New eBook: The First Ten Years of Suan Mokkh

- Buddhadasa Bhikkhu

Phum Riang, Chaiya, Surat Thani, 1943

Near the end of 1931, while I was studying in Bangkok, I had frequent correspondence with Mr. Dhammadāsa Banij1 about arranging the promotion of Dhamma practice to the best of our ability. Finally, at the end of that year, we agreed to set up a retreat that would particularly facilitate Dhamma practice and offer convenience to monks and novices, including myself, who wished to practice. We went so far as to hope that this would play a part in helping to glorify Buddhism, in the age we presumed to be the middle of the Buddhist Era. As there were no other places more suitable for us than one at Chaiya, we all agreed that we had to build the retreat there even though the district did not have any naturally beautiful caves or mountains at all. And since we had limited resources, we would work in accordance with them; but if those who had more power took our work as an example, they might follow suit and help propagate the work. Or at least it might catch our fellow Buddhists’ eyes or their thought, inciting them to become interested in promoting Dhamma practice or to love practicing Dhamma by themselves a little bit more. It would be greatly meritorious for us to act even as stimulators. Having reached the agreement, I left Bangkok at the very end of 1931.

The complete ebook is now available from the book section of Suan Mokkh’s (The Garden of Liberation) website.