Ordination and Monastic Life One day, my mother said to me, “You have already completed your military service and are now twenty-five years old. Would you be willing to ordain for one rains retreat as a dedication to your father and mother?” I replied that I would. My parents then discussed where I should ordain. My father wanted me to ordain at Wat Sawang Fa in Na Kluea District, Chonburi Province, because my older brother had ordained there for one rains retreat. My mother, however, preferred Wat Asokaram because it was closer to home and easier for her to visit. Chonburi was quite far away. Since they could not agree, they asked me which temple I preferred. I answered, “Then I will ordain at Wat Asokaram.” With that, the matter was settled. When my friends learned that I intended to ordain at Wat Asokaram, they asked, “Do you really dare to ordain there? You’ve found a place to die! Don’t you know people call it ‘Wat A-Ka’? At Wat Asokaram, all the monks eat from their alms bowls. Everything—savory food and desserts alike—is mixed together in the bowl. It looks like dog vomit. How could you possibly eat like that?” I thought to myself, “I’m not afraid of hardship. I’ve endured plenty of difficulties in my life already. Why should I be afraid? If others can live that way, so can I.” My father brought me to stay at Wat Asokaram as a candidate for ordination. About fifteen days later, on July 26, 1966, I was ordained as a monk. There were four of us ordained that day: two monks and two novices. The monks were Phra Mongkol and myself, while the novices were Novice Sombat and Novice Khamwan. After the rains retreat, all of them disrobed, leaving only me. At the time, I intended to remain ordained for only three rains retreats and then disrobe. Before doing so, I wanted to pass the highest level of the Dhamma studies examinations (Nak Tham Ek). In my first year, I passed Nak Tham Tri; in the second year, Nak Tham Tho. In the third year, I was determined that if I passed Nak Tham Ek, I would certainly disrobe. I had even prepared my lay clothes. However, during the examination, especially the essay section, my mind went completely blank. It was as though I had become blind. I could not think of a single answer. Yet I still believed I might pass and continued planning to leave the monkhood. When the results were announced, my name was not on the list. I had failed. I was deeply disappointed and said to myself, “I’m not disrobing now.” The following year, I sat for the examination again. This time I hardly studied at all. Strangely, during the examination I was able to answer every question without difficulty. After passing Nak Tham Ek, Wat Asokaram opened classes in Pali grammar under the instruction of Phra Ajahn Maha Niam. The temple announced that any monk or novice wishing to become a Pali scholar (Maha Parien) could register. Many applied. Fellow monks encouraged me to join, but I initially refused, saying that Pali was too difficult. One had to memorize four entire grammar books, and I doubted I could do it. Eventually, out of consideration for my friends, I enrolled as the twenty-fifth and final student. Classes began in May, after the memorial ceremonies for Than Por Lee. Ajahn Maha Niam emphasized that mastering Pali required memorizing grammar thoroughly. Every day we were assigned a page to memorize. As time went on, students gradually dropped out. One or two disappeared each day. Sometimes the teacher had duties elsewhere and could not teach regularly. Eventually, every student left except me. The other monks jokingly called me “Maha,” even though I had not yet earned the title. When Ajahn Maha Niam returned to southern Thailand for an extended period, I felt embarrassed and thought I could no longer remain at Wat Asokaram unless I succeeded in my studies. I contacted Phra Pramote, who had gone to study Pali at Wat Chedi Luang in Chiang Mai, and planned to continue my studies there. Around that time, I had a remarkable dream. I dreamed that Phra Ajahn Boonkoo stood at the door of my kuti, carrying his alms bowl, umbrella, and shoulder bag. He called out, “Than Samruan, come quickly. We must go before the vehicle leaves.” Though I did not really wish to go, I respected him deeply and agreed. Suddenly, in the dream, I found myself in the forest with all my requisites ready. We walked along a broad sandy path through dense woods. Novice Khamwan followed behind us, together with about fifty mae chis. Ajahn Boonkoo repeatedly urged me to walk faster so we would not miss the vehicle waiting for us. Eventually we arrived beneath a large tree, where three vehicles floated in the air above the treetops. Ajahn Boonkoo rose into the first vehicle, and I floated into the second. Someone explained that the vehicles had come to take Ajahn Boonkoo, Than Samruan, and Novice Khamwan to a higher realm. As the vehicles ascended into the sky, I awoke at about 5:30 in the morning. A few days later, I related the dream to Ajahn Boonkoo. He smiled but said nothing. I then informed him of my plan to study Pali at Wat Chedi Luang in Chiang Mai. He looked at me and said: “Don’t go. Stay at Wat Asokaram and practice meditation. Pali study is external knowledge. It is memorization, not true knowing. If you forget what you have memorized, the knowledge disappears. Memory is merely perception, and perception is impermanent.” He continued: “If true knowledge arises within the heart through practice, then anything can be known—not only Pali, but all things in the three worlds. By making the mind still, one can understand whatever one wishes to know.” He pointed out that many monks in Bangkok held advanced Pali degrees, yet people still traveled great distances to seek out forest meditation masters such as Luang Pu Mun and Than Por Lee. He warned me that no monk from Wat Asokaram who had left to study Pali elsewhere had ever returned to remain at the temple; many eventually disrobed. I respectfully replied that I only wished to earn the Parien 3 level and then return to help Wat Asokaram. “I intend to die here at Wat Asokaram,” I told him. Finally, he said: “If that is truly your aspiration, I will not stop you. But I ask one thing: wherever you study, please sit in meditation for at least fifteen minutes every day.” I promised that I would. ⸻ Educational Qualifications and Sangha Positions * 1969 — Passed Nak Tham Ek at Wat Asokaram. * 1979 — Passed Parien 3 (Pali Studies) at Wat Bowonniwet Vihara, Bangkok. * 1979 — Appointed examiner for the national Dhamma examinations. * 1986 — Appointed teacher of Buddhist studies. * 1996 — Completed overseas Dhammaduta (Buddhist missionary) training, Class 2. * 1997 — Graduated from the Advanced Sangha Administration Program, Class 24. * 2000 — Appointed Assistant Abbot of Wat Asokaram. * 2008 — Completed training as a teacher of Dhamma studies. * 2014 — Appointed District Ecclesiastical Chief of Samut Prakan Province (Dhammayut Order). * 2016 — Appointed Acting Abbot of Wat Asokaram. * 2017 — Appointed Abbot of Wat Asokaram. * 2017 — Completed National Office of Buddhism training for abbots, Class 40. * 2017 — Completed National Office of Buddhism training for district ecclesiastical chiefs, Class 21. * 2018 — Served as a lecturer on the topic of “Meditation and Mental Cultivation.” * 2018 — Completed training as a Kammavacacariya (ordination preceptor), Dhammayut Order, Class 2. * 2019 — Appointed Upajjhaya (Preceptor).