This information on Buddhist travel in Thailand is based on fieldwork conducted from August 2009-September 2010.
Wat Pa Kanjanabhisek and the Buddha Metta Project
Ajahn Sudhiro is abbot of Wat Pah Kanjanabhisek and the founder of the Buddha Metta Project. He has been ordained as part of the Dhammayut forest tradition for over twenty years. Ajahn Sudhiro is in the lineage of the founder of the forest tradition, Ajahn Mun, and has done periods of tudong practice as well as solitary practice in a cave for two and eight years. He is one of the older generation of forest practitioners that has practiced in the forest and often tells stories of his time in solitary practice. After this he founded Wat Pa Kanjanabhisek near his hometown and has founded projects to help the local community. He helps children receive health care and educates the nearby Khon Khaen community about monasticism and meditation.
In the last ten years, Ajahn Sudhiro has also been active internationally, teaching Buddhist groups in the UK and other parts of Europe. He regularly stays at the monasteries of the Ajahn Chah tradition here. He also established Sammapatipadarama monastery in Napier, New Zealand, where he now usually spends the rains retreat.
The Buddha Metta Project, in Loei Province, is a newly evolving project that will be a center for all people, both Buddhists and those interested in Buddhism, to live together and practice the tradition. Visitors will be asked to follow the basic precepts but they are not expected to be Buddhist. At the center there will be a mix of local people and visitors. Ajahn Sudhiro hopes that this will be an international center where monks and nuns from outside Thailand will come to stay and practice meditation in a traditional way in simple accommodations. This will be a Dhamma village who will focus on spreading metta throughout the world. The practice will show the Buddhist culture within the Thai rural way of living led by monks and nuns of the forest tradition and lay teachers. Ajahn Sudhiro envisions a place where people from all over the world can practice together in a harmonious environment. He especially hopes families can come to practice here and experience the Buddhist way of life together.
Wat Pah Kanjanabhisek is Ajahn Sudhiro’s temple. When he is not there, however, the monastery is quite quiet and with only a few residents. While he is staying there, and is not at Buddha Metta Project in nearby Loei province or traveling abroad, he offers opportunities for foreign laity to stay and practice meditation as well as the monastic life. With prior discussion and preparation with Ajahn Sudhiro some foreign men have ordained temporarily, and for longer periods of time. After discussing this possibility for a while with Ajahn Sudhiro and after determining the candidate is self-reliant the temporary ordination can take place. Because Ajahn Sudhiro is fluent in English, there is often an international community around him.
The daily schedule at Wat Pah Kanjanabhisek includes daily morning and evening chanting, group meditation throughout the day, and helping out with chores of sweeping, cleaning, and helping to prepare food with the local community. The community here, following the forest tradition, eat once a day at 8AM. Lay foreigners can also follow monks on alms round and the local community is happy and used to seeing the international community, even sometimes offering to the foreigners as well. The international community as well can have private interviews with Ajahn Sudhiro about their meditation practice, and can hear public dhamma talks as well. Depending on the timing of the stay the international community could also be involved in taking trips to visit nearby monasteries, or to visit the Buddha Metta Project and help with the construction.
Ajahn Sudhiro and his projects holds another opportunity for foreign engagement in Thai Buddhism. His ability in English and vision for international communities coming together to learn about Buddhism facilitate this. Foreigners can spend time with him at Wat Pah Kanjanabhisek to learn about Buddhism or temporarily ordain, as well as the Buddha Metta Project where there is a focus on practice of meditation and experiencing living the Dhamma.
Phra Bart Memorial
Phra Khru Baitika Dr. Barton Yanathiro (Phra Bart), the main teacher of the Buddhist Meditation Institute (BMI) at Wat Luang Por Sot, died in his sleep on June 22 at 75. There was a brief memorial posted on the website for Wat Luang Por Sot and BMI, which stated that he had died of a blood infection. His funeral was held on June 22-26. I met Phra Bart twice, and I posted about both meetings here and here. He was an extremely joyful man with a passion for teaching meditation to foreigners in Thailand.
A former professor of Sociology and Social Psychology, he became a monk at Wat Luang Por Sot upon retirement at age 67. His role at this temple was to manage the Buddhist Meditation Institute (BMI), for which he had been teaching about six years. He often spoke about how meditation is the best methodology for understanding reality. It is unclear how Wat Luang Por Sot will fill his role at the temple and teaching at BMI. His death is certainly a loss to international meditators, but his life was filled with much teaching and connection through his knowledge and ability to teach meditation.
For further testimonies to Phra Bart’s impact on foreign meditators and his enthusiasm for teaching meditation, look at his facebook page. Many of his friends and students have written their goodbyes there.
Wat Pah Tam Wua
While I was looking up images for international meditation center brochures, I surprisingly found a meditation temple I had not heard of before- Wat Pah Tam Wua. I recently was able to stop by and speak with the abbot, who is also the main meditation teacher, but I will be back to stay longer because of the beauty of this forest temple and the warmth of the meditation teacher. This temple was built around 10 years ago and began by the abbot known as Ajahn Luangta. He had spent many years on tudong (wandering and practicing strict ascetic discipline) and considers many of the forest tradition master’s his teachers such as Luangta Mahabua, Ajahn Chah, and Ajahn Kao.
Ajahn Luangta learned English from the many Americans who stumbled upon his temple while visiting the touristy spots along Highway 1095 of Northern Thailand, the route that runs from Chiangmai to Pai, and through to MaeHongSon. After this, other foreigners learned about this temple through word of mouth and websites with information from people’s travels. Ajahn Luangta welcomes anyone to the temple, people of any faith and nation. There have been people from over 100 countries who have stayed to practice here. He teaches the many foreigners through chatting with them about their lives, and teaching the basic meditation technique of mindfulness of breathing. His discussions usually focus on relationships, the nature of karma, stress, and the forest lifestyle.
Ajahn Luangta also teaches through stories of past meditators. He tells of a man from Denmark who happened by Wat Pah Tam Wua during his honeymoon when his wife ended their marriage after one week. Ajahn Luangta taught this man some basic meditation and he felt better within a few hours. Ajahn Luangta also has students who come for a month or two every year and who invite him to teach them in the USA.
The schedule for meditators at Wat Pah Tam Wua includes three group practice times. These include group walking and group sitting. The walking periods are done sometimes in a circle with everyone walking together around the sala, and sometimes outside the temple or in the forest on the temple grounds. There is also an offering of alms to the monks for both meals of the day as well as time for individual practice and chores. The schedule also allows time for simply enjoying the beauty of the temple and its surroundings.
The information and guidelines pamphlet for Wat Pah Tam Wua state that the practice here should be relaxed and enjoyed. One should check for themselves what is conducive to calm and what hinders it. It also states that prior meditation experience is not necessary as most sessions are guided by Ajahn Luangta. However, all meditators should participate fully in the monastery life by attending all group meditation sessions and helping with chores.
Buddhism and Christianity: Teachings of Ven. Dhammananda Bhikkhuni
Ven. Dhammananda Bhikkhuni is one of the few Thai Buddhist figures who writes and thinks about other religious faiths when discussing Buddhism. Buddhadasa Bhikkhu tried to find the commonalities and ‘heart’ of all religious traditions and Ven. Dhammananda Bhikkhuni continues this but in a different way. Her focus is on making meditation practice suitable and flexible enough for Christians to practice. As someone with experience of foreign Christian visitors to her temple, Ven. Dhammananda Bhikkhunis has thought of ways to accommodate this audience who wants to practice meditation but feel comfortable in their identity of a Christian faith.
Ven. Dhammananda Bhikkhuni details her ideas about Christians practicing meditation most clearly in her pamphlet Meditation for Buddhists and Christians, published free by her temple, Wat Songdhammakalyani in Nakhon Pathom. In this pamphlet she advises Christians that they do not have to recite the mantra “Buddho” when beginning meditation but can use a different word. She advises to either repeat ‘breathing in’ and ‘breathing out’ or ‘Jesus’ and ‘Christ’ (2). This makes the meditation either secular or explicitly calling to mind Jesus within the meditation exercise.
But also in this pamphlet, like Buddhadasa Bhikkhu she writes about the similarities and agreements between the two religions. She is knowledgeable about Christianity and finds that calling oneself a Christian means that you follow the life of Christ. It follows then that one is giving toward others like him. In Buddhism too, Buddhists follow the Buddha, and trust that he was Enlightened, and try to follow his lifestyle. Thus she asserts that for “both Buddhists and Christians, if we know our duty, there is no need for us to quarrel at all. I think Buddhists and Christians, who truly practice in their own traditions will be nothing but great friends” (4).
In Ven. Dhammananda Bhikkhuni’s book about meditation, Training the Monkey Mind, where she discusses Buddhism explicitly to a non-Buddhist audience. She starts by talking about meditation and how there are many different types of meditation techniques and objects of concentration. That each person can choose which one is best for them, she finds, shows that Buddhism respects individual differences (9). Thus one can practice in different ways, even as a Christian, and still be practicing meditation. She also explains the differences between Buddhism and Christianity: “You should be observing the five precepts. Not to kill, in Christianity, you take it as an order from God we ought not kill. But in Buddhism we do not have such a ‘God-concept’ (10).
Ven. Dhammananda Bhikkhuni believes that taking refuge in the Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha is a declaration of one’s Buddhist identity. She finds this comparable to the Christian tradition of Baptism. In describing how to take the three refuges, she also compares this to Christianity: “Very much like the Christians, when you go for your Sunday mass . . . it is the time that you are reminded that you are to follow the spirit of Christ, . . . The same way, that is how we as Buddhists take Buddhahood into ourselves, follow the path and make it real” (84). Thus Ven. Dhammananda Bhikkhuni uses Christian concepts to help her audience understand about Buddhism.
She also discusses the issue of those of another faith who feel they cannot bow down before an image of the Buddha: “It is important to understand the significance of this humble gesture. When we bow down before a Buddha image it means we are able to let go of the importance of the self. We bring our head below our heart. We bow with body, heart and mind and by so doing we gain merit. When a student bows before a teacher, it is the student who gains merit because she/he is able to let go of the self; the teacher gains nothing at all” (50-51)
“The approach is very much like science that is, it can be proved, it is not based on faith alone. But it is different from science. In scientific discovery, someone discovered it and showed it to us. But in Buddhism there is a proof but we have to do it ourselves. I cannot be enlightened for you.” “So to understand Buddhism in order to free ourselves from suffering, there is no need to go into details of the philosophical engagement. The message of Buddhism is very simple and down to earth, practicable” (54).
