Phor Than Yokhong (Phra Khru Aranyaphiwat) Wat Pa Salak Mai

Phor Than Yokhong (Chanthapanyo), formally titled Phra Khru Aranyaphiwat, was born in B.E. 2470 (1927). In his eighty-seventh year (B.E. 2557) he was widely regarded as one of Songkhla’s most compassionate and steady monastic figures, presiding at Wat Pa Salak Mai in Ching Kho, Singhanakhon District. His life threads together the contemplative discipline of the southern forest tradition with hands-on service to community, students, and neighboring provinces.

Songkhla—once known as Mueang Satunpura and Mueang Singkhon—has a long Buddhist memory. In the modern era it nurtured revered masters whose names still carry weight: Phra Khru Thammakhosit (Kong Kokanutto) of Wat Thammakho; Phor Than Maha Loi Chanthasaro of Wat Laem Chak Pak Ro; and Phor Than Kaew of Wat Pratu Chai. Among these lineages, Phor Than Khong (Kong Kokanutto, born B.E. 2414) became renowned for astrology, esoteric rites, and traditional medicine; his first amulet series (B.E. 2498) remains highly prized in Songkhla. Phor Than Yokhong is remembered as a devoted disciple in this southern current.

When Yokhong took the abbacy of Wat Pa Salak Mai, the temple was fading. With patience and clear priorities he restored the grounds, re-established daily chanting and study, and fashioned the monastery into a small but lively center for practice. Invitations soon crossed provincial borders; he was frequently called to lead consecrations and major Buddha image rites both in Songkhla and in northern Malaysia. Amulets blessed under his guidance became sought after for their gentle protection and metta.

Equally visible has been his commitment to education. Each year he awards scholarships to local students and novices and founded the Phra Khru Aranyaphiwat Foundation to support monastic and youth education, linking the temple’s merit to concrete opportunity for families in Singhanakhon.

Those who meet him describe a soft-spoken, humble elder: accessible yet inwardly focused, precise in ritual yet generous with time, and consistently grounded in the Buddha’s teaching. In an age of spectacle, his influence has come from quiet continuity—rebuilt buildings, recurring ceremonies, and the steady encouragement of lay practice.

Today, Phor Than Yokhong remains an anchor of confidence for devotees across the South. His blessed objects are valued not merely as collectibles but as tokens of a living relationship: the blessing of a monk who pairs diligence in practice with kindness in community.

父丹·育空（Chanthapanyo），尊號阿蘭亞毗瓦訶（Phra Khru Aranyaphiwat），生於佛曆2470年（1927）。至佛曆2557年八十有七時，已被公認為宋卡一帶最具慈悲與定力的長老之一，住持清科分區新沙拉寺（Wat Pa Salak Mai）。其一生兼具南方森林傳統之禪修鍛鍊與面向社群的實際行動，既修己、亦利他。

宋卡古稱Satunpura、Singkhon，佛教脈絡深厚。近代名師輩出，如法庫·塔瑪寇悉（Kong Kokanutto）之屈塔瑪寇寺、父丹·摩訶洛伊（Chanthasaro）之屈鑭渣帕、父丹·凱奧之屈帕度猜等。其中特別是父丹·空（Kong Kokanutto，生於佛曆2414），以占星、密法與草藥聞名；其佛曆2498年首期佛牌迄今仍為宋卡珍稀。父丹·育空正承繼此南方法脈，為其虔誠弟子之一。

接掌Wat Pa Salak Mai之初，寺院頹敝。育空長老以耐心與次第恢復殿宇、重建日課與學習，使道場再現生機。其後應請不絕，常被邀赴各地（含馬來西亞北部）主持開光與佛像聖事。他所加持之聖物，以慈心護佑見稱，深受南方善信敬重。

長老同時重視教育。每年提供獎助學金予地方學子與沙彌，並創立阿蘭亞毗瓦訶基金會，以資助僧伽教育與青少年學習，使寺院功德化為實際的家庭支援與生命機會。

與之相處者皆言其謙遜寡言、平和親切：儀軌嚴謹而不失溫厚，處事周到而不離佛法要旨。在追逐聲勢的年代，他的影響來自靜水深流——修復的殿舍、週而復始的法會、以及對在家修行者持續不輟的鼓勵。

時至今日，父丹·育空仍是南方信眾的定心石。他的加持聖物，不僅是收藏，更是活的連結：一位長老以精進與慈悲，將三寶的力量帶入社群日常。

Explore more from Thai Amulets Collection: browse all amulets, monk biographies, or discover katha sacred chants.

For broader context on Thai Buddhist traditions, see Thai amulets on Wikipedia.