Venerable Ajahn Maha Bua Mahathera

School	Theravada
Lineage	Thai Forest Tradition
Other name(s)	Ajahn Maha Boowa, Luang Ta Maha Boowa
Dharma name(s)	Pra Dharma Visuthimongkol
Personal
Nationality	Thai
Born	August 12th, 1914 Baan Taad village, Udon Thani Province, Thailand
Senior posting
Based in	Wat Pa Baan Taad
Title	Than Ajahn
Predecessor	Venerable Ajahn Mun Bhuridatta Mahathera
Religious career
Teacher	Venerable Ajahn Mun Bhuridatta Mahathera
Website	Luangta.com

	[[:Image:|"[10 of Sept. 1979] "]] [[Image:|180px|noicon]] The Dukkha of the body. The importance of Sati.
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Venerable Ajahn Maha Bua (born August 12, 1914), (commonly known in Thai as หลวงตามหาบัว, Luang Ta Maha Bua;​ alternate spelling Ajahn Maha Boowa) is the common name for Pra Dharma Visuthimongkol (Thai: พระธรรมวิสุทธิมงคล​), a revered Buddhist monk. "Ajahn" (or "Acharn"), meaning "teacher," is the common honorific for Thai monks, similar to "Bhikkhu" or "Rishi" in other Buddhist traditions. Ajahn Maha Bua is one of the best known Thai Buddhist monks of the late Twentieth and early Twenty-first centuries. He is widely regarded as an Arahant — a living Buddhist saint. He was a disciple of the esteemed forest master Ajahn Mun Bhuridatta, and is now himself considered a master in the Thai Forest Tradition.^[1] He was a harsh critic of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Contents 1 Biography 1.1 Early years 1.2 Venerable Ajahn Mun 1.3 Seclusion and establishing a monastery 1.4 Wat Pa Baan Taad 2 Rise to fame 3 Some Basic Teachings on the 'Citta' 4 Kammatthana 5 Criticism of Thaksin Shinawatra 6 External links 7 See also 8 References

[edit] Biography

[edit] Early years

Venerable Ajahn Maha Bua Nanasampanno was born in Baan Taad village which is located in the northeastern province of Udon Thani province. He was one of 17 children of a family of rice farmers. At age 21, his parents asked him to enter the monkhood for a time, as is a Thai tradition to show gratitude towards one's parents. He chose to enter Yothanimit monastery and was ordained on May 12, 1934 with Venerable Chao Khun Dhammachedi as his preceptor. His preceptor gave him the Pali name 'Nanasampanno', which means 'one endowed with wisdom'. He had no intention of remaining a monk for the rest of his life.

After entering the monkhood, he studied the lives of the Buddha and his Arahant Disciples, and became so impressed that their feelings of faith arose in him, and he decided to seek the same attainments as had the original Enlightened Disciples of the Buddha. He sought to understand the ways of practicing the Dhamma (Dharma) which would lead to Nibbana (Nirvana).

He sometimes passed and sometimes failed in his Pali studies. He also studied the Vinaya, meaning the monastic rules of correct conduct. After seven years, he succeeded in passing the third level of Pali studies, and achieved the highest level in Dhamma and Vinaya studies. He then aimed solely at the practice of Dhamma in hopes of studying directly with Venerable Ajahn Mun, one of the most renowned meditation masters of that time.^[2]

[edit] Venerable Ajahn Mun

He then went in search of Venerable Ajahn Mun, and when he met him he was pleased with his efforts, since it seemed as if Venerable Ajahn Mun already knew of his desires, intentions, and doubts. All of the questions in his mind were clarified by Ajahn Mun, who showed him that the Paths leading to Nibbana still exist. he said to himself:

"Now, I have come to the real thing. He has made everything clear and I no longer have doubts. It is now up to me to be true or otherwise. I'm determined to be true!"

He learned the methods, including meditation, followed by Ajahn Mun based on the principles of Buddhism and the code of Buddhist discipline. He has continued to follow these methods in his own teaching and training of monks and novices. Due to the deep respect and admiration he retains for Venerable Acariya Mun - whom he has likened to a father and mother to his students, he was inspired to write a biography of Venerable Ajahn Mun aimed at disseminating his methods of practice as well as documenting his exemplary character for the sake of coming generations. Furthermore, he has written many books on the practice of Buddhist meditation, as well as many recorded teachings on Dhamma so that Buddhists would have a guide in the practice of meditation.^[3] One of his fellow student monks with Ajahn Mun was Ajahn Thate.

