Wat Pa Ban Tat

Wat Pa Ban Tat is located at Ban Tat, Tambon Ban Tat, was first founded in 1955 and established as a Buddhist temple on 17 September, 1970. It used to be a residence of Luangta Maha Bua Yanasampanno, an insight development monk master who followed the teaching of Phra Achan Man Phurithattathera, Luangta Bua’s master. Although he passed away, he is still much respected and revered by Buddhists in general. Within the temple’s compound, there is a large wooden study hall, formerly a single-storeyed pavilion with a low platform, but was later raised to become a 2-storeyed building to serve more useful purposes. The upper floor of the pavilion houses the temple’s large principal Buddha image and serves as a study hall for monks and novices, as well as assembly hall for the temple’s formal acts. To the right of the principal Buddha image, there is a cabinet containing relics of Phra Achan Man Phurithattathera and several other monk masters. The lower floor of the pavilion serves as a dining and preaching hall where Luangta usually greeted and received laymen and visitors coming in a large number each day. There is another large pavilion outside the temple’s wall built in 2001 by faithful Buddhists with permission from Luangta in realising that it would help to accommodate pilgrims coming to attend merit-making ceremonies at the temple. At Wat Pa Ban Tat, Luangta Maha Bua reiterated the great 5 dangers for monks and novices to stay away from absolutely, which include newspaper, radio, television, video, and telephone, as they are direct obstacles to monastic observances. Luangta allowed no electricity connection from outside the temple. Only electric generators can be used on some special occasions like important religious days when a lot of people come to make merit. The main daily observances for monks and novices here are meditation, walking up and down for insight development, and cleansing the mind of defilements. The monks at this temple do not accept any invitation to go outside, so to have time for practising and meditation only. The strict processes of monastic observances by the monks and novices here have attracted a lot of faithful Buddhists to practise and make merit. Pilgrims to this temple are advised to dress and behave properly and respectfully. For more information, please visit www.luangta.com.