Venerable âcariya MunBhåridatta Thera
A Spiritual Biographyby
âcariya Mahà Boowa Nànasampanno
Translated from the Thai
by
Bhikkhu Dick Sãlaratano
THIS BOOK MUST BE GIVEN AWAY FREE
AND MUST NOT BE SOLD
Copyright 2003 © by
Venerable âcariya Mahà Boowa Nànasampanno
This book is a free gift of Dhamma, and may not be offered for sale, for as the Venerable âcariya Mahà Boowa Nànasampanno has said, “Dhamma has a value beyond all wealth and should not be sold like goods in a market place.” Reproduction of this book, in whole or in part, by any means, for sale or material gain is prohibited. Permission to reprint in whole or in part for free
distribution as a gift of Dhamma, however, is hereby granted, and no further permission need be obtained. But for the electronic reproduction or distribution of this book, permission must first be obtained.
Inquiries may be addressed to:
Wat Pa Baan Taad, Baan Taad,
Ampher Meuang, Udorn Thani, 41000 Thailand Translator’s IntroductionVenerable Ãcariya Mun Bhýridatta Thera is a towering figure in contemporary Thai Buddhism. He was widely revered and respected during his lifetime for the extraordinary courage and determination he displayed in practicing the ascetic way of life and for his uncompromising strictness in teaching his many disciples. During the 50 years since his death, he has assumed an exalted status in Buddhist circles and thus remains an overshadowing presence whose life and teachings have become synonymous with the Buddha’s noble quest for selftransformation. Although Ãcariya Mun (pronounced to rhyme with “sun”) left no written record of his own, this biography, compiled by one of his close disciples some 20 years after his death, is largely responsible for introducing his life, his achievements, and his teachings to a broad section of Buddhist society. Through the widespread popularity of this book, many Thai Buddhists have been given fresh hope that the spiritual liberation which the Buddha proclaimed to the world over 2,500 years ago, and which has been attained by so many aspirants over the succeeding centuries, is still accessible in today’s modern age. Many Thais have expressed the view that they had lost confidence that magga, phala, and Nibbãna were still relevant today. But, by reading Ãcariya Mun’s biography, they realized that accounts of these exalted attainments are not mere fragments of ancient history, dead and dry – but a living, luminous legacy of self-transcendence accessible to any individual who is willing and able to put forth the effort needed to achieve them. They have come to understand that Buddhist monks, with their distinctive robes and monastic vocation, are not merely clerical figures representing the Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha: some of them are indeed living proof of the Truth presented in the Buddha’s teaching...
Download:http://forum.sangham.net/index.php?action=tpmod;dl=item17