On occasion of the annual commemoration of Ajahn Chah's birthday, Ajahn Dhammasiha shares some reflections at Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage about the exceptional 'Pāramī' ('Spiritual Perfections') of Luang Por Chah.

Nowadays, it tends to be rare to find individuals who have Pāramī mature enough that they can realize full Nibbāna in this very life. But it is even rarer that the same person additional has the talent to be an effective teacher, someone who can explain the Dhamma successfully and in a way that others get inspired to really take up the practice.

Ajahn Chah could do so!

Additionally, he could not only inspire and instruct people of his own cultural and social background, but he could relate to virtually everyone. Whether subsistance farmers of the Isan (undeveloped North-East region of Thailand) or university professors; whether hippie high school drop-outs or ministers and generals; whether Thai or Western or various other nationalites and cultures; whether rich or poor; old or young; advanced practitioners or complete newcomers to Buddhism & Meditation... Luang Por Chah could relate and inspire all of them.

On top of this exceptional combination of abilities, he was also an accomplished 'manager'/'CEO', who established a large and still growing community of hundreds of branch monasteries in 4 continents. He founded Wat Pah Nanachat as a unique monastery dedicated for training foreigners, but located in Thailand in the heart of the Forest Tradion, close to his own monastery Wat Nong Pah Pong, and providing the same style of training. He succeeded in bringing the forest tradition to Britain and other countries, with the amazing result that we now have preceptors and ordinations regularly happening in Europe, Australia and America.Let us all celebrate and recollect in gratitude the exceptional qualities of Ajahn Chah - and most importantly, let us practise diligently the teaching and training that he has left behind for us!

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