were determined that it be conducted in a manner reflecting his
exalted status as a distinguished ãcariya, greatly revered nation-
wide. At the same time, they arranged to have news of his death
broadcast over the radio and printed in the newspapers so that
his faithful followers would have access to the news wherever they
might be.
No sooner had reports of his death begun to circulate than
groups of monks and lay devotees began pouring into the monas-
tery from all directions to pay their last respects. From the time his
death was announced until the day his body was cremated, a steady
flow of visitors came daily to pay their respects. People living close by
came and returned home the same day. But those living some dis-
tance away had to stay in the monastery overnight – transportation
being less convenient then, than it is today.
During Ãcariya Mun’s earlier stay at Ban Phu monastery, the
people who came to see him had offered so many gifts of various
kinds it was hard to keep track of them all. The amount of gift
offerings he received from the faithful was extraordinary – a trend
which continued until the day of his death. Like rainwater in the
monsoon season, donations flowed into the monastery in a con-
tinuous stream. In his lifetime he had always been the recipient of
much largess, regardless of whether he was staying near a popula-
tion center or deep in the mountains. Even when staying in the
remotest locations, there were invariably generous people willing to
make the effort to trek through thick forest so they could offer him
something special. By nature, Ãcariya Mun was always generous
and self-sacrificing: he gave away everything he was offered to assist
others. He never thought of keeping things for himself and he never
regretted his beneficence. He gave away everything he received,
jacob rumans
(Jacob Rumans)
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