Description
Wat Kut Phathai (วัดกุดไผท) is a temple in Sakon Nakhon that also serves a treatment center for people who want to break their addiction to drugs. The temple was founded in 1955 by Luang Pu Pan Kuttasati (หลวงปู่ปาน คุตตสติ), who is today honored with a pagoda museum on the temple grounds.
Luang Pu Pan Kuttasati was a close disciple of Ajahn Man Man Phurithatto Thera, the co-founder of Thailand's forest tradition of Theravada Buddhism. He established a meditation center at Wat Kut Phathai, and served as abbot of the temple until his death in 2005 at the age of 86. The meditation center uses meditation and natural healing methods to help people get off drugs.
Luang Pu Pan Kuttasati was known to emphasize the Buddhist teaching, “Comfort comes from discomfort. Discomfort arises from comfort.” (ความสบายเกิดจากความไม่สบาย ความไม่สบายเกิดจากความสบาย). A bronze statue and painting of Luang Pu Pan, and items he used in his daily life as a Thai monk are on display inside the pagoda museum.
Wat Kut Phathai is located in the Don Chon sub-district of Sakon Nakhon province, and is only a little over a kilometer away from Wat Pa Burapharam (วัดป่าบูรพาราม), with its lovely Burmese statue of the Buddha. It takes about half an hour from Sakon Nakhon City to reach the temple.