Jump to content

Luang Pho Daeng

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from The Mummy Monk)

Luang Pho Daeng
Born1894
Died1973 (aged 78–79)
Ko Samui, Thailand

Luang Pho Daeng (Thai: หลวงพ่อแดง) was a Thai Buddhist monk who died while meditating in 1973.[1][2]

Biography

[edit]

Daeng was born in 1894. He was briefly interested in becoming a monk in his 20s, but decided that he would rather be married instead. He raised six children with his only wife.[3] After all of his children had grown, Daeng, then in his 70s, realized his earlier dream and finally decided to become a monk. He was briefly an abbot at a temple in southern Thailand, but moved to Wat Khunaram near his childhood home. He practiced Sokushinbutsu, a form of self mummification.[1]

Daeng died while meditating in 1973.[1][2] His mummified body is on display at Wat Khunaram. The mummy is notable for sporting a pair of sunglasses, placed by the caretakers to hide the decomposed eye sockets to make the display less disturbing. A native gecko species use Daeng's body as a hatchery, with eggs being laid beneath his skin.[3]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c "Kunaram Temple - Mummified Monk". ThailandSelection. Archived from the original on 6 December 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  2. ^ a b Nilubol, Pornpitagpan (18 May 2002). "Mummy Men Examine Mystery Of Preserved Thai Monk". ParaDimensions. FarShores. Bangkok Post. Archived from the original on 22 May 2008.
  3. ^ a b Meier, Allison C.; Frolov, Dimas; Jackson, Nicholas (15 November 2010). "Mummy of Luang Pho Dang". Atlas Obscura.