Holy Places in the life of LP Sodh (3) -วัดสองพี่น้อง

One of my early blog posts about an amulet commemorating a pilgrimage to places important in the life of Luang Por Sodh Wat Pak Nam. Here I will show the temple where he took ordination, Wat Songphinong วัดสองพี่น้อง in Suphanburi located just a few minutes away from where LP Sodh was born

Wat Songphinong was founded in 2212 during the time of King Narai

According to The Life and Times of Luang Phaw Wat Paknam, the future master was ordained, along with seven others in July of 1903. His preceptor was LP Niang หลวงพ่อเห
นี่ยง อินฺทโชโต (พระครูวินยานุโยค) who had assumed abbotship of temple two years prior.

Some years later LP Niang would also serve as the preceptor of Venerable Pun Puṇṇasiri (ปุ่น ปุณฺณสิริ) who would go on to become the Phra Saṅgharāja. As the Sangahraja, master Pun Puṇṇasiri wrote a book about LP Sodh and Dhammakaya meditation.

LP Sodh was not to stay at Wat Songphinong for long though. He quickly ""memorized the mantras and the Patimokkha. However, while memorizing the scriptures he came to ‘avijja paccaya’, and wanted to know exactly what this meant. But he could get no explanation from his fellow bhikkhus."

Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu translates "avijjāpaccayā" (อวิชฺชาปจฺจยา) as the"requisite condition" of ignorance.

But I think that the young monk was actually searching for the meaning, beyond just a definition.
He was advised by his teacher to go to Bangkok to continue his studies.
And so, "after only seven months in Songpinong temple, therefore, he went to his mother to request for permission to proceed to the capital. She was far from anxious to do so, but he persuaded her in the end, although she agreed with only half a heart. He asked for requisites for the trip, and resolved never to do so again"