Thai Forest Teachers

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Tom
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Thai Forest Teachers

Post by Tom »

I've read a lot of good things about the Thai Forest Tradition. I'm interested in finding a teacher within this tradition that can provide me with thorough instructions in meditation practice. Within this tradition, who would you recommend for what I'm looking for?
Last edited by Tom on Wed Dec 19, 2012 7:30 am, edited 1 time in total.
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LonesomeYogurt
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Re: Thai Forest Teachers

Post by LonesomeYogurt »

I'm not sure where you heard that, as Thai Forest monks are very, very focused on meditation. I doubt there is a tradition out there more focused on it, honestly.


A good teacher in this tradition is Ajahn Brahmavaso.

Others include Bhante Sujato, who recently retired as abbot of Santi Forest Monastery, and of course the late Ajahn Chah.
Gain and loss, status and disgrace,
censure and praise, pleasure and pain:
these conditions among human beings are inconstant,
impermanent, subject to change.

Knowing this, the wise person, mindful,
ponders these changing conditions.
Desirable things don’t charm the mind,
undesirable ones bring no resistance.

His welcoming and rebelling are scattered,
gone to their end,
do not exist.
- Lokavipatti Sutta

Stuff I write about things.
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Hanzze
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Re: Thai Forest Teachers

Post by Hanzze »

ccharles wrote: however I've heard that the Thai Forest Tradition does not emphasize meditation necessarily.
Sounds strange... maybe a interesting article Kammatthana: “The Centre Of Work Or The Workplace Of Meditation”. I guess, where ever there is forest left one would find his teacher there.
Just that! *smile*
...We Buddhists must find the courage to leave our temples and enter the temples of human experience, temples that are filled with suffering. If we listen to Buddha, Christ, or Gandhi, we can do nothing else. The refugee camps, the prisons, the ghettos, and the battlefields will become our temples. We have so much work to do. ... Peace is Possible! Step by Step. - Samtach Preah Maha Ghosananda "Step by Step" http://www.ghosananda.org/bio_book.html

BUT! it is important to become a real Buddhist first. Like Punna did: Punna Sutta Nate sante baram sokham _()_
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Kamran
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Re: Thai Forest Teachers

Post by Kamran »

The Thai forest tradition is almost solely focused on meditation.

As the tradition's name indicates, the monks often wander in the forest by themselves meditating for years on end.

Sutta and book learning are not emphasized, Ajahn Chah said "The only book worth reading is the your heart" :)

There are some Thai forest monasteries throughout the world but depending on where you live it might not be easy to find one nearby.

Thanissaro Bikhu is a senior Thai Forest Monk and publishes the daily talks he gives at his monastery in California on dhammtalks.org.

This a great resource, especially if you don't have a teacher nearby.
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Cittasanto
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Re: Thai Forest Teachers

Post by Cittasanto »

The Forest tradition of any country emphasises meditation.
Ajahn Thanissaro has instructions online as does Ajahn Amaro.
Blog, Suttas, Aj Chah, Facebook.

He who knows only his own side of the case knows little of that. His reasons may be good, and no one may have been able to refute them.
But if he is equally unable to refute the reasons on the opposite side, if he does not so much as know what they are, he has no ground for preferring either opinion …
...
He must be able to hear them from persons who actually believe them … he must know them in their most plausible and persuasive form.
John Stuart Mill
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Goofaholix
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Re: Thai Forest Teachers

Post by Goofaholix »

The nearest to you should suffice, where are you located?
Pronouns (no self / not self)
“Peace is within oneself to be found in the same place as agitation and suffering. It is not found in a forest or on a hilltop, nor is it given by a teacher. Where you experience suffering, you can also find freedom from suffering. Trying to run away from suffering is actually to run toward it.”
― Ajahn Chah
twelph
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Re: Thai Forest Teachers

Post by twelph »

ccharles wrote:I've read a lot of good things about the Thai Forest Tradition. I'm interested in finding a teacher within this tradition that can provide me with thorough instructions in meditation practice, however I've heard that the Thai Forest Tradition does not emphasize meditation necessarily. Within this tradition, who would be best suited for what I'm looking for?
The word "best" is not very useful in this situation. Only you can decide what is best for you. I've been enjoying the teachings of Thanissaro Bhikkhu lately, you can hear his meditation instructions here: http://www.dhammatalks.org/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

If you really want the best instructions though, I believe that reading what the Buddha said and deriving your own practice from those teachings would be your best solution.
Maarten
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Re: Thai Forest Teachers

Post by Maarten »

You could give Ajahn Brahm A try.
Here are some resources:
http://www.holybooks.com/mindfulness-bl ... -handbook/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.youtube.com/user/AjahnBrahmRetreats" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.youtube.com/user/daniapercy" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.dharmaweb.org/index.php/The_ ... rahmavamso" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.dhammaloka.org.au/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Good luck!
'Suppose there were a beetle, a dung-eater, full of dung, gorged with dung, with a huge pile of dung in front of him. He, because of that, would look down on other beetles: 'Yes, sirree! I am a dung-eater, full of dung, gorged with dung, with a huge pile of dung in front of me!' - SN 17.5
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Magoo
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Re: Thai Forest Teachers

Post by Magoo »

ccharles wrote:I've read a lot of good things about the Thai Forest Tradition. I'm interested in finding a teacher within this tradition that can provide me with thorough instructions in meditation practice, however I've heard that the Thai Forest Tradition does not emphasize meditation necessarily. Within this tradition, who would be best suited for what I'm looking for?
I would recommend Ajahn Brahms book, "Mindfulness, Bliss and Beyond". One resource that with details describes the meditaion process and methods for finding powerful meditation.
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