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Biography Luangta.Pdf A short Biography of the Venerable Ajahn Mahà Bua ¥àõasampanno Forest Dhamma Books of Wat Pa Baan Taad translated from the Thai into English and edited by Bhikkhu Martin Piyadhammo this booklet is a gift of dhamma Second edition: September 2013 Published by: and printed for free distribution only! www.luangta.com/english & www.luangta.eu Contents Family Background 7 Childhood 7 Education 9 Character 9 Reason for Ordination 11 Entering the Monkhood 11 Despite Studying Buddhism, he did not neglect to practice meditation. 12 Practicing seriously and putting his life at stake for Dhamma 17 Meeting with Than Ajahn Mun 18 No more suspicions about magga, phala, and nibbãna 19 Discontent because of deterioration of his citta 21 Practicing diligently and meditating through the night 22 Addiction to Samãdhi for Five Years 23 Enjoying Investigation 24 Investigation to overcome Sexual Desire 24 Great Sati and Great Paññã 25 Destroying Avijjã and the Cycle of Rebirth 27 After training himself, he trained others... 31 Venerable Ajahn Mahà Bua ¥àõasampanno A short Biography Family Background Luangta was born into a farmer’s family with the last name “Lohitdee” in the village of Baan Taad, city district of Udon Thani, Udon Thani Province on Tuesday 12th August 1913. This date falls on the 11th night of the waxing moon 9th month, the year of the Ox. His father’s name is “Mr Thongdee”, his mother’s name is “Mrs Phaeng”. His parents gave him the auspicious name “Bua” (which means lotusflower). Childhood When his mother was pregnant, she mentioned to the family and relatives that “naturally when a baby in the womb grows, it will move around and the mother will be able to feel this. However, the nature of this child differs from others for it stays still, very quiet as if there is no life. His mother often thought and worried why is the baby not moving, why is it so unusually quiet, can it be that the baby is already dead?”. However when the baby did move, it also moved around more than other babies, it really thrashed around inside her, and his mother felt very intense pain in her stomach. When the birth drew near, his mother felt the birth pangs for 3 days but there was no sign of birth. While in such a great pain for so long, she thought she was going to die, but then suddenly the baby inside her again became so quiet that again she thought that the baby had already died again. Then the baby started wiggling again...” His grandfather predicted the character of the baby in the womb like this, “If it is a boy, whatever he desires, he will be very firm about it, with great determination and seriousness about everything he does. He will not be ambivalent or half-hearted”. When the baby was finally born, the placenta was thrown over his shoulder. When Father and Mother of Luangta Mahà Bua grandfather saw that, he said “alms-bowl strap” and predicted three things: 6 7 Venerable Ajahn Mahà Bua ¥àõasampanno A short Biography 1. Alms-bowl strap: “If he becomes a philosopher, he will shake the earth. 2. Robust strap: “If he becomes a hunter, his shooting skills will shake the forests”. 3. Chain strap: “If he becomes a thief, there will be no prison that is able to lock him up. Education Luangta was an intelligent child, diligent, patient and very re- sponsible. This is reflected in his excellent school grades. He was ranked second in Primary 1, and when he was in Primary 2 and 3 he was ranked first in both. When he finished Primary 3 which was the highest compulsory education level at that time, he did not continue education at any level. Character Luangta’s character was honest and determined. Whatever he did, he did with great determination and sincerity. When he worked, he did not want people to see or know. Even though he had been ordained as a monk, when he was practicing, he did not want anybody to see him. So when he was doing walking meditation he hid in the forest. At night, he would wait for everybody to go back to the monk’s dwellings, before he started doing his walking meditation. His outstanding trait was his immense determination and patience. This could be inferred from his working style, as he would continue working until his work was completely done. If it was not too dark, or it was lunch time, he would not quit his work until his siblings complained to his parents saying, “If you do not go and work as well, our older brother will not stop working, and he does not let us stop working, as if we his siblings should have to work until we