Venerable Som Bunthoeun

Venerable Som Bunthoeun, also known as Ketudhammo, was a prominent Cambodian Buddhist monk and meditation master. Born in 1957 in Kandal Province, Cambodia, he played a significant role in reviving and promoting Vipassanā (insight) meditation in Cambodia during the 1990s.

Key Contributions:

1. Promotion of Vipassanā Meditation: Venerable Som Bunthoeun was instrumental in reintroducing Vipassanā meditation to Cambodia, emphasizing its importance for inner peace and purification.
2. Buddhist Meditation Center: He founded and headed the Buddhist Meditation Center in Oudong, which became one of the largest meditation centers in Cambodia.
3. Teaching and Guidance: He taught meditation techniques to both laypeople and monks, helping many achieve deeper spiritual insights and inner peace.
4. Advocacy for Meditation: He opposed ritualistic practices that focused solely on external purification and advocated for meditation as a more effective path to inner peace.

Tragic End:

Venerable Som Bunthoeun was fatally shot outside Wat Langka in Phnom Penh on February 6, 2003, by two men on a motorcycle. He succumbed to his injuries two days later at Calmette Hospital at the age of 471. His legacy continues to inspire many in the practice of meditation and the pursuit of inner peace.

Venerable Som Bunthoeun (1957–2003) was a prominent Cambodian Buddhist monk renowned for revitalizing Vipassana meditation practices in Cambodia during the 1990s. Born in Kandal Province, he was ordained in 1980 and became a leading figure in Theravada Buddhism. In 1995, he established the Vipassana Dhura Center near Phnom Attaraq in Oudong, which became a significant meditation hub in the country.

Tragically, on February 6, 2003, Venerable Som Bunthoeun was fatally shot outside Wat Langka in Phnom Penh by two assailants on a motorcycle. He succumbed to his injuries two days later at Calmette Hospital. His assassination was widely believed to be politically motivated, possibly linked to his advocacy for monks' participation in public elections, which was contrary to the stance of some senior monastic authorities.

Following his death, his embalmed body was preserved at his meditation center in Oudong. Nearly 14 years later, in December 2014, he was cremated in a ceremony attended by hundreds of thousands of mourners, reflecting his enduring impact on Cambodian Buddhism.

Venerable Som Bunthoeun's legacy continues through his teachings and the ongoing activities of the Vipassana Dhura Center. His efforts have significantly influenced the practice of meditation in Cambodia, inspiring both monastic and lay practitioners.