Ajaan Suwat

(1919-2002)

Blatantly Clear in the Heart, by Ajaan Suwat Suvaco, translated from the Thai by Thanissaro Bhikkhu (2001; 17k/6pp.)

A short talk on the development of virtue, concentration, and discernment. Keep practicing until these qualities become clear in your own heart!

To Comprehend Suffering, by Ajaan Suwat Suvaco, translated from the Thai by Thanissaro Bhikkhu (2002; 14k/5pp.)

Meditation isn't about "getting" things; it's about letting go. We can't let go of the darkness and delusion in our minds; it has to be dispersed by light -- the light of clear-seeing discernment that we cultivate through meditation.

Disenchantment, by Ajaan Suwat Suvaco, translated from the Thai by Thanissaro Bhikkhu (2001; 16k/6pp.)

A talk given at the start of a meditation session, in which Ajaan Suwat explains how to strenghten mindfulness and develop the disenchantment needed for discernment to arise. An excellent introduction to the contemplation of the 32 parts of the body.

A Fistful of Sand, by Ajaan Suwat Suvaco, translated from the Thai by Thanissaro Bhikkhu (1999; 120k/40pp.)

These Dhamma talks and question-and-answer sessions were recorded during a two-week meditation retreat he taught at the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts in 1990. This event marked a rare opportunity for an elder Thai ajaan to speak directly to Westerners in their home environment. With a disarming ease and clarity, Ajaan Suwat here illuminates a number of vital points of Dhamma that will help the reader develop the proper attitude towards the practice of meditation.

A Home for the Mind, by Ajaan Suwat Suvaco, translated from the Thai by Thanissaro Bhikkhu (2002; 11k/4pp.)

Before you can really let go of the five aggregates (khandha) in meditation, you must build yourself a good home for the mind.

The Light of Discernment: Meditation Instructions, by Ajaan Suwat Suvaco, translated from the Thai by Thanissaro Bhikkhu (2002). Published by Metta Forest Monastery.

This anthology gathers together under one title seven short talks on the practice of meditation, in commemoration of the life of Ajaan Suwat. The anthology includes the following talks, each of which is available on-line individually:

Four of these talks were previously published on Access to Insight; those marked with an asterisk (*) first appeared in this anthology.

Right Attitude, by Ajaan Suwat Suvaco, translated from the Thai by Thanissaro Bhikkhu (2001; 18k/6pp.)

In this short Dhamma talk, recorded in Thailand in 1991, Ajaan Suwat gives a concise summary of many essential points of meditation practice. This talk is remarkable in that it can serve equally well as a newcomer's introduction to meditation practice and as a refresher for experienced meditators. At every stage in meditation practice, success depends on cultivating the correct attitude of mind.

Right Concentration, by Ajaan Suwat Suvaco, translated from the Thai by Thanissaro Bhikkhu (2001; 17k/6pp.)

The role of tranquillity meditation in building a foundation for the development of insight.

Straightening Out Your Views, by Ajaan Suwat Suvaco, translated from the Thai by Thanissaro Bhikkhu (2002; 11k/4pp.)

Why a meditator's first task is to begin to bring his or her beliefs in line with right view.

The Strategy of a Peaceful Mind, by Ajaan Suwat Suvaco, translated from the Thai by Thanissaro Bhikkhu (2005; 17k/4pp.)

Viewing peace of mind as a skillful strategy helps the meditator settle the mind down into concentration. But its uses also extend to more advanced stages of meditation, by helping one disengage from all involvement with the aggregates, thereby bringing the meditator to the threshold of Awakening. In this remarkable talk Ajaan Suwat weaves together teachings for beginning and advanced meditators, alike.