The Thai Forest Tradition is a loosely organized "movement" within Thai Theravadin Buddhism, emphasizing meditation and strict adherence to the vinaya over intellectual pursuits. As the name suggests, it originated in Thailand, primarily among the Lao-speaking community in Northeastern Thailand. Followers of the Forest tradition believe that their lifestyle most closely resembles what it would have been like to live in India during the time of the Buddha as a monastic in his Sangha. Because of this reaching backward in time, the Forest tradition is widely perceived as "ultra-orthodox", "conservative", and "ascetic", all of which is added onto the fact that Theravada is generally and on the whole perceived as an orthodox and conservative branch of Buddhism. Yet the tradition has garnered a great deal of respect and admiration from Thai culture. Outside of Thailand it exists most prominently in the United States (Thanissaro Bhikkhu and also the community of Abhayagiri) and the United Kingdom (Amaravati Buddhist Monastery and Cittaviveka). Perhaps its most widely known adherent was Ajahn Chah. Theravada (Pāli: थेरवाद theravāda; Sanskrit: स्थविरवाद sthaviravāda; literally, the Way of the Elders) is the oldest surviving Buddhist school, and for many centuries has been the predominant religion of Sri Lanka (about 70% of the population[1]) and continental Southeast Asia (Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and parts of southwest... Buddhism is a dharmic, non-theistic religion and a philosophy. ... The Vinaya (a word in Pali as well as in Sanskrit, with literal meaning discipline) is the textual framework for the Buddhist monastic community, or sangha. ... This article does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Sangha is a word in Pali or Sanskrit that can be translated roughly as association or assembly. It is commonly used in several senses to refer to Buddhist or Jain groups. ... Thanissaro Bhikkhu (Geoffrey DeGraff) (1949 - ) is an American Buddhist monk of the Thai forest kammathana tradition. ... Abhayagiri is the name of a Theravadin Buddhist monastery in Redwood Valley, California. ... Located in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, England, Amaravati Buddhist Monastery is a monastery in the Theravada tradition of Buddhism and a centre of teaching and practice. ... Venerable Ajahn Chah Subhatto (Chao Khun Bodhinyanathera) (alternatively spelled Achaan Chah, occasionally with honorific titles Luang Por and Phra) (17 June 1918, Thailand – 16 January 1992), was one of the greatest meditation masters of the twentieth century. ...

Origins

Thai Forest Tradition was firmly established in the early 1900s, by the famous forest monk, Ajahn Sao Kantasilo Mahathera and his student, the widely venerated Ajahn Mun Bhuridatta. It was later spread globally by Ajahn Sao's student, the well-known Ajahn Chah and his successor, Ajahn Sumedho. Exactly when the movement began is not clear, but it is believed to have existed for quite some time, undergoing a revival led by Ajahns Mun Bhuridatta and Sao Kantasilo Mahathera. Phra Ajahn Sao Kantasilo Mahathera (1861-1941) was a monk in the Thai Forest Tradition of Theravadin Buddhism. ... Ajaan Mun Bhuridatta Thera (Thai: , 1870-1949) was a Thai Buddhist monk who is credited with establishing the Kammatthana tradition of forest monks. ... Venerable Ajahn Chah Subhatto (Chao Khun Bodhinyanathera) (alternatively spelled Achaan Chah, occasionally with honorific titles Luang Por and Phra) (17 June 1918, Thailand – 16 January 1992), was one of the greatest meditation masters of the twentieth century. ... Ajahn Sumedho is a widely venerated modern figure of Theravada Buddhism. ...

In Asia, Buddhism plays a central role in social life. Monasteries are often seen in cities, and such urban locations serve as the centers of scholastic learning. Monks usually receive their education in monasteries and earn the rough equivalent of "graduate degrees" in the studies of Buddhism. This highly intellectual approach is characteristic of the larger urban monasteries generally. Yet it was reaction against this backdrop which led Ajah Sao and Ajahn Mun to the simpler life associated with the Forest tradition, which again as the name suggests includes monasteries situated far away from urban areas, usually in the wilderness or very rural areas of Thailand. Because of this abstract tendency in urban monastic life, some monks believed the original ideals of the Sangha had been compromised. The Forest Tradition is, then, primarily an attempt to reach back 25 centuries, to the time of the Buddha himself to reclaim the old standards of discipline, an attempt to stave off perceived corruption of the monastic life. World map showing the location of Asia. ... Sangha is a word in Pali or Sanskrit that can be translated roughly as association or assembly. It is commonly used in several senses to refer to Buddhist or Jain groups. ... Media:Example. ...

