Many were shocked by the major news in the monastic community concerning the former abbot of Wat Phutthaisawan. "Thid Chote" was arrested over allegations of embezzlement involving temple funds and female devotees. Recently, the devout young actor "Aum Athitchat" who had previously visited the temple to make merit, opened up about the incident. He admitted feeling shocked and saddened but affirmed that his faith in the Buddha's teachings remains unchanged.
Have you been shocked by the news from Wat Phutthaisawan, Aum?
"Shocked? Yes, I am. I believe everyone was shocked by the news they saw. It's something none of us wanted to witness, and it’s truly saddening. But we must accept that although we don't want it to happen, it has."
"Many have asked if I had ever been to Wat Phutthaisawan. Yes, I have. On that day, I regarded it as visiting a temple with a long-standing tradition. I paid respects to the monks, believing in their practice. So on that day, I trusted no one could have known what the situation would turn out to be. The important thing now is how we think and act after learning the truth. That's what really matters."
Were you shocked when the news broke?
"Yes, definitely shocked. I believe no one would be unaffected because when you go to a place and see someone you thought you knew acting differently, it's natural to be surprised and shocked."
Since you've paid respects to him before, did you ever think things would escalate this far, beyond embezzlement to include misconduct with female devotees?
"Did I think it would happen? No, I never imagined such things. We know anything can happen if people slip up. If someone fails to uphold what should be maintained, consequences follow. When I go to a temple or pay respects, the first thing I consider is whether the place benefits people and whether inviting friends to join is worthwhile."
"Secondly, I look at the monks who maintain the temple. I pay respect to monks who follow the Dhamma and Vinaya, which means I base my faith on their practice. At that time, I couldn't know how well they adhered to these teachings."
"But whenever they fail to follow the Dhamma and Vinaya, I still hold firm in my faith in the Buddha's teachings."
"Regarding Wat Phutthaisawan, when I first went with Pong, the key reason was to visit an important temple founded centuries ago during King U-Thong’s era in early Ayutthaya."
"The temple was a place not only for studying the Dhamma but also for training warriors and kings who fought to protect the country. Thus, the temple served as a school for both religious and martial education. Hence, the place itself remains sacred."
"Those who act wrongly do not harm the place itself. To put it simply, it’s like the sun. If we can’t see it because of heavy clouds, the sun isn’t at fault; it still shines."
"The clouds or dust blocking our view are the problem. So, the truth remains the truth. Those who act contrary to their original intention and against the Dhamma and Vinaya will face karmic consequences, as the Buddha taught."
So you haven’t lost faith in the religion. Do you still feel comfortable worshiping now?
"Let me clarify. Monks teach that there are 'sammuti sangha' (conventional monks) and 'ariya sangha' (noble monks). Sammuti monks are those beginning their practice correctly; when completed, they become noble monks."
"What does this mean? If they have not reached ariya status, they can still have flaws or deviations. It depends on how well they maintain the path. That is their result. So I always say Buddhist teachings are meant to help us end suffering. The key question is: can we do it? If yes, we are liberated; if not, we remain in suffering."
"This means it’s not about what the religion teaches. If someone acts according to their intention but fails, mistakes happen. But the teachings and truth remain unchanged."
Have you ever spoken directly with him?
"No, not really. I don’t know what to call it now. I haven’t talked with him much. The last time I made merit there, I simply paid respects to him as part of visiting the temple. There was no detailed inquiry."
Do you feel some people regret donating money, or that funds were embezzled and used improperly, causing discouragement?
"Based on what my teachers have taught me, merit comes from intention. Intention means the desire to give for a benefit, right? So once we give, we gain merit because our intention is to be beneficial. But whether the benefit is properly used is another matter—it's their karma."
"For example, if you release fish wanting them to be free, would you follow them to see if they actually are free or caught again? We do it for peace of mind, knowing our intention was to free them. How others use that is their karma."
He was also known as a developer?
