Four commemorative stamps to Ajahn Buddhadasa

In 2006, the Thai Government issues four commemorative stamps to acknowledge the life and teachings of Ajahn Buddhadasa (1906 1993), the radical reformer of Theravada Buddhism. The people of Thailand marked 100 years since his birth.

In 1926, he ordained as a Buddhist monk and six years later, he established Wat Suanmoke (The Garden of Liberation) monastery in 250 acres of forest near Chai Ya, Surat Thani, not far from his home town. Ajahn Buddhadasa is regarded as one of the most influential figures in Thai history.

The four stamps show Ajahn Buddhadasa sitting at the foot of a tree where he gave teachings, a profile of him, with the sangha of monks listening to his teachings and the empty teaching arena in the forest.
Ajahn Buddhadasa combined his depth of experience and profound realizations with a intimate knowledge and understanding of the Pali texts. His teachings emphasized the nature of emptiness, dependent arising, the quenching of dissatisfaction, seeing through “I” and “my” and realisation of liberation. He took the very essence of the Buddha’s teachings and made them available to both ordained and laypeople. His approach was practical, direct and accessible.

As one tribute also noted: “Progressive elements in Thai society, especially the young, were inspired by his teaching and selfless example. Since the 1960's, activists and thinkers in areas such as education, ecology, social welfare, and rural development have drawn upon his teaching and advice.’
Ajahn Buddhadasa inspired most of the monks involved in nature conservation in Thailand. He provided the link between the scriptural tradition and engaged Buddhist practice today.

“His books, both written and transcribed from talks, fill a room at the National Library and influence all serious Thai Buddhists in Siam. Doctoral dissertations are still being written about him and his legacy.”

After the founding of Suan Mokkh, he studied all schools of Buddhism, as well as the other major religious traditions. This interest was practical rather than scholarly. He sought to unite all genuinely religious people in order to work together to help, as he put it, "drag humanity out from under the power of materialism." This broadmindedness won him friends and students from around the world, including Christians, Muslims, Hindus, and Sikhs.”

His last project was to establish an International Dhamma Hermitage. This addition to Suan Mokkh provides facilities for retreats, dharma dialogue and dharma training for monks and nuns.
Ajarn Buddhadasa died in 1993 after a series of heart attacks and strokes that he kept bouncing back from in order to teach. The final stroke occured as he was preparing notes for a talk to be given on his birthday in two days (27 May, 1993).

Christopher Titmuss first met Ajahn Buddhadasa in his forest monastery in February 1970. It took one dialogue with the Ajahn for him to decide to let go of life on the road and take ordination some weeks later. Christopher was perhaps the first Western monk to dedicate himself to exploring the teachings of Ajahn Buddhadasa under his direct guidance and apply them in the West. An invaluable book to read is Heartwood of the Bodhi Tree, superbly edited by Santikaro Bhikkhu and transcribed by Dhammavicayo from a series of talks by Ajahn Buddhadasa on the heart of his teachings .Published by Wisdom Publications, Boston, USA. A special thank to Uschi Stehmann for her gift of two sets of the stamps.