Phra Phaisan Visalo and Modern Thai Buddhism
Phra Phaisan Visalo is one of the most important voices in Thai Buddhism today. Although he is not a meditation teacher, he still affects the ideas and possible changes of Thai Buddhism that international travelers could experience when visiting temples or going on retreat in Thailand. He is a reformist monk with many writings in both Thai and English. Some of his English articles are online at his website and his most important book in Thai is called The Future of Thai Buddhism. His most important writings on Thai Buddhist reform in English are titled “Buddhism for the Next Century” and “Buddhism at a Crossroads.” I will discuss here his ideas about reform, Thai Buddhism and modernity, as well as Phra Phaisan’s take on Thai Buddhist history and other reformers like himself including Buddhadasa Bhikkhu and P.A. Payutto.
Thai Buddhism and Reform
In order to understand Phra Phaisan Visalo’s ideas about Thai Buddhism today and his hopes for its future, a lesson in Thai Buddhist history is necessary. Basically beginning in the early 1900s the Thai sangha became centralized and standardized by the Thai government. Before this, as Phra Phaisan sees it, the sangha was more vibrant and dynamic, and certainly had more regional differences. Since these centralizing reforms until today, Phra Phaisan believes that the sangha has remained the same. Its system of education, its hierarchy and bureaucracy, administration were all modeled after the administration of the government which was influenced by colonial institutions, and there has been no reform since this time.
Therefore at the turn of the 20th century Phra Phaisan finds that the sangha is stagnating and hindering individual monks’ creativity. The only avenues for difference and reform are at the peripheries of the sangha and do not go further because of resistance at the center. For this reason, Phra Phaisan asserts that innovation of the system is only possible through individual monks, not a group or temple, or the sangha as a whole. Phra Phaisan favors a balance of responsibility within Thai Buddhism among the three aspects of government, sangha and lay community. When this happens the government and people supply monks with the necessities to maintain their practices and the sangha taught Buddhism and how to live one’s life according to the dhamma.
Thai Buddhism lost this balance when these early reforms pulled the sangha and the state too closely together, and was out of touch with the lay communities. The government watching over the sangha was too strong and lay people had no chance or room to take care of the sangha. Therefore Phra Phaisan believes the role of the laity needs to be restored. Phra Phaisan also believes that Thai Buddhism is in need of reform because the sangha has failed as a moral force in society. Monks’ behavior is questioned by laypeople and the sangha has not set an example as crime rate and corruption in Thailand is on the rise. This is due to, Phra Phaisan argues, the centralization and reforms beginning in the early 1900s.
During the time of King Mongkut, leaders of the reform movement, Prince Wachirayan and King Mongkut, attempted to purify Buddhism and return to the ‘original’ teachings of the Buddha. They rejected traditional Buddhism and anything to do with magic and superstition. But at the same time accepted Western approaches of empiricism and rationalism. These reforms also erased the goal of liberation from Buddhism. Nibbana as the highest achievement of Buddhist practice was overlooked during these reforms and centralization. The leaders of this movement placed the focus on practicing a code of morality, not meditation. This code of morality was introduced in schools through the government’s Ministry of Education. Phra Phaisan believes that this produced an empty moralism and no liberation.
Phra Phaisan finds that traditional superstition might be better than modern and foreign superstition. He argues that this removal of ‘traditional superstition’ is because Buddhism now lacks any sense of the sacred. Because nibbana and superstition were removed and Thai Buddhism was left with a rationalized moral code, there was no power of the sacred for people to connect with. Phra Phaisan finds that faith or fear of the sacred and a connection with or experience of inner peace through meditation are necessary to maintain one’s morality. Because the traditional superstition has been displaced, lay Buddhists have introduced a less than sacred kind of superstition. So they look outside of Buddhism and go outside of the temples. This creates a degenerate form of superstition not based on morality. This is why traditional Buddhist superstition, Phra Phaisan, believes is good and necessary.
Another problem with the centralization of the sangha was the new hierarchy which held monks accountable to the state instead of their local communities. This created a lay community less interested in temples and taking care of monastics. Phra Phaisan finds that these results show the weaknessof King Monkgut and Prince Wachirayan’s reforms.
Modern Reforms
Phra Phaisan finds that the more modern reforms of famous scholar-monks Buddhadasa Bhikkhu and P.A. Payutto have done more to help Thai Buddhism. Phra Phaisan praises Buddhadasa Bhikkhu for being able to go beyond Prince Wachirayan’s rationalistic and scientific approach to Buddhism because Buddhadasa Bhikkhu recognized the need of the ultimate. He brought the goal of nibbana back to its place as the highest goal of Buddhism. He also tried to make his teachings accessible to ordinary people in ordinary daily life. He tried to replace superstition with nibbana in the present moment and bring the sacred closer to Thai Buddhists. Buddhadasa Bhikkhu also went beyond Prince Wachirayan by not defining Buddhism based on science but by giving a sense of the ultimate truth to his scientific Buddhism. Science conformed to Buddhism instead of the other way around.
P.A. Payutto also tried to reintroduce nibbana into Thai Buddhism, and also its relevance for ordinary people in their lives today. P.A. Payutto urges people to attain the first level of enlightenment as stream-enterers are necessary in society today. Phra Phaisan argues that science and rationalism are not a problem for Buddhism until they come to define it, because this leads to rejecting Buddhist teachings that do not fit this other criteria. Phra Phaisan believes that Buddhism goes deeper and has access to truths that are inaccessible to science. Therefore Phra Phaisan asserts that for Thai Buddhism today nibbana and the sacred need to be brought back and integrated into the daily lives of Thai laity.
However these modern reformist monks, while popular with the Thai educated middle class, are not widely appreciated by the higher levels of the sangha hierarchy. Their writings have influenced regional individual monks and those on the periphery. Their works are not studied in monastic education but the curriculum designed by Prince Wachirayan is still widely used. These texts written eighty years ago, Phra Phaisan argues, should not be favored over modern writings.
Thai Buddhism and Modernity
Phra Phaisan writes that forms of the sacred such as amulets should be used skillfully in Buddhism and let Buddhist teachings guide how they are to be used. For people not interested in nibbana this can be helpful and temples that add a consumerist quality to their offerings are successful in attracting people to the temple. Therefore Phra Phaisan asserts that for Thai Buddhism today nibbana and the sacred need to be brought back and integrated into the daily lives of Thai laity. He wants Buddhism to adapt to modernity and use consumerism to bring people back to Buddhism. The prominence of consumerism in Thai society and Thai Buddhism show the weakness of the sangha. Phra Phaisan finds that many Thai Buddhist practices and beliefs are becoming more like consumerism and this is the latest force to mix with Buddhism adding to science and nationalism. Phra Phaisan therefore finds that Thai Buddhism is mixing with modernity in increasing and diverse ways.
He also finds the characteristic of individuality is now found in Buddhism as practices become more and more individualized. Thai laity now adapt the practices to what they believe is of benefit, and there is no interaction or intervention from the state, sangha or one’s community, as previously this kept the practices more stable and firm. Now Phra Phaisan finds Buddhism is used for negative purposes to fill a specific desire and is not about concern for others or society, and not about spirituality. Therefore the eclecticism and pick-and-mix quality of modern religions is at work in Thai Buddhist society and Phra Phaisan would like the sangha to try and combat this. He finds the marketplace-consumer aspect of modern religiosity to be a problem as people do not have faith but would rather consume religion to satisfy their desire or for a taste of a religious experience.
Therefore Phra Phaisan argues that Thai Buddhism is returning to diversity again after the centralization reforms of the early 1900s. This could be a good sign that Buddhism is becoming independent of the state and is being controlled more by the will of the people. But this needs to be under the control of the sangha as Buddhist teachings are not being used for liberation, but more for self-delusion.
Gap Year Meditation Program and a Vision for ‘Wandering Meditators’
Matthew Schojan is a unique figure within the small group of lay foreign meditation teachers in Thailand. For the past three years he has been facilitating annual one-week retreats for gap year students traveling through Southeast Asia. But he also has a vision for a program to help foreigners interested in meditation further, and this is called ‘Wandering Meditators.’ Matthew has an interesting perspective and ideas about how foreigners should be taught in Thailand and expresses this through this teaching of gap year students and in his vision for Wandering Meditators.
Matthew started teaching in New York City about mindfulness and meditation to help people deal with the aftermath of 9/11. He has been a student of young teachers such as Noah Levine and Vinny Ferraro, as well as veteran insight meditation teachers Jack Kornfield and Sharon Salzberg. When he told some of these teachers of his idea to practice meditation in Asia, he was advised instead to first practice in America and get a good foundation of the practice first.
Matthew eventually did travel and settled down in Thailand. He has participated in international retreats in the Chiangmai area and through these experiences found that some of his fellow meditators would benefit from more guidance. He feels that many Westerners do not already know about meditation and Buddhism as many Southeast Asian Buddhists do, so there needs to be more clarification and information for this group. Matthew has respect for the methods that focus solely on individual practice but finds its not right for everyone. For some people this works but for others he finds just being told to go meditate is not enough. Matthew keeps coming back to what he learned in America and this is what he mainly focuses on when he teaches.
The gap year program is held on an organic farm in Sankampheng and is run through the Carpe Diem Education International Education’s study abroad program on Southeast Asia. Matthew runs the course as an introduction to Buddhism and meditation that is geared towards American teenagers who haven’t come to Asia specifically for the practice, as this is just one of the many activities these students participate in while traveling in Thailand. He attempts to offer an accessible, non-dogmatic, non-denominational, non-sectarian retreat and to present meditation as a necessary and useful tool for training our minds as one would perform physical exercise to train their bodies. Over the five-day course, the participants gradually build concentration with samatha exercises like breath awareness (anapanasati) and repetition of the mantra “let go” (used instead of the “Buddho” mantra that is used in the forest tradition). Then the practice expands into vipassana, with the four foundations of mindfulness, guided meditations and Dhamma talks. Many of the talks center around suffering, impermanence, and non-self, and how these characteristics arise in our bodies, lives, and the world. Another large part of the retreat focuses on the Brahma-Viharas through guided meditations and talks on compassion, loving-kindness, joy, and equanimity. He teaches therefore with minimal references to religion or Buddhist culture. He can do this because the retreat is conducted in a farm instead of a temple.
