Your favourite contemporary teachers

[Stephen K]

I this thread please list your most favourite contemporary teachers/monks.



Mine are:

Ajahn Brahm
Ajahn Chah
Bhikkhu Bodhi
Mahasi Sayadaw

[Ben]

Why?

[Stephen K]

Why not?

I'm just curious which teachers are the most popular. Maybe I can learn about teachers and their teachings I know little about.

It's not for comparing teacher with teacher and see which one wins — they are all good.

[tiltbillings]

Munindra-ji

Joseph Goldstein

Mahasi Sayadaw

Lama Chime, Rimpoche

Ven Nanananda

Sunlun Sayadaw

Jack Kornfield

Sayadaw U Pandita

Dipa Ma

Ven Nyanaponika

Edward Conze

Philip Kapleau, Roshi

Ven Bodhi

Ven Sumedho

I.B. Horner

Donald K. Swearer

Maurice O'Connell Walshe

[Ben]

SN Goenka
Sayagi U Ba Khin
Saya Thetgyi
Ledi Sayadaw
Webu Sayadaw
Bhikkhu Bodhi
Nyanaponika Thera
Bhikkhu Analayo
Bhadantacariya Buddhaghosa
Acariya Anuruddha
Gotama Buddha

[bodom]

Ajahn Chah
Ajahn Dune Atulo
Ajahn Maha Boowa
Ajahn Mun
Ajahn Passano
Ajahn Succito
Ajahn Sumedho
Ajahn Thate
Ayya Khema
Bhante Gunaratana
Bhikkhu Analayo
Bhikkhu Bodhi
Bhikkhu Buddhadasa
Bhikkhu Khantipalo
Buddhaghosa
Bodhidharma
Buddharakkhita
Brad Warner
Dainin Katigiri
Dogen
Gil Fronsdal
Hammalawa Saddhatissa
Huang Po
Hui Neng
Jack Kornfield
Joseph Goldstein
Kosho Uchiyama
Larry Rosenberg
Ledi Sayadaw
Looang Boo Sim
Matthew Flickstein
Mahasi Sayadaw
Munindra-Ji
Nanamoli Thera
Noah Levine
Nyanaponika Thera
Nyanatiloka Thera
Pema Chodron
Phillip Moffitt
Prayudh Payutto
Reb Anderson
Robert Aitken
Sayadaw U Pandita
Sharon Salzberg
Sheng Yen

Shunryu Suzuki
S.N Goenka
Taizan Maezumi
Upasika Kee Nanayon
Webu Sayadaw

[David N. Snyder]

Ven. Madawela Punnaji, M.D.
Caroline Augusta Foley Rhys Davids, M.A., D.Litt.
Dipa Ma
Ayya Khema
Bhikkhuni Dhammananda, Ph.D.
Bhikkhuni Kusuma, Ph.D.
Bhikkhu Bodhi, Ph.D.
Bhante Henepola Gunaratana, Ph.D.
Shravasti Dhammika

[Jason]

Thanissaro Bhikkhu
Ajahn Amaro
Ajahn Passano
Ajahn Sudanto

[rowyourboat]

I wonder what qualities of these teachers you found attractive??

I would go with Ven Katukurunde Nanananda, Ven Kiribathgoda Nanananda, Ven Udueriyagama Dhammajiva, Ven Matara Nanarama, Ven Henepola Guneratana, Ven Seelawimala.

Why I like them: 1) for panna, humility, simplicity of life
2) for dhamma knowledge, great reformist public service
3) bringing to light many obscure dhamma knowledge, dedication to monastic/meditative livelihood
4) being simple, direct and publicly conscious in his teachings
5) his sila (wholesomeness), humour and hard work at his role


With metta

Matheesha

[Jason]

I wonder what qualities of these teachers you found attractive??

I would go with Ven Katukurunde Nanananda, Ven Kiribathgoda Nanananda, Ven Udueriyagama Dhammajiva, Ven Matara Nanarama, Ven Henepola Guneratana, Ven Seelawimala.

Why I like them: 1) for panna, humility, simplicity of life
2) for dhamma knowledge, great reformist public service
3) bringing to light many obscure dhamma knowledge, dedication to monastic/meditative livelihood
4) being simple, direct and publicly conscious in his teachings
5) his sila (wholesomeness), humour and hard work at his role


With metta

Matheesha

I picked the four that I did because (1) I've had personal contact with them, (2) they're teachings are mainly focused on meditation and other practical aspects of the path, and (3) I've found their teachings useful.

[phil]

So many sayadaws and no Sayadaw U Silananda? I love his warmth, if you haven't heard his Pali/English recitation of the parittas, you should definitely track them down...

