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Forest Monks are Bhikkhus who follow Thai forest tradition and its ways of practice. Such tradition was revived in Thailand during the last century and it was a grassroots movement to return to the lifestyle and training that was practiced in the time of the Buddha. Some Bhikkhus abandoned the busy village and town monasteries for the peace and quiet of the forest. They followed the Vinaya Rule more strictly, emphasizing the importance of every detail. Such Bhikkhus lived without money, living frugally on whatever was offered and patiently enduring when necessities were scarce. They integrated the extra austere practices (Thudong in Thai or Dhutangas in Pali) recommended by the Buddha into their lifestyle

These practices are a mainly physical discipline with a psychological basis and are invaluable as a complement to the greater part of the Dhamma which is a psychological discipline based on materiality (i.e., the 'possession' of a human body). The Thudong Bhikkhu thus makes use of these practices in so far as they help him to discipline himself in the promotion of skillful mental states like renunciation and contentment.

These thirteen Austere Practices allowed by Lord Buddha have been characterized as a moderate and sane ascesis; they are as follows:

• Refuse-rag-wearer's Practice (pamsukulik'anga) -- wearing robes made up from discarded or soiled cloth and not accepting and wearing ready-made robes offered by householders.

• Triple-robe-wearer's Practice (tecivarik'anga) -- Having and wearing only three robes and not having additional allowable robes.

• Alms-food-eater's Practice (pindapatik'anga) -- eating only food collected on pindapata or the almsround while not accepting food in the vihara or offered by invitation in a layman's house.

• House-to-house-seeker's Practice (sapadanik'anga) -- not omitting any house while going for alms; not choosing only to go to rich households or those selected for some other reason as relations, etc.

• One-sessioner's practice (ekasanik'anga) -- eating one meal a day and refusing other food offered before midday. (Those Gone Forth may not, unless ill, partake of food from midday until dawn the next day.)

• Bowl-food-eater's Practice (pattapindik'anga) -- eating food from his bowl in which it is mixed together rather than from plates and dishes.

• Later-food-refuser's Practice (khalu-paccha-bhattik'anga) -- not taking any more food after one has shown that one is satisfied, even though lay-people wish to offer more.

• Forest-dweller's Practice (Araññik'anga) -- not dwelling in a town or village but living secluded, away from all kinds of distractions.

• Tree-root-dweller's Practice (rukkhamulik'anga) -- living under a tree without the shelter of a roof.

• Open-air-dweller's Practice (abbhokasik'anga) -- refusing a roof and a tree-root, the practice may be undertaken sheltered by a tent of robes.

• Charnel-ground-dweller's Practice (susanik'anga) -- living in or nearby a charnel-field, graveyard or cremation ground.

• Any-bed-user's Practice (yatha-santhatik'anga) -- being satisfied with any dwelling allotted as a sleeping place.

• Sitter's Practice (nesajjik'anga) -- living in the three postures of walking, standing and sitting and never lying down.

It will be noticed that the dhutangas help a bhikkhu to find contentment with the first three of his Four Requisites (paccaya): Robes (No's I, II), Almsfood (III-VII) and Shelter (VIII-XIII); the fourth of his Requisites, not covered here, is Medicine.

[Adapted from Access To Insight web site]

1 Famous Forest Monks

• Venerable Ajahn Mun
• Venerable Ajahn Sao
• Venerable Ajahn Lee
• Venerable Ajahn Tate
• Venerable Ajahn Chah
• Venerable Ajahn Khemadhammo

2 External Links

• Access To Insight