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had first-hand experience of ordination, the process of secularization of monastic study alienated the public from practising Buddhism. This accounts for the fact that many monks in Bangkok at the turn of the century were almost starving. The most important discovery of Luang Phaw Wat Paknam was that historical Prince Siddhartha could only become enlightened as Lord Buddha through meditating until he attained the ‘body of enlightenment’ or ‘Dhammakāya’ inside. By understanding the real essence of the Buddhist religion, he was able to teach the public how to give, to keep the Precepts and to meditate, so as to gain immediate benefits in their everyday lives—he taught them to bring their minds to a standstill at the centre of the body whatever merit they performed. Because Luang Phaw was always available to receive guests in the temple, despite his heavy commitments to internal training in the temple, the number of people to benefit from his teaching of Buddhism was very large indeed. Luang Phaw was very open to new ideas. He pioneered the mass teaching of meditation made possible by the latest microphone technology. He gave sermons and taught to the general public by the hundreds. He also made tape recordings of his teachings for posterity. Another pioneering breakthrough of Luang Phaw’s was the introduction of an ‘industrial revolution’ in the teaching of meditation, his meditation workshop and its ‘shift system’ which allowed perpetual meditation around the clock, was truly innovative. Luang Phaw Wat Paknam was instrumental in the construction of Thailand’s biggest national Buddhist parkland and was the most successful of his generation