Late last month, Sipboworn Kaewngam, director of the National Office of Buddhism (NOB), warned people about what they should and shouldn't do to monks who misbehaved.
In his address to the media, he said the clergy had the Sangha Act and the authority to deal with misbehaving monks and that laypeople shouldn't act above the law or do anything against them based on their own judgement.
He insisted that the NOB had tried to handle problems with discretion and in a quiet manner as they were sensitive issues that may affect the feelings of many Buddhists.
He also asked Buddhists to treat monks with respect and trust the NOB's measures, which he said were efficient to protect the religion. He suggested that those who came across any inappropriate actions that may harm the religion report it to the NOB and refrain from acting on their own as it may violate the law.
His message was in direct response to the "grave assault" that Jeeraphan Phetkhao, known as Mor Pla (Shaman Pla), inflicted on the 98-year-old Luang Pu Saeng Yanwaro a few weeks earlier after he led a crew of reporters to storm his temple and accuse him of harassing young women.
He only learned later that the revered monk was suffering from Alzheimer's disease, which explained his strange behaviour that could be mistaken by some worshippers who made a complaint against him.
Even though Mor Pla admitted his mistake and held a ceremony to ask for forgiveness, the NOB vowed to press charges against him saying his action was ruining the religion.
However, he claimed he acted under the constitution, which allows every Buddhist to play a part to protect the religion. He also pointed out that if the existing measures really worked, nobody would have come to ask him for help.
We can't deny that Mor Pla has indeed played a role to help drive out bad monks from the monastery. Since shifting from his signature role as a samphawesi (wandering ghost) buster last year to focus on exposing monastic malpractice and cults, a number of monks including abbots were defrocked after his revelations of their wrongdoings.
This is probably why many people trust him to do the job rather than wait for the clergy and the NOB to take action. In their eyes, he's like a watchdog who devotes himself for the sake of the religion.
I don't know whether the disciples and followers of Luang Pu Saeng are still upset with Mor Pla or not. However, to look on the bright side, the unlikely incident has attracted many people to pay attention to the life of the senior monk who is, probably, the oldest living student of Luang Pu Mun Bhuridatta, a founder of the Thai Forest Tradition in Theravada Buddhism.
Born in Ubon Ratchathani, Luang Pu Saeng was ordained at the age of 23 and travelled across Isan to study and practice dhamma with many teachers, namely Luang Pu Mun and a dozen of his disciples who were among the country's top meditation masters and highly revered by Thai Buddhists to this day.
He also went on pilgrimages to foster a spiritual discipline and visited many other monks across the region. He is currently residing at Wat Pa Dong Sawang Tham in Yasothon.
Luang Pu Saeng has gracefully spent 75 years as a forest monk, focusing on meditative practices and a strict observance of the Buddhist monastic code (or the Vinaya) on the path to spiritual liberation.
He's known to be a good teacher and has a lot of metta (loving kindness) towards everyone. Many believe that he's an "enlightened" one.
With his impressive background, I think that Luang Pu Saeng can be a perfect role model for today's monks. They should be inspired to follow in his footsteps and get serious with practices in order to purify themselves -- a mission that has long been overlooked in our monasteries.
Most Buddhists have a false impression that monks live close to Buddha's teachings so they must have had more opportunities when it comes to practicing dhamma and the Vinaya, which are fundamental to all Buddhist priests.
Sadly, this is not true anymore. Dhamma practice is no longer mandatory at most temples these days. This might explain why we often hear stories of indecent actions committed by Thai Buddhist monks today.
Honestly, I don't expect all monks to be as good as Luang Pu Saeng. I only wish that they can, at least, spend their holy years in the saffron robes in a way that deserves our respect.
Patcharawalai Sanyanusin is a writer for the Life section of the Bangkok Post.
