The history of Wat Rampoeng (Tapotaram)
King of Tilokaraj, one of the Mengrai dysnasty, was the ninth king of Chiang Mai from 1985 to 2030 B.E. He had only one son, Tao Sri Boonroeng, King ilokaraj was told by his favouriye that Tao Sri Boonroeng who is twenty years old was trying to overthrow him and become a king himself, Consequently, King Tilokaraj sent his son away to rule Chiang Rai and Chiang Sean which were under the domination of Chiang Mai at that time.
At Chiang Rai, Tao Boonroeng had a son. This child was born while his mother was travelling and staying on the top of a mountain in Chiang Rai (Yod Dok Bua). So, Tao Sri Boonroeng named his son as Yod Chiang Rai which means the top of Chiang Rai.
Some years later, the King was gain told by his consort, Nang Hau Mook, that Tao Sri Boonroeng was trying to rebel against him. He then decided to murder his son and make his grandson, Chao Yod Chiang Rai, ruler of Chiang Rai.
In B.E. King Tilokaraj died and Ckao Yod Chiang Rai was crowned King of Chiang Mai. After he had arranged the affairs of the kingdom, he then stared to investigate the case of his father’s death, to search for the persons who had accused his father of rebellion and thereby also caused him mother’s mental illness. On discovering the persons who were responsible for the sad fate of father and mother, the king sentenced them to dead. However, as a devout follower of Lord Buddha, he wished to make recompensation for this action.
In this Wat, the King has a stone inscription is called ‘Sila Phak-Kham’. This inscription survives to this day. It says, It says, on Friday’. The third day of the seventh lunar month, the year of the rat, 2035 B.E. at 8:20 a.m., the most auspicious time, this Wat was established by the religious and secular authorities of Chiang Mai. The king commanded that Queen Atapadevi was to take charge of the construiction of the Wat. The Queen Atapadevi was to take charge of the construction of the Wat. The Queen set up a committee responsible for the construction sonsisting of the following persons;
At this time, a wandering monk came and stayed at the food of Doi Suthep, Tambol Suthep, the place were Wat Rampoeng is situated nowdays. The monk later told the King that he had seen rays of light coming from the food of a tree near where he was staying. He thought that there might have been some relics buried there. The King visited the spot, sitting on an elephant’s back, he made a wish. If there were relics buried there and he was fortunate enough to be come a patron of Buddhism, the elephant would stop where the relics were. As it happened, the elephant did stop under the tree and relic was found. If was a tooth in a container of Chiang Saen style. The king then brought the relics back and held a grand celebration During the celebration, the relics revealed a radiance like the moon at the beginning of lunar month. The relics was placed in a golden container and eventually put in a pagoda in the Wat, Wat Rampoeng, which was later built near the place whre it was found.
The Committee on the Religious Side
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Phra Mahasaminanabodhichao
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Phra Mahathera Surasimahabodhichao
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Phra Mahathera Dhammasenapatichao
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Phra Mahathera Saddhammaprasadchao
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Phra Mahathera Nanasagara Aramitrachao
The Committee on the Secular Side
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Atapadevi Director
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Chao Muang Yee
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Ativisudha Chao Muen Muang Tin Chiang
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Chao Muen Kamphraklang
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Chao Muen Kamphraklang
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Chao Muen Nungsuwimonkirati Singharajmontri
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Chao Pan Chaengkadi Ratanapanyo
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Chao Muen Som Rajapankrig
This inscription reveals to us that eventually all construction was finished and a sum of money was given to the Wat, the monks, and the people who were to take care of the Wat.
There is other evidence telling hom Wat Rampoeg was built. A pamphlet was written by Mrs. Mookda Ai-yasen and Mr.Poungkham Tui-Khew deted Saturday, November 26, 2509 B.E. Mrs Ai-yasen claimed that her written pamphlet was told by Chao Phraya Pracha-Kijkornchakkra. Mr.Tui-Khew said that he got his information from the Annals of Yo Nok Chronicle.Both of these writers claimed that Wat Rampoeng was founded before King Yod Chiang Rai ordered his wife, Phra-nang Proung Noi, to be director of rebuilding the Wat. Its orginal name was Tapotaram. Later phra-nang Proung Noi was named Atapadevi to honour her as the director of rebuilding it. Her named was derived from ‘Tapo’ which means heat, endeavoru, over-the symbol of getting rid of all sin.
Wat rampoeng was deserted for years. In World War ll, when Japanese Army forces came to Thailand, some of them set their camps near the Wat. All villgers had to go away to a remote area and was in charge of the Wat Buddha images, the pagoda, the Uposatha and the Vihara built in reign of King Yod Chiang Rai were badly destroyed. The stone inscription was buried there. In 2484 B.E. The monk in Chiang Mai agreed to move the Chief Buddha image it the Vihara from Wat Rampoeng to Wat Phra Singha which is Chiang city.
After World war ll, the villagers who used to live near Wat and had scattered to different places during the war came back. However, WatRampoeng did not have an abbt to take care of it. Some monks came to stay for a while and left. In 2514 B.E. when work on rebuildine the Vihara had begun, Lung-poo Chansom or Khruba Som was invited to take over the post of abbot. Two years later, the work was completed, but Khruba Som passed away only several months after its commemoration.
In 2517 B.E. Phrukhru Pipatkanapiban ( Ajha Tong), the abbot of Wat Muang Mang and the head master of the Vipassana Meditation Center, came to Wat Rampoeng, He considered staying there. He decided to stay and asked all the local people who were interested in Buddism to help
Rebuilt the Wat. The response was such that on March 15, 2518 B.E. Wat Rampoeng had the facilities to conduct courses in Vipassana Meditation and on this auspicious day the insight Meditation Center was founded with. Phrakhru Pipatkanapiban (Ajahn Tong) as its head and acting abbot of Wat Rampoeng.
The Buddha image, Luang Sri Ayodhya, in the Uposatha dating back some 700 – 800 years, was donated by Sergeant Prayoot Tripian on Saturday, March 22, 2518 B.E.
Since its foundation as a meditation retreat center its support has grown and is well known. The premisis allow to meditate in quite, secluded places and is surrounded by tree. The center has facilities for both monks and lay people: and inrecent years has responded to an ever increasing interest show by thai and foreing meditators. Wat Rampoeng has appropriate accommodation for everybody and an English speaking teacher and assistants.