Luangta Maha Boowa was one of the last surviving disciple of Acariya Mun (who passed away in 1949).
Today, it rained the entire day without stop at the area where I am staying- as if the skys are crying over the loss of this great Teacher.
The photos below are taken by me during my visit to Wat Pa Baan Taad:
Below: 11 August 2007- on the eve of his 94th birthday, he gave a short talk to those who were present:
Below: On 12 August 2007, Luangta's birthday:
On 17 Oct 2008- Kathina ceremony:
Luangta was travelling on the golf cart because he could not walk well.
It remains now that the most important is for us to practice and apply his teachings to heart. He had dedicated decades of his life towards teaching us with the best of his ability. My life changed afer discovering his teachings and I am grateful that I had the chance to meet him while he was alive.
Let us all not forsake our practice- one of the best way we can do to honor the Buddha and our teacher is to practice the teachings in our daily live, every moment in our day-to-day life, regardless of what we do.
We do not need wait or plan for some time in future to practice. What's the point of practicing in future if we cannot even do it now. Regardless of whether we are working, studying, retired....living at home or in the monastery, we can still put the teachings to practice day by day. Have mindfulness (sati) and don't let other things intrude into our hearts. Find time to do meditation and chanting- there is no need to 'plan' and do it only at retreats. And in our walking moments, be mindful of our thoughts, words and deeds. Need not go out to search for flaws of others or analyze external things. Deep within each and every one of our hearts, there lies deep immense wisdom that can only be realised in the quiet stillness of the mind.
A Great Teacher has very sadly left us- and while his memories still linger fresh in our minds, let us all make the firm determination to start and continue our path, little by little and day by day. Time wait for no ones and one day, the law of anicca would come. In this lifetime, we have been very blessed and fortunate to come in contact with the teachings of this Great Teacher.
Let us pay our humblest tribute to him through not forsaking our daily practice.
4 comments:
hello there. I came across your blog after googling Luang Ta Maha Bua after learning of his recent sad departure.
I wanted to pass on my sincerest thanks for your blog and for sharing your practice. I too am trying my best to sincerely and wholeheartedly follow a spiritual Thai Buddhist practice; and yet having to balance this with the world and worldly things. It is somewhat reassuring to read your posts and to wholeheartedly relate.
In recent months I have been challenged tremendously in my spiritual practice and although thankfully I have returned to what I would consider a "bright" and determined state of mind, there was a moment where I was challenged and nearly abandoned my path entirely!
Please continue to blog, you are an inspiration. May I ask, do you find keeping a blog record of your practice helpful? I am considering to do one for myself, purely for my own benefit.
Dear friend,
Thanks for visiting. You may consider starting a blog to document your journey. If you are going to share your innermost struggle, then you may want to remain anonymous. All the best.
Challenges are often signs that you are moving in your practice- if you are able to break through, you will see progress- else some may even regress. Make the firm determination and pray for guidance from Buddha- it has always worked for me.
I had the distinct honor of visiting Luangta Maha Bua and Wat Pa Baan That on three occasions. I was gifted with the works of Luangta by Ajahn Pannavaddho Bhikkhu. I was given extra copies to dispense at the Theravada wat in MN in the USA. The latest gifts of Dhamma received were to be given to the monks at a small wat in GA I frequent. So much was learned from these great Beings. So, much will live on. Their Walk on the Path is over. We shall all carry on. Saddhu, saddhu, saddhu.....
This is so sad for me despite the impermanence of all things. I had the great good fortune to meet with Luangta Maha Bua and receive a brief teaching from him about 15 years ago, and it has never left my heartmind. I was also touched by Ajahn Pannavaddo, now also passed on, and by Ajahn Dick Silaratano. May all beings find peace....
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