Part One
To the Last Breath
Dhamma Talks on Living and Dying
by

Venerable Acharn Mahaa Boowa Nyanasampanno
of
Wat Pa Bahn Tahd
Udorn-thani, N.E. Thailand
 
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Biographical Note
Venerable Acharn Maha Boowa was born in Udorn-thani, North-east Thailand in 1913. He became a monk in the customary way at a local monastery and went on to study the Pali language and texts. At this time he also started to meditate but had not yet found a suitable Teacher. Then he caught sight of the Ven. Acharn Mun and immediately felt that this was someone really special, someone who obviously had achieved something from his Dhamma practice.

After finishing his Grade Three Pali studies1 he therefore left the study monastery and followed Ven. Acharn Mun into the forests of N.E. Thailand. When he caught up with Ven. Acharn Mun, he was told to put his academic knowledge to one side and concentrate on meditation. And that was what he did. He often went into solitary retreat in the mountains and jungle but always returned for help and advice from Ven. Acharn Mun. He stayed with Ven. Acharn Mun for seven years, right until the Ven. Acharn's passing away.

The vigour and uncompromising determination of his Dhamma practice attracted other monks dedicated to meditation and this eventually resulted in the founding of Wat Pa Bahn Tahd, in some forest near the village where he was born. This enabled his mother to come and live as a nun at the monastery.

Ven. Acharn Maha Boowa is well known for the fluency and skill of his Dhamma talks, and their direct and dynamic approach. They obviously reflect his own attitude and the way he personally practiced Dhamma. This is best exemplified in the Dhamma talks he gives to those who go to meditate at Wat Pa Bahn Tahd. Such talks usually take place in the cool of the evening, with lamps lit and the only sound being the insects and cicadas in the surrounding jungle. He often begins the Dhamma talk with a few moments of stillness — this is the most preparation he needs — and then quietly begins the Dhamma exposition. As the theme naturally develops, the pace quickens and those listening increasingly feel its strength and depth.

The formal Dhamma talk might last from thirty-five to sixty minutes. Then, after a more general talk, the listeners would all go back to their solitary huts in the jungle to continue the practice, to try to find the Dhamma they had been listening about — inside themselves.

Note

1. On completion of Grade Three Paali, one is given the title Mahaa. There are nine grades in all.