Ven. Acariya Mun - Spiritual Biography + photos
Notes
- The Early Years
- The minimum age for full ordination as a Buddhist monk is 20 years.
However, boys under that age are allowed to ordain as sãmaõeras (nov-
ices). Novices shave their heads, wear the yellow robes, and observe the
ten basic precepts.
- The year 2436 B.E., according to the traditional Thai calendar.
- An upajjhãya is the preceptor who presides over a bhikkhu’s ordi-
nation. The kammavãcariya and anusãsanãcariya are a new bhikkhu’s
announcing teacher and instructing teacher respectively.
- The name Bhýridatta is found in one of the Buddha’s previous
births, the last ten of which were spent perfecting the ten pãramï (per-
fections of virtue). In his fifth to last birth the Bodhisatta was born as a
Great Nãga, or Serpent King, with the name Bhýridatta (meaning: Gift
of the Earth). Weary of life in the subterranean world of nãgas, he rose
to the earth’s surface where he was captured by a snake charmer who
saw an opportunity to become rich and famous by making the majestic
nãga perform feats in front of the regional monarch. Though he could
have used his mystical powers to annihilate the snake charmer in an
instant, the nãga Bhýridatta, who cherished his moral virtue above all
else, restrained himself, did what his “master” ordered, and endured the
humiliation. In this way, he developed the Khanti Pãramï (The Virtue
of Forbearance) to ultimate perfection.
Its association with the Bodhisatta makes the name Bhýridatta
very auspicious, which is probably the reason that Ãcariya Mun’s pre-
ceptor chose it. The word bhýri is also equated with paññã (wisdom),
according to some Pãli commentaries. As such, Bhýridatta might be
rendered as “A Gift of Wisdom”.
- Jãti tree is a type of deciduous hardwood indigenous to the high-
land forests of Thailand’s northeast region. The simile in Ãcariya Mun’s
dream hinges on the word “jãti”, which is also the Pãli word for “birth”.
- A Tipiåaka cabinet is a bookcase that is specially designed to house
