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අති උත්තම ආචාර්ය මන් භූරිදතත
නවීන තායි බුදු දහමේ අති ශ්රේෂ්ඨ පුද්ගලයා ලෙස පූජණීය ආචාර්ය මන් භූරිදතත හිමි ප්රසිද්ධ වී ඇත. උන් වහන්සේගේ ජීවිත කාලයේදී දස අත පැතිරී ගිය ගුණ සමුදාය වූයේ ප්රධාන වශයෙන් උන් වහන්සේ තුළ පැවති අසාමාන්ය ධෛර්යය, තපස සහ තම අනුගාමිකයින් වෙත දැක්වූ ප්රබල විනය ගරුක භාවය වේ. පරිනිවීමෙන් දැන් වර්ෂ 50ක් පමණ ඉක්ම වී ඇතත් බෞද්ධ ජනතාවගේ ගෞරවණීය පිළිගැනීමේ විශිෂ්ටත්වයක් ඇත. එනම් බුදුරජාණන් වහන්සේගේ ආර්ය පර්යේෂණය තුළින් ජීවිත පරිනාමය වූ අපූර්ව සිද්ධිය මුන්වහන්සේගේ ජීවිත පරිනාමයේ ද දැක ගත හැකි බවය.
341 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2002
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
August 23, 2012
In the year 2004, my teacher gave me this book, so I felt compelled to read it. The fact is, I didn't read much before, and to read 400pages book of a spiritual master biography in ENGLISH seemed to be a hard and incredibly boring task at that time! Once I started reading it though, I just couldn't stop! With my bare English at that time, I had to read this book with the aid of two dictionaries (English-Indonesian dictionary, and English-English dictionary). I lined up so many important things, wrote down so many words I didn't understand at that time, in the end this book looks so much like a 'school-book'.
This is the book that starts the motion in me to read, that makes me LOVE to read, especially to read in biography and memoir genres! This book is just amazing!
As the towering figure in contemporary Thai Buddhism, Ajaan Mun Bhuridatta Thera can be called the father of the Duthanga Kammatthana monks in Thailand. In fact, almost all Buddhists in Thailand today are in his lineage, are his followers and disciples. Many consider and liken him as the Buddha in our era; when people thought that the goal of final enlightenment (Nibbana) is already impossible in today's era, Ajaan Mun came and showed us that it is still possible. He achieved it, attained arahantship and showed us the way! Ajaan Mun sort of brought back the real 'living' Buddhism to today's era, showing that it is still possible, proving that it is not only things of the past or things in the mere future when the next Buddha comes.
This very book is his ONLY complete and authentic biography, written by his close disciple Ajaan Maha Boowa who himself is a renown teacher in contemporary Thai Buddhism, who himself has attained final goal of enlightenment and become a great teacher in his own right! This is one of the very few books that Ajaan Maha Boowa actually wrote himself. This translation, done by Bhikkhu Dick Silaratano, a close disciple of Ajaan Maha Boowa for more than 30years, is also the only complete translation of this book from Thailand to English!
In this book, the author and translator tell us the story of Ajaan Mun Bhuridatta Thera since his childhood, accompanied by quite a graphical explanation of cultural background in Thailand in that era. His childhood, his life when he was a young boy, his encounters with Buddhism, his ordination, his struggles and pursue in practices, his encounters with many divine beings as well as those in the lower realm, his way in teaching his disciples, his charismatic. He is pretty much the one who changes the whole Thailand's belief system; from the believe in the spirit to the real practice of Buddhism in everyday life!
Normally a Spiritual Master always has a 'saint' aura in our eyes, but here Ajaan Maha Boowa shows us how mischievous Ajaan Mun could be when he was a young boy, his jokes and faults (I can't stop laughing every time I get into his mischievous part). It gives proof that a 'saint' was also a child at one time, that saints were not born holy. The holiness is achieved by hardship and discipline, by resolution and effort and not by mere birth. To that end, any of us, if we do it right, can achieve what Ajaan Mun achieved, the final goal of enlightenment.
In reading this book I liken it to the Lord Buddha's story. The difference is that this book is more real, more applicable, more in our era. Reading the Lord Buddha and his Great Disciples as well as all the Suttas are nice and enlightening, but they give me the feeling of 'so far away in the past', those books sometimes give me doubt whether it is still applicable in today's era? But reading Ajaan Mun's Biography giving me the real insight that IT IS still applicable now, it gives me the feeling of the real-living-Buddhism that can be achieved today, now.
This is a truly masterpiece!
This is the book that starts the motion in me to read, that makes me LOVE to read, especially to read in biography and memoir genres! This book is just amazing!
