Sacred Objects: The Lampang Regiment Medal of Luang Por Kaem Khemako

Luang Por Kaem Khemako from Trilaksana Cemetery in Lampang Province was a highly revered senior Buddhist monk and respected spiritual figure with a large following, and also a member of the royal family who took monastic vows. Born on November 28, 1912 (Wednesday), he was the son of a district deputy administrator and later became a court attendant to the last lord of Lampang. As a child, he was known for his mischievous nature, once climbing a guava tree and sustaining a head injury from a fall. At age 13, he ordained in a temporary seven-day ceremony before the cremation of his abbot at Wat Pa Dow. He later formally ordained at age 15 at Wat Bun Yuen in Lampang, where he studied Buddhist scriptures and passed the intermediate Buddhist studies examination in 1931. Under the guidance of his preceptor Phra Dharmacindan, he became an accomplished scholar of Pali language. After completing his scriptural studies, he sought out Kruba Kaen Sumano, a renowned meditation master, and became his disciple, traveling with him on forest pilgrimages to pursue spiritual practice. When the abbot of Wat Bun Yuen passed away, the monastic community elected him as the new abbot, though he was reluctant to accept the position as he preferred to focus on meditation practice. Eventually, he left the temple to practice at Trilaksana Cemetery for the remainder of his life. His teaching style emphasized Buddhist parables and principles, once famously using an empty butter can to amplify his voice during a funeral sermon as a skillful means to keep people's attention. Luang Por Kaem Khemako passed away peacefully on January 15, 1996 at 7:40 PM at Lampang Hospital at the age of 84 with 64 years of monastic service. His sacred amulets, particularly the Lampang Regiment Medal, became highly sought after by devotees and collectors.