(Translation)
A part of the Sermon
by Venerable Luangta Maha Bua Yannasampanno
to laymen at Tiger Temple , Kanchanaburi
On 14th July 2005
“Acharn Ter (the Senior Monk) and the tiger”
“…..For Acharn Ter (the Senior Monk) and tiger, it seems that he’s the tiger teacher. Wherever he is, the tiger will be there to protect him. It will be nearby, but not disturb him. The amusing story was when Acharn Ter was in Chiang Mai in the forest and would be evicted by Chao Kana (Chief of Abbots). He was accused of being a vagrant monk because he stayed in the forest. So, he told the tiger by shouting that tonight Chao Kana would come. At that time there had no electricity. He came in the nighttime holding a pressure-lantern with him. He called the tiger, telling it that tonight they would come to evict him. You must protect me, evicting Chao Kana first. Not to bite or pounce on them, just roar. That would be enough to make them flee. They were more afraid of tiger than me.
They really came. In the nighttime, Chao Kana did come, holding the pressure-lantern with him. When they got near, the tiger roared. They dropped the pressure-lantern on the ground. On the way back, they had to found their way in the forest. They were very afraid of tiger, dropping the pressure-lantern. From that day, they had never turned up again. The tiger evicted Chao Kana. Chao Kana was more afraid of tiger than human.
Wherever Acharn Ter was, the tiger would follow . He had some knowledge in his mind, compassion (peacocks roared). The tiger respected him very much, wherever he went, the tiger would go to protect him. Even when he went to Maehongson ( Northern Province ), the tiger still followed. It secretly followed him until very near Maehongson. Wherever he stayed on the way, the tiger would appear. “Hey! Do you follow me? The tiger walked around him until when he almost reached Maehongson. He then told that tiger that “now you don’t have to protect me, go back to your home, to the place you stayed before. I will be safe forever. Wherever a monk goes, there won’t be any danger. So, you can go now”.
From then on, the tiger disappeared. The tiger evicted Chao Kana because Chao Kana would evict its teacher, who is Luang Pu Ter. Luang Pu Ter then called his disciple to evict Chief of Abbots !……….”
(Translation)
A part of the Sermon (cont.)
by Venerable Luangta Maha Bua Yannasampanno
to laymen at Tiger Temple , Kanchanaburi
On 14th July 2005
“The familiarity of monks and wild animals”
Each monk will be familiar with different kinds of animals. Like Acharn Fhan, he was fond of tigers, snakes. For Acharn Khao, he liked elephants. Wherever he went, he would make friends with them. When he was practicing walking meditation in Chiang Mai, an elephant came towards him. So, he hurriedly lit up candles here and there as a signal for the elephant that there were people around there, and chased him away. But this elephant didn’t run away. He kept on coming. He told me that normally elephants could hit against people. Thus, he just let go of everything, kept on practicing the walking meditation without any fear. The elephant just stopped there, like a mountain, not moving. He stood there watching him practicing walking meditation for more than 2 hours without moving like a mountain. Then, he went back to the forest and never came again.
I just come for a visit, nothing else. I won’t give you any money as you already have Farang as the sponsor. I am worried about tigers only, not you. Now the tigers are happy, so I have no more worry. Previously I had to arrange things for them each time when I came. Now I don’t have to, as they are happy. See! Lying there (Techo was lying around on the pavilion). He is there, happy even on his own.
“What is his name”?
“Techo, your reverence”.
“Techo…. Wayo…”
When he breathes, it sounds like cat. But when anything happens, it will become silent. When I was practicing meditation, he sat beside me. He would breathe, the sound of which I knew was tiger’s breath. But he wouldn’t cause me any trouble. When I was in the forest, they never caused me any trouble. When I was practicing walking meditation, they might be watching me.