AN ACCOUNT OF TAMAO MONASTERY

During the reign of the celebrated King Chulalongkorn , renowned as the

"Great Well-beloved Monarch ",who was King Rama V of Chakri Dynasty

 of the Kingdom of Thailand ,there came a devoted gentleman from Burma(Myanmar)

,by the name of U San Ohn ,to this city of Lampang and settled here making his

livelihood as timber merchant.

Being devoted to the Three Gems , of generous nature and desirous of the welfare

of the Sasana , the said U San Ohn , in the year of our Lord Buddha 2437 ,

the Burmese Saka Era 1256 , bought a plot of land at the "Pomelo Fording Place"

on the bank of River Wang , and erected a monastery on that land for the Sangha.

He thereafter built a dwelling place for monks , a refactory , assmbly halls for the Laity

, water closets for both monks and Laity , wells , a Chapter House and a wall

surrounding the monastery. He also supported the monks and novices dwelling here

with the four requisites as long as he lived. The support has been carried on by his

descendants up to this day.

The monastery was given the name "Pomelo Fording Place Monastery" after the

fording place on which it was built. It is called "Wat Tamao" in local dialect by word

transposition; 'Wat' meaning 'Monastery' , 'Ta' meaning 'Fording Place' ,

and 'Mao' meaning 'Pomelo'. The site on which the Monastery was built is 40 fathomes

in length and 40 fathoms in breadth within the walls and 31 fathoms in length

and 18 fathoms breadth outsite the walls to the north.

Here is the Line of Incumbents;

"The fist Incumbent was U Nandiya,

The second U Tikkha by name;

Thera the third was U neminda ,

Their names but now remain.

"Lecturer of the Dhamma" is he ,

Who now resides herein ,

U Dhammananda the malice-free ,

Serving the cause o' religion.

Attained he to Incumbancy in the Era

Nice and two thousand five hundred;

Founded the 'School' the following year ,

For the good o' the Teaching Exalted."