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Shedding Tears in Amazement of the Dhamma

I am posting this because I've yet to post a question.

I should note that I respect Ajahn Maha Bua a lot. In fact, both of my teachers were students of his.

However, Ajahn Maha Bua is the most controversial figure in Buddhism.

Regardless if he were an arahant, I can definitively say he is an inspiration to me, and a superb teacher. Where would I be if not for Luangta?

Thoughts?

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    My person perceives Ajahn Bua as controversal in regard of both: the Buddha and his teacher (note that he wrote the documentation on Ven. Mun, in adittion. How ever, the/a question like this, does not easy give ways out of just opinion exchanges, in a pointles sense. While Mun can be traced as at least Noble One, Bua was as far as reported a wordling, not gone beyond Sakaya ditthi at all, and a violator of high rules.
    – user11235
    Apr 21 '20 at 19:49
  • Bua can be seen as the father of that what is known as Dhammakaya-ideology.
    – user11235
    Apr 21 '20 at 19:54
  • @SamanaJohann What high rules? Yes, I see your stance.
    – Sāvaka Kovida
    Apr 22 '20 at 20:24
  • Sg. 13 by foundraicing huge amout from faithful to sacify it for the Nations knowns as "Thai help Thai", accepting huge amount of money and gold and after that gave it to the nation... my person thinks that his disciples are still not ashamed to provide the pictures on his website (global advertisement pages, managed by his monastic disciples). Rember the Bio of his teacher who rejected and hardly rebuked a ministerial request a monk followed to help build a school). And his taughs, when right translated, are not really leading toward Nibbana but easy to "Atman", Nyom Kovida.
    – user11235
    Apr 23 '20 at 13:02
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I've read some of his stuff on the asubhasannam training & progression. It's pretty good/interesting. Title is "Samadhi begets wisdom" or something like this.

I've also read excerpts from his other book, that about Ajahn Mun. That one makes me think that the author, if he himself believes those things, at the time of writing, is quite certainly not Ariya.

I think he is probably an accomplished yogi in general tho. Maybe like Alara Kalama or Uddaka Ramaputta attainments & views.

That book i recommended is pretty shocking, it's hard to imagine what life was like for ven. maha bowas and of his monks.

Another thing is that sometimes he seemed somewhat cruel, like on occasion he said some things about children as being just out of hell. The way he carried himself in general from what i've seen has been less impressing, chewing tobbacco, crying, harshly complaining about children.

I've heard he said once to fill a new meditation house that was done built, knee deep, with excrement.

Im sure some might think these are eccentrisities of an Ariya but i see nothing of this sort in the Sutta Pitaka nor Jataka.

This is my impression.

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I was never drawn to Maha Boowa's books on meditation when I practised in Thailand but the following book that includes more worldly dhammas is very good: A Life of Inner Quality.

Maha Boowa is another Thai Guru the Thai people praise. Thai Buddhism has a Guru culture, similar to Hindu India. In the video, the public hysterics of Maha Boowa are obviously for the benefit of the lay people surrounding him. Its seems he wants these laypeople to believe in reincarnation.

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