The Pali work kammaṭṭhāna literally means “the place of work”. Inside Thailand, what we call in the West the “Thai Forest Tradition” refers to itself as the kammaṭṭhāna tradition, and the monks within it as kammaṭṭhāna bhikkhus. At first this description of “the place of work” or “the basis of work” (as Ajahn Maha Boowa translates it) doesn’t sound very interesting. But on the one hand it is a very down-to-earth and practical approach to Buddhist meditative practice and mental development, and on the other it leads into profound and deep states of mind that are almost completely unknown to Western culture at large.
There is quite a lot of Pali terminology thrown into these talks, and it could be hard going for the beginner. It is after all, a teaching directed towards dedicated monks living in Ajahn Maha Boowa’s monastery. For beginners I recommend other teachers, especially western teachers from the Forest Tradition like Ajahn Brahm who are much more accessible in the way that they teach. However, for those who are on the Eightfold Path of practice and who are a bit more intrepid in their approach and seeking to open up the deeper states of mind, teachings like these can be of incalculable value. I endeavour to translate nearly all Pali terms into English on the first usage, and then lean more towards using the Pali - as Ajahn Maha Boowa does - subsequent to that. The translated text to this Dhamma teaching is available in the show notes below this episode.
For free distribution
No part of this teaching may be reproduced in any form of by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, without permission in writing from the publisher unless it is to be reproduced for Free Distribution, in which case, permission is freely given.
Links
The Forest Path Podcast
Everyday Dhamma Network
Episode link: https://play.headliner.app/episode/19993924?utm_source=youtube
Podcast: The Forest Path Podcast - Narrated translations of meditation masters of the forest tradition of Theravada Buddhism.
Related Videos
Why Are We Here? | Ajahn Chah | The Forest Path Podcast
This episode is a talk given by the Thai forest meditation master Ajahn Chah and is titled “Why Are We Here?” . It was first publish as part of the book “The Collected Teachings of Ajahn Chah” which is made available by Aruna Publications. You can find links to the original text in the description b...
Mental Energy Equals Happiness | Ajahn Brahm | Ajahn Brahm Podcast
Ajahn Brahm offers insight in how to understand the nature of happiness and thereby work out how to apply it in yourself. Key amongst those insight is that happiness is mental energy. So how can we develop mental energy? Listen to Ajahn Brahm’s talk to find out. — This dhamma talk was originally rec...
MN39. The Longer Discourse at Assapura - Mahāassapura Sutta | The Buddha’s Wisdom Podcast
This episode is a narration of the 39th Sutta of the Middle Discourses of the Buddha, The Mahāassapura Sutta, which translates as “The Longer Discourse at Assapura ”. In this discourse the Buddha encourages the monks to live up to their name, by actually practicing in a way that meets or exceeds the...