The brief biography of Luangpoa Viriyang Sirintharo
( his holy reverend name is given by The present King of Thailand as " Pra-dep-je-ti-ya-jarn" )

His former name was Viriyang Boonteekul , son of Mr.Kunpenpartchanarom and Mrs. Mun Boonteekul. Born on friday in January 7 ,1920 near Pakprew railway station at Saraburi Province, Thailand. he had 7 brothers and sisters. His first experience in samadhi ( samadhi = meditation ) began when he was 13 years old when his lady friend asked him to visit a temple . While he was waiting his friend learning chanting with Arjarn Kongma ( arjarn = master of meditation monk) with bordom from 8 in the evening till midnight. The rural surrounding of the temple at that time was a deserted place and a boy is often afraid of evil ghost and spirit. This caused Viriyang boy to be afraid of walking home alone that night. He kept waiting his friend while his mind contained with one thought  " From now on, I won't come again."  Repeating  this thought again and again made his mind calm down and settled into oneness. Suddenly He lost the sense of his physical body. His felt lightness in his body and saw his soul separate from his body walking down to the temple court yard.  At that moment he felt the cosmic breeze touching his heart. It was so joyful  and blissful that he uttered " Buddhism  is so precious " . After that his soul walked back into his body. So he told his experience to Arjarn Kongma.  Arjarn Kongma realized Viriyang's spiritual gift because he could meditate naturally without first instruction. From that event , Arjarn Kongma  started to teach the first lesson of meditation to Viriyang boy and he quickly learnt the technique of samadhi. 

As a boy, everyday he had to work hard for his family's household chores  by beginning at dawn with collecting watermelons in the field ,taking them to sell in the market,and returning home after dark. The day of work was not yet over, he had to make several trip to nearby stream to carry water with laden buckets and  refill several large empty earthen jars around his house. One night after a  long hard working day was almost over, he noticed that family's rice buckets were almost empty. With out a break, he continued a process to refill the rice bucke. First he had to remove rice husk laborly by pounding the paddy in a  large wooden mortar with stepping up and down the lever pestle. The night was getting late but he still kept working harder and harder. Finally he was exhausted , lost his consciousness and collapsed.  When he woke up , he found himself totally paralysed. His family tried in vein to find every doctors in town to cure him but it was hopeless.   He laid on a grass mat without moving. Sadly he made his personal vow " If anyone can cure me from this illness, I will devote the rest of my life for Buddism work. "   Seven days later,there was an strage white robed ascetic appeared to his house and asked his father for a permission to give him a treatment. His father agreed. Then he whispered in Viriyang' s ear saying that he knew his eternal secret promise and asked the boy to repeat that vow aloud  The ascetic took some yellow herb to chew and spat onto Viriyang's body. Then walked away. Next early morning Viriyang felt the sense of his body and he was able to move his hands and legs and amazingly he could held himself up and started to walk.  In the morning at seven o'clock , the ascetic appeared in front of his family house again and standing silently eyed closed. Viriyang felt his appreciation so he walked  to him and offered him some food but the ascetic asked Viriyang to repeat his promise before he would take Viriyang's food. After that he took Viriyang to a Tamarind Tree at Sawangarom Temple and asked Viriyang to say out his promise again. After that he took out a knife ,walked towards a buffalo  grapped its tail and chopped it out , showed  it to Viriyang and  then join it back to that buffalo. without a notice of or hurting that beast. He asked "am I proficient? " Viriyang said " Yes , absolutely."  The  ascetic taught Viriyang a magic sacret verse and told him to recite it every day for 10 years before he could use this magic verse effectively. Next morning Viriyang expected to offer him a meal again but he never saw him again since then..

Viriyang left home for a novice monk when he was 16 years old and followed Arjarn Kongma to long years of journey  into a forest for spiritual improvement  After he was at the age of 20, Arjarn Kongma took him to his master for further spiritual trainning,   Arjarn Mun who was the most spiritual enlightened master in Vipassana Meditation at that time. Viriyang monk had served Arjarn Mun as a closely disciple for 4 years. Today Luangpoa Viriyang has written his autobiography of his life and the teaching of Arjarn Mun while he lived with his paramaster in the forest and he still kept his eternal promise in devoting all his life for Buddhism  work especially teaching meditation for the benefits oft all mankind .

Link  : Tourist Authority of Thailand Website