Luang Phor Ngoen (Phra Thammaraphon)
Wat Don Yai Hom, Nakhon Pathom • B.E. 2433–2520 (1890–1977)
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Born on Tuesday, 16 September B.E. 2433 (1890) under King Rama V, Luang Phor Ngoen—later honored as Phra Thammaraphon—was the fourth child of Mrs. Klong and Nai Phrom of the Duang Plu family in Don Yai Hom, Nakhon Pathom. His given name, “Ngoen,” echoes the Thai word for “silver” or “money,” a name that endured in family memory because prosperity seemed to follow his birth.
He entered the monkhood at Wat Don Yai Hom on 18 May B.E. 2453 (1910), receiving the monastic name Chan Suwanno Mano. From the outset he vowed to live as a light for others, renouncing ego and devoting himself to discipline, scriptures, and meditation. After four years of rigorous study, he undertook tudong—a forest pilgrimage—with two companions across Saraburi, Lopburi, and Nakhon Sawan. The trek was perilous: barefoot through dense rainforest, among wild creatures and sudden storms. When he returned, gaunt and sun-darkened, even family struggled to recognize him—yet his resolve was unmistakably strengthened.
In teachings he reminded layfolk that worldly pleasures are fleeting and wealth can bind the mind. True happiness, he said, rests on compassion and steady practice. This was not rhetoric. In a marketplace quarrel that escalated to a gun being drawn, the intended victim clasped his hands and silently recited Luang Phor’s chant. The trigger would not release despite repeated attempts. The aggressor, shaken, left. The young man later sought Luang Phor’s counsel and received admonition to avoid disputes—saving face by choosing peace.
Appointed abbot in B.E. 2466 (1923), Luang Phor Ngoen guided Wat Don Yai Hom for decades. A strict observer of the Vinaya, he coupled compassion with practical wisdom and became widely sought for guidance and blessing. His disciples were many; among them, later-renowned monks who carried forward his training and ethical example, contributing to the temple’s growing reputation.
Though not prolific in numbers, the amulets he consecrated became beloved for their efficacy and accessibility. In early years they were often given freely, but over time certain issues—such as the first temple coin and the B.E. 2506 and 2513 batches—grew rare and highly valued. Most associated with protection and loving-kindness, his pieces are remembered alongside a distinctive heart-chant that devotees still recite for safety and clarity of mind.
Luang Phor Ngoen passed away on 13 January B.E. 2520 (1977) at Ramathibodi Hospital. Each year, from 9–13 January, the local community returns to honor his legacy, and a gilding ceremony invites devotees to make merit. His reputation endures not only in scarce amulets and miracle stories, but in an ethic of restraint, compassion, and steady practice that continues to shape lives around Wat Don Yai Hom.