The Mindful Way | documentary on Theravada Buddhism | Ajahn Chah
Ajahn Chah was Ven. Chah Subhaddo (Thai ชา สุภัทโท), occasionally with the honorific titles Luang Por and Phra. He is also known by his honorific name "Phra Bodhiñāṇathera" (Thai พระโพธิญาณเถร [1], Chao Khun Bodhinyana Thera [2]). He was an enlightened Buddhist monk (June 17, 1918–January 16, 1992 [3]) famous for effectively being able to teach Westerners.
To state that he was "enlightened" is to say he was a "noble one" (ariyan), which is to say he experienced a "change of lineage" from "ordinary uninstructed worldling" to enlightened one by attaining any of the various stages of awakening from stream entry to arhatship. (We normally say there are four stages, but there are more according to the Path to Freedom (Vimuttimagga), which distinguishes various kinds of stream enterers). In the case of Ajahn Chah, he is presumed to have been an arahant, which means "fully enlightened." This, sadly, is said of monks just for being wise, or longstanding members of the Monastic Sangha, or has good moral behavior, or out of respect for one's teacher, or misunderstanding what enlightenment (bodhi) literally means and implies. The term should not be thrown around lightly because it is very rare; the opposite mistake is also made of never using it as if it no longer existed in the world, which it does. The belief that it doesn't exist is considered wrong view (miccha ditthi), though logic dictates that one day that will be true and there will be no more arhats in the world (but maybe still some stream enterers) so long as the Dharma is still in the world.
Why is this man happy?
He was an influential teacher of the Buddha Dhamma (Buddhist Doctrine or Dharma) and a founder of two major monasteries in the Thai Forest Tradition.
Respected and loved in his own country as a man of great wisdom, he was also instrumental in establishing Theravada Buddhism (and the popular practice of vipassana or "insight meditation" rooted in systematic mindfulness practice from the Maha Satipatthana Sutta) in the West.
Beginning in 1979 with the founding of Cittaviveka (commonly known as Chithurst Buddhist Monastery) [4] in the United Kingdom, the Forest Tradition of Ajahn Chah has spread throughout Europe, the United States, and the British Commonwealth. The Dhamma talks of Ajahn Chah have been recorded, transcribed, and translated into several languages.
Read more about Theravada Buddhism on Dhammasource.com. Rights owned or controlled by The Open University.
- Ajahn Chah, The Mindful Way, via Dhamma Source, July 26, 2021; Amber Larson, Dhr. Seven, Pat Macpherson (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly
No comments:
Post a Comment