The Journal of the Siam Society Vol. LXIV, Part 1-2, 1976 - Khamkoo

136 John P. Ferguson and Shalardchai Ramitanondh
and Lamphun ( 1 wat\.
So far there are no Commune Heads (Chao Khana
Tambon) for the Chiengmai, Lamphun, and Mae Hong Sorn Provinces.
The Thammayut hierarchy for this area is therefore located at Wat Cbedi
Luang in the heart of the city of Chiengmai. How this monastery
became a Thammayllt wat is symbolic of the history of the sect as a
whole in the Province.
In 1928 Wat Chedi Luang, with its huge pagoda damaged by an
ancient earthquake, was a deserted Mahanikaia site. The lust king of
Chiengmai invited from Bangkok a monk by the name of Upali to come
and restore it.2s With that monk came another named Achan Man
(who bailed from the Northeast and was famous for his meditation
prowess as a forest monk). At the same time the present abbot of the
monastery came there as a novice. Achan Man spent most of his time
doing austerities and meditation in the forest, returning just before the
rainy season to honor Upali. But when Upali, after successfully starting
the Thammayut monastery, returned to Bangkok, Achan Man became
abbot for about a year before going out ~o the. forest again, retur.
ning eventually to the Northeast permanently around 1937. From
the time of Upali and Achan Man, tbe.monastery has prospered. The
latter monk trained an important Thamm~yut monk for Chiengmai,
Achan Sim, who also came from the Northeast, and this monk, after
staying at Wat Chedi Luang a while, also went out to stay in the forest
to practice; but be eventually returned to start the new Wat Santitliam
after attempts failed to take over after World War II the deserted
Mahanikaia monastery, Wat Suan Dok. By 1948, with help from the
mayor ofChiengmai~ Wat Chedi Luang had inspired this second Tham.
mayut monastery in the city. The present abbot of Wat Santitham is
also from the Northeast. The whole process t00k exactly twenty yearsfrom
founding monastery to the production of its first offshoot.
25) Phra Khru Upali was actually originally from the Northeast and was a good
friend of Achan Man from their early day,s.in the Nort.heast (personal 00 ,mmu~
nication from Dr. Charles F. Keyes).