For his idea of Wandering Meditators, Matthew focuses on teaching beginners and in helping those who want access to Thai teachers but are not familiar enough with the culture or practice to be able to take advantage. He finds that in many meditation retreats offered to foreigners, many times much is lost in translation, not explained well enough, or just not suited for beginning English-speakers interested in learning about meditation. This is due to language barriers and differences in learning styles where Western-educated peoples often seek to understand deeply and to want explanations for practices. As well often beginning meditators expect more group sittings and more guidance than is offered in Thai meditation centers where one only meets the teacher for a daily interview. Of course there are places where instructions and information about Buddhism is given such as the International Dhamma Hermitage but in many places the format is very solitary and this can be difficult. Many advanced foreign meditators are looking for this kind of practice but a large number find this style inaccessible and limits their interest in further practice.
Matthew’s vision for Wandering Meditators will help to support this kind of meditator through filling in the gaps of the meditation retreat that aren’t currently offered. Through Matthew’s experience of practice in Thailand and America, he has learned much about meditation and the different techniques. He feels he has benefitted from all of the experiences he has had and respects all of the teachers and centers who are trying to teach international meditators. But he feels that Wandering Meditators would help to enrich the experience of Western meditators by aiding them in overcoming the obstacles he has observed while practicing in Thailand. Thus the offerings in Thailand, from Matthew’s point of view, are not inadequate, but they can be enhanced so that the gaps between Eastern and Western can be further bridged.
Matthew’s plans for ‘wandering meditators’ is to be a liaison for Western travelers. He wants to create mindful pilgrimages so that people can travel and also practice sitting and walking meditation together. He would like to get some assistants/facilitators to aid beginning meditators as they go through the retreat process. They could get together for discussions after the retreat, before, or even during to have some information exchange. For this he would choose temples that are more flexible and make sure to tell the monks that he is working with them to help the students, not taking over for them. Matthew finds that many students are put off at the devotional aspects of temple life and because they don’t know how to act and aren’t introduced to it they become disenchanted with all of Thai Buddhism and don’t pursue meditation anymore.
Therefore Matthew’s experiences have led him to see some gaps in the teaching of beginning international meditators and he is interested in filling these in. His gap year program is an example of how he feels international meditators should be taught—with a mix of guided meditation, dhamma talks, information about Buddhism, and with a secular approach to meditation. Matthew is still working on the details of this program but be on the lookout for this interesting new opportunity for international meditators!
Dhamma Talks of Ajahn Gavesako
The dhamma talks of Ajahn Gavesako can be found in three books published by the Maya Gotami Foundation. Two are separate volumes of dhamma talks titled A Fragrance of Dhamma. And the third is a well-illustrated book titled The Seven Practices of a Healthy Mind.
The Seven Practices of a Healthy Mind focuses on happiness and how to be happy through looking at one’s own mind. Ajahn Gavesako promises that a well-trained mind is the one thing that will bring true happiness. Besides this benefit Ajahn Gavesako lists other major benefits such as increased mental health, learning about life, and heedfulness. Ajahn Gavesako teaches the method of anapanasati following the stages of the Anapanasati Sutta but also mixes in forest master techniques such as repeating ‘Buddho,’ and incorporating mindfulness into daily life. He includes success stories of both Thai and Japanese people who have come to his temple to practice, and how his seven steps have benefitted their lives. He also points to medical studies and research to show the power of meditation for health benefits. Another main focus of his is anger management, as he offers a number of techniques on how to subdue anger. The seven practices are not just for a healthy mind but within these practices are more lists, which contribute to self-development and being a better person for society.
In the Fragrance of Dhamma series Ajahn Gavesako’s dhamma talks are autobiographical teachings that discuss anger, wrong thinking, patience, and maintaining virtuous hearts and minds. He also continues in the tradition of Ajahn Chah’s disciples by writing about Ajhan Chah’s teachings and his relationship with him. He tells stories of his temple in Thailand and his trips to Japan, and how his teaching has affected his followers to understand the Buddhist truths of life. His teachings are also conveyed through stories about daily life in Northeast Thailand seen through the laity at Wat Nong Pah Pong, as well as stories from the time of the Buddha, and true stories from people he has met in Thailand and Japan. These stories teach the reader about kamma and the unpleasantness of anger.
Phra Ajahn’s dhamma talks are recommended for their practical advice and teaching stories. He offers many lists to incorporate into one’s behavior for improved self-development. Often there are medical studies and psychological findings incorporated into his work to show the concrete benefits of meditation. He finds that science helps to back up the claims of meditation but that it does not help one find happiness, like Buddhism and its teachings do.
Phra Ajahn Mitsuo Gavesako and his Philanthropic Foundations
Ajahn Gavesako’s story is well-known among his followers. In his youth in Japan he became unsatisfied with life and decided to travel. He went to many countries including India, Nepal, Iran, Germany and other European countries. While visiting India he stayed at Bodh Gaya and here had an important insight. He realized that he had always been searching for something outside of himself but true happiness is within one’s own mind and body. Nexy he ordained as a novice in Thailand at Wat Benchamabophit in Bangkok. But he continued to search for a place to practice the dhamma and when he was not satisfied with the ones in the south that foreigners had practiced in, he went to Ubon Ratchathani with an Indian monk who could speak Thai. He had heard about Ajahn Chah of Wat Nong Pah Pong and had an opportunity to travel there. Western monks approached him when he arrived and took him to see Ajahn Chah. He was sure he wanted to live there, with its cool forest and peaceful atmosphere, and knew he could maintain the difficult lifestyle as he had always persevered in training his body and mind as a mountain climber and through his experiences traveling and living the life of the poorest people of each country he visited. By enduring he would practice patience and follow the way of Ajahn Chah.
At the age of 24, in 1974, he received higher ordination at Wat Nong Pah Pong and became part of the first generation of Ajahn Chah’s followers. He is also known as one of the founders of Wat Pah Nanachat and for his dutanga practices in Japan and in Thailand. In 1989 he carried out a 72-day walk from Narita airport to Hiroshima, totaling 1000 kilometers, and this was made into a documentary. Since this documentary aired many Japanese have come to see him to ask advice.
In 1990 a lay donor offered her land in the province of Kanchanaburi to Ajahn Gavesako. This became a forest monastery and 117th branch of Wat Nong Pah Pong, called Wat Pah Sunantavanaram or Wat Pah Sunan. Ajahn Gavesako is now abbot and his temple is listed as one of the main monasteries of the Ajahn Chah lineage in Thailand (along with Wat Pah Nong Pah Pong, Wat Pah Nanachat, and Wat Marp Jan) on the English-language forest sangha website.
1996 Ajahn Gavesako started teaching anapanasati and insight meditation classes for the general public every year about 6-7 times and on important Buddhist holidays to people who were interested at Wat Pah Sunan. By 2004 he had already taught more than 40 classes. Lay people come there throughout the year to practice dhamma. There are usually 20 monks resident at the monastery, and sometimes these are international monks from all over the world. The meditation hall holds up to 150 people. There are 35 kutis for monks and enough accommodation to house 150 visitors. The temple calculates that there are around 5000 lay people who come and stay at the Wat Pah Sunan per year.
Maya Gotami Foundation
Starting in 1990 the Maya Gotami foundation was started to help Thai children. Ajahn Gavesako saw that Japanese children from his home country received aid from charities and comparing this with Thai children that he saw, he thought they needed a similar chance. So he has founded this project to raise money for children’s education and welfare. He also has done this to repay the gratitude for the people of the Northeast’s support of him as a monk when he lived in Wat Nong Pah Pong. He has said that these people looked after them and were like his parents and relatives, who had belief in his practice. He gives support to the children of this area in Ubon Ratchathani but to other provinces as well. The Maya Gotami foundation gives supplies for school, scholarships for individuals, and has helped to give food for lunches. So far the foundation has raised over one million baht, and helped 47 schools.
Saori Project
The Maya Gotami Foundation has launched the Saori hand weaving project to help the victims of the Tsunami in southern Thailand. This helps those affected toward recovery by creating employment and using art as a way of mental healing. Saori weaving is a type of hand weaving created in Japan. This cloth is used to make a number of items and is simple to learn with its dedication to free expression. The weaving itself is done through improvisation with each person working on their own loom. Supporters can donate money to the project to provide looms and sewing machines for those involved with the project or buy the pouches, pen cases, bags, or tee-shirts created by the participants in the project.
The Phra Ajahn Mistuo Gavesako Foundation
Ajahn Gavesako is also concerned with the environment and so has founded another organization in 2008 to handle problems of this nature. This foundation is more of a public health and awareness organization to educate local people on how to care for the environment and use natural resources. In cooperation with local agencies such as the police, military, and local politicians and government, they provide this information and ways to save the forest.
Their main activities include encouraging people to stop wild life hunting and wood-cutting, creating a radio channel about the negative effects of destroying forest lands, educating local people about right behavior concerning wildlife, and creating volunteer groups to protect local forests. This is done in the form of newsletters and seminars. This foundation also helps to cultivate the forest and reclaim it for positive uses such as an herbal garden for making medicines. They also arrange camping trips so people can understand the forest and the different animals that live there. They also offer education in the form of study for students through monitoring animals via cameras and surveying wild animals.
Ajahn Gavesako’s biography and his many foundations reveal a unique international monk. He is a meditation teacher as well as an engaged leader striving to help those in need. His background as a Japanese traveler who found Ajahn Chah is similar to Western monks who followed the same path. But Ajahn Gavesako, unlike many of the Western monks, has stayed in Thailand, and has become well-known through his fund-raising and philanthropic activities.
