The mother of Monk Heng Bun Chhom is seen praying in front of her son's body. Inset: a recent photo of Monk Heng Bun Chhom (Photo: Chan Thet, Koh Santepheap)05 September 2007
By Or Phearith
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Socheata
The body of a monk was discovered in a temple in Koh Samrong commune, Kompong Siem district, Kompong cham province, in the morning of 05 September 2007.
Sen Sok, the Koh Samrong commune chief, who went to the incident location since early morning with a group of police officers, indicated the name of the monk is Heng Bun Chhom, he was 24-year-old. His burnt body was discovered in the pagoda temple. He was found sitting in a meditation position, inside the temple with all the doors closed. No one know the cause of the death, but based on a police investigation and based on the clarifications provided by 4 other monks in the pagoda, Sen Sok believes that this is a suicide case.
Sen Sok said: “He reaches a point where he self-immolated, based on what we observe at the incident location. There was a Tripitaka book, a cigarette lighter, and a pillow. He was burnt, but he didn’t twitch because he was found in a (meditation) sitting position on the mat, in the same place, and his body was all shrunk. We can’t find any (gasoline) container, it could be that it was completely burnt. Based on observation, this does not look like a murder.”
According to clarifications from witnesses, and the claim made by the commune chief, before the incident took place, on 04 September, at noon time, Monk Heng Bun Chhom went inside the temple, holding a tape player containing a preaching cassette by Buth Savong (a Buddhist preacher in Cambodia). A few hours later, he came back out of the temple.
Based on an eyewitness, at 8:00 PM, the monk went back inside the temple through a window because he forgot to bring the temple key with him. The next morning, his burnt body was discovered while still in a meditation sitting position in the middle of the temple.
After investigating the incident location, the police officers and the commune chief went to look inside the monk’s room. There, they found a 2-page letter in which the monk talked about his self-immolation in dedication to Buddhism. He called on Buddhist followers to rejoice about the sacrifice of his body in the pagoda, he said that his action expresses his happiness and faith on Buddhism.
The abbot of the Samrith Pichey pagoda, indicated over the phone that Monk Heng Bun Chhom was a very gentle monk, and since the start of the monk retreat season, he only talked about death and about dharma. The abbot thinks that Monk Heng Bun Chhom could have become mentally affected after his dharma learning.
The abbot said: “He used to talk about dharma, and he used to preach to other younger monks. He talked long ago about this (self-immolation), ever since the beginning of the monk retreat season. I believe, like the other Buddhist followers, that he (Monk Heng Bun Chhom) studied about the Tripitaka, therefore I believe that he came up with a mental problem.”
Even with all the claims above, Nuon Samin, the provincial police commissioner, indicated that he will provide the reason after the police completes its investigation into this case.
Monk Heng Bun Chhom was born on 01 September 1984 in Prek village, Mien commune, Prey Chho district, Kompong Cham province.
Sen Sok, the Koh Samrong commune chief, who went to the incident location since early morning with a group of police officers, indicated the name of the monk is Heng Bun Chhom, he was 24-year-old. His burnt body was discovered in the pagoda temple. He was found sitting in a meditation position, inside the temple with all the doors closed. No one know the cause of the death, but based on a police investigation and based on the clarifications provided by 4 other monks in the pagoda, Sen Sok believes that this is a suicide case.
Sen Sok said: “He reaches a point where he self-immolated, based on what we observe at the incident location. There was a Tripitaka book, a cigarette lighter, and a pillow. He was burnt, but he didn’t twitch because he was found in a (meditation) sitting position on the mat, in the same place, and his body was all shrunk. We can’t find any (gasoline) container, it could be that it was completely burnt. Based on observation, this does not look like a murder.”
According to clarifications from witnesses, and the claim made by the commune chief, before the incident took place, on 04 September, at noon time, Monk Heng Bun Chhom went inside the temple, holding a tape player containing a preaching cassette by Buth Savong (a Buddhist preacher in Cambodia). A few hours later, he came back out of the temple.
Based on an eyewitness, at 8:00 PM, the monk went back inside the temple through a window because he forgot to bring the temple key with him. The next morning, his burnt body was discovered while still in a meditation sitting position in the middle of the temple.
After investigating the incident location, the police officers and the commune chief went to look inside the monk’s room. There, they found a 2-page letter in which the monk talked about his self-immolation in dedication to Buddhism. He called on Buddhist followers to rejoice about the sacrifice of his body in the pagoda, he said that his action expresses his happiness and faith on Buddhism.
The abbot of the Samrith Pichey pagoda, indicated over the phone that Monk Heng Bun Chhom was a very gentle monk, and since the start of the monk retreat season, he only talked about death and about dharma. The abbot thinks that Monk Heng Bun Chhom could have become mentally affected after his dharma learning.
The abbot said: “He used to talk about dharma, and he used to preach to other younger monks. He talked long ago about this (self-immolation), ever since the beginning of the monk retreat season. I believe, like the other Buddhist followers, that he (Monk Heng Bun Chhom) studied about the Tripitaka, therefore I believe that he came up with a mental problem.”
Even with all the claims above, Nuon Samin, the provincial police commissioner, indicated that he will provide the reason after the police completes its investigation into this case.
Monk Heng Bun Chhom was born on 01 September 1984 in Prek village, Mien commune, Prey Chho district, Kompong Cham province.
4 comments:
Whether Venerable Heng Bun chhom became mental problem or not may his soul rest in peace.
May his clean spirit help to encourage all true Khmers to unite and liberate our beloved Cambodia from YUONS' occupation and China influence as soon as possible.
KULEN MONOROM
PSYCHOPATH, YOU TOO WILL MEET YUMBAL. GO AND BURN YOUR SELF PSYCHO.
DON'T YOU KNOW WHEN SOMEONE PRACTICE DHARMA MUST MEDITATE AND WHEN HE MEDITATES EVILS WILL COME AND TEMPT HIM SOMETIME EVIL PRETENDS TO LOOK LIKE BUDDHA AND IF HE TEMPTED THEN LOOK WHAT HAPPEN.
HE NOW FACE YUMBAL FOR KILLING HIMSELF.
He didn't kill himself, he was killed by the supernatural. He was meditating like searching or reaching to another channels, and sometime the soul or the mind of the meditator was distracted by evils who may appear to be like angels or Buddha, but if the meditator was tempted by, he would be killed or became crazy.
I know some people don't believe it but Buddha met MARA (Evil) was reaL.
Poor young monk. He is not the only one who ended up like this, many before him.
I wanted to share a true story of the meditation (Dharma). There were two monks one was old and one was young. The young monk was ready to medicate. The two meditated in a different huts but not too far from each other.
The old monk reminded the young "when you meditate, don't be distracted, no matter what you see, don't be tempted by."
On his about half way, the young monk saw a beautiful shiny Buddha appeared and said to him "My child, you reached to the highest you can stop now". He then believed that was real Buddha so he answered.
Luckily the old Monk could see through so he ran back to the young monk and screamed at him to stop answering to the fake Buddha. He then stopped. If he did not stop on time he may be faced like this young monk or became crazy. I heard he is no longer practice Dharma or do any meditation.
Buddha too was haunted by Mara but Buddha defeated Mara.
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