- Phra Ajaan Lee was born on 31 January 1907 in Baan Nawng Sawng Hawng (Double Marsh Village) in Ubon Ratchathani province. He ordained as a monk when he was 20 years old.
- Key Teachings: Phra Ajaan Lee’s teachings emphasized the practical application of meditation techniques to develop inner peace and insight, particularly through mindfulness in daily activities. He was known for his detailed instructions on breath meditation and developing jhāna (meditative absorption). His teachings focused on integrating meditation into daily life, making it accessible to laypeople, and cultivating mindfulness and concentration continuously, not just during formal meditation sessions. Ajaan Lee developed a systematic approach to meditation, using specific techniques to develop breath awareness and overcome mental defilements, with the goal of helping practitioners achieve tangible results in their spiritual practice.
- Notable Contributions: Ajaan Lee was one of the foremost teachers in the Thai forest ascetic tradition of meditation founded at the turn of the twentieth century by LP Sao Kantasilo and LP Mun Bhūridatta. He is known for popularizing meditation practices among laypeople and making the teachings of the Thai Forest Tradition more accessible. He lived a short but extremely illustrious life. Among the disciples of LP Mun, he was the most prolific writer in putting the Kammaṭṭhāna tradition’s teachings in writing. He wrote a total of ten books on various aspects of the teachings and practice of the Dhamma and meditation. He was also the first of the Forest Masters to bring the teachings of the tradition to mainstream Thai society in central Thailand. His contributions to the literature of the Thai Forest Tradition have provided valuable resources for both monastics and lay practitioners, helping to spread the teachings of the tradition far and wide. After founding Wat Paa Khlong Kung in in Chanthaburi in 1935, and Wat Asokaram, just outside of Bangkok, in 1954, he was given the ecclesiastical rank of Chao Khun, with the title Phra Suddhidhammaraṅsī Gambhīramedhācariya in 1957. As the abbot of Wat Asokaram, he established a center for meditation practice that attracted many followers. He passed away on 25 April 1961 at the age of 55.