YBAT and Phra Pandit
In January 2009 Phra Pandit of the Little Bang Sangha organized his first YBAT (Young Buddhist’s Association of Thailand) Retreat. This retreat is organized as part of YBAT’s efforts to bring meditation to the international community of foreign travelers and Thais who have studied abroad. YBAT mostly holds talks and retreats in Thai but the international community and YBAT management team were interested in holding an international retreat with Phra Pandit as the facilitator and to see what adaptations and adjustments should be made for this audience. Phra Pandit found that the international group tried hard to adjust to wearing white and observing the unfamiliar Thai rituals while the Thai meditators that attended were encouraging and could lead by example. But if any of the foreigners felt uncomfortable with any of the activities such as taking the 8 precepts or joining in the chanting they have the option to only observe or not join.
At the beginning of this year, from 7-9 January, Phra Pandit is holding the third annual international retreat through YBAT. This is a basic retreat where participants where white, observe the eight precepts and are in silence, following the YBAT style for Thai retreats. The schedule also includes scheduled group sitting and walking meditation sessions, dhamma talks, meditation instructions, and periods for question and answer.
Phra Pandit started working with YBAT after their president had heard about him and asked him to give a dhamma talk. After this he was asked to conduct a January retreat. Phra Pandit, besides these open 3-day retreats, does some one-day workshops and retreats for special foreign groups through YBAT. Phra Pandit, for the most part, follows the YBAT style, especially since the international retreats have about half Thai meditators. YBAT has set a good precedent and model that foreign travelers can follow. Phra Pandit, in his retreats with other groups, is less formal and more flexible though.
Phra Pandit finds that foreigners are happy to mix with the Thais and follow their style for the meditation retreats for the most part. This is mostly because the YBAT retreats are well-run, organized and managed, as well as providing a high-quality facility for meditation and accommodation. Phra Pandit finds that the teaching style for the international retreat is slightly different as the international visitors will need to know more about the ‘why’ as they do not have the foundation of faith as the Thai meditators.
It is good to see this historic meditation institute working with Phra Pandit and trying to reach out to international meditators. The issue of adaptation is something both parties have thought carefully about. Both are flexible but find that most international meditators can follow the YBAT vipassana schedule. This is yet another offering for English-speakers in Thailand to consider.
The Young Buddhists Association of Thailand (YBAT)
The mission for the YBAT is to teach vipassana to the Thai society and international community. This year they have celebrated their 60th anniversary. Over this time the facilities have expanded and the group has continued to grow. YBAT teachers mainly use the Mahasi Sayadaw method from Burma, which is based on the four foundations of mindfulness. They also focus on teaching and helping to understand the self and mind, and the process of progression in vipassana meditation toward liberation. I met with Khun Tom Thaviporn, who is an administrator who helps to facilitate the courses by building new centers, keeping a course schedule, and inviting new teachers. I spoke to him mostly about YBAT’s international retreats, teachers, and participants.
For international retreats at this time YBAT has two main instructors, Phra Pandit and Ajahn Helen Jandamit, who come semi-regularly to lead retreats. As well Western monks from the Ajahn Chah lineage such as Ajahn Pasanno come to lead a retreat or one-day workshop if they are in the Bangkok area. Thus the YBAT facilities are open for all to use, but there is no regular English-speaking program routine yet. YBAT administrators aim, this year, to create a regular course for international visitors. In the past some of the YBAT members have wanted to focus on ministering to the Thais but then others suggested that meditation can benefit the world, not just Thai Buddhists. They would like to have assistants to help manage these retreats and help the teachers. YBAT provides the facilities and ability to administer the retreat, and they have a good model in Thai that is standardized. But they do not yet have a standardized model in English. Therefore English-speaking teachers can modify the Thai standard retreat and do what feels right, although the model is available for use.
The YBAT staff finds foreign teachers by attending one of their retreats or teachings and then deciding whether to invite the teacher to offer a retreat with them in the YBAT facilities. These teachers then make adaptations to the Thai model as they deem suitable. Some teachers find that foreigners need to talk a little, so the retreat is not completely silent for international visitors. Also some do not like the air-conditioning, or the non-vegetarian food, so these non-essential things can be accommodated for the foreign audience.
The YBAT courses can run anywhere from 2 to more than 10 days. The regular options for foreigners are a 3-day retreat, run annually the last three years by Phra Pandit, and a 7-day retreat in December with Ajahn Helen. Khun Tom estimates that per year 100 foreigners attend YBAT retreats, but they want to increase this to 200 or 300 by offering monthly international retreats. But to do this they need more teachers. This year YBAT has become more committed to teaching foreigners as they have noticed many international visitors attend retreats each year and many visitors come to Thailand, and YBAT wants to serve this community. They want to give more 7-day retreats in order for foreigners to receive more understanding.
For the past few years each international retreat has had about 20-30 participants. This low number is because they do not advertise and do not have an English website. They plan to do both of these things when they have a routine schedule and find more teacher assistants. YBAT is also working to create the ideal environment for the international audience by getting feedback after each retreat.
YBAT’s main center is in Thonburi. It has a library open for the public with some English books as well as a plan to scan many more to create online access to e-books. This center is mostly suitable for city people because it is convenient and has air conditioning. This space can accommodate 1000 people for a retreat. In this center there is also much art as well as media displays of the dhamma for teaching. The second retreat center is in Pathum Thani, outside of Bangkok. Here is where most of the foreign retreats are held. Foreigners like this facility because it is more natural and remote and has no air-conditioning. This site can accommodate large and small groups and has single rooms but with fewer services.
Therefore YBAT continues to offer its vipassana meditation retreats to Thais and is trying to expand further to international meditators. They have the facilities and are working toward getting teachers for the expanding number of foreign retreatants. They are also willing to adapt the schedule and are flexible with the mode of teaching.
Buddhadasa Bhikkhu Archives
In August of 2010, the Buddhadasa Bhikkhu Archives (BIA) opened in Bangkok. The BIA has a mission to uphold the three wishes of Buddhadasa Bhikkhu, which is for people to understand their own religion, have mutual understanding for other religions, and for people to be able to remove themselves from the grips of consumerism and materialism. But this beautiful place in a serene setting, is not only for followers of Buddhadasa Bhikkhu, but is meant for all to come and learn or just enjoy the scenery.
The BIA was set up as a new and separate foundation to maintain Buddhadasa Bhikkhu’s writings and recordings. They have the full support and cooperation of Buddhadasa Bhikkhu’s monastery, Wat Suan Mokh, and the Dhammadana foundation. The BIA hosts the archives of Buddhadasa Bhikkhu, which includes all of his prolific notebooks and audiotapes. The staff at BIA hope to digitize all of this information and allow researchers to use this. They have also begun to scan and bind some of Buddhadasa Bhikkhu’s notebooks, which are available for a donation in the bookstore. With fourteen staff members and many volunteers this work is sure to be done quickly. As well the BIA is working to increase awareness among the international community and has invited monks such as the well-known Bangkok resident British monk, Phra Pandit, to give a dhamma talk (details here).
In the heart of Bangkok, this is a place to understand about Buddhism and Buddhadasa
Bhikkhu’s contribution to Thai Buddhism, without having to visit his monastery in Chaiya, Surat Thani. There are copies of many of the paintings and ideas from Wat Suan Mokh transposed here for a wider audience. The BIA supports Buddhadasa Bhikkhu’s original mission for all people to learn about the dhamma through various mediums. To this end, Buddhadasa Bhikkhu used film, sound, and pictures to describe concepts like nibbana and co-dependent origination (paticca samupada).
Walking into the BIA one finds the extensive bookshop with works not only by Buddhadasa Bhikkhu, but also other famous monks in Thailand as well as Zen monks such as Thich Nhat Hanh. There is also a small English section, which will expand once foreign visitors become more frequent. The first floor also contains a veranda overlooking a small pond and the famous Jatujak Park. Inside is an area for group activities held mainly during the weekend and stone seats, like at Wat Suan Mokh, to take in the view and cool breeze.
The second floor contains most of the artifacts and teachings of Buddhadasa Bhikkhu presented in a very technologically savvy way. There are some of the famous paintings from the theater of Wat Suan Mokh that offer an image of nibbana. Next is a room of calm sounds where quotes from Buddhadasa Bhikkhu appear on the walls. There is also a garden of Paticca Samuppada with 12 stones representing the 12 links in the chain of co-dependent origination. After this one can access material from Buddhadasa Bhikkhu on computers each with their own topic of his writing, such as life and work, and education. Adjacent to this are also Buddhadasa Bhikkhu quotes on a wall and the visitor can add their own wish, which will appear along with Buddhadasa Bhikkhu’s words. On the second floor is also a meditation hall where there are activities mostly on Sundays. Here is where they plan to also have programs for English-speakers. The third floor contains offices, meeting rooms, research facilities and the archival material.
On the second floor one also receives a pocket guide to the exhibition currently on display about nibbana. This guide allows one to follow along and understand how each image and idea portrayed throughout the exhibit relates to nibbana. Here is also instructions on how to meditate as Buddhadasa Bhikkhu recommends, following the mindfulness of breath technique of the Anapanasati sutta.
With more activities for foreigners planned and an accessible presentation of ideas about Buddhadasa Bhikkhu and Thai Buddhism, the BIA is sure to become a popular place for travelers interested in Buddhism. One can go for a day trip to look around, to meditate on one’s own, or for a special event.
Hybrid Religiosity Among International Buddhist Travelers
Recently hybridity has become a buzz word in scholarship in the context of post-modern global studies. Cultural and religious hybridities study mixing in the global context in terms of flows of ideas, people, and economies through media in all forms. I draw from this to understand the exchanges between Euro-Americans and Thai Buddhists in Thailand.
Some scholars have used the term syncretism as an alternate term for the mixing of religious traditions. This term has connoted an impure blending of two or more religious traditions. I am not studying the mixing of two distinct religious traditions and do not view changes in a religious tradition as creating something untrue or impure. There is a spectrum of analysis within hybridities— there are hybrids that accommodate and imitate, but also ones that challenge and subvert. This broad application allows one to use hybridities to study the adaptation of a new religious tradition to a new land, two different cultures interacting in diasporic communities, the mixing of modern and traditional aspects of the same tradition, and many more situations. I think of hybridity in this broad sense in order to capture the spectrum of mixing that occurs over time during different moments of encounter and exchange.
