Ajahn Chah Subhatto (Chao Khun Bodhinyanathera) (Thai: ชา สุ ภั ท โท) (Ubon, June 17, 1918 - January 16, 1992) was one of the greatest meditation teachers of the twentieth century, with much influence in Theravāda Buddhism and perhaps the most famous monk in the Thai forest tradition. He was born in a village in the northeastern part of Thailand.
He became a novice at an early age and received high orders at the age of twenty. He followed the tradition of austerity typical of the Tradition of the Forest for many years, living in the forest and begging the food he received wandering like a mendicant pilgrim. He practiced meditation with many teachers including Ajahn Mun Bhuridatta, who exercised an indelible influence on him, since he knew how to direct his meditation towards the clarity that was previously lacking. Later, Ajahn Chah became, on his own, an accomplished meditation teacher and shared the realization of the Dhamma with all those who sought him. The essence of his message was always very simple: be aware, do not cling to anything, leave everything and surrender to the natural way of how things are.
The teaching of Ajahn Chah, whose style was simple and, at the same time, profound, attracted many Westerners in a special way, and so in 1975 the Wat Pah Nanachat, a monastery especially dedicated for the practice of many Westerners, was founded. who wanted to do it by their side In 1979 he founded the first branch of this monastery in Europe, more specifically, in Sussex, England through his disciples-lords of western origin (among them, Ajaan Sumedho, who is currently in charge of the Amaravati Buddhist Monastery - Amaravati Buddhist Monastery - In England). Today, there are branches of this monastery in other parts of Europe, in Australia and in New Zealand.
Ajahn Chah died in January 1992 after a long illness.
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