[edit] Seclusion and establishing a monastery

In 1950, after the death of venerable Ajahn Mun, Ajahn Maha Bua looked sought secluded place. He went to Huey Sai village in Mukdahan province. He was very strict and serious in teaching the monks and novices, both in the austere dhutanga practices and in meditation. He continued his teaching until these same principles became established amonst his followers.

Learning that his mother was ill, he returned home to look after her. Villagers and relatives requested that he settle permanently in the forest south of the village and no longer wander in the manner of a forest monk. As his mother was very old and that it was appropriate for him to look after her, he accepted the offer. With a donation of 64 acres (26 ha) of land, he began to build his monastery in November 1955. It was given the name Wat Pa Baan Taad.^[3]

[edit] Wat Pa Baan Taad

Said Ajahn Maha Bua:

"This monastery has always been a place for meditation. Since the beginning it has been a place solely for developing the mind. I haven‘t let any other work disturb the place. If there are things which must be done, I‘ve made it a rule that they take up no more time than is absolutely necessary. The reason for this is that, in the eyes of the world and the Dhamma, this is a meditation temple. We‘re meditation monks. The work of the meditation monk was handed over to him on the day of his ordination by his Preceptor - in all its completeness. This is his real work, and it was taught in a form suitable for the small amount of time available during the ordination ceremony - five meditation objects to be memorized in forward and reverse order - and after that it‘s up to each individual to expand on them and develop them to whatever degree of breadth or subtlety he is able to. In the beginning the work of a monk is given simply as: Kesa - hair of the head, Loma - hair of the body, Nakha - nails, Danta - teeth, Taco - the skin which enwraps the body. This is the true work for those monks who practice according to the principles of Dhamma as were taught by the Lord Buddha."

The wilderness surrounding the monastery has vanished, as it has now been cleared for cultivation. The forest inside the of the monastery is all that remains. Wat Pa Baan Taad preserves this remnant in its original condition, so that monks, novices, and lay people can use of its tranquility for the practice of the Dhamma as taught by the Lord Buddha.^[3]

[edit] Rise to fame

Ajahn Maha Bua has traveled to London to give lectures. He also founded the Help Thai Nation Project, a charitable effort dedicated to the helping the Thai economy. He has been visited and supported by the King and Queen of Thailand.

Say Ajahn Maha Bua's biographer:

"Ven. Ajahn Maha Bua is well known for the fluency and skill of his Dhamma talks, and their direct and dynamic approach. They obviously reflect his own attitude and the way he personally practiced Dhamma. This is best exemplified in the Dhamma talks he gives to those who go to meditate at Wat Pa Bahn Tahd. Such talks usually take place in the cool of the evening, with lamps lit and the only sound being the insects and cicadas in the surrounding jungle. He often begins the Dhamma talk with a few moments of stillness — this is the most preparation he needs — and then quietly begins the Dhamma exposition. As the theme naturally develops, the pace quickens and those listening increasingly feel its strength and depth."^[1]

[edit] Some Basic Teachings on the 'Citta'

Maha Bua sees the essential enduring truth of the sentient being as constituted of the indestructible reality of the citta (heart / mind), which is characterized by the attribute of Awareness or Knowingness. This citta, which is intrinsically bright, clear and Aware, gets superficially tangled up in samsara but ultimately cannot be destroyed by any samsaric phenomenon. Although Maha Bua is often at pains to emphasise the need for meditation upon the non-Self (anatta), he also points out that the citta, while getting caught up in the vortex of conditioned phenomena, is not subject to destruction as are those things which are impermanent, suffering, and non-Self (anicca, dukkha, anatta). The citta is ultimately not beholden to these laws of conditioned existence. The citta is bright, radiant and deathless, and is its own independent reality:

'BEING INTRINSICALLY BRIGHT AND CLEAR, the citta is always ready to make contact with everything of every nature. Although all conditioned phenomena without exception are governed by the three universal laws of anicca, dukkha, and anattã, the citta’s true nature is not subject to these laws. The citta is conditioned by anicca, dukkha, and anattã only because things that are subject to these laws come spinning in to become involved with the citta and so cause it to spin along with them. However, though it spins in unison with conditioned phenomena, the citta never disintegrates or falls apart. It spins following the influence of those forces which have the power to make it spin, but the true power of the citta’s own nature is that it knows and does not die. This deathlessness is a quality that lies beyond disintegration. Being beyond disintegra¬tion, it also lies beyond the range of anicca, dukkha, and anattã and the universal laws of nature. ….'^[4]

