Wat Phu Ko Cho (Wat Banphot Khiri)

Wat Banphot Khiri is in Dhammayut Nikaya sect. The temple is located on Phu Ko Cho’s top which is the generous size of the hill with beautiful nature. There are mixed forest and various sizes of stones from small to big sizes. The temple was once where Luang Pu La Khemma Pattano, the wild monk under Luang Pu Mun, stayed. Luang Pu Man group is well-known as the monk group which is very strict in practicing Buddhist teaching and preaching Dhamma to people.Wat Banphot Khiri has possessed a story since 1941. At first, Phra Achan Khao practiced Buddhism in the cave of Phu Ko Cho. Then he invited Wang villagers to build limestone Buddha image in front of the cave. After that, many monks visited the place and stayed in the cave during the Buddhist Lent. Until 1957, Wang villagers invited Luang Pu La Khemma Pattano, who was staying at Phu Kao, Nong Sung subdistrict, Mukdahan province, along with Phra Tan, who was just became a monk, to stay in the cave of PhuChor Kor. Later, Wang villagers built a monk’s cell on the plain behind the cave. Luang Pu Lha ordered to develop this temple into a religious place where people can come and practice Dhamma and develop their concentration which has become the important religious place in the northeastern region. Luang Pu La stayed at Wat Phu Ko Cho until the end of his day and passed away on 19th January 1997. He lived for the period of 84 years 11 months.After Luang Pu La passed away, Luangta Maha Bua Yanna Sampanno of Wat Pa Ban Tat, Udon Thani province with disciples discussed and agreed in the funeral ceremony and decided to build “Khemma Patta Chedi Luang Pu La Khem Pattato” pagoda as a memorial monument. It was completed in 1999.Khem Patta Chedi is an overturned-bell-shaped pagoda with over 22 meters height. It is decorated with fine ceramic from Italy. The lower floor is a multi-purpose hall for conducting religious ceremonies. The upper floor is used as a museum to tell the story, work and eight necessities of Luang Pu La including the bones and the wax model so Buddhists can pay their respect to him. At present, Wat Banphot or Wat Phu Ko Cho is known as an important religious place of Mukdahan and Buddhists where they can do the religious ceremonies, practice Dhamma, observe religious precepts, and purify their minds for concentration and wisdom in order to extinguish one’s sorrow according to the Buddha’s teaching.Tourists who are interested to visit and pay respect are welcome. The temple is only 19 kilometers away from Nong Sung district in the south.