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Jon Jandai - The Farmer Inspiring the World

Many years ago, the story of a farmer who became a speaker, sharing experiences about a simple and easy life on TED Talk, became famous worldwide. That farmer is Jon Jandai.
jon jandai life is easy

 

From the Countryside to the City


Jon Jandai was born in a beautiful but impoverished village in northern Thailand. His story has become familiar to many Thai people. You might be surprised to learn that the farmers in this village enjoy a leisurely and peaceful life. They only work for two months a year, during planting and harvesting seasons. The rest of the time, they do nothing but play. Compared to Vietnamese farmers, that must be a dream!

This simple life, however, lacked money. No different than in other countries, the young people in Jon's village often flocked to urban areas and large cities, hoping to earn a lot of money and live a comfortable life. Jon also decided to leave his hometown and move to Bangkok to find work and experience city life.

Jon is perhaps the most ambitious farmer, showing his progress with the times by seeking out a law library to read books right after arriving in Bangkok. The "struggle for survival" in the capital prevented him from dedicating all his time to studying. Jon had to find a way to earn money for his daily life. Moreover, after a while, it seemed Jon suffered from "disorientation." The knowledge he gained was perhaps not much, as he later found studying boring and overwhelming.

Jon grew tired of his situation. Especially since, in order to get by, he had to do various jobs, such as distributing flyers and washing dishes, while surviving on a single bowl of noodles or a plate of fried rice for each meal. The work drained Jon's energy. He didn't even have a private sleeping space and had to share a cramped room with many others. Jon felt truly confused about his life’s goals. Looking back on his seven years of struggling in Bangkok, he saw himself as 'foolish.' He decided to return to his hometown. This was a significant turning point in Jon's life.
 

From the City Back to the Countryside

Jon Jandai

The first thing Jon addressed upon returning home was food. He cleared a piece of land to grow rice and vegetables and dug a pond to raise shrimp and fish. Any surplus, he shared with neighbors. All the excess food was sold. Working only two months a year was clearly different from his life in Bangkok.

These contradictory realities gradually helped Jon mature in his view of life. From a friend's story about buying a house in Bangkok and having to pay it off over 30 years, Jon thought that for him, it would take 300 years to buy a house. Then he wondered: “A rat digs a burrow in one night, a bird builds a nest in less than two days. Why do humans need to spend half their lives just to have a home? Compared to animals, are humans intelligent or foolish?”

Just by thinking this way, Jon realized the simple lesson of life—something many highly educated people cannot conceive, or even if they do, they don’t dare to act on. He felt lucky and justified in his decision to return home.

After that, Jon thought about building his own house in the countryside. He did everything by himself. Jon researched and taught himself how to make bricks and fire them with local clay materials. In less than three months, he had a house. Not only that, but Jon also helped build homes for villagers, one each year. Interestingly, of the nearly ten houses he built, all were villas and mansions. It’s hard to believe unless you see his house in person. Jon is a progressive person who continuously learns and explores to design and decorate his home. You could say it rivals many five-star hotels.

So, Jon had solved his housing problem. But he didn’t stop there; he expanded his property into a farm. He named it Pun Pun Organic Farm. With his achievements, more people began to know about Jon, coming to learn from him. Jon never imagined he would become someone who could teach others.

His students were not only farmers from neighboring areas but also foreigners from the Netherlands and the U.S. As business thrived and many customers visited, he opened a restaurant called “Happy Thai Farmer.” This became an ideal place for people to discuss life philosophies and enjoy delicious food. Everything came naturally. Jon's experiences captured the attention of many international scholars. Josh Kearns, a scholar from the University of Colorado, also came to learn his charcoal-making technique. It was truly impressive! Additionally, Jon built a yoga studio, and at this point, Zen thinks this farmer is no longer just an ordinary farmer.

Jon's estate continued to grow, creating jobs for over 30 people, half of whom were Westerners. They became close friends, supporting and bonding with him. Among them was an American woman who later became his wife and with whom he had a child. Jon’s life was fundamentally stable.

Having solved his food and housing issues, Jon also took care of his clothing needs. He shared that he rarely buys or makes clothes. Most of what he wears comes from items others bring him. This is not only a way to save money but also reflects Jon's simple living philosophy—he doesn’t care much about appearances. “I save for a month to buy two pairs of jeans. When I put them on and turn around in front of the mirror, I see one person. Expensive clothes won’t change my life.” Jon realized he was wrong to buy out of desire rather than necessity. This was a lesson he learned not just about clothing.

>>>Stay tuned for the Rural Life section!
 

The Most Important Thing is Health

jon jandai house

But the final and most important lesson Jon learned was about health. He once worried about what he would do if he got sick and had no money. Fortunately, Jon realized that illness is a natural occurrence. “So when I’m sick, I have to stop and return to my true self to think about what I did wrong.” This is a way to discover the root causes of instability within his body. It’s admirable that Jon taught himself basic knowledge to heal himself.

With enough food, a home, no need to buy clothes, and the ability to heal himself, the once struggling farmer in Bangkok had solved all his life’s problems while gaining a deeper perspective on life. This not only helped Jon grow in awareness but also spiritually.

He believes many people have learned to complicate life, and now it’s time to learn how to live together. “Because we are taught to be independent, to depend solely on money, not to rely on each other.” Jon recognized that to be happy, we must reconnect with ourselves and bond with others, merging physically and spiritually once again so that “We can be happy. Life is really easy!”

If Jon had continued to cling to Bangkok, he might have remained a servant forever. But back in his hometown, he became a successful man, achieving much. His story has inspired millions around the world. Jon’s speech, “Life is Easy; Why Make It So Difficult?” received warmth, laughter, and applause from many. More importantly, Zen believes that Jon's case raises not just questions about career building but about realizing life through simple awareness and action. Live simply, and everything will come. Are you brave enough to give up higher aspirations to embrace that simplicity?

Jon is a testament that we can be more than animals if we live simply, in harmony with nature, following the philosophy of Masanobu Fukuoka. What Jon achieved came from recognizing the contradictions within, listening to the desires of his heart—yearning for a simple and liberated life.

And you? What are you thinking?
 
Written by Veque
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