EAP326/1/1/18/2

Pha Khamchan Virachitta Thera, at the age of 40, Abbot of Vat Saen Sukharam posing for a portrait in front of Oup Mung (monastic cave) at Vat Saen Sukharam in 1960. In the past, this Oup Mung was located at the Sim of Vat That Noi that was built by the Phuane (unknown date), many years passed the Sim of Vat That Noi was broken down, but this Oup Mung was still remained. In A.D. 1940 during the reign of King Sisavang Vong, the king had royal order to transfer Vat That Noi and Vat Pha Chao Sip Paet Sok (monastery of 18 elbows Buddha statue) at the north of Vat Saen to be the property of Vat Saen. In A.D. 1992, this Oup Mung was restored, and its covering cell was also built in the same year by Pha Khamchan. On the gable of its covering cell, Pha Khamcan had painted the life of the Buddha when the Budda made himself into five different postures such as two standing postures, one sitting posture and two reclining postures and floating himself into Tavatingsa-heaven, and it surprised to the four assemblies of Buddhists (Buddhist monks, Buddhist nuns, Buddhist male devotees and Buddhist female devotees) very much. (For more information look at photograph A1525, A2440, A2441, B0081, B4987, B8304 and X 1138). Pha Oun Kham Aggapanyo (Joy Suksavatdy), a pupil of Pha Khamchan got this photograph from Lao lay people in California, USA in 2011 then he gave to the Buddhist Archive of Photography, Luang Prabang in the same year

Original material consists of: silver gelatine DOP print