Scholars have recently thought more about conceptualizing modes of religiosity in terms of hybridity and flows. Thomas Tweed, in his recent Crossing and Dwelling, states that theories of religion should take into account the changing nature of religious traditions as religions are not static but constantly being changed as new influences arise. This metaphor of the flow avoids essentializing religious traditions as isolated phenomenon and moves toward answering questions about how they transform each other through contact.
International travelers interested in Buddhism and meditation create such hybridities and changes in the nature of practice among both groups: the indigenous practitioners and the travelers. In Thailand international travelers, with their questions and opinions have created new ideas, interpretations, and teaching methods, especially among international meditation teachers. These exchanges where both groups are practicing together create a mutual process of learning where foreign travelers’ ideas and assumptions about Buddhism are changed and Thai Buddhists create new spaces for alternative forms of religiosity among the international visitors.
Wat Dhammakaya ‘Cultural’ Programs
Wat Dhammakaya now has an ‘International Dhammadayada Training and Ordination Program.’ This allows foreigners to ordain for one month. The international program is offered in English but there are also Chinese and Japanese language sessions available. There are 5 sessions offered per year and the last 12 days are spent in a meditation retreat at Chiangmai. The first part of the month includes orientation at Wat Dhammakaya, preparation for ordination, ordination, and training in the monastic life and meditation. There is a fee of 3500 baht. The pamphlet says they collect the fee in order to be assured of the commitment, and it will cover all the food, travel and lodging. Participants are required to obtain a medical examination and permission by their parents for ordination.
The Buddhist Monk Ordination Program was first organized in 2005 and was initiated by Luang Phaw Dhammajayo, the president of Dhammakaya Foundation, “with the objective of promoting ethics and morality among youths, in addition to their academic education.” The program offers training in Buddhist culture, meditation and basic virtue, the basics of ordination such as the rehearsal, ceremony and study of monastic discipline, as well as learning to take what one has learned into daily life outside the temple. Thus this course focuses on meditation but also on Buddhist culture and the experience of monasticism. The pamphlet promises that training in meditation and the dhamma talks will lead one to find inner happiness. The pamphlet also states that ordination allows one to search for the answers as one is free from the concerns of daily life. The environment of the temple and the status of a monk allows for free time to spend with oneself and to meditate. The organizers of this program also believe that ordaining is the way to follow the Buddha and discover one’s true self and true nature.
The POP (Power of Peace) House is another venue offered by Wat Dhammakaya to participate in both meditation and cultural activities. This is an accommodation near Wat Dhammakaya where foreigners who are interested in practicing meditation can stay. While staying here guests can participate in programs to learn about meditation and Wat Dhammakaya’s ideas about self-development. Visiting Wat Dhammakaya from here is easy and having this space near to but not on the temple grounds allows foreigners to choose when to participate in temple activities. This allows for flexibility that is needed for foreigners who do not know how much they are interested in participating within the Buddhist cultural context. The activities listed are almsgiving, food offering in morning and midday and more. The POP House has its own daily schedule including group meditation sessions, scheduled meal times and free time to rest.
At the POP House women also have the chance to join the Ladies Dhammadayada International program. This is the counterpart to the male international ordination program. This program is also one month long and offers meditation and self-development. It is divided into two two-week sessions. In the first session participants learn about meditation and listen to talks about Buddhism. In the second session there is more time to meditate in a retreat center in Northern Thailand. There are also field trip opportunities so that participants can learn about Thai Buddhist culture.
Therefore for both men and women Wat Dhammakaya has developed month-long programs that focus on meditation and learning about Buddhist culture. For men this focuses on monasticism. The women cannot have this component but the same objectives of self-development and learning about oneself are present in both programs. So it is not just meditation that is taught here as in many international retreat centers, but one can also have the experience of monasticism and opportunities to learn about Buddhist culture and participate in ritual activities.
Wat Dhammakaya Weekend Spectacles in Chiangmai
Wat Dhammakaya is known for its spectacle events and large gatherings. Their temple, just outside of Bangkok, is the largest temple in Thailand, with vehicles needed to go from one end to the other. There are many of these events at the temple itself. On their main website one can see activities with large numbers of people such as the 100,000 monks ordination for the rains-retreat and the 500,000 upasika kaew (lay Buddhist women) mass ordination in April. These massive events are held in hopes of spreading Thai Buddhism across Thailand and throughout the world. In order to spread their particular form of meditation and ideas about Buddhism within Thailand, Wat Dhammakaya is also involved in other areas of the country. I was able to attend two of their recent gatherings in the northern city of Chiangmai. Members of Wat Dhammakaya held events here for Yee Peng and for their annual alms giving ceremony. In keeping with what has come to be expected of this group, these Chiangmai events also consisted of large numbers of people including Thai Buddhist laity, tourists, and of course monks.
On the 21st of November, Wat Dhammakaya held its annual Yee Peng celebration in conjunction with Loi Kratong festivities at a branch temple behind MaeJo University. It was well-organized so that there were many volunteers from the college to help participants find an available spot to set up each lantern or kom. Thousands of people were in attendance to see the spectacle of several thousand lanterns being launched into the night sky simultaneously. When the ceremony began, however, the audience was asked to sit down and meditate using the method of Dhammakaya meditation, to visualize a ball in the center of one’s abdomen. Instructions were in English and Thai, but the dhamma talk was not translated. After this chanting and meditation, the participants were eventually given the signal to kom loi or float the lanterns, the moment everyone was waiting for. We were told to release the lanterns for the Buddha and to reflect and be mindful of the Buddha as well. The people from Wat Dhammakaya therefore had a large group in which to introduce their particular form of meditation and advertize their temple and upcoming activities.
The next week, on the 28th of November, Wat Dhammakaya and its branch temples, for the 7th year brought thousands of monks (12,500 to be exact) to Chiangmai city to receive alms together. This event includes monks from five provinces in the north and is part of the larger project to give alms to one million monks in the 76 provinces throughout Thailand over the course of the year. This year it was held on Chang Klang Road near Night Bazaar. People could sponsor the almsgiving by offering 10,000, 5,000, or 3,000 baht. For this an official would prepare a seat for the donator close to the main stage and it comes prepared with a bucket of food to donate. Or one could come with one’s own dry food and sit wherever is available in the almsgiving line. The money donated to this event is earmarked for 266 temples in the four provinces of the south that were hit by flooding recently. Before the monks lined up to receive alms, the laity was asked to reflect on the generosity of almsgiving and the practice was explained in English.
The next huge event being planned by Wat Dhammakaya will be at their temple near Bangkok. This event is even larger and hopes to gather one million lay Buddhist women to become upasika, or eight-precept holders, from mid-to late-December of this year. The requirements are that one must be at least 15 years old and a Buddhist. Also one must be in good health and able to observe the eight precepts as well as willing to develop oneself during this program. After learning about Buddhism and meditation, there is a formal ordination ceremony for the upasikas. The pamphlet for this event calls these women soldiers of goodness who will revive the dhamma in the world. Thus all of these events focus on numbers. The kom loi event had no specific number attached to it (although one announcer mentioned 3,000) but the almsgiving emphasized the 12,500 monks in attendance (2,500 more than last year), and the upasika ordination in December is targeting one million women, twice the number of a similar program that was held in April this year. So the numbers keep growing and the spectacles become more grand and note-worthy.
These events throughout Thailand are mainly for Thai devotees; however, English-speakers and international participants are welcome. Their websites have information in English so it is available for both groups, but it is not aimed specifically at international groups like some of their programs such as the Middle Way retreat that I wrote about previously. These programs are primarily intended to promote Dhammakaya meditation and Buddhism throughout Thailand. Programs focused just on English-speakers out of this temple are targeted more toward spreading Buddhism abroad and are separated from Thai Buddhist events. For the Wat Dhammakaya Foundation, the large gatherings of Thai Buddhists for these national events represent the vitality of Thai Buddhism and their role in propagating the dhamma.
Cultural Flows
Today ideas of Buddhism and the category of religion are brought to Thailand by English-speaking meditators from abroad. Especially at international meditation centers, foreign meditators are weary of rituals, fearing participation equals conversion. They carry these ideas learned from dialogues and writings of contemporary Western Buddhists. For example, some of the English-speaking participants in international meditation retreats in Thailand expect to practice meditation only, and are very sensitive about participating in Buddhism as a ‘religion.’ Some are wary of bowing to Buddha statues, making offerings to monks, and taking the precepts in a formal ceremony. Thus Buddhism as a religion for this type of international meditator consists of ritual, ‘cultural’ activities, hierarchies, and faith. They came to Thailand with the idea that Buddhism was not a ‘religion’ but a ‘way of life’ that consisted of meditation and the teachings of the Buddha that one can accept or not.
Meditation teachers in Thailand as well depict these ideas in their teachings and writings. In response to these ideas from abroad, Thailand’s international meditation centers often stress that anyone can practice Buddhist meditation and one does not need to identify as a Buddhist. Pamphlets and websites of these international meditation centers state that meditation will benefit all regardless of race, nation, religion, and culture. The website for the Northern Insight Meditation Center at Wat Rampoeng Tapotaram, Chiangmai states that:
“Mental Development is a personal experience. It does not matter if you are Buddhist, Christian, Jewish or Moslem. Nor is it important what nationality or color you are, as each person in the world is longing for a better life. The Insight Meditation Technique taught here is the way to prepare a path to a better life of peace through the right understanding about one self.”
And in the frequently asked questions page on the website for Wat Prathat Doi Suthep International Meditation Center one question asks: “Do I have to be Buddhist to practice Vipassana?” The answer is “No. Vipassana Meditation isn’t a religion and can be practiced by people of any faith or belief.”
