Part Four: Luangta Mahã Bua’s Support for the World Wat Pa Baan Taad has remained basically in its original condition since its establishment in 1956. Without electricity, life in the monastery is quite simple. The enormous amount of donations that Luangta Mahã Bua received during that period has been redistributed to support public welfare projects. In regards to spiritual welfare, he has supported the meditative development of monks, novices and lay people by teaching them Dharma. Since 1971, he has made Dharma books and audio tapes available for free distribution. All of his efforts have done an invaluable service to society as a whole. As he himself stated recently: “Beginning in 1956, I have helped the world for 47 years, distributing an amount totaling nearly one billion baht”. The following is a summary of his donations to various institutions: 1. Hospitals and health-care centers: approximately 152 million baht 2. Schools and govern
Part Three: The Outer Space of the Mind Whereas mental defilements drag the mind down to a low level, Dharma raises it to the highest possible level, the outer space of the mind. When Luangta Mahã Bua teaches people who practice Dharma, he emphasizes generosity, moral virtue, concentration, wisdom, and the realization of Nibbãna. He teaches that material wealth is not a cause of happiness, because both happiness and suffering arise only in the heart. So we should be content with what we have, and not become overly attached to worldly possessions, because eventually all those things will disintegrate and disappear. Nothing in the world is comparable with Dharma. When Dharma and mind become one, loving-kindness and compassion will make the world a pleasant place to live. Luangta Mahã Bua always stresses the importance of kindness, self-sacrifice, forgiveness, and generous acts of charity. Such noble spiritual qualities will not disappear after death. Luangta Mahã Bua has live