Lindsay Falvey, พุทธทาสภิกขุ
2001
A Lecture by Buddhadasa Bhikkhu to Agricultural Teachers and Officials on 25 March 1991 at Suan Mokkhapharam, Chaiya, Surat Thani Province, Thailand. ธรรมบรรยายแก่คณะครูบาอาจารย์ 25 มีนาคม 2534 สวนโมกขพลาราม ไชยา จ.สุราษฏร์ธานี Translated by Prof. Lindsay Falvey, Chair of Agriculture, University of Melbourne, Australia Transcribed from tape by Lerchat Boonek, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand. The Thai text is the most precise rendition of Than Buddhadasa Bhikkhu’s words that is possible from the tape. It contains his earthy expressions and engaging and intelligent use of language in a manner that does not fully flow into the English version. Translation of puns, personal idioms, and circuitous incremental descriptions that form part of the masterful lecturer in the Thai language, must lose much of the original impact. In an attempt to retain the flavour of an outdoor lecture, with dogs and chicken wandering among the gathering, the English text retains some colourful and down to earth expressions that have some equivalence in Thai and English. Expressions or words specific to the Thai text that have been rendered literally are presented in parentheses in sentences that attempt to faithfully render their intent. Endnotes appended to the English attempt to clarify terms or concepts indicated by the relevant superscript in the text. The lecture may be best approached as significant religious teaching using agriculture as an example, rather than as a discussion on agriculture for religious persons. Nevertheless, the key role of agriculture as a means of illustrating such traits as acquisitiveness and separation from the natural environment form part of the extensive Buddhist learning with which Buddhadasa had been imbued by a lifetime of study and spiritual practice. One hopes that at least part of this genius shows through these pages.
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