WISDOM DEVELOPS SAMADHI – VENARABLE MAHA BOOWA

TRANSLATOR’S INTRODUCTION

This book ‘Wisdom Develops Samādhi’ is one of the few books written by Ācariya Mahā Boowa (Bhikkhu Ñāṇasampanno) who is now the abbot of Baan Taad Forest Monastery, which is situated in the country-side close to the village where he was born and brought up. When he was old enough he ordained as a monk and some while afterwards he went away to find a meditation teacher. He was directed towards the Vener- able Ācariya Mun (Bhūridatta Thera) and Ācariya Mahā Boowa has said that as soon he met Ācariya Mun, he knew that Ācariya Mun was his teacher. He learnt and practised under the guidance of Ācariya Mun for nine years until Ācariya Mun died at the age of eighty years, after which Ācariya Mahā Boowa practised the way on his own in the hills and forests of Thailand. He then wandered throughout the country, going to nearly every province until he was offered land by supporters near his home village to build a forest monastery. Since then, he settled down and has lived there since.

Many words in ‘Wisdom Develops Samādhi’ have been left in Pāli be- cause there is often no adequate translation in English; it is hoped the reader will forgive any difficulties that this may make, but it is felt better that the reader should not-understand rather than mis-under- stand. However, a fairly comprehensive glossary has been included at the back, which should cover all the Pāli words that are not actually explained in the text.