Thanissaro Bhikkhu

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

(Redirected from Thanissaro Bhikku)

hnissaro Bhikkhu

Ajaan Geoff giving a Dhamma Talk

Religion

Theravada Buddhism

School

Kammatthana

Dharma name(s)

hnissaro Bhikkhu Ajaan Geoff

Personal

Nationality

American

Born

1949

Senior posting

Based in

Metta Forest Monastery

Title

Phra Geoffrey DeGraff

Religious career

Teacher

Ajaan Fuang, Ajaan Suwat

Website

www.watmetta.org

Part of a series on

Western Buddhism

Main articles[show]

Tibetan dissemination[show]

Theravada dissemination[show]

Zen dissemination[show]

Amidist dissemination[show]

Exchange[show]

General Buddhism[show]

hnissaro Bhikkhu, also known as Ajaan Geoff (born 1949), is an American TheravadaBuddhist monk of the Dhammayut Order (Dhammayutika Nikaya), Thai forest kammatthanatradition. He is currently the abbot of Metta Forest Monastery in San Diego County. hnissaro Bhikkhu is a notably skilled and prolific translator of the Pli Canon.[1] He is also the author of many free Dhamma books.[2]
Contents
[hide]

1 Biography 2 Publications 3 Some teaching locations 4 Notes 5 References 6 External links

Biography[edit source | editbeta]

Ajaan Geoff going on almsround

hnissaro Bhikkhu was born Geoffrey DeGraff in 1949 and was introduced to the Buddha's teaching on the Four Noble Truths as a high schooler, during a plane ride from the Philippines.[2]After graduating in 1971 with a degree in European Intellectual History from Oberlin College, he travelled to Thailand, where he practiced meditation under Ajaan Fuang Jotiko, who'd studied underAjaan Lee. He was ordained in 1976 at Ajaan Lee's Wat Asokaram, where Ajaan Lee's nephew, Phra Rajvarakhun (Samrong Gunavuddho), served as Preceptor for his ordination. Later, he took residence at Wat Dhammasathit in Thailand, where he continued studying under Ajaan Fuang.[3] Before Ajaan Fuang's death in 1986, he expressed his wish for Ajaan Geoff to become abbot of Wat Dhammasathit. Some time after his teacher's death, Ajaan Geoff was offered the position of abbot, but with "strings... attached" and no authority since he was a Westerner in a monastery founded by and for Thai monks. Instead of taking that position, he travelled to San Diego County in 1991, upon request of Ajaan Suwat Suvaco, where he helped start Metta Forest Monastery.[2] He became abbot of the monastery in 1993.[3] In 1995, Ajaan Geoff became the first American born, non-Thai bhikkhu to be given the title, authority, and responsibility of Preceptor (Upajjhaya) in the Dhammayut Order. He also serves as Treasurer of that order in the United States.

Publications[edit source | editbeta]

His extensive list of publications includes:[4]

Translations of Ajaan Lee's meditation manuals from the Thai Handful of Leaves, a five-volume anthology of suttatranslations The Buddhist Monastic Code, a two-volume reference handbook on the topic of monastic discipline Wings to Awakening, a study of the factors taught byBuddha as being essential for awakening The Mind Like Fire Unbound, an examination ofUpadana (clinging) and Nibbana (Nirvana) in terms of contemporary philosophies of fire

The Paradox of Becoming, an extensive analysis on the topic of becoming as a causal factor ofstress and suffering

The Shape of Suffering, a study of dependent co-arising and its relationship to the factors of the noble eightfold path

Skill in Questions, a study of how the Buddha's fourfold strategy in answering questions provides a framework for understanding the strategic purpose of his teachings

Noble Strategy, The Karma of Questions, Purity of Heart, and Head & Heart Together, collections of essays on Buddhist practice

Meditations (1-5), collections of transcribed Dhamma talks Dhammapada: A Translation, a collection of verses by the Buddha And as co-author, a college-level textbook, Buddhist Religions: A Historical Introduction

Aside from Buddhist Religions, all of the books mentioned above have been made available for free distribution, and many of these can be read and downloaded in digital format online. Also available for free are the audio recordings of many of his Dhamma Talks.