References – Draft biography (1996) more information...
Modern / Ajahn Jayasaro / Draft biography (1996)

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Reading from the draft biography: Young Chah plays at being a monk. Read by Ajahn Amaro. [Ajahn Chah] // [Ajahn Jayasaro] [Almsfood] [Five Precepts]

Reference: Stillness Flowing by Ajahn Jayasaro, p. 23

Remembering Ajahn Chah Weekend [2001], Session 9, Excerpt 3


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Reading from the draft biography: Chah decides to enter the village monastery at age nine. Read by Ajahn Amaro. [Types of monks] [Monastic life/Motivation] [Ajahn Chah] // [Conditionality] [Conscience and prudence] [Truth] [Generosity] [Kamma] [Work]

Reference: Stillness Flowing by Ajahn Jayasaro, p. 25

Remembering Ajahn Chah Weekend [2001], Session 9, Excerpt 4


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Reading from the draft biography: Chah falls in love. Read by Ajahn Amaro. [Relationships] [Ajahn Chah] // [Family] [Commerce/economics] [Restlessness and worry]

Reference: Stillness Flowing by Ajahn Jayasaro, p. 34

Remembering Ajahn Chah Weekend [2001], Session 9, Excerpt 6


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Reading from the draft biography: Ajahn Chah’s dying father asks him to remain in robes for life. Read by Ajahn Amaro. [Sickness] [Recollection/Death] [Parents] [Monastic life] [Ajahn Chah] [Determination] // [Learning] [Culture/Thailand] [Unattractiveness] [Forest versus city monks] [Sutta] [Spiritual urgency]

Quote: “I dedicate my body and mind, my whole life, to the practice of the Lord Buddha’s teachings in their entirety. I will realize the truth in this lifetime … I will let go of everything and follow the teachings. No matter how much suffering and difficulty I have to endure I will persevere, otherwise there will be no end to my doubts. I will make this life as even and continuous as a single day and night. I will abandon attachments to mind and body and follow the Buddha’s teachings until I know their truth for myself.” — Ajahn Chah. [Buddha] [Dhamma] [Practicing in accordance with Dhamma] [Knowledge and vision] [Truth] [Relinquishment] [Suffering]

Reflection: Stillness Flowing by Ajahn Jayasaro, p. 40 [Energy] [Doubt] [Continuity of mindfulness]

Remembering Ajahn Chah Weekend [2001], Session 9, Excerpt 8


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Reading from the draft biography: Ajahn Chah’s birthplace and early life. Read by Ajahn Pasanno. [Culture/Thailand] [Family] [Children] [Ajahn Chah]

Reference: Stillness Flowing by Ajahn Jayasaro, p. 22

Recollections of Ajahn Chah [2010], Session 1, Excerpt 4


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Reading from the draft biography: At the age of nine, Ajahn Chah asks to go to the village monastery. Read by Ajahn Pasanno. [Family] [Novices] [Ajahn Chah]

Reference: Stillness Flowing by Ajahn Jayasaro, p. 25

Recollections of Ajahn Chah [2010], Session 1, Excerpt 5


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Reading from the draft biography: Ajahn Chah falls in love. Read by Ajahn Pasanno. [Relationships] [Ajahn Chah] // [Culture/Thailand] [Spiritual urgency] [Sensual desire]

Reference: Stillness Flowing by Ajahn Jayasaro, p. 34

Recollections of Ajahn Chah [2010], Session 1, Excerpt 7


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Reading from the draft biography: Ajahn Chah ordains at age 20. Read by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ordination] [Ajahn Chah] // [Culture/Thailand] [Military] [Merit] [Spiritual urgency] [Learning] [Pāṭimokkha]

Reference: Stillness Flowing by Ajahn Jayasaro, p. 37

Recollections of Ajahn Chah [2010], Session 1, Excerpt 8


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Reading from the draft biography: Ajahn Chah obsesses about food. Read by Ajahn Pasanno. [Food] [Sensual desire] [Ajahn Chah]

Reference: Stillness Flowing by Ajahn Jayasaro, p. 39

Quote: “Close the doors. I’m going to eat noodles today!” — Ajahn Chah. Quoted by Ajahn Pasanno.

Recollections of Ajahn Chah [2010], Session 1, Excerpt 9


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Reading from the draft biography: Ajahn Chah accepts his dying father’s request to stay as a monk for life. Read by Ajahn Pasanno. [Parents] [Monastic life/Motivation] [Sickness] [Death] [Ajahn Chah ] [Determination ] // [Mindfulness of body] [Spiritual urgency ] [Saṃsāra]

Reference: Stillness Flowing by Ajahn Jayasaro, p. 40

Quote: “I dedicate my body and mind, my whole life, to the practice of the Lord Buddha’s teachings in their entirety. I will realize the truth in this lifetime … I will let go of everything and follow the teachings. No matter how much suffering and difficulty I have to endure I will persevere, otherwise there will be no end to my doubts. I will make this life as even and continuous as a single day and night. I will abandon attachments to mind and body and follow the Buddha’s teachings until I know their truth for myself.” — Ajahn Chah. [Determination ] [Ardency] [Patience] [Doubt] [Continuity of mindfulness] [Relinquishment] [Knowledge and vision]

