Original Lersi Narod Ruun Wai Khru 2545 Statue of the venerable Luang Pho Pern, during his lifetime abbot of Wat Bang Phra, Ban Kaew Fa, Nakhon Chaisri, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand. The statue was created and consecrated by Luang Pho Pern during his lifetime.
It is a unique piece in our shop and a unique opportunity, as these statues are almost unavailable in Thailand anymore. This is partly because many were taken abroad by foreign visitors.
Luang Pho Pern created the statue from ancient sacred metals and had it cast on the sacred ground of Wat Bang Phra. Afterwards he consecrated them for 9 days and 9 nights.
The statue represents a Than Lersi. 1 gold-colored Lersi amulets of the venerable Luang Pho Pern are embedded in the underside. There is also a gold-colored Takrut (Pali scroll) embedded with protective Pali formulas and Yahnts, as well as two further Lersi amulets from Luang Pho Pern.
There is the inscription “Luang Pho Pern” on the front and the engraving “Wat Bang Phra Nakhon Pathom” on the back.
The statue is approx. 21 cm high, approx. 15 cm wide, approx. 13 cm deep and weighs approx. 2.2 kg
The statue activates hidden forces in body and mind and gives so new strength, energy and creativity. It makes its owner realize and recognise dangers on time. It protects him against illness, accidents and misfortune, as well as in attacks by person and animal. Moreover, it repulses bad demons, ghosts, witchcraft, black magic, Visha Khameen, Visha Lao, Nightmares, Voodoo, imprecations and other magic methods which are directed against its owner. Besides it gives luck in financial and business matters.
A Lersi, also called Phra Lersi or Than Lersi, is a hermit who obeys the ancient ascetic apprenticeships. He does not belong to the Sangha (community of the monks), but obeys the traditional laws of the Indian hermits. He practices himself in asceticism, in the complete renunciation of all earthly.
The Lersis are valid as omniscient. They know the past, the present and the future.
At the moment there are known in particular 108 Phra Lersis in Thailand, nevertheless, one believes that far more of them live in sheet huts and caves, in the border areas to Laos, Cambodia and Burma. Although the Phra Lersis are no Buddhists in the real sense, they are high revered and respected by the population.
The Phra Lersis are herbalists and healers, they live exclusively from what the nature offers them as food. The unmistakeable sign of a Phra Lersi is his garment from tiger skin with a pot-shaped hat. These are most often old, thin men with long beards.
After the old Indian traditions the Phra Lersis received their knowledge from the gods and hand it exclusively over to men from generation to generation.
Therefore, the Phra Lersis are adored particularly among students and graduates. A Phra Lersi amulet should make the student a knowing one.
The Phra Lersis are valid as founder of the Thai (Buddhist?) magic, therefore one often can find a Phra Lersi with practising magicians on the altar, because he protects against bad magic and ghosts. Phra Lersis are also called for certain ceremonies and rituals and are asked for help.
Everyone, who is searching protection against ghosts, black magic and negative energy, as well as Voodoo magic in Thailand, has a Phra Lersi statue or even better a statue which was made by a Phra Lersi.
Luang Pho Pern Thitakuno was born 12th of August, 1923 (B.E. 2466) at Tambon Ban Kaew, province Nakhon Pathom. Short time after his birthday his parents moved to the village Ban Tung Kork at district Song Pi Nong, province Suphanburi. At that time Suphanburi was the most dangerous province of Thailand. Highwaymen and rackets, known as „Nak Laeng“, made trouble then.
They were characterized as panthers, tigers and lions, because they sneaked up and then robbed the people. Strange to say these animals later took refuge in the temple with Luang Pho Pern. Because of that, the venerable Luang Pho Pern was called „king of the tigers“. They say, that the bandits of his early days, have been reborn as tigers, panthers and lion and now are seeking shelter from their former life with the venerable Luang Pho Pern
Even if Luang Pho Pern was still a buddhistic laity he began to create magical protection-amulets against danger of all categories.
Luang Pho Pern at that time already was attracted by buddhist magic, which was used by legendary combatants centuries ago. Since that time he occupied seriously with the science of paranormal and became one of the greatest masters of „white magic“ in Thailand. He asked the most famous and most adored monks of his time for indoctrination of buddhistic magic. He became a disciple of Luang Pho Daeng (full name Phra Khru Yanna Vilad), who also educated the famous (still living) Luang Pho Khun Parisuttho, abbot of Wat Banrai.
At hat time Luang Pho Daeng wasn`t yet abbot of Wat Khao Bandai-It in Petchaburi, but monk at Wat Tung Kork, homevillage of Luang Pho Pern. First Luang PhoPern has been Luuk Siit of famous Luang Pho Daeng, then he became disciple of Luang Pho Hnoeng at Wat Klong Madan, who also was a master of buddhist magic at that time.
Luang Pho Pern ordained at the age of 26 under Phra Ajahn Huem, who became his teacher for buddhist magic and sorcery from now on. Furtheron he became disciple of Agkara Khorm, who teached him anthology and the use of Yahns. The Yahns and amulets of Luang Pho Pern are well known worldwide for their beauty an magic power.
For years Luang Pho Pern practised Vipassana meditation, until he reached perfection to become disciple of the legendary Luang Pho Opassi, who belonged to the greatest monks of Thailand at that time and has been known beyond Thailand because of his almost supernatural „white-magic“ power.
Then Luang Pho Pern decided to live as woodmonk (Tudong) for a few years at border-district of Burma, province Kanchanaburi in West-Thailand. He lived in the deep jungle, which at that time was still home of animals dangerous for humans and where people could get many deseases. Therefrom he went across the border of Burma and stayed at the faraway regions of Saesawoe and Bang Graenggawia for a longer time. Thus the Thai-animist-creed there are also treeghosts, evil fairy (Nang Mai) and jungleghosts „Phii Phoeng“ and „Phii Phaa“ (woodghost) living in the jungle, against which Luang Pho Pern had to assert hisself.
At his time Karen tribes settled these inhospitable and mountain-rich region. Many of them became followers of Luang Pho Pern during the years. Because Luang Pho Pern was always there for everyone and helped everybody with his magic power, he was loved and adored at the most. Therefore he was asked by the inhabitants of Kanchanaburi, to become abbot of the temple. Wat Tung Naang Hlorg (temple of the field, with the ghostwife). During his 5-years curatorship he builded up the temple. Then he went back into the jungle, to practise the old ascetic meditations.
In the year 1966 (B.E.2509), the inhabitants of Nakhon Pathom builded a statue in front of Wat Tung Naang Hlorg to honour him, that's where he was abbot at this time. This was a sign of highest adoration and gratefulness for his good deeds, he had done for the people of Nakhon Pathom. A short time after building the statue the municipality of Wat Bang Phra asked him for taking the wardship of abbot. He fulfilled this wish and stayed abbot of Wat Bang Phra until he passed away on 30.06.2002 (B.E. 2545).
During the last years of his spiritual activity Luang Pho Pern and Wat Bang Phra became especially famous because of his holy tattoos (Yant) and for the tattoo-festival organized by the temple in march every year.
