Wat Pa Ban Tat Udon Thani

Wat Pa Ban Tat is an important temple in the north-east region of Thailand (Isan). It is located 18km (25mn) south of Udon Thani town centre.

It's a big, beautiful temple, set in the middle of the countryside, in the midst of very little, which shows the desire to be isolated enough to meditate.
  • Luang Ta Mahabua, the emblematic monk
Luang Ta Mahabua was born in this village in 1913, the second of sixteen children. He took holy orders at the age of 21 to satisfy his father's wishes, and never again left the monastic robe.

After seven years of apprenticeship in a monastery, he became a wandering monk and a disciple of Luang Pu Man, the instigator of the forest tradition and a master of meditation.

His dedication to pursuing the Dharma and attaining enlightenment was so strong that, as his death approached in 1949, Luang Pu Man was said to have appointed Luang Ta as his successor.
Wat Pa Ban Tat traces its origins back to 1955, when Luang Ta's mother wanted to become Mae Chi. To help her progress in her spiritual life, her son established this monastery on the outskirts of his home village.

From then on, thanks to his moral rigour, discipline and mastery of meditation, Luang Ta Mahabua enabled his temple to rapidly gain influence, before welcoming numerous monks and lay people who came to practise meditation.

Luang Ta Mahabua, who died in 2011, is considered a Buddhist saint and one of the most respected and influential monks of the second half of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st.

  • In honour of Luang Ta Mahabua
As often happens after the death of an important monk, the temple is now undergoing a major architectural expansion: in September 2017, a museum in his honour, in the form of a Viharn with contemporary architecture, was nearing completion.

Dhamma Chedi Luang Maha Museum

Located in the Gaysorn Silakhun monastery and known as Wat Pa Ban Tat, the Dhamma Chedi museum was built in memory of the most venerable Phra Dhamma Wisuthimongkol (LuangTa Phra Maha Bua Yannasampanno). 

Inside the great stupa are the relics of the Buddha and the relics of Luang Maha Bua at the top of the pagoda.

Luang Ta Maha Bua Museum

As often happens after the death of an important monk, the temple underwent a major architectural expansion and in September 2017, this museum in the form of a Viharn with very contemporary architecture was built in his honour.

The entrance to the Viharn in honour of Luang Ta Mahabua

In September 2017, a museum in his honour, in the form of a Viharn with contemporary architecture, was created, which we see in this image.

Inside, the story of his life is told, and a few personal effects and three statues are on display.

The Viharn or sermon hall is often a very busy building within the wat enclosure. Unlike the ubosoth, it is not enclosed by sima stones. Like the bot, it generally contains a major Buddha image and many smaller images, and devotees perform religious rites here at all times of the day.
The statue of Luang Ta Mahabua stands in the centre of the village.
Whether you're looking at this building from the outside or, as in this photo, from inside, you can't help but make the connection with a church...