Practices

Meditation

Vassa (Rains Retreat)

Precepts and Ordination

There are several precept levels: Five Precepts, Eight Precepts, Ten Precepts and the Patimokkha. The Five Precepts (Pañcaśīla in Sanskrit, or Pañcasīla in Pāli) are practiced by laypeople, either for a given period of time or for a lifetime. The Eight Precepts are a more rigorous practice for laypeople. Ten Precepts are the training-rules for samaneras (male) and samaneris (female), novice monks and nuns. And the Patimokkha is the basic Theravada code of monastic discipline, consisting of 227 rules for monks (bhikkhus) and 311 for nuns (bhikkhunis). A Precept (from the Latin præcipere, to teach) is a commandment, instruction, or order intended as an authoritative rule of action. ... This article is about the Buddhist concept; see Pancasila Indonesia for the Indonesian state philosophy. ... The Eight Precepts are the precepts for Buddhist lay men and women who wish to practice a bit more strictly than the usual five precepts for Buddhists. ... The Ten Precepts (Pali: dasasila or samanerasikkha) are the precepts or training-rules for samaneras (male) and samaneris (female), also referred to as novice monks or nuns. ... In Buddhism, the Patimokkha is the basic Theravada code of monastic discipline, consisting of 227 rules for fully ordained monks (bhikkhus) and 311 for nuns (bhikkhunis). ... The Sanskrit language ( , for short ) is an old Indo-Aryan language from the Indian Subcontinent, the classical literary language of the Hindus of India[1], a liturgical language of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism, and one of the 23 official languages of India. ... Pāli is a Middle Indo-Aryan dialect or prakrit. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into sangha. ... A samaneri (pali language) is novice nun, who lives according to the ten precepts. ... For the city in Texas, see Novice, Texas. ... Munichs city symbol celebrates its founding by Benedictine monks—and the origin of its name A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, the conditioning of mind and body in favor of the spirit. ... Nun in cloister, 1930; photograph by Doris Ulmann A nun is a woman who has taken special vows committing her to a religious life. ... Monasticism (from Greek: monachos—a solitary person) is the religious practice of renouncing all worldly pursuits in order to fully devote ones life to spiritual work. ... A Buddhist Monk in Sri Lanka In Pāli, a bhikkhu (male) or bhikkhuni (female) is a fully ordained Buddhist monk. ... Bhikkhuni refers to the tradition of Buddhist holy women, or nuns. ...

Temporary or short-term ordination is so common in Thailand that men who have never been ordained are sometimes referred to as "unfinished." Long-term or lifetime ordination is deeply respected. The ordination process usually begins as an anagarika, in white robes. Sangha is a word in Pali or Sanskrit that can be translated roughly as association or assembly. It is commonly used in several senses to refer to Buddhist or Jain groups. ... In Buddhist context, an anagarika is a white-robed student in the Theravada tradition who, for a few months, awaits being considered for Samaneras ordination. ...

Customs

A prominent characteristic of the Forest tradition is great veneration paid toward Sangha elders. As such, it is vitally important to treat elders with the utmost respect. Care must be taken in addressing all monks, who are never to be referred to solely by the names they received upon ordination. Instead, they are to be addressed with the title "Venerable" before their name, or they may be addressed using just the Thai words for "Venerable," "Tahn" or "Ayya" (if they are female). All monks, on the other hand, can be addressed with the general term "Bhante". For monks and nuns who have been ordained 10 years or more, the title "Ajahn", meaning "teacher", is reserved. For community elders the title "Luang Por" is often used, which in Thai can roughly translate into "Venerable Father". A Stained Glass image of Venerable Father Samuel Mazzuchelli in St. ... Bottle of carbonated tan sold in Yerevan, Armenia Doogh (in Persian: ‎, dooqh, also dugh), also called dugh, abdug, or tahn (the last two mostly by Armenians) is a naturally-carbonated yogurt beverage popular in Iran, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Armenia and to a lesser extent in other parts of the Middle East... Ayya Vaikundar was the Manu avathar (to born as a human being) of Lord Narayana according to Akilattirattu Ammanai the holy script of Ayyavazhi religion. ... Ajahn (Thai: อาจารย์) is teacher in the Thai language; it is derived from the (Pali) word ācārya. ... Luang Por means venerable father and is use as a title for respected senior Buddhist monastics. ...

It is considered impolite to point the feet toward a monk or a statue in the shrine room of a monastery. It is equally considered impolite to address a monk without making the anjali gesture of respect. When making offerings to the monks, it is considered inappropriate to approach them at a higher level than they are at - for instance, if a monk is sitting it would be inappropriate to approach that monk and stand over them while making an offering. Anjali might refer to: Anjali Ved Pathak Bhagwat, an Indian rifle-shooter a character played by Kajol in the Hindi film Kuch Kuch Hota Hai a major character in the 2003 novel Politics by British author Adam Thirlwell a female singer and songwriter in the riot grrrl band Voodoo Queens...

