| HISTORY OF WAT PHRA BUDDHA JINARAJA |
| To first introduce our temple, we have to first introduce the aspirant of our Thai Buddhist Temple in Malacca, Phra Jorn Canthupamo who came from Pattani, South Thailand in the 1950's and stayed periodically with a Buddhist family at Batu Berendam, Being a friendly and dedicated monk, he helped those in distress without a thought for his health and well-being. He stayed and meditated in a kuti (attap hut) built for his simple needs amidst the rambutan trees in the buddhist family's orchard. In 1961, he initiated the first Novitiate programme in Malacca. Phra Jorn with three other senior monks from Thailand ordained Ong Khoon Hoe, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Ong Kim Lunn as a samanera (novice monk) at Seck Kia Eenh. A large gathering of elders, relatives and well wishers were present to witness the ceremony on that memorable occasion. It was Phra Jorn's final aspiration that a Buddhist temple be built at Batu Berendam to fulfill the spiritual needs and emerging awareness of Buddhism among the lay Buddhists.However before his wish could be acheived, he passed away peacefully in the kuti in 1971 at the ripe old age of 78. Phra Wein Klinthong, the late resident monk of Wat Phra Buddha Jinaraja who was later bestowed the honorific title of Phra Kru Cantasan Prayut by the King of Thailand in 1992, together with other monks from the Thai Buddhist Temple, Kuala Lumpur and a Chinese Mahayana monk representing Cheng Hoon Teng Temple, Malacca conducted the cremation ceremony and service of the beloved Phra Jorn. His ashes in a Malaccan jar was brough back to South Thailand to be interred in one of the Buddhist Wat in Songhkla. Phra Wein then rented a wooden house in Tranquerah situated behind a back lane to serve as a "Temple" for the devotees. The zinc roofed building was hot and stuffy with no piped water. Water had to be drawn up from a well. In the year 1976, a committee was formed to assist Phra Wein in organising Buddhist celebrations namely the Songkran, Wesak, OkPhansa (End of Rains-Retreat), Thodpapa and Loy Krathong festivals. The unfavourable conditions of the said building necessitated the construction of a bigger building to serve as a temple at a different site in a quiet and conducive environment.To this end,a Temple Building Committe was formed to raise fund from dinners and festivals. The committee decided to construct the building at Bt Berendam when the same family that gave shelter to Phra Jorn consented that the family's share of the ancestral land at Bt4 1/2 Bt Berendam be donated for the noble cause and also to fulfil the wish of the late Phra Jorn. With the kind and loyal support of lay Buddhists the building was erected and named WAT PHRA BUDDHA JINARAJA, in November 1981, a bronze Jinaraja Buddha was installed by his holiness Than Chow Khun Phra Rajdhammacharn of Wat Kalai, Kedah.In July 1989, a five day consecration ceremony was held at the temple.The Temple Committee and Phra Wein specially invited Than Chow Khun Phra Rajdhammacharn and Than Chow Khun Phra Visuthisilakhun (Chief Monk and chairman of Malaysia Thai Buddhist Organisation) from Wat Boonyaram,Kedah with 13 other monks from Thailand and Northern Malaysia to officiate and conduct the ceremony. The late Phra Kru Cantasan Prayut (Phra Wein) from Perlis was the Resident Monk from the early years at Tranquerah in 1971 and then at Wat Phra Buddha Jinaraja till his demise in December 2001.During his tenure, Phra Kru had always been approachable,contributed much to not only customart Buddhist services to the devotees but also shown metta and compassion to Old Folks Homes and other deserving parties. At present, the acting Resident Chief Monk is Phra Liang who hails from Kubang Tiga, Perlis. He, with the committee and lay Buddhist continue to fulfil the culture and services of the founders of Wat Phra Buddha Jinaraja. Sadhu! Sadhu! Sadhu! |
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