A Guide to Awareness – Dhamma Talks on the Foundations of Mindfulness – is a translation from the series of Dhamma talks from 1961 published in the Thai language as The Way of Practice in the Satipatthana. The author, H.H. Somdet Phra Nanasamvarais was head of Bovornives Vihara, a large and famous monastery in the old city of Bangkok. It is a centre for Buddhist study and is well known amongst Westerners interested in Dhamma. These lesson are all based on the Satipatthana – Great Discourse on the Foundations of Mindfulness, a major pillar in the practice of both calm and insight, which contains essential and graduated steps of practice. From the foreword:
“If you read this book, you will discover the truth of the “knots” and problems that exist within you. In short, this can be described as the “knot of suffering.” You may also then see the method to unravel and safeguard against this suffering. When actually trying out this practice, you will be able to cure your own suffering in accordance with the Buddha’s Teaching. You will also experience a joy unknown before.”
Download the book here (57 pages/392 Kb):
A Guide to Awareness
Who is Somdet Phra Nyanasamvara Suvaddhana Mahathera?
Somdet Phra Nyanasamvara Suvaddhana Mahathera (3 October 1913 – 24 October 2013) was the 19th Supreme Patriarch of Thailand and at the time of his death was the oldest and the longest-reigning member of Thailand’s Sangha (community of monks). He held the position of Supreme Patriarch from 1989 until his passing in 2013.
Born as Charoen Gajavatra in Kanchanaburi Province, he was ordained as a monk in 1933. Over his lifetime, Somdet Phra Nyanasamvara made significant contributions to the study and propagation of Buddhism, both in Thailand and abroad. He was known for his vast knowledge, especially in the Abhidhamma (the philosophical and doctrinal analysis of the Buddha’s teachings).
In 2005, King Bhumibol Adulyadej bestowed upon him the title “Somdet Phra Nyanasamvara, the Supreme Patriarch of Thailand”, a title that reflects his role and significance within the Thai monastic community.