die”. Luangta Mahà Bua shortly after Ordination 8 9 Venerable Ajahn Mahà Bua ¥àõasampanno A short Biography Reason for Ordination Among all his children, his father wasn’t interested in any of them except Luangta. Luangta was the only one he really could depend on. His father praised Luangta, saying that whatever Luangta did he could trust and depend on him. That even he himself could not achieve the level of skills of Luangta. When Luangta was old enough to ordain as a monk, his father raised the subject of becoming a monk while having dinner. “I have many sons, but none even thinks about ordination for the well being of their Father. I really want to see one of you in the yellow robes before I pass away, because then I can pass away peacefully and without any worries. But when his father asked Luangta to ordain, he stayed quiet and did not reply, as if he did not have any ears, or a mouth with which to speak. His father said that if he passed away, there would be no one able to lift him out of hell. That if he could not depend on Luangta, there was no hope, for of all his sons, he could only depend on Luangta. “After his father said this, he instantly broke out in tears. When his mother saw her husband crying she also started to cry. When Luangta saw this, he felt terrible and could not stand it. He instantly left the dinner table and fled into his room. This was the reason for him to become ordained. Entering the Monkhood Luangta ordained as a monk at the Monastery of Yothanimit in the village of Nong Khon Kwang, sub district Nongbua, city dis- trict of Udon Thani, in the Province of Udon Thani. He ordained on tuesday the 12th of may 1934, which falls on the 9th night of the waxing Moon, in the 7th month of the ‘year of the dog’. His preceptor was the Venerable Chaokhun Phratham Dhammachedi (Jum Phanthulo), the Abbot of the monastery Bodhisomphorn, city district of Udon Thani, in the Province of Udon Thani. He received Luangta Mahà Bua’s ordination photo 10 11 Venerable Ajahn Mahà Bua ¥àõasampanno A short Biography as his ordination name the name “Ñãõasampanno” which means yield that kind of merit. This did not exist at that time. The Prince, “accomplished with insight” now impoverished, had to beg to sustain his life. For six years he trained is mind and body through his own abilities in every sort of As his personal character was determined and sincere, he thought way until he became enlightened to become the Lord Buddha”. to himself, “that after being ordained, I will be ordained fully and stay within the Dhamma Principle and the Discipline so that no one While Luangta was reading the Lord Buddha’s biography, and will be able to criticize me. I will be earnest and serious until the day the story of his Enlightenment, he felt so amazed and wonderful that I leave the monkhood which is probably in about two years time. he broke out in tears again. At the same time, when Luangta also I will fulfil my duty as a monk as best as I can and if that includes read the biographies of the many Buddhist Arahants at the time of study, then I will also do my best to accomplish this”. the Lord Buddha, who were from different family background, e.g. from royalty, rich families, merchants, ordinary people, poor people, Despite Studying Buddhism, and so on, and he thought to himself … “after any of these monks from any kind of family background had listened to the Buddha’s he did not neglect to practice meditation. Teachings, they went into the forests to practice seriously. Then one Luangta asked his venerable Teacher, about the practice of by one they succeeded in becoming an Arahant; at that forest, this meditation. “Dear teacher, I would like to practice, can you tell me mountain, that cave, or that place. All of these were really quiet how I can do this?” His venerable Teacher replied, “Hmm, well just places. Faith arose in me, and my mind started to ponder about practice using the parikamma1 of buddho, by mentally repeating these things, and slowly outside worldly matters faded from my the word “buddho”; I do the same sort of practice”. So Luangta thoughts…” practiced relentlessly. In the beginning, his mind would not calm “…at first, I thought that I would like to go to heaven, to the down much. However, after practicing often with determination, Brahmã worlds. But the more I read the biographies of the Sãvaka his mind gradually started to calm down until one day he saw the (The Buddha’s enlightened disciples), the more I did not want to wonder of the Citta.
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