EAP177/4/1/35

Sathou Nyai Bounchan Keophothichitto (1920-1996), Abbot of Vat Xieng Muan Vajiramangalaram, a chief monk of the Buddhist Education Council of Luang Prabang. This photo was taken in the 1990s. Sathou Nyai Bounchan Keophothichitto (Sourivanh) was born on the14th of April, 1920. When he was young he studied in Vietnam. He used to be a marine in the time when Laos was a colony of France. He was a classmate of His Excellency Mr. Kaysone Phomvihane, the former President of the Lao P.D.R. In 1944, at the age of 24, he was ordained to be a monk. He passed away on the 30th of March, 1996, at the age of 76 in his Kuti at Vat Xieng Muan. Sathou Nyai Bounchan was a Blessed One because he had right action, he had followed the teachings of the Buddha and he was very strict in monk's discipline. He was educated and he always studied and liked to read books. There are many Lao and French books in his bedroom. When he read books he always took notes of each page in the books. Sathou Nyai Bounchan was very respectful towards monks, novices and lay people of Luang Prabang. He was a very good monk and we have to follow him, especially in his education. He said that "education is very important for everyone. Wisdom is the key for insight. Learn and learn, learn until you die". Sathou Nyai Bounchan was nominated to be an adviser monk for the Lao Government from the time when Laos became the Lao People's Democratic Republic until he passed away in 1996. Former President Kaysone Phomvihane always came to talk to him at Vat Xieng Muan. This photo was registered by the Buddhist Archive of Photography, Luang Prabang, and sent back to Vat Xieng Muan to be shown in the main hall of Vat Xieng Muan.

Original material consists of: chromogenic print