Acariya Mun

[Buddho]

For those who have not read the biography of Ajaan Mun, I highly suggest you do. Here is a link to the book online. A wonderful book written by Ajaan Maha Bua, one of Ajaan Mun's disciple, about the life of this wandering ascetic. His search for awakening and the experiences he had leading up to the ultimate goal.

The Biography of the Venerable Acariya Mun

http://www.luangta.com/English/site/books.php

[tiltbillings]

And the readers of this biography (hagiography) need to keep in mind that other direct students of Ajahn Mun take exception to it as not accurately reflecting his life and teachings.

[Reductor]

And the readers of this biography (hagiography) need to keep in mind that other direct students of Ajahn Mun take exception to it as not accurately reflecting his life and teachings.

I have heard this before. Can you share a link, or recall some aspects that are disagreed on? I would like to know more

[tiltbillings]

And the readers of this biography (hagiography) need to keep in mind that other direct students of Ajahn Mun take exception to it as not accurately reflecting his life and teachings.

I have heard this before. Can you share a link, or recall some aspects that are disagreed on? I would like to know more

There was a fair amount of information on the now most sincerely dead E-Sandbox. Some little of that has crossed over to here:


viewtopic.php?f=16&t=1205&p=15185#p15080

[Cittasanto]

Ajahn Thanissaros teacher Ajahn thate had also writen a biography which paints him in a completely different light I believe (?) although it is only available in thai.

just to note Ajahn Thate also wrote his own biography so that when he died others wouldn't imply special powers to him, see his own bio.

P.S., Ajahn Maha-boowa was a 'johnny come late' to Ajahn Mun and didn't spend much time with him compared to other disciples. although I have full confidence in each of these teachers, how one disciple remembers the teacher isn't important, what is is whether the memory is useful & conductive to our own practice?

[Basileaux]

Ajahn Thanissaros teacher Ajahn thate had also writen a biography which paints him in a completely different light I believe (?) although it is only available in thai.

just to note Ajahn Thate also wrote his own biography so that when he died others wouldn't imply special powers to him, see his own bio.

P.S., Ajahn Maha-boowa was a 'johnny come late' to Ajahn Mun and didn't spend much time with him compared to other disciples. although I have full confidence in each of these teachers, how one disciple remembers the teacher isn't important, what is is whether the memory is useful & conductive to our own practice?

Ajaan Maha Boowa spent about seven years with Ajaan Mun, I believe he is considered to belong to the 2nd generation of Ajaan Mun's students, but he certainly had much personal contact with him. He was given duties around the monastery by Ajaan Mun, and would return to see his teacher while off in intensive retreat whenever he came upon a problem he needed solving. I've read a bit of the original Thai biography and the English translation reflects it quite well in my opinion, though I'll now surely search out the Ajaan Tate biography as I had never before heard of it.

Ah it might do well to place the reminder here that a teacher employs different methods/teaching styles depending on what will most benefit their students. Ajaan Maha Boowa (Luangta) repeatedly calls himself hard-headed and stubborn so if Ajaan Mun was harsh and strict with Luangta, one might venture a guess that there could be reason to.

Also, further translations from Thai texts are available at Forestdhamma.org. An American monk named Ajahn Dick Silaratano is responsible for these translations. He served as Luangta's personal Uppatak (servant/aide) for 17 years and is currently residing in Thailand for the Pansaa.

I appreciate the reference to Ajahn Tate's bio of Aj. Mun. I'll be sure to check it out. I don't want this biography to unecessarily fall into bad disrepute if there's no ground for it.

Best,

p.s. just a quick edit: Ajahn Geoff Thanissaro was actually a disciple of Ajahn Fuang who was a disciple of Ajahn Lee Dhammadaro (of Wat Asokaram/ 1st generation Ajahn Mun lineage). Ajahn Thate did have Western students as he describes in his bio, though I'm not sure if any are still in robes.

[James the Giant]

Is the companion volume "Patipada, The Mode Of Practice Of Venerable Acharn Mun" similarly hagiographic?
I've just been given a free copy and don't want to waste my time on bad books.

[bodom]

Is the companion volume "Patipada, The Mode Of Practice Of Venerable Acharn Mun" similarly hagiographic?
I've just been given a free copy and don't want to waste my time on bad books.

It is full of meditation instruction and I turn to it regularly for guidance. I recommend it.

[daverupa]

That's actually something I'm finding to be the case with many monastic biographies: meditation instructions that are housed in a practitioners experience, rather than ...formulated.

[James the Giant]

It is full of meditation instruction and I turn to it regularly for guidance. I recommend it.

Thanks B, good to know