Wat Khili — Local services in Luang Prabang

For those familiar with Vipassana Meditation and interested in understanding the practice in Luang Prabang, the story is told here at the Buddhist Archives at Wat Khili. In the 1960s, after studying the meditation in Burma and Thailand, Pha Xaisamut Chotiko was determined to teach Vipassana in Luang Prabang and built Wat Pa Phon Phao (you can see the golden temple to the Southeast from Mount Phousi). For about 30 years, there was a small group of Vipassana practitioners but in 1992, with the death of Pha Xaisamut Chotiko, the practice died with him. A few years later, Luang Prabang was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and tourism and the local economy flourished. Although a growing economy is generally a good thing, not everything about it is good. There have been a many challenges along the way, a major one being how to skillfully balance this new economy with the Dhamma. In 2004, with support from the local community, senior monks organized a Vipassana retreat for 400 novice monks and about 550 novice monks the second year. 12 years later, the annual Vipassana retreat continues and at Wat Khili, you can hear how the story has evolved and where it is headed, just talk with the exhibit manager, his picture as a novice monk at the 2004 retreat is hanging on the wall. It is said, "no congregation of monks can survive where there are no laypeople to sustain them." To understand this is the beginning to understanding...

Le Vat Souvanna Khili (1773 et rénové dans les années 1940). Nom : Monastère de la Montagne d’or. Le Vat Khili est un des dix temples qui furent édifiés à Luang Prabang pendant le XVIIIe siècle dans le style de Xieng Khuang. Il fut construit en 1773 à l'occasion du mariage du prince héritier de Luang Prabang à une princesse de Xieng Khuang. Les motifs floraux des décors sont remarquables. Ce temple fut rénové en 2006 après avoir été partiellement détruit lors d’un incendie. Situé en bout de péninsule, non loin du Vat Pak Khan, ce temple est notamment constitué d’un grand bâtiment colonial et d’un petit bâtiment abritant un Bouddha d’or. Lieu de résidence du génie Chao Fa Dok Say Deua. Les vantaux des portes et fenêtres de la Chapelle Sud sont sculptés et dorés et racontent le Vessantara Jataka. Les murs à fond rouge sont ornés d’Arbres de Vie en mosaïques de verre.

Wat Souvanna Khili (1773 and renovated in the 1940s). Name: Monastery of the Golden Mountain. Wat Khili is one of the ten temples that were built in Luang Prabang during the eighteenth century in Xieng Khuang style. It was built in 1773 on the occasion of the marriage of Crown Prince from Luang Prabang to a Xieng Khuang princess. The floral decorations are remarkable. This temple was renovated in 2006 after it was partially destroyed in a fire. Located at the end of peninsula, not far from Wat Pak Khan, this temple consists in particular of a large colonial building and a small building housing a golden Buddha. Place of residence of the genius Chao Fa Dok Say Deua. The doors and the windows of the southern chapel are carved and gilded and tell the Vessantara Jataka. The red background walls are adorned with Trees of Life in...

A nice, old and quiet temple. It's one of the many more or less similar temples that are next to each other along the same street. There seems to be a big confusion about the names of the temple here. Google maps are also confusing. Is this Wat Kili? Or Wat Khili? Or Vat Souvannakhiri? Or Wat Souvanna Khili? According to my quick research all of these names are different names of the same temple. Maybe it's better to forget about the names and enjoy...