Bhikkhu Buddhadasa (1906–1993)

Any practitioner, after meditating for some time, inevitably wonders what meditation method the historical Buddha Shakyamuni himself used while beneath the Bodhi Tree. Many people understand that prior to his realization, Shakyamuni Buddha studied with many of the great yogis of his time, but most do not know what method he ultimately found leads most directly to nirvana. In Ajahn Buddhadasa Bhikkhu's book, Mindfulness With Breathing, the Thai meditation master provides practitioners with penetrating insights into the Anapanasati Sutta, the canonical text which many believe is the most direct transmission of Shakyamuni Buddha's breath meditation methods. Combined with a concise translation of the sutta itself, Mindfulness with Breathing is one of the best guides to Buddhist meditation practice available in the English language.… (mer)

This short book is a series of lectures on the fundamentals of Theravadin Buddhism. It is thoughtful, orderly, and comprehensive. Buddhadasa has a very positive attitude about the spiritual capabilities of his readers, and strongly emphasizes the basics of Buddhist practice. He comes across as warm-hearted and very serious. This book is an excellent introduction to a down-to-earth, non-romanticized approach to Buddhism, but perhaps its unrelenting seriousness might make it a little daunting to beginners. It can be taken a little at a time. My only complaint is that I would have liked him to devote more commentary to Buddhist ethics.… (mer)

Buddhadasa Bhikku, a Thai monk noted for establishing the Wat Suan Mokkh Dharma Center is a well known commentator and advocate for Buddhism in Thailand. This short book consists of a speech that he gave at the Sixth Buddhist Council held in Burma in 1954. The title indicates only partially what to expect, a series of points celebrating Theravada Buddhism. At the core of the work though is a review of the Noble Eightfold Path with an emphasis on the importance of Right View/Right Understanding. Also of interest is the conception of the Creator-Controlling-Destroyer function of god and its parallels in Buddhist thought along with a brief discussion on nibbana (nirvana) and pure mind. The defense of Theravada is particularly fiery and is dispelled by the Forward which explains how Buddhadasa Bhikku's thinking has evolved over decades of practice. Still, it remains a small peek into some of the divisions that have existed in Buddhism while providing insight into a figure of national prominence in Thailand.… (mer)

Every field of human knowledge has its own specialised vocabulary. Religion/spirituality also has a special language of its own, which has to be learnt before there can be any communication of ideas on the subject.

The talk by Bhikku Buddhadasa recorded in this booklet, deals in particular with the special language which the Buddha used in his teaching. The author has called this the Language of Dhamma, but says that since the Higher Truth or Dhamma is constant, indepenent of time, place and teacher, the language in which it is discussed is to a large extent international.… (mer)