Luang Pu Supha Kantasilo
Venerable Supha Kantasīlo | |
|---|---|
| Title | Phra Mongkhon Wisut (former abbot) |
| Personal life | |
| Born | 17 September 1896 Ban Kham Bo, Waritchaphum District, Sakon Nakhon Province, Thailand |
| Died | 2 September 2013 (aged 116) Wat Khon Sawan, Sakon Nakhon Province, Thailand |
| Other names | Luang Pu Supha |
| Religious life | |
| Religion | Theravada Buddhism |
| Temple | Wat Siri Silasupharam |
| School | Mahanikaya |
| Monastic name | Kantasīlo |
| Ordination | 1916 (as bhikkhu) 1905 (as sāmaṇera) |
| Senior posting | |
| Teacher | Luang Pu Suk, Wat Pak Khlong Makham Thao Phra Ajahn Sitat, Wat Tha Uthen, Nakhon Phanom |
| Post | Abbot of Wat Siri Silasupharam |
Phra Mongkhon Wisut (Supha Kantasīlo) (พระมงคลวิสุทธิ์ (สุภา กนฺตสีโล); 17 September 1896 – 2 September 2013) was a Thai Theravada Buddhist monk of the Mahanikaya sect, known for his longevity and mastery of Buddhist meditation and esoteric practices. He lived through five reigns of the Chakri dynasty, from Rama V to Rama IX, and was ordained for 98 vassa (rainy-season retreats), reaching the age of 116.[1][2] He was a prominent kammatthana (meditation) teacher and creator of widely revered amulets, including the Sadej Klap (Royal Return) series and the Spider Wealth-Caller talisman.
Biography
Supha Kantasīlo was born on 17 September 1896 in Ban Kham Bo, Waritchaphum District, Sakon Nakhon Province, during the reign of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V). His father was Khun Phonphakdi, the village headman, and his mother was Nang So Wongkhampha. He was the sixth of eight siblings.[3]
At age 9, in 1905, he was ordained as a sāmaṇera (novice) under Phra Ajahn Suan at the local village temple. He studied Pali grammar (Mūla Kaccāyana) at Wat Phrai Yai in Ubon Ratchathani Province for several years. In 1916, he took full upasampadā ordination on Phu Kao Khwai mountain in Laos, with Phra Ajahn Sitat of Wat Tha Uthen, Nakhon Phanom, as his preceptor. He received the monastic name Kantasīlo.
After four years of forest wandering (thudong), in 1920 he sought advanced training in meditation and esoteric arts under Luang Pu Suk Kesaro of Wat Pak Khlong Makham Thao, as recommended by Ajahn Sitat. He remained there for three years, mastering vipassanā and the creation of protective amulets.
Supha later undertook extensive pilgrimage and study across Southeast Asia and beyond, including Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, China, India, and Afghanistan. He exchanged knowledge with renowned masters such as:
- Luang Pho Doem, Wat Nong Pho
- Luang Pho Chat, Wat Bang Kabae
- Luang Pho Chong, Wat Na Tang Nok
- Luang Pho Thop, Wat Chon Daen
- Luang Pho Ophasi
He eventually became abbot of Wat Siri Silasupharam in Phuket Province.
Death
Supha Kantasīlo died peacefully on 2 September 2013 at age 116 at Wat Khon Sawan in Sakon Nakhon, his home temple, after a prolonged illness. He had been hospitalized for three months at Sakon Nakhon Hospital due to heart valve leakage and fluid in the lungs before being allowed to return to the temple per his wishes.[4]
Legacy
Supha was celebrated for his amulets issued under Wat Sarot, particularly the Sadej Klap (Royal Return) series, as well as the Spider Wealth-Caller and Crocodile Empowerment talismans, which remain highly sought after among Thai Buddhists.
References
- ^ "'หลวงปู่สุภา' ละสังขารอย่างสงบ สิริอายุ 119 ปี". Thai Rath (in Thai). 2013-09-02. Retrieved 2025-11-15.
- ^ "Archived copy" (in Thai). Archived from the original on 2013-09-11. Retrieved 2021-09-26.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "หลวงปู่สุภา กันตสีโล | ณ สัทธา อุทยานไทย". Nasatta Light of Faith (in Thai). 2018-03-28. Retrieved 2025-11-15.
- ^ "อาลัย'หลวงปู่สุภา'มรณภาพ อริยสงฆ์5แผ่นดิน-วัย118ปี". Thai Rath (in Thai). Archived from the original on 2013-09-05. Retrieved 2025-11-15.
Further reading
- รวมสุดยอดพระคณาจารย์ทั้งหมด 180 พระองค์ (Compilation of 180 Great Masters)
- Biography of Luang Pu Supha Kantasīlo Archived 2011-08-30 at the Wayback Machine
- Luang Pu Supha Kantasīlo (Phuket IT)