A Buddhist monk in Thailand chopped off his own head on his birthday in hopes that the gruesome sacrifice would bring him happiness in the afterlife, according to reports.
Thammakorn Wangpreecha, 68, an 11-year-old monk, built a guillotine near a religious statue depicting the god Indra doing the same, the British Metro reported.
The monk’s cousin, who found the decapitated body, said he had left a note.
“It said he had to cut off his head, his way was to praise Buddha, and he’s been planning it for five years now,” Booncherd Boonrod said.
“His wish was to offer his head and soul so that the Lord could reincarnate him in the next life as a higher spiritual being,” the cousin added.
Hundreds of followers of the dead monk later descended on the Wat Phu Hin temple in Nong Bua Lamphu to prepare his body for burial – to place him in a coffin, with his head in a separate coffin to carry in ‘ to burn a forest.
“He achieved his goal and met relief,” said one of his followers, Yu.
The National Office of Buddhism has asked the local government to help spread the message that people can give money or free birds in captivity as a sacrifice, rather than chop off their heads.
“Temple managers and abbots need to review their practices and look after other monks in their temples. “This incident is a possible proof of the failure to do so,” said Sipbowon Kaeo-ngam, a spokesman for the office, according to the International Business Times.
“We must prevent such unpleasant situations from happening again,” he added.