Luang Phor Samrit.

Background of
LP Samrit   Kumpiro 
( Official name: Prakru Karnchanakijjatorn )
Wat Tamfad, Tamuang District, Karnchanaburi Province

Former abbot of Wat Tamfad, who first created the “Krob Mongkut Prajao Ceremony ” and also credited with the discovery of sacred Leklai, which is known to have 108 kinds of magic power.
 

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LP Samrit   Kumpiro,  was born Samrit Koonpun on the 7th January B.E.2466 at  6  Popan Village, Nacherk District, Mahasarakam Province. He was the second child of Mr. Pa and Mrs. Sie Koonpun, poor rural farmers. As a young child he would help his parents on the farm and look after his younger siblings.

Although domestic chores were time consuming he still found time for his education and attained grade 4 at primary school before requesting permission from his parents to continue his education. He parnets recognised the benefits of education and sent him away to Sirivitayakorn School in Nakon Rachasima Province, where he remained until he reached grade 12.

In B.E.2486, at the age of 20 war broke out in South East Asia and he applied to join the military forces and serve his country. After the war had finished he promptly resigned and returned to assist his elderly parents working in the rice fields. After helping his family for almost three years a tragedy occured which was to change his life forever.

His younger sister was tending buffalo, when a neighbor concerned that an animal would destroy his crops threw a hammer, which unfortunately struck the young 6 year old girl in the chest. The injury was severe, and the little girl died before she could reach medical attention.

This single event made Mr Samrit re-think the values of life and hearing the monks at the funeral, turned his attention to Lord Buddha for answers. Although the words of Lord Buddha were recorded some 2,000 years ago, they were still relevant today and helped him through a very difficult period of his life.

This event was the catalyst that was to direct Mr Samrit on the path that he would follow for the rest of his natural life. In a quest for knowledge and understanding he decided to follow a spiritual path.

On the 22nd March BE 2492, aged 26, he was ordained a monk at Wat Nong-la, Nacherk District, Mahasarakam Province.

Three senior monks joined his ordination ceremony:

After the ceremony he was renamed as "Kumpiro"

He had dedicated his entire life to the study of Lord Buddha’s Dharma, passing the Nak Dharma Aek Class in his fourth year of monk hood.    

Shortly after he was to start learning many magic sciences from Luang Phor Dum, who had educated him how to control and use magic power correctly.

Luang Por Dum, then 76, was actually a Khmer monk who had practiced high level magic sciences and  was respected by the locals. Furthermore he also learnt magic sciences from Somdej Luen of Jampasak, Laos, in fact all of his sacred sciences have been inherited by all monks who have studied at  Wat Nonglao until this very day.

During the early stages of his monastic life, Luang Phor Samrit was a frequent visitor of many of Burirams ancient monuments  such as Panomrueng Castle, Muengtum Castle, where he practiced meditation.

At the time Luang Phor Samrit faced many mysterious phenomena, such as ghosts, ancient souls and many kinds of poisonous snakes but he was never afraid and continued to  practice mediation. Not wanting to miss and opportunity he also preached to lost souls in the hope that they would be reborn into a better life

He visited Wat Serngsang, Nakon Rachsima Province, where he met a senior monk named Luang Phor Sorn who taught him magic sciences that could protect individuals from injury from weapons. In fact LP Samrit was so dedicated in his quest for knowledge, that he had no contact with the outside world, and many of his family members thought that he had died in the forests.

He also visited Vientian, the Laotian  capital, where he met Luang Phor Dee, a 90 year old, senior monk of Wat Tai Vientian, who was the monk that actually taught him the science of Leklai.

Moreover the two senior monks had also traveled to Khmer and Vietnam to discover more knowledge about Leklai and as a result gained highly specialized knowledge before returning to Thailand.

Luang Phor Samrit visited Karnchanaburi Province and on June 24, B.E.2500, he found a cave,  named Tumfad, which is where Wat Tumfad was established later.            

Actually the cave was located on a mountain that was known to have three caves named, TumRasmi, Tum Suer and Tumfad near the Klong River.

On his first day at the cave, Luang Phor Samrit practiced meditation but was disturbed by a strange noises, unperturbed he continued his meditation. The noises became more disruptive, until finally a voice was heard  “Are you afraid of snakes?”, “No.” replied Luang Phor Samrit.

Ten minutes later a disturbance in close proximity finally caused him to open his eyes, and in front of him was the largest serpent he had ever witnessed. His levels of apprehension grew as the snake extinguished the candles one by one. Calmly he addressed the snake, "I came to this cave to  practice meditation and mean no harm to anyone,  if I owed you in the previous life I’m willing to dedicate my body as sustinance as way of compensation to you.” he said. He continued,  "However, if you wanted to support my dedication to Lord Buddha, I  give you good wishes and request you disturb me no more”,  he added.

A miracle occurred when the giant snake simply disappeared and was replaced by a man dressed in white robes. He gave homage to LP Samrit and said “I am Phayanak, who has maintained the sacred artefacts of this cave for a very long time,  now I can see that you are a true and respectful monk I wish to pass that responsibility to you before I leave to be reborn in another world”.

He also simply disappeared. The next morning Luang Phor Samrit had found the body of a 6-meter long snake on the floor. On the 24th June, BE 2500 LP Samrit established Wat Tumfad.

Although Luang Phor Samrit faced many difficulties in the cave, he never gave up, he was totally committed  to the task and to the preservation of the sacred artifacts of the cave.

In December B.E.2505, amidst many witnesses another miracle occurred. That evening during a full moon, many devotees had gathered at the cave to practice meditation with LP Samrit. The bright moon light illuminated the clouds in the sky, which for ten minutes, clearly were aligned in a unique formation which resembled spirits and fairies flying through the sky.

All those attending witnessed this phenomena. Khun Tam Mordee said that he had arrived at the cave before dawn, and saw the miracle in the sky for several minutes before it faded away. Most people believe that the spirits had joined to congratulate LP Samrit in his devotion towards the temple construction, and to bless the temple for the future.

Luang Phor Samrit dedicated almost his entire life towards the temple and on February 4th, B.E.2539, aged 73 year he passed away. 

Strangely just a week before his death a Television Team from Thailand’s Channel 5 had visited the temple to make a special documentary about Leklai and the Krob Mongkut ceremony. We are trying to get a copy of this documentary, and other film archive, which we hope to present a later date.

Miracles still occurred after his death, in fact his corpse to this day remains un decomposed, some devotees have commented that he appears as if he is in a deep sleep. His see through coffin remains on display at the temple. Many people still to this very day report a strange sensation that originates from Leklai amulets blessed by him when approaching his body.

 

Further Reading

• Leklai, the Truth
• Amulets by Luang Phor Samrit

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