The Teachings of Ajahn Suchart.
1 February 2026
Moonlight and Starlight
In a place as dark as this, even starlight can be useful.
During my nine years of staying with Luangta at Wat Pa Baan Tad, I was like a family member to him, seeing each other every day, going for alms and having meals together. He noticed that I was not much into socializing with the others, and he was afraid that I would be ostracized. Therefore, he was kind enough to assign certain things for me to do.
When I left Baan Tad to reside at Wat Yan, some people did not understand why I did not go to pay respect to my teacher whenever he visited a nearby place. It has been my way.
Throughout my residence at Baan Tad, I kept to myself and never went to visit Luangta at his kuti. We only saw each other when we participated in the same activities.
I tend not to be attached to other people. I only hold on to Dhamma. It might look like I am ungrateful because when Luangta passed away I didnʼt pay respects or attend his funeral. Why not? Because he is always in my heart and I pay my respects to him every day—no need to go. For outsiders, it may seem strange, but really it is not.
Having good teachers is a blessing. This is because we can depend on them for encouragement and advice. However, the real core matter of teachers is inside the Dhamma, not in the persons. We were deluded into clinging to them. We took their pictures for keepsakes to worship. But the teachers taught us that they are in the Dhamma.
The Lord Buddha said, “He who sees Dhamma, sees me.” Therefore, no one built a statue of him during his lifetime. They emphasized Dhamma. The Lord Buddha said, “Dhamma and vinaya (doctrine and discipline) will be your teacher after I am gone.” “Those who see Dhamma, see me.”
Therefore, we should just abide by the teaching of Dhamma because it is the genuine flesh and blood of the Lord Buddha.
It is the genuine core of Luangta and of his teachings.
His body is just the outer case like clothing that covers the body. His real self is the Dhamma.
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Kruba Ajahns are like leaves that gradually fall off one by one. New leaves will sprout to replace them, although how they will turn out is unknown at that point in time. The good ones will usually keep a low profile, out of high regard for their teacher.
They would never overshadow their Kruba Ajahn. In Venerable Ācariya Mun’s Spiritual Biography, he says that, in a vision, he saw junior monks and novices stepping out of line and overtaking their teachers. Ven. Acariya Mun explained that in the future, monks and novices would show up and compete with one another for fame and attention.
In the lineage of the forest meditation monks, however, monks revere their Kruba Ajahn and take him as their leader. During Luangtaʼs time, as there were other Kruba Ajahns who were senior to him, he therefore rarely appeared in public. When these senior Kruba Ajahns had passed, Luangta then came out and took on the leaderʼs role.
No teachers want to be famous because it is tiring. It is better to remain unknown. As for me, I am not famous. I have resided here 30 some years and no one knew of me; if Luangta had not mentioned me, no one would have known anything about me.
Each individual has his own destiny. My destiny is to spread Dhamma through books and publications. I think this is good. I do not have to deal with a lot of people. When the dayʼs Dhamma talk is over, my day is done. I do not engage further with anyone. Whoever invites me to go anywhere, I will not accept.
This upsets people, which actually is good because they do not come back. If I were to accept the invitations, they and their friends would keep extending more and more invitations that I would have to accept, and eventually I would not have any time to give Dhamma talks.
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“Than Suchart has always been practicing Dhamma in solitude and in modesty. When I went to observe him last year, I found him still there abiding by the same standard. He is very modest and enjoys solitude. He holds fast to the principles of the Kruba Ajahns.
There are many disciples of Wat Pa Baan Tad.
If they follow the principles of the Kruba Ajahn, they will feel happy and peaceful, but there are some who only hold on a little. In the lineage of Kruba Ajahn Mun, he is taken as the core. Its branches are scattered all over. Now it is in its second and third generation.
I feel that Than Suchart follows the path very well. He is in solitude and is not interested in anything else. I, therefore, went to visit him. If he was fickle and did not hold steady to the path, I would not go to visit him. If a monk practiced well, I would go to visit, no matter where he was.”
(Ven. Ajahn Mahā Boowa Ñāṇasampanno)
“Beyond Birth, Moonlight and Starlight”
By Ajahn Suchart Abhijāto
YouTube: Dhamma in English.
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