Ven. Acharn Sanong Katapunyo
Ven. Acharn Sanong Katapunyo was born on 5th of April 1944, at Nong Pak Naag Sub-District,
Suphanburi Province. His father's name is Am, his mother's name Man Bodhisuvan.
He has 8 brothers and sisters.
In 1964 ven. Acharn Sanong ordained as a monk at Wat Don Rai in Suphanburi Province.
He went in the forest to keep himself strict to the Dutanga-practices for 7 months.
After he went to visit his mother who was a nun at Wat Tungsammakeedhamm in Suphanburi Province.
There he met his teacher ven. Acharn Sangwahn Khemmako ( who is 86 years old by
now and still teaches the Dhamma to his students at Wat Tungsammakeedhamm).
He offered himself as his student and was sent into strict "keep silent" retreat at Wat Nong
Pai in Suphanburi. He didn't leave his little hut for 3 years and didn't talk to anyone
accept his teacher, once every few months, for interview.
After his teacher allowed him to leave the keep silent retreat, he went for Dutanga
practice to Wat Tam Mee, Suphanburi, later to "Tam Kabo" Chumporn Province and to
the cemetary "Nong Bua" at Prachuap Kiri Khan Province.
Ven. Acharn Sanong did not lay down to sleep for 18 years but only stayed in sitting
posture every night. He practiced all the time very intensively and became an excellent
teacher through his own experiences for many tausend students in Thailand and abroad.
While paying respect to ven. Acharn Song Brahmassaro, at Wat Avoot in Bangkok
in 1974, he asked the ven. Acharn which place would be the best to practice meditation.
Ven. Acharn Song told him that there is an old temple, where no one stays and which has
a big sacred Buddha-image at Nonthaburi Province, Bang Pai Sub-District. He told him that this is a
sacred place and excellent for meditation-practice.
Ven. Acharn Sanong went there and later asked the ministry for religious affairs for allowance
to take care of this place. Since 1979 ven. Acharn Sanong Katapunyo officially takes care
of Wat Sanghathan, Bang Phai, Muang, Nonthaburi.
Wat Sanghathan became the main Center for a line of meanwhile 28 branches
all over Thailand. One branch in Birmingham, England and one in India.