Bhikkhu Dejapanno Phorn Pheap (Meditation teacher)
February 1, 1943 – June 21, 2021

On Sunday, May 30, 2021 my family and I went to pick up my meditation master Ven. Dejapanno Phorn Pheap, Ven. Buddha Saddha Vey Ve and Ven. Indajoto Trang Dong at Wat Kiryvongsa Bopharam, Peace Meditation Center for the ceremony at the graveyard of my late uncle Yoeun Nget. It was raining very hard that day. We arrived at the temple around 8:30 am, but were told by Ven. Buddha Saddha  that  Ven. Dejapanno could not go to my late uncle’s graveyard because he was literally unconscious in his room. After that, Bhikkhu Buddha Saddha called me to go inside my master’s room for a short while just to witness the scene.

Ven. Buddha Saddha and Ven. Indajoto were the first two monks who found Ven. Dejapanno unconscious in his room. They found him lying on the floor during wellness check (because Ven. Dejapanno did not show up for breakfast). Mr. Piseth Kien, president of the temple, arrived at the scene shortly before my family and I got there.

Bhikkhu Buddha Saddha, Bhikkhu Indajoto, Mr. Piseth Kien, and Mr. Sakal Kim went inside Ven. Dejapanno’s room and called an ambulance to examine him. When the EMTs carried my master to the ambulance, I followed them just to see if my master was conscious. After seeing his eyes, I felt relief knowing he’s awake because his eyes were blinking. And I was told that his life was not endangered.

Samanera Ananda ordained 15 days to honor Ven. Dejapanno Phorn Pheap.

Around 9:00 a.m Ven. Dejapanno was transported from the Kiryvongsa Bopharam Temple to the Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, Massachusetts. We were told to wait for several hours before visiting Ven. Dejapanno at the hospital, so my family brought Ven. Buddha Saddha and Ven. Indajoto to my late uncle’s graveyard for the ceremony. When the ceremony was over, we brought Ven. Buddha Saddha and Ven. Indajoto to the Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, Massachusetts to visit my master, Ven. Dejapanno.

Bhikkhu Buddha Saddha and Bhikkhu Indajoto at the graveyard of the late Mr. Yoeun Nget on Sunday, May 30, 2021.

Bhikkhu Buddha Saddha and Bhikkhu Indajoto at the graveyard of the late Mr. Yoeun Nget on Sunday, May 30, 2021.

Left to Right: Upāsikā Mony Kim, Mr. Piseth Kien, Bhikkhu Indajoto Dong Trang, Bhikkhu Buddha Saddha Vey Ve, Mr. Sakal Kim, Ananda Kim and Jendhamuni Sos (not in picture) visiting Bhikkhu Dejapanno Pheap Phorn at the Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, Massachusetts on Sunday, May 30, 2021. Bhikkhu Dejapanno Pheap Phorn was transported from Kiryvongsa Bopharam Temple to Baystate Medical Center on Sunday May 30, 2021 around 9 am. Seven of us were at the scene that morning.

My family and I went to visit Ven. Dejapanno a few times at the hospital. Although he was very weak, however, he never lost his memory. He told us that he wanted to return to the temple, but did not have that chance. The last time my family and I visited him was Saturday, June 19, 2021. We said ‘goodbye’ to him around 5:30 p.m. that evening. Though he looked so weak and tired, I still did not lose my hope.

I never once thought I would lose my great dhamma teacher and my meditation master this soon… My master did not recover. He did not survive. He could not escape death. Ven. Dejapanno passed a way on Monday, June 21, 2021 around 6 p.m. at the Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, Massachusetts.

Longtime students of Ven. Dejapanno, from left, Upasika Ou Ouch, Upasika Jendhamuni, and Upasika Ly Sary

I (Jendhamuni), along with about 30 other students have been learning dhamma with Ven. Dejapanno in our Dhamma Class every Mondays-Wednesdays (8 p.m – 9:30 p.m.) for many years. My master never had a chance to say ‘goodbye’ to his students in our Dhamma Class. The last class he taught us was Wednesday, May 27, 2021. All of us signed out at 9:30 p.m. that night, longing to study our new dhamma lesson very hard so we could do well when returning to class the following Monday. But Ven. Dejapanno never told us that he would never ever return to teach us. He left his students forever…

Ananda ordained as a Samanera for 15 days to honor Ven. Dejapanno Phorn Pheap.

Ananda ordained as a Samanera for 15 days to honor Ven. Dejapanno Phorn Pheap.

My dearest master — all your students will miss you and your teaching greatly! No one can replace you… You will be forever in our hearts… Your youngest student Ananda has been ordained as a Samanera for 15 days just to honor you. Your student Upasika Ou Ouch observed 10 precepts to honor you. Your student Jendhamuni also observes 8 precepts for 15 days to honor you, to show you appreciation and deepest gratitude. Nothing in this world is permanent. One day we will meet again…

Forever, your student… Jendhamuni Sos

Jendhamuni observes 8 precepts for 15 days to honor Ven. Dejapanno Phorn Pheap.

(May 30, 2021 was the 36th anniversary of the passing of my beloved grandmother. May grandma passed a way on Friday, May 30, 1985)

Bhikkhu Buddha Saddha, Bhikkhu Indajoto, Mr. Piseth Kien, Mr. Sakal Kim, Upāsikā Mony Kim, Ananda Kim and Jendhamuni Sos were at the scene on Sunday, May 30, B.E.2565 A.D.2021 and called an ambulance to examine Bhikkhu Dejapanno Pheap Phorn in his room before he was transported from the Kiryvongsa Bopharam Temple to the Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, Massachusetts around 9 a.m. during that morning.

Bhikkh Indajoto, Bhikkhu Buddhasaddha, Samanera Ananda, received the remains (ashes) of the late Bhikkhu Dejapanno Pheap Phorn from Mr. Bob Ghraham on temple ground of the Kiryvongsa Bopharam Pagoda, the Peace Mediation Center on the 7nd Waning Moon of Āsāḷha, Year of the Cow, B.E.2565 equivalent to July 1, A.D.2021.