The fundamental problem that besets human beings, according to Maha Bua, is that they have taken fake and false things as their true self and lack the necessary power to be their 'own true self'; they allow the wiles and deceits of the mental defilements to generate fear and anxiety in their minds. Fear and anxiety are not inherent within the citta; in fact, the citta is ultimately beyond all such things and indeed is beyond time and space. But it needs to be cleansed of its inner defilements (the kilesas) before that truth can be realised. Maha Bua states:

‘Our real problem, our one fundamental problem—which is also the citta’s fundamental problem—is that we lack the power needed to be our own true self. Instead, we have always taken counterfeit things to be the essence of who we really are, so that the citta’s behavior is never in harmony with its true nature. Rather, it expresses itself through the kilesas’ cunning deceits, which cause it to feel anxious and frightened of virtually everything … As a result, the citta is forever full of worries and fears. And although fear and worry are not intrinsic to the citta, they still manage to produce apprehension there. When the citta has been cleansed so that it is absolutely pure and free of all involvement, only then will we see a citta devoid of all fear. Then, neither fear nor courage appear, only the citta’s true nature, existing naturally alone on its own, forever independent of time and space. Only that appears—nothing else. This is the genuine citta’.^[5]

Maha Bua goes on to attempt to describe the inner stages and experience of the cleansed citta. When its purgation of defilements is complete, it itself does not disappear – only the impermanent, suffering, and the non-Self disappear. The citta remains, experientially abiding in its own firm foundation, yet ultimately indescribable:

‘ONCE THE CITTA HAS BECOME SO WELL-CLEANSED that it is always bright and clear, then … even though the citta has not ‘converged’ in samãdhi, the focal point of its awareness is so exceedingly delicate and refined as to be indescribable. This subtle awareness manifests as a radiance that extends forth in all directions around us. We are unconscious of sights, sounds, odors, tastes, and tactile sensations, despite the fact that the citta has not entered samãdhi. Instead, it is actually experiencing its own firm foundation, the very basis of the citta that has been well-cleansed to the point where a mesmerizing, majestic quality of knowing is its most prominent feature.

‘Seeming to exist independent of the physical body, this kind of extremely refined awareness stands out exclusively within the citta. Due to the subtle and pronounced nature of the citta at this stage, its knowing nature completely predominates. No images or visions appear there at all. It is an awareness that stands out exclusively on its own. This is one aspect of the citta.

‘Another aspect is seen when this well-cleansed citta enters meditative calm, not thinking or imagining anything. Ceasing all activity, all movement, it simply rests for awhile. All thought and imagination within the citta come to a complete halt. This is called “the citta entering a state of total calm.” Then, the citta’s essential knowing nature is all that remains. Except for this very refined awareness—an awareness that seems to blanket the entire cosmos—absolutely nothing else appears… Distance is not a factor. To be precise, the citta is beyond the conditions of time and space, which allows it to blanket everything. Far is like near, for concepts of space do not apply. All that appears is a very refined awareness suffusing everything throughout the entire universe. The whole world seems to be filled by this subtle quality of knowing, as though nothing else exists, though things still exist in the world as they always have. The all-encompassing flow of the citta that has been cleansed of the things that cloud and obscure it, this is the citta’s true power.

'The citta that is absolutely pure is even more difficult to de¬scribe. Since it is something that defies definition, I don’t know how I could characterize it. It cannot be expressed in the same way that conventional things in general can be, simply because it is not a conventional phenomenon. It is the sole province of those who have transcended all aspects of conventional reality, and thus realize within themselves that non-conventional nature. For this reason, words cannot describe it.

'WHY DO WE SPEAK OF A “CONVENTIONAL” CITTA and an “absolutely pure” citta? Are they actually two different cittas? Not at all. It remains the same citta. When it is controlled by conventional realities, such as kilesas and ãsavas, that is one condition of the citta. But when the faculty of wisdom has scrubbed it clean until this condition has totally disintegrated, the true citta, the true Dhamma, the one that can stand the test, will not disintegrate and disappear along with it. Only the conditions of anicca, dukkha and anattã, which infiltrate the citta, actually disappear.

'No matter how subtle the kilesas may be, they are still con¬ditioned by anicca, dukkha, and anattã, and therefore, must be conventional phenomena. Once these things have completely disintegrated, the true citta, the one that has transcended con¬ventional reality, becomes fully apparent. This is called the citta’s Absolute Freedom, or the citta’s Absolute Purity. All connections continuing from the citta’s previous condition have been severed forever. Now utterly pure, the citta’s essential knowing nature remains alone on its own….