Wat Dhammakaya describes their form of meditation as not dependent on identifying as a Buddhist. It is emphasized that the practice is not limited to Buddhists and has nothing to do with organized religion and there is no conflict with belonging to another faith. It is promoted as non-sectarian and not dependent on a particular religious context. It is just a practice to help increase concentration and focus, for personal growth and development. And in “The Heart of Dhammakaya Meditation” by abbot of Wat Luang Por Sot, Dr. Phra Rajyanvisith, he states that Dhammakaya meditation “does not require blind faith. You don’t have to believe in Buddhism to benefit from it. It is a method for training the mind to become concentrated and keenly aware . . . “ (1).
Helen Jandamit writes that the teachings and instructions in her book The Path to Peace Within are not only intended for Buddhists or even Buddhist sympathizers but for anyone “who would like to try vipassaa or Insight meditation practice in order to find peace within” (Jandamit 1999, vi). For Mae Chii Brigitte Schrottenbacher, meditation instructor at Wat Prayong Gittivararam, her teaching stresses that Buddhism is not a religion— even though she admits it depends on how you define religion. ‘Buddhism’ for her doesn’t depend on faith. She feels that one needs some faith to start practice but the Buddha said not to believe and this is different from what she would call a religion. She believes that one doesn’t have to be religious to participate in the mindfulness training of meditation as it gives the tools to deal with life and reduce suffering.
Buddhadasa Bhikkhu, when discussing the Buddha’s teachings to foreigners in 1986 compared the dhamma to a strange and special medicine because it can be taken by anyone, regardless of religion, nationality, ethnic background, education, class, or language. His talks to foreigners in the late 80s and early 90s have been heard by many more than these small groups who attended these first retreats as these teachings are replayed at the two meditation centers that have been created based on his teachings, The International Dhamma Hermitage and Dipabhavan both in the southern province of Surat Thani. Buddhadasa Bhikkhu was a forerunner of this message of meditation as universal for all people and among the first to teach large numbers of foreigners, adapting the teachings to this non-Thai audience.
Despite these messages on websites and pamphlets and from the teachers themselves, many of the teachers of international meditation centers in Thailand have experienced foreign meditators who encounter conflict when faced with the realities of Buddhism in Thailand. Teachers find that explanation helps foreign meditators resistant to Buddhism as a religion to participate in activities besides meditation. The teachers also have to deal with meditators who are followers of another religion. Indeed, Venerable Piyobhaso of Wat Mahathat, believes that there are two kinds of foreign meditators: those with no religion who are open and those with a religion who have restrictions on their activities. During the course of fieldwork I asked many meditation teachers how they handle foreign meditators who are resistant to what are commonly considered to be ‘religious’ activities such as bowing and participating in other ritual activities.
At Wat Chom Tong the foreign meditators must take part in the opening ceremony to receive the eight precepts that all lay people living at a temple must keep. This is because Ajahn Tong, abbot of this temple, has asked that all the international meditators be taken to the ceremony. But Wat Chom Tong International Center is more flexible about bowing and attending Buddhist holiday ceremonies. If an international visitor has a problem bowing to a Buddha statue they can just bow in another direction and can think of it as part of their meditation practice. But they must bow before conducting the daily interview with the teacher. They encourage the meditators to go to the wan phra rituals, but this is optional for people who want to learn more about Thai Buddhism.
Ajahn Buddhasak, of Wat Prathat Doi Suthep, has had some foreign meditators who are resistant to bowing and chanting. Some of the international visitors feel that these activities are not allowed in their religion. If this is the case they Ajahn Buddhasak advises them not to be concern about participating. He makes sure to explain the reasons for the rituals, but they are not compulsory because he feels that Buddhism is more concerned with the internal than anything external. But Phra Buddhasak finds that many people, after staying at the temple for a while and hearing the explanations for ritual activities, change their point of view and start to participate. But he emphasizes that this is open to each person, and meditators can just practice if they want to. Indeed Phra Ajahn Suputh Kosalo of Wat Mahathat Section 5 told me what he has learned from his thirteen years teaching foreigners: “if you know Westerners, then you know that they have to know why before doing anything,” so he makes sure to go into detail about why they must chant and receive the 8 precepts.
Phra Bart of Wat Luang Por Sot has a flexible approach to taking care of foreign meditators. He finds the best way to communicate Buddhism to foreigners who are non-Buddhists is to teach it as a science. He will teach about Buddhism for those who want to know and recommends going to the evening chanting if one wants a cultural or touristy experience. Phra Bart used to have a ceremony giving the 8 precepts to each participant. This was until some of the foreigners told him they were not Buddhist and did not want to participate in keeping these rules. Now foreign visitors are offered the choice of taking the 5 or 8 precepts. Phra Ajahn Suputh Kosalo estimates that for over 30 or 40 years foreigners have come to Section 5, at least to spend the day meditating and receive instruction through a translator. But now foreigners have two choices: they can come and go like in the past, or if they agree to follow the regulations, they can stay at Section 5. These rules include wearing white clothing, taking the 8 precepts, paying respect to the Buddha statues and monks, and participating in chanting.
During the chanting periods at the Dipabhavan Meditation Center on Ko Samui, Thailand, it is emphasized that this is not compulsory, but optional. Thus there is sensitivity to those who might be practicing another religion as well. The website states: “Some people may feel that ‘Buddhist’ chants conflict with their own religious beliefs. If so, you need not chant along, if it makes you uncomfortable.”
When entering the meditation hall of Dipabhavan, one can see large banners in Thai and English stating the three resolutions of Buddhadasa Bhikkhu: “That all people strive to realize the heart of their own religions, that all people make mutual good understanding of essential principles among the religions, and that all people liberate themselves from the power of materialism.” This summarizes the ideas behind this retreat, which is based on the International Dhamma Hermitage. What is most striking about the teachings of this retreat is how each talk, especially those of the tapes of Ajahn Buddhadasa Bhikkhu discuss the universal nature of Buddhism. These talks all offered information on comparison of Buddhism with Christianity or a reference to how Buddhism fits with the other religions of mankind. Thus the universal purpose and application of Buddhism is stressed in the Dhamma talks for foreigners as each talk demonstrates that meditation and this retreat is meant for people of all religions.
Thus these ideas of Buddhism as a ‘way of life’ rather than a religion are brought to Thailand and are validated to a certain extent. But at International Meditation Centers, especially ones with Thai meditators and taught by Thai monks, issues of Buddhism as a religion arise. These are points of tension for foreign meditators in which they negotiate with their teachers and receive explanations. The foreign meditators are assured in pamphlets, websites, and teachers’ writings that one does not have to be a Buddhist to practice meditation. Thus when they practice at a Thai temple, they are accommodated for in various ways.
Wat Doi Saket English-Teaching Volunteer Program
There is a new English volunteer program at Wat Doi Saket, Chiangmai. In comparison with the other English-teacher volunteer program at a temple, Wat Luang Por Sot, Wat Doi Saket’s program is much newer and doesn’t have as much of a meditation focus. This program just got up and running recently with the first volunteer completing a two-month stay. It is also not as large as Wat Luang Por Sot’s program so that only two volunteers would be needed at one time. There are opportunities for volunteers to teach at local schools in the area of Doi Saket, as well as the novices at this wat.
English-teaching programs at temples, and even the Monk for a Month program in Fang, require a large number of novices in order for the temple and the foreign participant to benefit. Wat Doi Saket, with its large complex of buildings and school for novices, meets this requirement. But this is also a place of interest on its own with a stupa and relic, modern murals, and a mini-zoo and view of Chiangmai further up the mountain beyond the temple.
I was taken to Wat Doi Saket by program manager, David Poppe (for information about the program email him at: dcpoppe@gmail.com). He works for Atma Seva non-profit organization and created this program as one of the organization’s ‘journeys.’ He explained to me that the organization had an affiliation with Wat Doi Saket when they used to hold HIV/AIDS educational trainings here for children in government schools. After ten years of these weekend or Saturday seminars, Atma Seva and the senior monks at the wat had a meeting to decide if they should continue with this. The abbot asked for more English learning opportunities for his monks instead. Thus this volunteer program was created to bring English-speakers into the wat for conversation lessons. David worked on the details of this program for over a year. In order to set it up he lived at the temple and worked with the English teacher of the school. This is a paid volunteer service in which the volunteer costs cover four months of food and accommodation, as well as a donation to the wat, and a fee for the program manager and English teacher at the school.
The website and advertisements emphasize that with volunteering at a temple comes the rules of living in this environment. Thus this isn’t a project for someone used to big city life. The literature about this temple also notes that through volunteering there are limitless opportunities to learn about Buddhism and meditation, if one chooses. At Wat Doi Saket there are a few monks who can speak some English and will answer any questions the volunteer has about the religion they are seeing around them. But it is up to the individual to ask and seek out the opportunities. There is also a meditation teacher who teaches monks and, if a volunteer is interested they can have lessons with the teacher and then go with the monks on their meditation retreats.
Thus religion and practice is not a formal part of the program but an added benefit. But the main appeal of the program comes from the cultural exchange one is able to experience by teaching the monks and experiencing living at the temple. In this age of modern religions, religion becomes something optional to experiment with or be curious about in a pluralistic manner, however, culture is for all to enjoy without having to clarify that this is an optional component. This is the opposite idea of many spiritual seekers who often comment that it is the ‘core’ of the religion that they want to experience, not the culture. For this group they want to remove, if possible, the cultural aspects and only practice the ‘heart’ of the teaching. But for volunteers coming to teach English it is culture that is the attraction and religion is an added bonus.
Western Monks’ Role in the Transmission of the Dhamma in Thailand
Although international visitors to Thailand interested in meditation often engage with Thai Buddhists and Thai culture, there have formed a number of culturally homogenous communities within Thai temples. They have been created at various temples throughout Thailand, which have a history of continued communities of English-speaking monks. These constitute semi-independent communities, with their use of the English language and adapted teachings for this audience. They are also self-sustaining as temporary practitioners often become more involved by contributing their time and effort to help take care of the monastic community or become monastics. Usually the presence of several Western monks is enough to attract lay foreign meditators to these temples as well. These communities form through one or more pioneering English-speaking monks who are able to adapt and learn Thai well enough to follow the routine of the monastery and the teachings of the abbot.
