Heart Wisdom – Ep. 79 – Remembering Ajahn Chah – Jack Kornfield

Ajahn Chah was a Thai Buddhist monk. He was an influential teacher of the Buddhadhamma and a founder of two major monasteries in the Thai Forest Tradition. Respected and loved in his own country as a man of great wisdom, he was also instrumental in establishing Theravada Buddhism in the West. Beginning in 1979 with the founding of Cittaviveka (commonly known as Chithurst Buddhist Monastery) in the United Kingdom, the Forest Tradition of Ajahn Chah has spread throughout Europe, the United States and the British Commonwealth. The dhamma talks of Ajahn Chah have been recorded, transcribed and translated into several languages.

Our Tree of Teachers – A big part of our practice is realizing our interconnectedness. There is a vast network of benefactors and teachers that are responsible for the aid and guidance which have contributed to who we are at this very moment. Despite what our ego may tell us, we are not alone and we did not reach this moment on our own either.

“A monk’s work is hard, he works to free his heart so that he begins to feel loving-kindness which embraces everything.” – Ajahn Chah

What Ajahn Chah talked about, and my other teachers as well, was that it’s not just that we have to do away with the landmines and bombing, but we have to do away with the landmines in the human heart. We have to do away with the violence in the human heart.