'Since this refined awareness does not have a point or a center, it is impossible to specifically locate its position. There is only that essential knowing, with absolutely nothing infiltrating it. Although it still exists amid the same khandhas with which it used to intermix, it no longer shares any common characteristics with them. It is a world apart. Only then do we know clearly that the body, the khandhas, and the citta are all distinct and separate realities…^[6]

Some of the notions found here are reminiscent of the Tathagatagarbha tradition - although the latter posits an original, primordial purity to the mind, whereas Maha Bua sees that purity as needing to be established through mental and moral cultivation.^[7]

[edit] Kammatthana

Kammatthana literally means "basis of work" or "place of work". It describes the contemplation of certain meditation themes used by a meditating monk so the forces of defilement (kilesa), craving (tanha), and ignorance (avijja) may be uprooted from the mind. Although kammatthana can be found in many meditation-related subjects, the term is most often used to identify the forest tradition (the Kammatthana tradition) lineage founded by Ajahn Sao Kantasilo Mahathera and his student Ajahn Mun Bhuridatta Mahathera.^[1]

[edit] Criticism of Thaksin Shinawatra

On 27 September 2005, Manager Daily published a sermon by Luang Ta Maha Bua.^[8][9] The sermon was extremely critical of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. Especially controversial were the following quotes:

"They complained to me about PM Thaksin and Mr. Visanu and two other people that I don’t remember. This is the big ogre [Thai: ตัวยักษ์ใหญ่], big power. Atrocious power will swallow our country, bite liver and lungs and aim for the presidency....He will put a torch to the country. He will never listen....This savagery and atrocity appear in every aspect of him.... All he has are things to be used for burning."

"He is clearly aiming for the presidency now. The monarch trampled, the religion trampled, the country trampled, by this savage and atrocious power in a few people in the government circle. That is the circle of ogres, of ghosts, of trolls, of demons [Thai:ยักษ์วงผีวงเปรตวงมาร], all in there....So even Devadatta saw the harm he caused, and he was rewarded for his good deed. He would attain Buddhahood [Thai:พระปัจเจกพุทธเจ้า]. For those who have made mistakes, if we see the harm we cause, we can still get by. But what is it with Thailand? What kind of governance?"

"They even dare to accuse Luangta Maha Bua of playing politics. Politics, dog shit [Thai:การบ้านการเมืองขี้หมาอะไร]. There’s only shit all over the country. I brought Buddha’s dharma to cleanse in order for them to repent and recognize good and evil. Because they’re the government. The world flatters them as smart people, but don’t be smart down the toilet [Thai:แต่อย่าฉลาดลงส้วมลงถาน]. Don’t be smart about putting a torch to the head of everyone in the country, from Nation, Religion, and Monarchy on down. These guys will get burned unless they recognize the truth. I’m saddened by all this. How does this come about?"

Thailand has no office of presidency. The King is the head of state, as the prime minister is head of government. A president would replace the King - an unthinkable^{[citation needed]} affront to the Thais’ reverence for the monarchy. Accusations of aspiration to presidency is one of the most severe and rare criticisms a Thai politician can receive.

On 11 October 2005, Thaksin sued Manager newspaper for THB 500 million.^[10] As monks have traditionally been above criticism, Thaksin did not sue Luang Ta Maha Bua. "This is an exercise of an individual's right to protect his reputation and privacy. The newspaper did not criticise the prime minister fairly as a public official, but rather it took him to task personally, using harsh words, which was damaging to him," Thana Benjathikul, Thaksin's lawyer said.

Thaksin's legal team noted that other newspapers only published selected passages of the sermon, and furthermore, that a slanderous headline was used. Respected civil rights lawyer Thongbai Thongpao has noted that Thaksin's lawsuit did have merit. He added that the lawsuits "do not constitute an attack on freedom of the press".^[11]

The case, along with several other libel cases, was withdrawn after King Bhumibol Adulyadej indirectly advised against such legal action during his annual birthday speech.

As recently as 14 March 2006, Luang Ta Maha Bua asked Thaksin to resign. In a sermon that the monk called "most vehement since the temple was set up," the monk said it was time for Thaksin to abandon the "rotten system he is presiding over". He described the government as "wicked, corrupt, power-hungry and greedy".^[12]

[edit] External links

• Luang Ta Maha Bua's homepage
• Arahattamagga Arahattaphala - The Path to Arahantship
• Buddhanet's page on Ajahn Maha Bua
• The Dhamma of Ajaan Panyavaddho

[edit] See also

• Ajahn Mun Bhuridatta
• Wat Pa Baan Taad
• Thai Forest Tradition
• Ajahn Chah

[edit] References

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