As the towering figure in contemporary Thai Buddhism, Ajaan Mun Bhuridatta Thera can be called the father of the Duthanga Kammatthana monks in Thailand. In fact, almost all Buddhists in Thailand today are in his lineage, are his followers and disciples. Many consider and liken him as the Buddha in our era; when people thought that the goal of final enlightenment (Nibbana) is already impossible in today's era, Ajaan Mun came and showed us that it is still possible. He achieved it, attained arahantship and showed us the way! Ajaan Mun sort of brought back the real 'living' Buddhism to today's era, showing that it is still possible, proving that it is not only things of the past or things in the mere future when the next Buddha comes.
This very book is his ONLY complete and authentic biography, written by his close disciple Ajaan Maha Boowa who himself is a renown teacher in contemporary Thai Buddhism, who himself has attained final goal of enlightenment and become a great teacher in his own right! This is one of the very few books that Ajaan Maha Boowa actually wrote himself. This translation, done by Bhikkhu Dick Silaratano, a close disciple of Ajaan Maha Boowa for more than 30years, is also the only complete translation of this book from Thailand to English!
In this book, the author and translator tell us the story of Ajaan Mun Bhuridatta Thera since his childhood, accompanied by quite a graphical explanation of cultural background in Thailand in that era. His childhood, his life when he was a young boy, his encounters with Buddhism, his ordination, his struggles and pursue in practices, his encounters with many divine beings as well as those in the lower realm, his way in teaching his disciples, his charismatic. He is pretty much the one who changes the whole Thailand's belief system; from the believe in the spirit to the real practice of Buddhism in everyday life!
Normally a Spiritual Master always has a 'saint' aura in our eyes, but here Ajaan Maha Boowa shows us how mischievous Ajaan Mun could be when he was a young boy, his jokes and faults (I can't stop laughing every time I get into his mischievous part). It gives proof that a 'saint' was also a child at one time, that saints were not born holy. The holiness is achieved by hardship and discipline, by resolution and effort and not by mere birth. To that end, any of us, if we do it right, can achieve what Ajaan Mun achieved, the final goal of enlightenment.
In reading this book I liken it to the Lord Buddha's story. The difference is that this book is more real, more applicable, more in our era. Reading the Lord Buddha and his Great Disciples as well as all the Suttas are nice and enlightening, but they give me the feeling of 'so far away in the past', those books sometimes give me doubt whether it is still applicable in today's era? But reading Ajaan Mun's Biography giving me the real insight that IT IS still applicable now, it gives me the feeling of the real-living-Buddhism that can be achieved today, now.
This is a truly masterpiece!
March 16, 2022
We have to take into account that this book was written through the eyes of one of his students, and is very influenced by his perceptions & personality. Ajaan Maha Bua who comes off as a bit more stouthearted than most people, frequently uses adamant/battle-oriented language, as if he is going to war. This book has been criticized by other students of Ajaan Mun because he did not speak like this. Ajaan Maha Bua does apologize for it frequently.
Also, the latter part of the book was slow, which was really apparent because the initial chapters were so fast-paced and magical. Other than that, it is a thorough account of the life of an amazing disciple of the Buddha.
Also, the latter part of the book was slow, which was really apparent because the initial chapters were so fast-paced and magical. Other than that, it is a thorough account of the life of an amazing disciple of the Buddha.
September 30, 2025
Venerable Ācariya Mun Bhuridatta Thera: A Spiritual Biography- Ajaan Maha Boowa Nanasampanno Thera, Silaratano Bhikkhu(Translator)
July 8, 2020
Where to Get This Book?
June 1, 2024
A rare glimpse into the lives of monks not always accessible to the laity. Many great Dhamma talks and exhortations in this book as well. This book and all of the author’s books I have encountered so far have been priceless in their value.
Very thankful for what has been shared in this book and the other books . Very thankful to the venerable author and the Venerable Acariya Mun.
Very thankful for what has been shared in this book and the other books . Very thankful to the venerable author and the Venerable Acariya Mun.
May 10, 2016
This is an excellent biography about a highly realized Thai monk who followed the practices of the forest dwelling monks. His intensity and experiences are amazing. It's written by a student, who did extensive research, interviewing other students and teachers.
September 23, 2010
Rich and inspirational.
This book made me realize the importance of scrupulously monitoring my thoughts and the need to address negative emotions as soon as they arise.
This book made me realize the importance of scrupulously monitoring my thoughts and the need to address negative emotions as soon as they arise.
April 6, 2016
Terrifying.
April 15, 2016
Awesome
April 24, 2018
i think every dedicated buddhist should read this book. Respects for the thai forest tradition.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews