Paññobhāsa Bhikkhu Seeking Group

[Viscid]

Hello There,

An experienced Theravadin monk, Paññobhāsa, is looking to form a group of serious mystics/contemplatives/dharma warriors/practitioners.

He was the abbot of a monastery in Myanmar, and spent a very significant amount of time there practicing. Now's he's on the west coast trying to figure out how he can be of use.

Check out his blog post here for more information: http://thebahiyablog.blogspot.ca/2015/06/third-anniversary-issue-challenge.html

And here are some videos of him in Myanmar:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESVD5hZnevc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryw1CMoaC5w
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESVD5hZnevc

He's also done a translation of the Atthakavagga, a text which I recommend: http://www.suttas.net/english/suttas/khuddaka-nikaya/sutta-nipata/Atthakavagga-Pannobhasa.pdf

[Michel]

Welcome to the forum, Viscid. I am not familiar with Paññobhāsa, the Thervadan monk. However, he has done what seems to a very interesting translation of the Atthakavagga, which is said to be an early collection of suttas, predating most of the canon, and as representing an earlier form of Buddhism. I have never read it, even though I have read the first 4 Nikayas. The style is refreshing. I'm really enjoying this collection. Thank-you for bringing these to our attention, and providing us with information on Paññobhāsa.

A better version of the Atthakavagga in PDF format, which can be copied, is available here:

http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books14/Pannobhasa-Bhikkhu_Atthakavagga.pdf

[Viscid]

Oops yeah, I should've linked to the PP version first.

[Jhanananda]

Welcome, Viscid, to the Fruit of the Contemplative Life Forum.  Here you will find more serious mystics/contemplatives/dharma warriors/practitioners than anywhere else that I have traveled in more than 40 years of following the dhamma.  I am sorry if you might regret my moving your post to this thread in Right Livelihood, but it seems like a better place to post your inquiry than where people might be seeking a romance with a low-level mystic.  I truly hope you find refuge in the west, and if you do, then please do recommend it to others here who long for refuge while they engage in a rigorous, self-aware, contemplative life.

[Tad]

Pannobhasa is quite an interesting character. It looks like after many years he got disillusioned with traditional Burmese Buddhism and now lifes a lay persons life in US. I read some of his articles at  https://politicallyincorrectdharma.blogspot.com/2023/?m=1 and watched some youtube videos. He says some interesting suff and he is pretty good writer. But he gets a lot of heat for his political views at some online venues.

[Jhanananda]

Thanks, Tad, for your response to this thread. I had completely forgotten about this thread, and now I wonder why nothing came of Paññobhāsa here, and his claim of being a mystic. It would seem if he actually had the attainment he claimed then he would be a regular here.

[Tad]

It would be interesting if he came to this forum. But he himself does not claim any high attainments from what I noticed. He actually wrote that one of the reasons why he left monastic life in Burma was that he felt he wasnt making progress in deep meditation. So I think he is a sincere guy that likes to examine religion and writes quite interesting provoking articles.

[Jhanananda]

Thanks, Tad, while I am not surprised that Paññobhāsa could not make any progress in deep meditation learning it from Theravadan monks, because they clearly don't know anything about it, so why isn't he here learning it from us?