A Thai Buddhist monastery is under investigation after 41 corpses were discovered at the site, believed to have been used for meditation practices.
The bodies were discovered on Saturday at Pa Nakhon Chaibovorn Monastery in the central province of Phichit, a police official said. “The bodies were accompanied by death and donation certificates“, he added, specifying that no charges had been brought so far.
The police must verify with the families of the deceased that they donated their bodies of their own free will. “We’re trying to make sure none of the bodies were stolen“, said the officer who requested anonymity. The search was launched days after police discovered twelve bodies in another monastery in neighboring Kamphaeng Phet province on Wednesday, according to local media.
The head of the monastery in Phichit province, Phra Ajarn Saifon Phandito, told PBS television that the use of corpses was part of a “meditation technique“that he had developed.”Many of those who come to learn are religious and all these monks transmit this knowledge“, he said, “I don’t know how many of them adopted my technique“.
Phra Ajarn Saifon Phandito also stated that “practitioners meditate in pavilions that contain coffins with human remainsPhichit police said they were working with authorities in other provinces to determine whether the practice was widespread.
This method of contemplative meditation on corpses in different stages of decomposition appeared in Thailand in the 18th century and was widespread until the 20th century before running out of steam.
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