15 Facts About Ajahn Chah

Ajahn Chah was an influential teacher of the Buddhadhamma and a founder of two major monasteries in the Thai Forest Tradition.

The dhamma talks of Ajahn Chah have been recorded, transcribed and translated into several languages.

Ajahn Chah left behind a legacy of dhamma talks, students, and monasteries.

Ajahn Chah was born on 17 June 1918 near Ubon Ratchathani in the Isan region of northeast Thailand.

The definitive 2017 biography of Ajahn Chah Stillness Flowing states that Ajahn Chah took his novice vows in March 1931 and that his first teacher as a novice was Ajahn Lang.

Ajahn Chah left the monastery to help his family on the farm, but later returned to monastic life on 16 April 1939, seeking ordination as a Theravadan monk.

Ajahn Chah walked across Thailand, taking teachings at various monasteries.

Ajahn Chah lived in caves and forests while learning from the meditation monks of the Forest Tradition.

Ajahn Chah wandered through the countryside in quest of quiet and secluded places for developing meditation.

Ajahn Chah lived in tiger and cobra infested jungles, using reflections on death to penetrate to the true meaning of life.

Ajahn Chah continued Ajahn Mun's high standards of practice when he became a teacher.

In 1954, Wat Nong Pah Pong monastery was established, where Ajahn Chah could teach his simple, practice-based form of meditation.

Ajahn Chah attracted a wide variety of disciples, which included, in 1966, the first Westerner, Venerable Ajahn Sumedho.

Ajahn Chah was taken to Bangkok for surgery to relieve paralysis caused by the diabetes, but it was to little effect.

Ajahn Chah would remain bedridden and ultimately unable to speak for ten years, until his death on 16 January 1992, at the age of 73.