Venerable Father--a Life with Ajahn Chah Have you read this?

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Mr Man
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Re: Venerable Father--a Life with Ajahn Chah Have you read t

Post by Mr Man »

He was an example of some one who had committed himself to the practice of the teaching and discipline over an extended period of time. He had turned away from many of the values of our consumerist society which resonated. He was perceived as living example of what his students aspired to.
alan
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Re: Venerable Father--a Life with Ajahn Chah Have you read t

Post by alan »

Generally not a good idea to base your life on the "charisma" of a leader.
alan
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Re: Venerable Father--a Life with Ajahn Chah Have you read t

Post by alan »

Threw that book in the rubbish bin. The author has nothing of interest to say, and he says it poorly. Worst of all, though, is that it created a bad mood towards monks and those they follow.
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cooran
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Re: Venerable Father--a Life with Ajahn Chah Have you read t

Post by cooran »

Hello all,

Ajahn Chah is quite rightly one of the most respected Bhikkhus of recent times.
He has inspired many westerners to follow the Buddha's Teachings and many to ordain.
Scroll down to read a short history of his life.

http://forestsangha.org/history/

With metta,
Chris
---The trouble is that you think you have time---
---Worry is the Interest, paid in advance, on a debt you may never owe---
---It's not what happens to you in life that is important ~ it's what you do with it ---
alan
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Re: Venerable Father--a Life with Ajahn Chah Have you read t

Post by alan »

You wouldn't know it by reading the book about him.
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cooran
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Re: Venerable Father--a Life with Ajahn Chah Have you read t

Post by cooran »

Hello. All,

A short previous thread on the book in question:

http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=14343

With metta,
Chris
---The trouble is that you think you have time---
---Worry is the Interest, paid in advance, on a debt you may never owe---
---It's not what happens to you in life that is important ~ it's what you do with it ---
alan
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Re: Venerable Father--a Life with Ajahn Chah Have you read t

Post by alan »

Just a bunch of dummies with psychological needs. Could be any other cult, as far as I'm concerned.
See no wisdom there.
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tiltbillings
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Re: Venerable Father--a Life with Ajahn Chah Have you read t

Post by tiltbillings »

alan wrote:Just a bunch of dummies with psychological needs. Could be any other cult, as far as I'm concerned.
See no wisdom there.
A lot of name calling, but nothing to back up your claim of dummy-ness.
>> Do you see a man wise [enlightened/ariya] in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.<< -- Proverbs 26:12

This being is bound to samsara, kamma is his means for going beyond. -- SN I, 38.

“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” HPatDH p.723
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James the Giant
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Re: Venerable Father--a Life with Ajahn Chah Have you read t

Post by James the Giant »

alan wrote:Just a bunch of dummies with psychological needs. Could be any other cult, as far as I'm concerned.
See no wisdom there.
And in one quick, curmudgeonly post, Alan hilariously dismisses the wisdom of Ajahns Sumedho, Amaro, Brahm, Anan, Dtun, Passanno, Piak, Viradhammo, Thiradhammo, etc etc.
Then,
saturated with joy,
you will put an end to suffering and stress.
SN 9.11
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Dan74
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Re: Venerable Father--a Life with Ajahn Chah Have you read t

Post by Dan74 »

James the Giant wrote:
alan wrote:Just a bunch of dummies with psychological needs. Could be any other cult, as far as I'm concerned.
See no wisdom there.
And in one quick, curmudgeonly post, Alan hilariously dismisses the wisdom of Ajahns Sumedho, Amaro, Brahm, Anan, Dtun, Passanno, Piak, Viradhammo, Thiradhammo, etc etc.
:D Maybe wisdom too, is often in the eye of the beholder...?
_/|\_
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BlackBird
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Re: Venerable Father--a Life with Ajahn Chah Have you read t

Post by BlackBird »

While I respect your preverbial testicles and your unerring ability to speak your mind about that which you feel the need to say Alan, I think James might be right, especially on the whole Charisma thing. I tend to sit on the fence when it comes to Ajahn Chah. But from what I gather, his style was very effective for a good number of venerable monks. Different strokes for different folks.

As for me? I read it quite a number of years ago and I remember the gist rather than the specifics. I read it at a time where I was sort of rebelling against what I saw as the deification of someone, even to the point where I felt in my mind that some placed primacy of the Ajahn over the Buddha himself, but by the end of it I think I had mellowed somewhat. Today I feel like his methods were imperfect, that he, like every human being, made mistakes, but nevertheless his teachings were effective for a certain type, and today the Wisdom of his talks are recorded for all to enjoy, and I certainly sense a Wisdom in the preacher who speaks through the words. One cannot say of the man that he didn't practice what he preached either (at least as far as I can recall).

metta
Jack
"For a disciple who has conviction in the Teacher's message & lives to penetrate it, what accords with the Dhamma is this:
'The Blessed One is the Teacher, I am a disciple. He is the one who knows, not I." - MN. 70 Kitagiri Sutta

Path Press - Ñāṇavīra Thera Dhamma Page - Ajahn Nyanamoli's Dhamma talks
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Crazy cloud
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Re: Venerable Father--a Life with Ajahn Chah Have you read t

Post by Crazy cloud »

alan wrote:Just a bunch of dummies with psychological needs. Could be any other cult, as far as I'm concerned.
See no wisdom there.
Yeah, I agree - a bunch of misfits, just like myself - and the only cure is odd personalities in odd dresses

Isn't life great?

And now I feel compelled to buy this little book, and support that odd process - so, thanks a lot, friend :)

Image
If you didn't care
What happened to me
And I didn't care for you

We would zig-zag our way
Through the boredom and pain
Occasionally glancing up through the rain

Wondering which of the
Buggers to blame
And watching for pigs on the wing
- Roger Waters
jameswang
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Re: Venerable Father--a Life with Ajahn Chah Have you read t

Post by jameswang »

alan wrote:Just a bunch of dummies with psychological needs. Could be any other cult, as far as I'm concerned.
See no wisdom there.
I find myself relatively a dummy with psychological needs too. See any wisdom there?
Derek
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Re: Venerable Father--a Life with Ajahn Chah Have you read t

Post by Derek »

Is that the one by Paul Breiter? I read it years ago, must be back in the 90s. As I remember it, the author was somewhat ambivalent about his experience.
alan
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Re: Venerable Father--a Life with Ajahn Chah Have you read t

Post by alan »

Anyone who has read the book recently and can show some examples of wisdom described therein, please do so.
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