"From the teachings, karma is karma, merit is merit, and they are separate. For instance, if you borrow money from a bank, having deposits and debts are different. Deposits you can withdraw, debts you must repay. When you have enough deposits, you can use them to pay debts. That’s karma and merit."
"So if money given with good intentions is misused, whether it benefits or harms is a separate issue. Whether the person misusing it has bad intentions must be judged accordingly. This is about karma and merit."
"Regarding the law, I believe the police have the duty to investigate and verify. I read their interview where they said they cannot revoke the monk's status, but financial transactions are legal matters that police must handle properly."
So everything can be sorted out by distinguishing the issues?
"Yes. Do I feel something? Yes, I feel shocked. I don’t want these things to happen, but once they do, they have consequences. What we must care for is our own mind because we cannot control others. For example, if we expect someone to act a certain way but they don’t, we suffer if we cling to that."
"We must care for our own peace of mind. What is the kindest intention behind what we do? For me, it is about training myself to give up selfishness and desire for things, to benefit others. If that intention and merit arise, then whatever else happens is beyond our control."
But since we cannot read hearts, do you still feel comfortable worshiping now?
"When we worship, we honor the saffron robes, the monks who follow the Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha. Do I feel at ease? I choose to respect those who practice properly. If I feel a monk in a place is not following the teachings, I prefer not to go there."
"But I wouldn’t disrespect or show disapproval openly because we only see evidence now. Sometimes when we enter a temple, we may sense something is wrong, so we simply choose not to go. What really matters is our own mind."
Have you spoken with Pong Suphan?
"I have. Pong said he feels hurt too. He learned the truth like everyone else, even later than others, mostly through news shared with him. I believe everyone had good intentions. Pong has been trying to develop an ambulance service."
"He said although he worked on sacred amulets, humans get sick and need ambulances and medical care. He intended to help genuinely. What he did was to maintain the temple’s assembly hall."
"Does it hurt? Of course, it does. When people love and expect something, they feel pain when disappointed. I believe Pong holds on to his good intentions, but those who misused his intentions must be responsible."
Many worry about Pong’s mental state because he once said the abbot never touched the money, but now feels betrayed. How do you encourage him?
"I offer my support to Pong. As a Buddhist, the Buddha taught an important lesson before passing: 'Do not be careless.' When you intend to do something or live your life, carelessness can lead to mistakes."
"If you let desire or defilements control you, you can make careless errors. So we must learn from bad events and see them as turning points. Carelessness brings consequences."
"Regarding Pong, I believe he feels it too. Since he has good intentions, I trust he manages matters with mindfulness. He holds onto the intention of doing good."
Are you afraid this might affect you since you were seen doing activities there?
"Not at all. When I go to a temple, I respect those who care for it, especially the abbot. The key question is that when I went, I believed the monks were upholding the Dhamma and Vinaya. Now that I know otherwise, I will not repeat the same actions."
"It’s not about knowingly worshiping someone who did wrong. That would be questionable. But many didn’t know and had faith, believing the abbot was following the teachings."
Do you think the sacred amulets and charms created by the abbot remain powerful after these events?
"Sacredness isn’t something visible or tangible. It's a matter of the mind. Amulets are made to inspire courage and confidence. If you have many good items but your spirit is weak, nothing will be effective."
"Even if you have nothing but breath and walk out the door with strong spirit, you’re well. As for sacred items, many people with good intentions participate in their consecration. Whether one bad person ruins them is another matter."
"For example, if all of us stood here and one journalist was bad, does that mean all are bad? No. We can choose how much interaction to have with such people."
So don’t cling to individuals?
"According to what I’ve learned from many teachers, they say not to cling to individuals but to regard the Dhamma and Vinaya as the true teacher. Teachings say clearly that the Dhamma and Vinaya are the teacher."
"When monks follow the Dhamma and Vinaya, we can follow their path. Imagine three people walking with a guiding light of the Buddha, Dhamma, and Vinaya. If one person strays but the goal remains, would you follow the one who left? No, we follow the goal—the Dhamma and Vinaya."
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