“Oftentimes, the First Noble Truth is misquoted as “All life is suffering,” but that is an inaccurate and misleading reflection of the Buddha’s insight. He did not teach that life is constant misery, nor that you should expect to feel pain and unhappiness at all times. Rather, he proclaimed that suffering is an unavoidable reality of ordinary human existence that is to be known and responded to wisely.”
― Venerable Ajahn Sumedho
19030
Ajahn Chah and the Spread of Theravada Buddhism to the West
The influence of Ajahn Chah, a Thai Buddhist monk, helped to spread the teachings of Theravada Buddhism throughout Europe and the United States. It is through the many recordings of his dhamma talks that his teachings have been preserved and transcribed in many languages throughout the world.
His disciple, American born Ajahn Sumedho, became instrumental in training English-speaking students. In 1977 the two men traveled to the United Kingdom and found there was major interests in their teaching. Chah had Sumedho remain behind to establish a branch monastery in West Sussex, the Cittaviveka Forest Monastery.
In 1984 the Amaravati Buddhist Monastery was established outside Hemel Hempstead. Today a network of monasteries in the lineage of Ajahn Chah spread throughout England, the United States, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia.
Books about his life and background, as well as his teachings and the teachings of his followers, are often referred to throughout this website.
19000
