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Forest Recollections: Wandering Monks in Twentieth-Century Thailand
"I stayed [in the forest] for two nights. The first night, nothing happened. The second night, at about one or two in the morning, a tiger came--which meant that I didn't get any sleep the whole night. I sat in meditation, scared stiff, while the tiger walked around and around my umbrella tent (klot). My body felt all frozen and numb. I started chanting, and the words came out like running water. All the old chants I had forgotten now came back to me, thanks both to my fear and to my ability to keep my mind under control. I sat like this from 2 until 5 a.m., when the tiger finally left." --A forest monk
During the first half of this century the forests of Thailand were home to wandering ascetic monks. They were Buddhists, but their brand of Buddhism did not copy the practices described in ancient doctrinal texts. Their Buddhism found expression in living day-to-day in the forest and in contending with the mental and physical challenges of hunger, pain, fear, and desire. Combining interviews and biographies with an exhaustive knowledge of archival materials and a wide reading of ephemeral popular literature, Kamala Tiyavanich documents the monastic lives of three generations of forest-dwelling ascetics and challenges the stereotype of state-centric Thai Buddhism.
Although the tradition of wandering forest ascetics has disappeared, a victim of Thailand's relentless modernization and rampant deforestation, the lives of the monks presented here are a testament to the rich diversity of regional Buddhist traditions. The study of these monastic lineages and practices enriches our understanding of Buddhism in Thailand and elsewhere.
During the first half of this century the forests of Thailand were home to wandering ascetic monks. They were Buddhists, but their brand of Buddhism did not copy the practices described in ancient doctrinal texts. Their Buddhism found expression in living day-to-day in the forest and in contending with the mental and physical challenges of hunger, pain, fear, and desire. Combining interviews and biographies with an exhaustive knowledge of archival materials and a wide reading of ephemeral popular literature, Kamala Tiyavanich documents the monastic lives of three generations of forest-dwelling ascetics and challenges the stereotype of state-centric Thai Buddhism.
Although the tradition of wandering forest ascetics has disappeared, a victim of Thailand's relentless modernization and rampant deforestation, the lives of the monks presented here are a testament to the rich diversity of regional Buddhist traditions. The study of these monastic lineages and practices enriches our understanding of Buddhism in Thailand and elsewhere.
434 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 1997
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
March 23, 2013
Most histories of Thai Buddhism focus on it as a centralized and institutional religion which ignores the long story of thudong monks wandering in the countryside free from the restrictions of state-sponsored (and controlled) Buddhism. Kamala tells their stories in their own words, but laments the end of the period in the 1970s when Bangkok succeeded in settling the wandering monks in monasteries. I'm not sure if this is correct, for other writers like the late Pattana Kitiarsa argue that diverse traditions continue in remote areas far from the Sangha Council's control. Buddhism in my wife's northern Phayao village looks quite different. This is a fascinating book and essential for anyone trying to understand Buddhism in Thailand which already differs greatly from the flavors available in the west.
December 26, 2010
If you are looking for an exciting text full of awesome spiritual tough monks that take on Tigers, jungle fevers, starvation, wilderness, charnel grounds, ghosts, and sexual desire, this is it. It collects the accounts of a type of monk called thudong, a wandering ascetic, which received alms from nearby villagers and did walking meditation and other spiritual services. Their power again is their morality in their special life which helped placate lost spirits into other paths and protect villagers. Even tigers often submitted to their collected and calm wills. A romantic end mourns the passing of this eastern Cowboy figure when the rapid deforestation and government control of Buddhism tied down these spiritual masters and ended the propagation of this ancient tradition.
October 16, 2019
Terrific book about wandering monks in Thailand in the early 20th century.
November 8, 2024
3.75 stars – rounded up to 4, out of respect for the volume of work the author poured into this book.
Kamala Tiyavanich has gathered and preserved the life stories of Ajahns Mun, Chah, Fan, and other key figures in the Thai Forest Tradition.
The book is structured around two main themes. The first captures the ascetic lives and practices of these Dhamma giants: their retreats, wanderings in the rugged Northeast before the age of deforestation, encounters with wild animals, exposure to the elements, brushes with disease, and personal struggles. Tales of tigers, malaria, tempting village women, caves, and spirits are incredibly fascinating.
The second theme shifts into a more academic writing, tracing the evolution of state Buddhism and the Thai religious bureaucracy in the 20th century—legal reforms, administrative changes, political dynamics, and social attitudes, meticulously detailed, chapter after chapter. In contrast to the first section's vivid stories, this part felt dry, though perhaps I wasn’t the target reader.
Practitioners may find motivation in the absolute dedication to Dhamma and colourful life histories of these monks, while academics will appreciate the well-researched insight into this chapter of Thai religious history.
Kamala Tiyavanich has gathered and preserved the life stories of Ajahns Mun, Chah, Fan, and other key figures in the Thai Forest Tradition.
The book is structured around two main themes. The first captures the ascetic lives and practices of these Dhamma giants: their retreats, wanderings in the rugged Northeast before the age of deforestation, encounters with wild animals, exposure to the elements, brushes with disease, and personal struggles. Tales of tigers, malaria, tempting village women, caves, and spirits are incredibly fascinating.
The second theme shifts into a more academic writing, tracing the evolution of state Buddhism and the Thai religious bureaucracy in the 20th century—legal reforms, administrative changes, political dynamics, and social attitudes, meticulously detailed, chapter after chapter. In contrast to the first section's vivid stories, this part felt dry, though perhaps I wasn’t the target reader.
Practitioners may find motivation in the absolute dedication to Dhamma and colourful life histories of these monks, while academics will appreciate the well-researched insight into this chapter of Thai religious history.
July 14, 2023
paragraph after paragraph of neurotic schizobabble about Bangkok centrality and corrective "scholarly" posturing injected into copy-pasted stories taken from other Ajahns' biographies
September 6, 2015
Anthropological study of the tudong practice of the Buddhist monks in Thailand. When the government decided to make Thailand a more civilized country (read: to exploit the forest), they put the tigers in the zoo and the forest monks in the monasteries. Inspirational stories whether you are Buddhist or not.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews