In this book, Ajaan Mahā Boowa describes in detail the lifestyle and training practices of Ajaan Mun and his disciples. It is a way of life rooted in the Buddhist ideal of the wandering monk who, having renounced the world and gone forth from the household, dresses in robes made from discarded cloth, depends on alms for a living and takes the forest as his dwelling place. The emphasis is on an austere meditative lifestyle that is directed toward uprooting every aspect of greed, hatred, and delusion from the heart.

Osho: The Buddha For the Future, serendipitously arrives in the wake of the explosive release of the Netflix documentary series, ‘Wild Wild Country.’ Author Maneesha James witnessed first hand, and kept a meticulous record of the creation of Osho’s communes and the evolution of his work as they unfolded. This, the first volume of a trilogy, opens at the ashram in Pune, India, in the early ‘70’s. The reader follows this phase through Osho’s public discourses on many of the ancient masters, the early experimentations with meditation techniques in which the author was personally involved, Osho’s unique partnering of meditation with therapy, the introduction of ‘Zorba the Buddha’ and ‘The Psychology of the Buddhas,’ his energy work, and much more. Along with her own observations and experiences, Maneesha’s interviews with numerous key players cast a whole new understanding on the remarkable years of Rajneeshpuram in Oregon. Her account fills in the gaping omissions in the Netflix docuseries – providing an, intimate, in-depth understanding of what it was like to be a modern-day seeker in a contemporary mystery school designed to help realize a daring new vision for humanity, espoused by an iconoclastic spiritual master. In addition, for those willing and able to look below the hype, the inside story behind the political machinations – both on the part of the commune administrator and the US government – makes for a riveting read. Osho: The Buddha For the Future provides a valuable testimony to a spiritual master far ahead of his time, and is a remarkable record of the efforts of the most powerful government in the world to silence him.

This book examines some of the key elements of Buddhist education theory, in particular about educating for wisdom, the ultimate goal of Buddhist education. The teachings of Gautama Buddha have endured for thousands of years carried into the present era in schools, universities, temples, personal development courses, martial arts academies and an array of Buddhist philosophical societies across the globe. Philosophically, the ideas of the Buddha have held appeal across many cultures, but less is known about the underlying educational theories and practices that shape teaching and learning within Buddhist-inspired educational contexts. The chapters outline the development of the Buddha’s teachings, his broad approach to education and their relevance in the 21st century. Subsequently, the book reviews the history of the evolution of the various schools of Buddhist thought, their teaching and learning styles and the dissemination among Asia and later also the Western countries. The book discusses education theories and devices embedded within the Buddhist teachings, examining the works found in the Tipitaka, the Buddhist canon.

Ajaan Mun is a towering figure in contemporary Thai Buddhism. He was widely revered during his lifetime for the extraordinary courage and determination he displayed in practicing the ascetic way of life and for his uncompromising strictness in teaching his many disciples. The epitome of a wandering monk intent on renunciation and solitude, he assumed an exalted status in Buddhist circles, his life and teachings becoming synonymous with the Buddha’s noble quest for self-transcendence.