The Journey of Candasaro Bhikkhu: A Monk's Path to Enlightenment : หน้า 46/200

He pondered about what he should do with his life, and came to the conclusion that there was nothing more worthwhile for him to do than pursuing a life of purity by becoming a monk. He made the resolution: “Please don’t let me die before I have a chance to ordain. Once I take ordination it will be for life.” Sodh entered the monkhood in July 1906 at Songpingong Temple when he was 22. He was given the monastic name of Candasaro Bhikkhu8. He began practicing meditation the next day and continued to do so until the last day of his life. For many years he journeyed through many forests and mountains throughout the country of Thailand searching for the best meditation teachers to apprentice with. After eleven years of practice with some of the best Thailand had to offer he still felt that he had not yet attained the ultimate knowledge realized by the Buddha. So he decided to set out on his own. He studied Visuddhimagga, the Path of Purity, a scriptural text on meditation practice, and practiced on his own. One morning, while taking residence at Bangkoowieng Temple, Nontaburi Province, he went to the chapel to meditate. He determined to stay unmoved until the midday drum sounded (time for the last meal of the day at 11:00 a.m.). He began meditation around 8 a.m. After a couple of hours, right before the sound of the midday drum, his mind began to settle to a completely standstill state. Whereupon, a bright sphere the size of an egg yolk appeared at the center of his body. He experienced a feeling of bliss, something he had never experienced before. He knew in his heart that this was 8 Bhikkhu: Buddhist monk