Phra Peter Pannapadipo writes in Good Morning, Buddha that outside of Bangkok, there are few Thai monks who can communicate well enough in English in order to answer foreign visitors’ questions. Because of this scarcity, the few phra farang are sought out by those curious about the tradition or those who are confused about the traditions they see around them while traveling in Thailand. Others are men considering ordination and would like to hear from a fellow foreigner how to go about this (16). Phra Peter Pannapadipo received many such visitors each year, who he finds are not becoming Buddhists but are seeking a way to live their lives, a path they can follow (18). Phra Peter discusses not only the foreign visitors but also the temporary Western monastic program that was started at his monastery. He notes that abbots are cautious before allowing non-Thais to ordain, therefore it can be difficult for Westerners to be accepted for ordination. Temporary ordination is not a tradition in Western cultures and senior Western monks often do not favor this practice for Westerners (172). Phra Peter writes that he began this temporary ordination program for Westerners “because of the number of obviously sincere requests I received, my Abbot agreed to allow short-term novice ordination at our monastery for young Westerners if this was combined with an intensive meditation and training programme” (173).
Joe Cummings in his Meditation Temples of Thailand confirms this reluctance to ordain Westerners. In Joe Cummings’ Meditation Temples in Thailand: A Guide he describes the situation regarding English-speakers in connection with meditation and ordination at the famous Bangkok royal temple, Wat Bowonniwet. He states that this temple used to have meditation instructions for English-speakers until the 1980s when backpackers began to behave inappropriately, even sleeping on the temple grounds. At this time also the wat made a rule that foreigners would be expected to make a long-term commitment to the monastic life and would prove this by living as a novice for at least a year. Thai men who want to ordain are a different situation because it is a socio-cultural duty for them—so they can still ordain without commitment and for a short period of time. This is the case at Wat Pah Nanachat also where foreign monks must show their commitment before being allowed to ordain as a full monk.
Now famous abbots of well-known forest monasteries have attracted foreign monks. In particular these abbots, such as Ajahn Chah of Wat Nong Pah Pong, Luangda Mahabua of Wat Pa Baan That, and Ajahn Anan of Wat Marp Jan, have a following of Westerners because their teachings of the ascetic forest lifestyle appealed to these Western monks’ sensibilities.
The presence of Western monks at these temples creates the possibility of further ordinations through the communities that form around them. Here lay foreigners interested in the forest tradition learn about meditation from Western monk teachers, learn about Thai Buddhism by participating in temple life, and about monasticism through following the strict rules and observing the monastics present here.
Vimutti Dhamma Weekend Retreat at Wat Tam Dauy Don
I attended one of the Vimutti Dhamma 4-day meditation courses at Wat Tam Dauy Don in Mae Wang, Chiangmai. These courses are designed for those who work and would like to practice meditation on the weekend. This is one of the few short courses available for those with non-flexible schedules. But these courses are not designed for the beginner as there is minimal instruction and the schedule is rigorous. It is recommended for those who already have a vipassana practice and would like to practice intensely for a short time. There is no set vipassana method that abbot, Phra Ajahn Nawi Piyadassi, teaches in this short course. He respects many methods of vipassana and feels that if one knows how to do vipassana practice, one can use any method and progress. There is a focus here on meditating as there are no opening or closing ceremonies, evening, morning chanting, or pre-meal chants, only a short chanting in the beginning and end of the retreat. Recordings of Phra Ajahn’s dhamma talks in Thai are played for about twenty minutes in almost every sitting session. Although his English is limited, he welcomes foreigners very much to come to his retreats.
Phra Ajahn Nawi began living in the area of Wat Tam Dauy Don 23 years ago. For the first year he was alone in the cave on the temple grounds but during the second year meditators were already coming to practice, and the temple has expanded to meet the needs of this group. Currently the temple is completing a women’s dormitory with 24 rooms. Ajahn Nawi places importance on the significance of women in Buddhism and will name the completed building that of the Buddha’s mother. And the name of each female room in the dorm will be one of the female arahats from the Therigatha. This will be completed by the end of 2010 when there will be a one-month retreat starting January 15th. Everyone will arrive on that day but can leave before the month is finished if they do not have enough time.
Thus Phra Ajahn is still completing his vision for his temple and meditation center. He does not want a huge center but 40 people maximum for each monthly retreat. This center is mostly for advanced meditators who appreciate nature and peace, so he does not want too many people to spoil this feeling. The area around the temple is beautiful and Phra Ajahn finds that many foreigners who come to the temple remark that they saw the pictures on the website and this inspired them to come. All of the different style buildings at the temple were designed by Ajahn Nawi himself. The inspiration for each building has come from his travels to America, Japan, and other Buddhist spots.
The orientation for each course takes place in the main office where one of the few monks or mae chii in residence decide who should stay where on the grounds. After settling into their lodging, everyone sits for an hour in the meditation hall until there is a short chanting to the three refuges and orientation information in Thai by Phra Ajahn. After this is over there is an orientation by Phra Ajahn for the foreigners. On the retreat I attended there were four of us to whom he explained the schedule and asked about our meditation background.
The daily schedule for the two days of practice is quite complicated with many sittings and short breaks. There is no instruction or directions but everyone follows the group and relies on volunteers who have done the retreat before. The Thais and foreigners practice meditation together but have separate dhamma talks. A translator was there to help facilitate the question and answer period for the foreigners. During the first question and answer period with Ajahn Nawi he said that he doesn’t teach a particular method because it is such a short course. He recommends students to use what they know if this helps them see the present moment.
During my interview with Phra Ajahn he said that Thais and foreigners have a different culture—they are trained and socialized in different ways. Thais have faith in the triple gem first but international meditators do not. Because of this Phra Ajahn can go directly to teaching about the dhamma, and after his students learn to appreciate the teachings, then they usually acquire faith. So it is a different sequence for the Thais who put priority on the Buddha and begin with him.
Phra Ajahn has found that not only foreigners but also people of other religions than Buddhism feel uncomfortable living in a wat. Phra Ajahn understands this and advises that if anyone feels uncomfortable in his center then they are not forced to bow when leaving and entering the meditation halls. But if someone wants to ordain then that is a different case.
In total the Vimutti Dhamma retreats with Ajahn Nawi has hosted over 100 foreigners. However, sometimes the temple conducts special group retreats for international groups. In the past they have had a retreat for Germans and a Jesuit one for novice monks who are learning about other religions. But at each regular retreat there are usually 1 or 2 foreigners. The foreigners started to come bit by bit but it wasn’t Phra Ajahn’s intention to start an international center. He is reluctant to receive foreigners if they don’t already have a practice. Most Thais have practiced at other centers but they too sometimes need a basic background.
Some foreigners that come to Vimutti Dhamma question if they have to be Buddhist to be Enlightened. Phra Ajahn answers that this doesn’t matter because if someone is Enlightened then they have realized no-self. Therefore, in this case, there is no religious identity. To this end, Ajahn Nawi has learned to be careful in teaching foreigners about anatta, or no-self, as this is a very delicate matter. He doesn’t want to talk directly about this issue because it is quite confusing for international meditators. So Ajahn Nawi teaches indirectly by starting with how the self is formed and the components of the self. This is a big issue for foreigners but Phra Ajahn emphasizes that it doesn’t matter if people believe in anatta or not but that they see how the self works.
Having traveled extensively to religious centers in the U.S., Phra Ajahn is impressed by the American people and their eagerness to learn about Buddhism and meditation. He went to many places and has seen there are many types of Buddhist centers and that people have a real interest. He finds that Theravada is now taking deep root in America like Zen and Tibetan forms already have. Especially this is true at centers founded by Americans like the Insight Meditation Society of Barre, MA. Phra Ajahn was able to do a U.S. Dhamma tour organized by one of his Thai followers who is a resident and her friends who are in the Dhamma circles there.
On the last night of the retreat Phra Ajahn shows pictures of his trips to America and the charts that he uses in his lectures to show the composition of the self and other points of Buddhism. Along with these charts, he points out to the Thai meditators the little Buddha statue in the American meditation halls and the Americans sitting meditation on many pillows stacked high and they are surprised at the differences. They were also shocked by the price of a retreat in America.
Thus this is a center with short and long courses with an ecumenical teacher. It is a strict schedule with silence, 9-10 hours of daily meditation, and little ritual. Foreigners are welcome and able to access the dhamma through Phra Ajahn and his translator.
Ideal Types: Cultural Exchange and Buddhist Practice
In the context of Buddhist travel in Thailand, currently there are two ideal types of offerings that are apparent in the many programs available for international travelers: cultural exchange and Buddhist practice. In most instances these two ideas are mixed but in others they are more opposed. Some programs that involve temporary ordination for foreigners offer the idea of experiencing Buddhist life and Thai culture. Clearly as a monastic one is practicing Buddhism but the way these programs are advertised and discussed emphasize the cultural experience and that Buddhist practice is a side benefit to experiencing culture. Other programs that focus on meditation, the Buddhist practice par excellence, downplay any cultural experience that might be involved. They consider serious meditation to involve many hours of personal meditation time and this leaves little chance to chant, attend rituals, or ask questions about the Buddhist tradition besides meditation.
Good examples of the ideal type of cultural exchange programs are the Monk for a Month Program and opportunities to teach English to monks at temple, like the program at Wat Luang Por Sot. The Monk for a Month Program takes seriously the ordination experience they offer as part of the program but the experience is meant and designed as a cultural exchange of pluralism for travelers to experience the life of a Buddhist. There are classes on Buddhism which includes meditation and participants can practice on their own if they wish. Other than the ordination ceremony the participants are left to engage with the culture as they wish, through outings and other opportunities that may come up.
At the Monk for a Month Program chatting with the many novices at the temple, and helping them practice English, is another aspect of the program. And teaching English in temples has now become part of the offerings on volunteer and travel websites. One site where this occurs is Wat Luang Por Sot in Ratburi. Because the English-teachers are there to volunteer, the orientation toward and experience of living in a temple is not focused on practicing meditation. English-teachers have the choice to take the basic 5 or the more strict 8 precepts, and do not have to meditate. Indeed there is less time to meditate as they have classes to teach most mornings.
