He came into this world on Novemeber 28 in the year BE2455 on Wednesday at Jangwat Lampang (descendants of Lampany's King of Lanna Period). In the year BE2468 (1925) when his uncle had passed away, LP Kasem became a novice monk to study Pali Language in Bangkok, Wat Setuwan and returned to Lampang for indepth study of Pali at Wat Seelom and Wat Bunyawaht.
He was outstanding in his studies and got first in his Pali examinatuon at Wat Setuwan in BE2476. Reaching the age of 21, he was ordained as a monk in Wat Bunyeun and his preceptor was Tahn Jow Koon Tammajindah. His ordained name was Kemagoh Pikkhu.
In Changmai, he met Luang Phor Krubah Gaen who was a famous forest monk and LP Kasem studied under him as a disciple. They went to Tudong in the remote forest to practise dhamma and sammadhdti.
He practised hard in dhamma and sammadhdti. He wanted to perfect his practise to attain the highest sammahdti, so he went to the cementry in the burial ground watching dead corpse being burnt to ashes under the hot sun or rain. Regardless whether it was under the hot sun or rain, he would simply sat quietly and watch.
He had accomplished without food for as long as 49 days and sat in sammahdti for 3 months without shelter under hot sun and rain without complain.
LP Kasem only bathed once a year without any stench or foul odour from his body though perspiration pouring during hot sunny day. What surprise most was he never suffered mosquito bite without shelter at the cementry.
LP Kasem was not keen of making amulets as he was devoted to practise dhamma and sammadhti in the remote forest. When people approached him kindly for help and protection as soldiers in Lampang were sent to Cambodian or Burmese border to fight. They received bamboo leaves with protective spell written and it saved many lives and soon LP Kasem became famous for making protective amulets.
Luang Por Kasem did not carry anything with him. In his possession was just the alms bowl and his robe he worn during the practise of sammadhdti without any footwear. LP Kasem mentioned that as a forest monk there was no requirement of having any possessions. Just a robe to cover his body would be sufficient. Many a times, layman gave him things but he simply gave them to other monks.
LP Kasem who a monk who had no desire of comfort as even when he was sleeping, he did not use any pillow as that was considered as luxury. Luang Por Kasem simply would sleep with his body in full prostrate position similar to his sammahdti practise spot. He could had all the luxuries in life for being the descendent of royal family in Lampang but he asked for nothing in life, just finding the truth in life.
Luang Phor Kasem passed away on Jan 15, 2539 (7:42 pm) at the Lampang hospital. He was 84. A memorial and mausoleum were built at the area by the cemetery and his dead body was placed in a glass coffin for reasons that make yet many local people upset. However he had reputedly never wished to be burned.
Courtesy from Warriorforum.com.