Well here they are. Scroll down to Paritta Pali chanting.

http://www.buddhanet.net/audio-chant.htm

I would also like to note the very earnest female interpretor who summarizes so many of Sayadaw U Pandita's talks available here and there on the net. She's cool, you can really feel the saddha in her speaking. (I assume she's a she, could be a bhikkhu with a very high voice...)

[dcs]

Thanissaro Bhikkhu. His essays and Dhamma talks turned me into a Buddhist.

[Dhammanucara]

1. Ven Phra Khru Jaran Thitadhammo: his most practical teachings of the vipassana meditation and the Buddha's teachings turned me into a Buddhist. Thank you for teaching me to solve my daily life problems using the Buddha's teachings!
2. Ven Sayadaw U Thuzana, a disciple of Ven Sayadaw U Pandita who in turn is a disciple of Mahasi Sayadaw: having close contact with him for several weeks in meditation retreats arouses such admiration in me for him and the practice of mindfulness meditation. The way he speaks, talks and conducts himself is in such mindfulness and composure that makes me strive in my meditation practice.
3. Ven Acara Suvanno Mahathera, a Malaysian Theravada pioneer monk: having able to comprehend his Dhamma talks spoken in a Chinese dialect makes me so much respectful for the Buddha, Dhamma and him. He was able to explain the very details of the Buddha's teachings in the dialect and could relate well to the lives of individuals.
4. Master Cheng Yen: the founder of Taiwan Buddhist Compassion Relief, also known to be the Eastern Mother Theresa. Is drawn to her teachings because of her strong emphasis on putting the Buddha's words into action: self-cultivation as well as compassion in relieving sufferings of other beings.

With metta,
Dhammanucara

[Aloka]

Ajahn Chah
Ajahn Buddhadasa
Ajahn Sumedho


Reading Ajahn Chah was the reason I decided to further investigate Theravada when I was still a Tibetan Buddhist practitioner

Reading Ajahn Buddhadasa helped me to continue making that transition from Vajrayana to Theravada

I've been to Ajahn Sumedho's offline talks and also had one-to -one discussion and practice instruction from him .

[Vepacitta]

Ven Bodhi - for whom I am profoundly grateful is my teacher - for opening up the Suttas. Before, they were opaque - now when I read them - I can see. Additionally, his modesty, brilliance and sense of humour and commitment for truth and justice in the world are inspiring.

Ven Sumedho - his teachings truly led me to Buddhism. His teacher, Ven. Chah

Ajahn Thanissaro - his take on things are very interesting and really make me think.

Best from Mt. Meru,

V.

[SamKR]

SN Goenka whose Hindi lectures (during my first course) and his nice Hindi books introduced me to the Buddha's profound teachings. Otherwise, like most of the Nepalese, I had impression that the Buddha is just a regular religious figure who advocated the importance of peace in the world. Further, I used to hear that Hindus should respect him as an incarnation of Vishnu, and that since he was "born in Nepal" we should feel very proud.

Bhikkhu Bodhi, and Thanissaro Bhikkhu are also my favourite teachers; I have read and liked many of their articles and translations. Because I did not find any good translations of Tipitaka in Nepali I had to read English translations even when I was in Nepal.

[patientvalue]

Which living Dhamma teacher(s)/masters(s) have you had direct contact with and have been inspired by or for some reason repeatedly drawn to their teachings. What was it about that person and your experience that you found compelling or influential? For example it may be admiration for their wisdom or conduct or how highly they are regarded/respected by wise elders.

For some it may not be a person rather the Dhamma itself or someone who has passed away; I hope this thread can be focused on people sharing their experience of living masters so that readers may visit them if they wish and see how the Dhamma is being sustained by present day exemplars.

While many teachers have been discussed in various threads I thought it would be useful if they were gathered into a single thread. While I have read many books from the great Dhamma teachers and have seen videos I lack personal experience with a great teacher. At the end of the year I will be visiting Thailand and perhaps Sri Lanka and hope to be able to visit some of the people recommended here.

Let us know if they are a lay practitioner or monastic and where they are living (don't limit your sharing to the countries I mentioned).

Thankyou!

EDIT: Apologises to all, I posted this (in an incorrect area) not realising a similar thread had already started - I should have checked here first! It does still hold though. Perhaps instead of just giving a list of people you could include a salient point or two besides each name to give context to the reader.

[bodom]

See this thread:

Your favourite contemporary teachers
viewtopic.php?f=27&t=9135

[retrofuturist]

Greetings,

- Ven. Nanananda
- Nanavira Thera
- Ajahn Chah
- Kiribathgoda Gnanananda Thero
- Thanissaro Bhikkhu

Metta,
Retro.

[PeterB]

Ajahn Chah
Ajahn Sumedho
Ajahn Buddhadasa
Ngagpa Chogyam.