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10 EASTERN HORIZON | TEACHINGS

Faith in the Triple Gem

By Venerable Ajahn Anan Akiñcano

Venerable Ajahn Anan Akiñcano was born in When we practise Dhamma, at times we may test out
Saraburi, Central Thailand, on March 31, 1954. ourselves dealing with sense objects. Like monks may go to
Though he worked as an accountant, he was practise Dhamma, putting up their umbrellas and mosquito
increasingly drawn to Buddhist practice and nets in the deep forest, or in a secluded place. And after
began living at a nearby monastery. m work. The meditating, they may have fear arise. The fear of things
insight resulting from his practice eventually led they can’t see. The fear that there will be things coming to
harm their mind and harm their body. Or some monks are
him to enter the monastic order. On July 3, 1975,
scared and terrified of snakes, elephants and tigers, which
he took full ordination under his preceptor and
just comes down to being scared of death. And when they
teacher, the Venerable Ajahn Chah, and stayed go to stay in places which have these types of dangers, they
at Wat Nong Pah Pong, and associated branches, are determined to practise Dhamma. They think of the
developing a close relationship as Ajahn Chah's kammaṭṭhāna, meditation objects, that the great teachers
personal attendant. taught them to meditate on, and the Buddha said that if we
have fear and dread arise, then we should recollect him, the
In 1984, Ajahn Anan founded a monastery known Tathāgata. So may we think of the Buddha, and then we will
as Wat Marp Jan, or “Monastery of the Moonlit have rapture and bliss arise easily. The fear will diminish if
we are determined to meditate and have mindfulness with
Mountain”. Over thirty years later, Ajahn Anan’s
the word such as ‘Buddho’.
reputation as an accomplished meditation teacher
has grown, along with the number of monks If we have faith and confidence in the Triple Gem, that is
coming to live under him. While his teachings Budho, Dhammo, Sangho, then we will truly enter into the
stress the fundamentals of day-to-day meditation Triple Gem. And even being an unattained human being, we
and mindfulness practice, Ajahn Anan is also have to practise properly as well. When we have solidity in
known for his ability to articulate the Buddhist the Triple Gem without doubt and wavering, then we are
path in terms that practitioners of varied not put off by some of the Sangha members who don’t bring
backgrounds can understand. His instruction up faith and confidence in us, because they aren’t included
has attracted a large following of foreigners, in the Triple Gem, as they are the conventional Sangha. So
the deep rooted faith we have in the Triple Gem, we should
with monks from Australia, Brazil, Sri Lanka
make it to be full in our hearts, because the Buddha was
and elsewhere residing at Wat Marp Jan and its
one with the mind of purity and radiance. The Dhamma is
branches. Today, Ajahn Anan attends to his duties the teaching of the Buddha that he has taught well. There
as abbot and teacher, looking after a growing is no one who can dispute and argue against the Buddha’s
number of branch monasteries in Thailand and teachings. The Sangha that is included in the Triple Gem
overseas, teaching visiting laity, and instructing is the Ariya—Noble Sangha, those who have perfect and
the monks who practice under his guidance. complete faith and confidence in the Triple Gem. Ones who
are beyond worries and concern. The Buddha said that