In Heartwood of the Bodhi Tree, Buddhadasa Bhikkhu presents in simple language the philosophy of voidness, or sunnata, that lies at the heart of the Buddhism. By carefully tying voidness to ethical discipline, Buddhadasa provides us clear and open grounds to reflect on the place of the philosophy in our lives. With his ecumenical, stimulating, and enthusiastically engaged approach to reading the Buddha�s teaching in full flourish, Ajahn Buddhadasa transforms the jungle of philosophy into a glade as inviting as the one in which he famously taught.
Heartwood of the Bodhi Tree, Buddhadasa Bhikkhu, Wisdom Publications, Paperback, 150 pages, $20.95
Buddhadasa Bhikkhu (Servant of the Buddha) went forth as a bhikkhu (Buddhist monk) in 1926, at the age of twenty. After a few years of study in Bangkok, which convinced him �purity is not to be found in the big city,� he was inspired to live intimately with nature in order to investigate Buddha-Dhamma in study and practice. Thus, he established Suan Mokkhabalarama (The Grove of the Power of Liberation) in 1932 near his hometown of Pum Riang (now in Chaiya District). At that time, it was the only forest Dhamma Center and one of the few places dedicated to vipassana meditation in Southern Thailand. Word of Buddhadasa Bhikkhu, his work, and Suan Mokkh spread over the years so that they are easily described as �one of the most influential events of Buddhist history in Siam.� Here, we can only mention some of the most interesting services he has rendered Buddhism.
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