Reference: Stillness Flowing by Ajahn Jayasaro, p. 42

The singular quality of Ajahn Chah’s resolution. Reflection by Ajahn Pasanno. [Determination ]

Recollections of Ajahn Chah [2010], Session 1, Excerpt 10


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Reading from the draft biography: Ajahn Mun’s character and legacy. Read by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Mun ] [Thai Forest Tradition] [Ajahn Chah] // [Culture/Thailand] [Perception of a samaṇa] [Great disciples] [Ascetic practices] [Rains retreat] [Almsround] [Psychic powers] [Discernment] [Liberation] [History/Thai Buddhism]

Reference: Stillness Flowing by Ajahn Jayasaro, p. 52

Suttas: Dhp 65, Dhp 92

Story: Ajahn Mun disappears after being appointed abbot. [Abbot] [Seclusion]

Recollections of Ajahn Chah [2010], Session 1, Excerpt 12


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Reading from the draft biography: Ajahn Chah visits Ajahn Mun. Read by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Mun] [Tudong] [Ajahn Chah ] // [Relics] [Cleanliness] [Perception of a samaṇa] [Personal presence] [Vinaya] [Conscience and prudence] [Teaching Dhamma] [Knowing itself] [Nature of mind] [Conventions] [Unconditioned] [Faith]

Reference: Stillness Flowing by Ajahn Jayasaro, p. 54

Recollections of Ajahn Chah [2010], Session 1, Excerpt 13


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Reading from the draft biography: Ajahn Chah’s mentors: Ajahn Tongrat and Ajahn Kinaree Read by Ajahn Pasanno. [Mentoring] [Ajahn Tongrat] [Ajahn Kinaree] [Ajahn Chah] // [Personality] [Respect for elders] [Upatakh] [Tudong] [Visiting holy sites] [Robes] [Relinquishment] [Monastic crafts] [Pace of life] [Craving]

Reference: Stillness Flowing by Ajahn Jayasaro, p. 73

Story: Ajahn Chah meets Ajahn Tongrat.

Story: Ajahn Mun teaches his teacher, Ajahn Sao. [Ajahn Sao] [Ajahn Mun] [Liberation]

Recollections of Ajahn Chah [2010], Session 7, Excerpt 5


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Reading from the draft biography: Ajahn Chah leaves his companions and stays alone. Read by Ajahn Pasanno. [Tudong] [Seclusion] [Culture/Thailand] [Ajahn Chah] // [Spiritual friendship]

Reference: Stillness Flowing by Ajahn Jayasaro, p. 89

Quote: “Where is the good person? He lies within us. If we’re good, then wherever we go, the goodness stays with us.” — Ajahn Chah. [Virtue] [Blame and praise]

Recollections of Ajahn Chah [2010], Session 7, Excerpt 6


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Reading from the draft biography: Ajahn Chah in the early years: spare, stern, and vigorous. Read by Ajahn Pasanno. [Personality] [Personal presence] [Ardency] [Ascetic practices] [Ajahn Chah] // [Similes]

Reference: Stillness Flowing by Ajahn Jayasaro, p. 137

Quote: “Nibbāna lies on the shores of death.” — Ajahn Chah. [Nibbāna] [Death]

Recollections of Ajahn Chah [2010], Session 11, Excerpt 6


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Reading from the draft biography: Building the road to Tam Sang Pet. Read by Ajahn Pasanno. [Wat Tam Saeng Pet] [Work] [Ajahn Chah] // [Culture/Natural environment] [Ajahn Anek] [Patience] [Perception of a samaṇa] [Ardency]

Reference: Stillness Flowing by Ajahn Jayasaro, p. 428

Quote: “Patient endurance is the general of practice.” — Ajahn Chah.

Recollections of Ajahn Chah [2010], Session 11, Excerpt 7


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Reading from the draft biography: Ajahn Chah’s ability to draw people in and respond with compassion. Read by Ajahn Pasanno. [Personal presence] [Compassion] [Generosity] [Ajahn Chah] // [Wat Tam Saeng Pet] [Rains retreat] [Sickness] [Almsround] [Teaching Dhamma] [Similes] [Upatakh]

Reference: Stillness Flowing by Ajahn Jayasaro, p. 705

Recollections of Ajahn Chah [2010], Session 11, Excerpt 8


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Reading: “1946-1954: The Tudong Years” from the draft biography of Ajahn Chah. Read by Ajahn Cunda.

Reference: Stillness Flowing by Ajahn Jayasaro, p. 44.

Our Roots in the Thai Forest Tradition [2014], Session 44


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Comments about the cremation ground story and the draft biography of Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Chah] [Dhamma books]

Our Roots in the Thai Forest Tradition [2014], Session 44, Excerpt 4


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Reading: “A Simple Monk” from the draft biography of Ajahn Chah. Read by Ajahn Kaccāna.

Reference: Stillness Flowing by Ajahn Jayasaro, p. 73. (The draft biograpy contains many details not in the final text.)

Our Roots in the Thai Forest Tradition [2014], Session 45


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Reading from the draft biography of Ajahn Chah: The founding of Wat Pah Pong. Read by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Chah] [Wat Pah Pong] [Ajahn Sao]

Reference: Stillness Flowing p.123 .

The Four Foundations of Mindfulness [2015], Session 9, Excerpt 2