The Fundamentals of Meditation
Phra Ajahn Plien Panyapatipo
Wat Aranyawiwake, Mae Taeng District
Chiang Mai, Thailand. 1999
Translated from the Thai language by Assoc. Professor Dr. Chalerm-srie Jan-orn
Translator’s Note:
This book is concerned with Buddhist meditation and specifically the practice of samadhi. Samadhi is the Pali language term for concentration and establishing or fixing the mind in one-pointedness. Whereas most other Pali terms have been translated samadhi has been left as a word that the English should adopt.
Phra Ajahn Plien Panyapatipo was born into the Wongsachandra family on November 16th, 1933, in Sakon Nakorn Province (Sawang-dan-din district) of North – eastern Thailand. He was the third of the six children, with four brothers and one sister. At a young age he went to live with his grandparents until he was 11 years old when he returned to help with the family shop.
At the age of 18 he expressed an interest in medicine and worked as an assistant to a country doctor who was also a relative. His plans to continue medical studies in Bangkok were set aside when his mother asked him to stay and help out.
Although he has the intention to become a monk since an early age he was finally ordained in 1959 at Wat dhat’ Mechai in Sakon Nakorn. He passed the first level Dhamma examination in his third year as a monk.
After his first Rains Retreat was over he set out to find good places to practice meditation under great teachers. He met several famous teachers in the Northeast, the South and the North of Thailand. His principal teachers were Ajahn Luang Pu Brohm Jirapu��o. Ajahn Luang Pu Thet Thetrangsi, Ajahn Luang Pu Teur achaladhammo and last but not least Luang Pu Waen Suchinno. (Luang Pu meaning venerable grandfather ) Together with other famous teachers he received instruction and guidance so that his meditation could progress.
Ajahn Plien is now the abbot of Wat Aranyawiwake in Mae Taeng district of Chiang Mai province in North Thailand.
Source : BuddhaSasana. http://www.budsas.org
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