Pha Bunsi Punyasaro (Sisangya) of Vat Pa Phon Phao, at the age of 25. Photograph was taken at Vientiane Photo, Vientiane. Biography: Born in 1950 at Ban Hath Teua, Nga distirct, Oudomxay province to Mr. Nga Kham (Pha Nga Kham who died) and his wife Mrs. Sipha (Nun Sipha). He had studied at Primary School of Ban Hat Ter until finished the 5th year, then moved to live with his elder sister at Ban Phon Heuang, Luang Prabang to continue his 6th year at Primary School of Luang Prabang, but he had to study at 3rd year for three years at Primary School of Luang Prabang because there was no teacher teaching in a higher class until he finished the 6th year, after that he went back to his hometown and he was ordained as a Buddhist novice at Vat Ban Hath Teua, under Pha One who was an abbot of the monastery was his preceptor. After he was ordained as a novice, he moved to stay at Vat Si Bun Heuang, Luang Prabang, at the time of Pha Lar Oudomphet was an abbot of the monastery. According to his interest in Vipassana meditation, he moved to live with Pha Xaysamut Chotiko, Abbot of Vat Pa Phon Phao to study Vipassana meditation. He was ordained as a Buddhist monk at Vat Pa Phon Phao in 1971, under Somdet Pha Sangkhalat Dhammayana Maha Thela (Bunthan Bupharat) of Vat Mai Suvannaphumaram is his preceptor, Pha Fan Tissavangso, Abbot of Vat Mai Suvannaphumaram is his right-hand prayer and Pha Souam of Vat Mai Suvannaphumaram is his left-hand prayer. After he was ordained as a monk, he had practiced Vipassana meditation for four months when there was no one helping Pha Xaysamut to publish Buddha Pathip magazines, he left a practice of Vipassana meditation to help Pha Xaysamut to publish the magazines, he had also learnt Abhidhamma (analytical doctrine of Buddhist canon) until he graduated Mahati (1st grade of Abhidhamma's master) and continuing Mahatho (2nd grade of Abhidhamma's master), but he did not graduate a Mahatho because an exchange of Abhidhamma's studying between Laos and Thailand (some year Lao monk students went to examine in Thailand, but some year Thai monk students came to examine in Laos) was cancelled after Laos was proclaimed in 1975. Then he taught Abhidhamma and Dhamma at the Buddhist School of Luang Prabang. At the late of 1970s, he travelled to the southern Laos and he decided to disrobe from a monklife in Vientiane in 1984 at the age of 33, after he was disrobed, he came back to Luang Prabang in 1985, Pha Chantha, Abbot of Vat Na Sang Voei, Luang Prabang at the time of being a director of the Buddhist school of Luang Prabang requested Ajan Bunsi to teach at the Buddhist school, therefore he has been teaching at the Buddhist school until the present. He got married and has a daughter. At the end of his life, if there is no difficulty he will be ordained as a monk again to practice Vipassana meditation. In the present days during the Buddhist retreat, he always wears a white robe and observe the 8 precepts to practice Vipassana meditation at Vat Nong Sakeo, Chomphet district, Luang Prabang in every year. An interest in photography, at the time he was ordained as a monk at Vat Pa Phon Phao, there was a foreigner as a Buddhist monk at there when the foreign monk was disrobed from being a monk,he gave a camera to Phra Bounsi and he started to take photographs and collected them since he got a camera. When he travelled to the southern Laos, he took the camera with him to mark his travelling, when he was disrobed from being a monk he took the camera as his part-time job, mostly he travelled to take photographs of people in the countryside, he also fixed watches. (Now from 2011, he was ordained as a monk and staying at Vat Pa Pha O with Pha One Keo Sitthivong).
Original material consist of: silver gelatine DOP print.
