Ajahn Chah was born in northeast Thailand in 1918 and ordained at the age of nine. At 20 he took higher ordination as a monk and studied basic scriptural teachings and Pali. Later he became an ascetic monk and devoted himself to practice in forests, caves and remote areas. He settled in a forest grove in 1954 and attracted a small group of monastic disciples. His reputation spread and eventually he became well known as a teacher for his simple, down to earth, witty and profound talks. He emphasized that wisdom is a way of living and being. He passed away in 1992 at the age of 74.
