know where to start answering such a question.
Usually, the Great Abbot would ask only about
advanced metaphysics. However, when he asked
about salted fish she had no idea how to answer.
Normally she would just eat her food dutifully
without ever thinking whether it was tasty or not.
She ate merely to fill her stomach, to keep herself
going and to gain the strength to do her meditation research. She had thus never noticed what was
’tasty’ about salted fish!
Meditators at Wat Paknam practised strictly
according to the Great Abbot’s guidelines. His
disciples were inspired to the degree that allowed
Dhammakāya to spread to nearly every province
in Thailand. Chosen disciples such as Khun Yay
Thongsuk and Khun Yay Thean Theerawat were
given a small amount of money by the abbot and
sent to preach in more than eighteen provinces,
some as far away as Chiangmai.
The same could not be said of Khun Yay. She never
left the temple to go anywhere else. She would do
nothing but meditate, day and night, continuously.
Other researchers would leave the temple to make
visits and call on friends, but Khun Yay had no
money, no friends and no remaining relatives living
in Bangkok. She had nothing to distract her from the
meditation. She meditated dedicatedly and skillfully
every day, arriving punctually for every session.
Nonetheless, someone once did invite Khun Yay
to make a visit to Bangkok on the other side of the
river. Khun Yay went to ask the Great Abbot’s permission first. The Great Abbot was not enthusiastic
about her going, afraid that she might meet circumstances along the way that would detract from