merits, while young monks usually use the monkhood as a place to increase knowledge and education, while doing service for the Sasana.

How ever, a direct disciple of the founding Abbott here is the young Ven. Thera Indannano, who is nearly permanently on giving Vipassana courses and teachings where ever he is invited everywhere. Aside of many others, who like to recover the parts of sila-Samadhi-panna, he does not seek for build and create Centers and infrastructure "Then I thought, if I would start to build a meditation center, all the old people would have died before we even start to teach. We have actually so many buildings and Wats. It does not make sense to invest time in such."

So out of this reason the development and conditions for meditations are merely poor, even such as secluded Kutis are far to less, of cause there is no lack of buildings like Food-hall and Vihara, for ceremonies for lay people. Trees are less as place of renunciation and cool shadows.

Ātman likes to give here some impressions and also attaches some pictures of this monastery their Ven. Monks and the devoted lay people Aramikas, seldom nearly exclusively male. All in all there are nearly conflicts and nearly no politics involved like normal in village monasteries, so it is aside of the near to the village, a very silent place. Only one hour in the late afternoon, children form school would come and use the surrounding of the Vihara as safe play ground for an hour. 

Excessive Dana fundraising, blessings and all other in village monasteries usual services are not usual here and aside of general less devotion to samadhi and panna, its one of the serious monasteries here in Cambodia.

If possible Ātma will try to share some additional stories of daily life.

You may find also some hints and stories and pictures here:
Altagsgeschichten
Einweihung eines Samanera - Ordination of a Samanera (Ayung 01/2016)
Anumodana - Uposatha Tag aus Wat Ajum (2015)
Einweihung von zwei jungen Novizen - Ordination of two young novices DEVATUTAS

Some pictures of the monastery as well as some pictures of the Ven. Abbott and Bhante Indannano as well as the team of Aramikas and lay priests, visiting Siam Reap attached.

Although Ven. Bhante Indannano Thera is not always available and it would need mostly to communicate in Khmer language, you may try to organize approaches via his contacts:
Tel +855 10 49 89 73
email: indannano@sangham.net

See also http://accesstoinsight.eu/en/vihara/cambodia/bodhisattarama

* Johann pictures partly removed, see link above

[Johann]

Contact monastery and monks incl. Ven. Indannano via Aramika (Acariya) of the monastery: +855 (0)92 68 03 88

[Johann]

Some impressions 3 years later.

The Aramika and Monks "love" trees and plants. In times of cares much to big roads and places have been made and are brocken as well. Useful place for car parking in front of the land, next the strert is unused. The path could be made to small nice walking path, with many trees giving shadow. No, when sunny, there is no way for walking meditation.

The new lands reforestration is very successfull and provides place for 6 to 10 kutis and walking paths.

The big Pali-School building is not really used aside of dwellings for lay people when there are meditation courses. The rooms missing shelfs, board and a banks for one class room.

The large Vihara (dwelling) provodes place to sleep with some furniture in the room at the ground floor. Single silent kutis are just 3 (yet also in very frequented are.

Others then most monasteries, what ever material will be used and made into usefull things by the very careful team of Acariya and Monastery helpers.

The people around the monastery are ver respectfull and avoid any disturbance especialy when there are cources and the monastery can be not called a usuall village monastery funcioning as social place for anybody at all. Very seldom situation.

Attached some impressions.

* Johann : pictures removed, visit: http://accesstoinsight.eu/en/vihara/cambodia/bodhisattarama

[Johann]

Som Sreng, សំ ស្រេង,

The knowledgeable helper looks steady after all furniture reperation, makes tables, chairs and boads with what ever avaliable material. He is the monasteries voluntary carpenter, spending most of the day always in the monastery, leaving his near house and home in the village secondary. This longtime breath problems do not limit his participations especially in all devotional, service and meditation activities.

[Johann]

Upasika Leou Sokom is the monasteries cook, here with her grandchild Popha while cooking Bobo (rice soup)

[Sophorn]

 

[No Name]

 

[Johann]

Atma opened an article in english: http://accesstoinsight.eu/en/vihara/cambodia/bodhisattarama

One may feel given to add, correct, translate, expand... also create new article for other monasteries.

[No Name]

 

[Johann]

The new Kuti in the fast growing young forest is already a small pleasing practicing place in the middle of rice field land. Some 5 years more and it will be a cool and remute small forest, 100reds of small forest trees.

One may wonder why that extrem high. Simply because pillows would be used long time, for many buildings, and not knowing needing for what else in a copple of years, people avoid cutting short. The wood is from another wat's old building.


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Having spoken and asked Bhante Indannano about the Pali-school and a library, he agreed to put effort and interest into the undertaking again, and excepted possible support in starting with the library.

[No Name]

Sadhu Sadhu Sadhu

[Johann]

The Pali school, still resting.

Material like wood for furnitures, and other small stuff is all avaliable, having made a round with Bhante, talked a little about the undertaking of revitalization, of which seems to meet approve and wish to undertake.


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The lay Buddhaparisada had build a nice and comfortable dwelling for retreat participater, about 10 double or single rooms, sanitary and all other infrastructures.

To repeat Bhante "It has been given for all who desire to undertake a teaching course in Dhamma. For example if Nyom Sophorn would like to make courses for and with here students, she could use it as well."


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[Johann]

As it just came to mind again: While staying the there some while ago my person, asking after Upasaka, was informed that the old lay-leader of the monastery died last year.

He wasn't that old, but sure marked by life in regard of his health. He had a "strange" habit. When ever noon, after meal, he used to take two pillows and made his bed on one of the many gathering tables, had always a peaceful rest. Exactly there, in the way he most relaxed and enjoyed, on this day, he took part, did no more wake up surprisingly for all, yet non really sorrowful in regard of the way he walked on, straight up peaceful and rejoicing into heavenly realms.

Not sure if my person ever caught one of his forms via picture.

[Johann]

An old picture, after building rooms for Yogis, showing the late Lay leader, Atma (2016), former Bhante Indannano , Venerable Abbott, lay servants of the monastery, shared by Nyom Cheav Villa


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Bhante Khemakumara arriving today, dwelling in Kuti, now already forest around, Buddhaparisada once builed in 2020(19) for Atma


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