In practice, the extent to which this code of behavior is enforced will vary greatly, with some communities being more lax about such codes than others. The one element which the communities are not lax about is the Vinaya, which is very strictly maintained according to the Pali Recension version, the standard of Theravada. The Vinaya (a word in Pali as well as in Sanskrit, with literal meaning discipline) is the textual framework for the Buddhist monastic community, or sangha. ... Theravada (Pāli: थेरवाद theravāda; Sanskrit: स्थविरवाद sthaviravāda; literally, the Way of the Elders) is the oldest surviving Buddhist school, and for many centuries has been the predominant religion of Sri Lanka (about 70% of the population[1]) and continental Southeast Asia (Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and parts of southwest...

Because the Forest tradition in part is a reaction against a highly intellectual approach to Buddhism, the Dhamma is studied in a much simpler fashion. Members of the tradition, like those found in Zen, are widely known for their suspicion of any attempt to convey the Dhamma in an overly intellectual fashion. The Forest tradition, again like Zen, favors a more direct approach to understanding the Dhamma in everyday life. Yet it places a great deal of value on meditation, and followers of the tradition are also generally perceived to be excellent meditators. The word dharma (Sanskrit; धर्म in the Devanagari script) or dhamma (Pali) is used in most or all philosophies and religions of Indian origin, Dharmic faiths, namely Hinduism (Sanatana Dharma), Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism. ... Zen is a school of Mahayana Buddhism that places great importance on moment-by- [1] // Zen, pronounced [] in Japanese, is the Sino-Japanese reading of the Chinese character 禅, which is pronounced [] (Pinyin: chán) in modern Standard Mandarin Chinese, but was likely pronounced [] in Middle Chinese. ...

Although Forest monasteries exist in extremely rural environments, they are not isolated from society. Monks in such monasteries are expected to be an integral element in the surrounding society in which they find themselves. Again, this is in part a reaction against the huge urban monastic communities which were primarily concerned with scholarly study and scriptural translation, which thus effectively shut their communities off from the surrounding environment.

Forest monks sometimes meditate using the mantra buddho as a samatha object. In Tibet, many Buddhists carve mantras into rocks as a form of devotion. ... Samatha (Pāli; Sanskrit: śamatha), Tranquility or concentration meditation. ...

Important Figures

• Ajahn Sao Kantasilo Mahathera
• Ajahn Mun Bhuridatta Thera
• Ajahn Li Thammatharo
• Buddhadasa Bhikkhu
• Ajahn Chah
• Ajahn Sumedho
• Ayya Tathaaloka
• Ajahn Pasanno
• Thanissaro Bhikkhu
• Ajahn Sona
• Ajahn Brahm
• Ajahn Khemadhammo
• Luang Ta Maha Bua

Phra Ajahn Sao Kantasilo Mahathera (1861-1941) was a monk in the Thai Forest Tradition of Theravadin Buddhism. ... Ajaan Mun Bhuridatta Thera (Thai: , 1870-1949) was a Thai Buddhist monk who is credited with establishing the Kammatthana tradition of forest monks. ... Buddhadasa Bhikkhu (Thai: พุทธทาสภิกขุ) was one of the most influential Theravada Buddhist monks of the 20th century. ... Venerable Ajahn Chah Subhatto (Chao Khun Bodhinyanathera) (alternatively spelled Achaan Chah, occasionally with honorific titles Luang Por and Phra) (17 June 1918, Thailand – 16 January 1992), was one of the greatest meditation masters of the twentieth century. ... Ajahn Sumedho is a widely venerated modern figure of Theravada Buddhism. ... Ayya Tathaaloka Bhikkhuni is an American-born Theravadan bhikkhuni and Buddhist teacher. ... Thanissaro Bhikkhu (Geoffrey DeGraff) (1949 - ) is an American Buddhist monk of the Thai forest kammathana tradition. ... Venerable Ajahn Brahmavamso Mahathera (known to most as Ajahn Brahm) was born Peter Betts in London, United Kingdom in August 7, 1951. ... Categories: Possible copyright violations ... Luang Ta Maha Bua (Thai: หลวงตามหาบัว ) is the common name of Pra Dharma Visuthimongkol (Thai: พระธรรมวิสุทธิมงคล ), a controversial Buddhist monk from Thailand. ...

References

• A taste of Freedom, Ajahn Chah, Bung Wai Forest Monastery, 1991
• A Still Forest Pool, Jack Kornfield, Theosophical Publishing House, London, 1986
• J.L.Taylor. Forest Monks and the Nation-State: An Anthropological and Historical Study in Northeastern Thailand, Singapore: ISEAS, 1993 [1996]. ISBN 981-3016-49-3 (original study of forest monks in Thailand)
• Tiyavanich, Kamala. Forest Recollections: Wandering Monks in 20th Century Thailand. University of Hawaii Press, 1997. ISBN 0-8248-1781-8.

External links

• Forest Sangha Website
• List of Figures
• santifm1.0: Santi Forest Monastery website
• Abhayagiri Monastery

• The Thai Forest Tradition