Ajahn Buddhadasa (1906-93) is perhaps the most influential Buddhist teacher in the history of Thailand. In 1932 he founded Suan Mokkhabalarama, the first modern forest monastery in Thailand. During his lifetime he was given eight honorary doctorates by Thai universities. Since the 1960s his work helped inspire a new generation of socially concerned individuals both in Thailand and throughout the world. Buddhadasa is known for his "radically conservative" re-grounding of Theravada teaching in the suttas rather than commentaries. The story of his early life is included in Sons of the Buddha.