At places with a strict focus on meditation, like Wat Chom Tong and Wat Rampoeng of Chiangmai, however, there is less emphasis on imbibing the cultural surroundings. Here there is relatively little in the way of a dhamma talk or discussion about Buddhism divorced from the practice of meditation formally. The focus is on accumulated hours of meditation and the progress of insight cycles that one is able to achieve during the retreat period. With goals like these, Buddhist culture is not as significant for the teachers of these retreats.
Other programs for foreigners mix Buddhist culture and practice. An example of this is Phra Saneh Dhammavaro’s The Life Program run out of Wat Suan Dok in Chiangmai. He incorporates meditation instruction with information on Buddhist living for monastics and laity. The program introduces and explains activities such as giving alms, chanting, prostrating, as well as the four positions of meditation. Ven. Dhammananda has offered the Living Buddhism program since 2008 where she opens her temple to foreign and Thai visitors for a week of classes on Buddhism in English as well as meditation practice. During this week she teaches basic concepts of Buddhist living at a monastic center. The schedule includes four hours of lecture, guided meditations, and other various events.
The Middle Way retreat also mixed these two ideas. The program used to have two beginner tracks, one called ‘meditation focus’ and the other ‘Buddhist wisdom.’ The Buddhist wisdom track had more activities to do with Buddhist culture such as chanting and bowing and introduced more Buddhist concepts such as karma. The meditation focus emphasized meditation divorced from the worldview and concepts of Buddhism. They separated the two tracks because about one-third of people would come from Asia, and understood Buddhism already. The meditation focus program was for newcomers— because they found they were not comfortable with the bowing and chanting— as they didn’t understand it. Because the participants in both tracks were equally non-Buddhist they kept the meditation focus retreat as the only option for beginners. So now the intermediate course deals with Buddhist concepts and cultural activities while the beginner course remains quite secular.
Ajahn Buddhasak, of Wat Prathat Doi Suthep, tries to incorporate Thai and Buddhist culture in his teachings, not just meditation. He knows that at some centers they just teach meditation but at Wat Doi Suthep from the start they didn’t want to focus only on meditation. Phra Buddhasak believes that if someone wants to understand a country, they have to understand culture. He tries to teach this in his daily dhamma talks which include topics such as living in the temple and the rules of monasticism. He also makes sure to talk about how to incorporate Buddhism into daily life. He wants the international visitors to learn about the culture and ceremonies but if they don’t want to its up to them—he keeps open the possibility but otherwise the foreigners can just practice meditation.
All of these options for Buddhist travel mix to greater and lesser extents the ideas of participating in Buddhist culture and Buddhist practice. Some are more overt that this is purely a cultural experience but can become more about religious practice if one has the inclination. Others allow Buddhist travelers to take part in cultural activities as a short break from meditation practice. But these activities are only considered ‘cultural’ because of the nature of the participants. The Buddhist rituals to these travelers seem exotic with orange-robed monks and laypeople dressed in white.
These cultural experiences are also considered learning opportunities, one can learn about one of the world’s religions as part of the larger pluralist effort of mutual understanding. But Buddhist practice focuses on learning about oneself and what many teachers call the ‘universal’ practice of meditation. So culture is particular to Thailand and Buddhism but meditation is argued to be international and universal. This is why some meditation teachers do not focus on cultural activities, because the meditation time is seen to be much more valuable.
Wat Prabhat SiiRauy in Mae Rim
In a large group with both lay expats and monks who study at Mahachulalongkorn Rajavidyala Buddhist University (MCU) in Chiangmai, I recently visited the Buddhist tourist attraction site of Wat Prabhat SiiRauy in Mae Rim. Traveling up the long windy road in a saungtaew (truck with two benches), I recalled how sacred spots are often located on mountains. Indeed there are many monasteries and meditation centers in this area. At Wat Prabhat SiiRauy one can view and pay respects to the four footprints of the Buddha. We got our gold leaf, candles, incense, and flowers ready for the occasion. Another impressive site was the recently built ordination hall where there were portraits of both past and current kings and Thai monks who are considered to be arahats. Luckily for me this ordination hall allowed women to enter, as many in Thailand do not.
But the real reason I am writing about this temple is that it has an associated meditation center very nearby. British and Thai monk, Phra Paul, is spending the rains retreat here and was kind enough to show us around this little visited area. Currently there are four monks living together in this small samnak vipassana, which is a branch temple of Ajahn Tong. Phra Paul learned meditation through staying at Wat Prathat Sri Chom Tong and learned to teach by sitting with and observing Ajahn Tong’s method. He went through his training program but when the rains retreat began Phra Paul decided to move to the quiet of this Samnak Vipassana Prabhat Sii Rauy so that he could work on himself first before teaching. The Samnak Vipassana will eventually become an International Monastery and thus part of the history of Ajahn Tong’s spreading of his centers in Northern Thailand that began in the 1970s.
Meditation Method of Dhammakaya
Dhammakaya meditation and the temples that use this technique owe their existence to the famous monk Luang Pu Wat Paknam or Luang Po Sot. This meditation technique actually contains many levels and becomes increasingly complex as one progresses but at the beginning stages it is easy to follow and meant for everyone. I will describe the system in detail gleaned from scholarly as well as Dhammakaya meditation teacher sources. But I will focus on the more basic methods and the foundations of the technique, rather than the complex later stages. There are three main temples that offer instruction in Dhammakaya meditation. Wat Dhammakaya, outside of Bangkok, is the largest temple in Thailand and was founded after Luang Po Sot’s death. Other disciples founded Wat Luang Por Sot, another temple teaching Dhammakaya meditation in Ratburi province. In Thonburi, next to Bangkok is Wat Paknam, the temple where Luang Po Sot was abbot, and where many people come to pay respects to him.
First I will give an overview of the beginning-level stages and then break down the steps more in-depth. Dhammakaya meditation is usually done in groups within temples that practice in this way, or meditation centers for meditators on retreat. When one begins this practice, one first uses three techniques: concentration on the breath, the repetition of a mantra (samma araham), and concentration on a bright object. As the meditator repeats the mantra, one will also visualize a sphere of light or crystal ball that moves through seven bases within the body, starting at the nostril and moving down until reaching the center of the body. This is the setup before one begins concentrating and meditating on the light object in the center of the body, which is considered to be about two finger-widths above the navel. Eventually focusing on this sphere (pathama-magga) will produce the image of further spheres.
First it will break down into five spheres, one at the center and four on the edges. Concentrating on the center sphere will reveal more spheres that become a series of bodies. These bodies become more and more refined as one continues to develop the concentration and looking through the spheres. One sees crude and refined human body, celestial body, Brahman body, and formless Brahman body. After these eight bodies, the ninth is called the Dhammakaya Gotrabhu. The spheres beyond this one yield the four paths of enlightenment bodies of dhammakaya. After one sees the arahat dhammakaya body, one can move on to advanced meditation. When one gets to this level, one can visit other realms like heaven and hell, nirvana, and engage in the battle to defeat Mara, or the embodiment of evil. On most retreats though, this high-level meditation is not discussed because it is mostly for beginners. The dhammakaya meditation for most people is promoted as simple and effective, and something that can change one’s life without much effort.
Now I will go into further detail about each stage. The beginning student of Dhammakaya meditation first works on concentration, particularly on imagining an object (most classically a sphere of light or crystal ball but some teachers say any object like the sun, moon, or bubble will do) in the center of one’s body. In the beginning of the practice the aids of the mantra or repetitive word and this object of visualization are used to draw the mind inward along the path to the center of the body. The idea is for the mind to come together into one-pointed concentration. The practice starts with imagining the sphere at the nostril, the left for women and the right for men. As one rests the mind at the center of the imagined sphere, and repeats the mantra, samma arahang, three times to increase concentration. The next position for the sphere to rest is at the eye socket, the left eye socket for women and the right for men. The meditator slowly moves the sphere with the mind and repeats the mantra again in this second position. Position 3 is the center of the head, which follows the same procedure. For the 4th position the meditator is advised to roll the eye-balls upward to encourage the sphere to turn back and inside to the back of the inside of the mouth. Position 5 moves the sphere down to the throat, and again one repeats the mantra until moving on to position six, which is the center of the body or navel. Position 7 is two finger joints above the navel, which is considered to be the mind’s permanent resting place.
The meditator continues to repeat the mantra continuously as the imagined sphere becomes brighter and clearer. In the beginning the meditator may look at a crystal ball to remember the image and then imagine it floating in front of the body. The meditator is advised to not pay attention to anything external but take the mind deeper and deeper in to the bright center of the sphere and each successive sphere that may arise. At this point one is advised to not even follow the breath but one should not force the mind too strongly. As the meditator becomes more concentrated a bright sphere will appear on its own— this sphere is called the pathama-magga, or the fruit of the path. The meditator is advised to handle this moment with equanimity because if one becomes too excited concentration will be lost.
When this pathama-magga sphere emerges, the mantra can be let go of since it is no longer needed. Within the pathama-magga sphere one will find 5 smaller spheres in accord with the four basic elements (water, earth, air, and fire) and one in the center. This sphere reflects the purification of the meditator. In contrast, if the image is cloudy this means the meditator has some impure thoughts. After this one concentrates further to the center of the sphere until successively more spheres arise that can help to purify the mind further. The next sphere is called adhicitta, or the sphere of moral conduct where the mind can be further purified. When this sphere expands it reveals the Samadhi or concentration sphere, and then the panna or wisdom sphere, after this one sees the vimutti sphere and the vimutti sphere leads to the vimutti-nanadassa sphere. This is the last luminous sphere and from this point on the sequence of bodies appear instead of spheres.
When the first body appears, the refined human body, one is instructed to let that body expand to become one’s own body. This form appears like the meditator but is finer than the ordinary form, next the celestial body and refined celestial body appear and then the Brahman body and refined Brahman body. Then one continues the pattern of focusing on the center of the body and then becoming the successively more purified bodies. The focus on the more refined bodies increases concentration as it allows one to become focused on slightly more complex ideas continuously. The next stage is the ten Dhammakayas, which appear like diamond Buddha statues. The Dhammakaya bodies become successively more refined, purer, and larger as one concentrates in the center of the body. When one reaches the last Dhammakaya stage, that of the Arahant, the mind can rest here temporarily and it is considered to be a brief visit to Nirvana during this meditation session. After this experience the meditator can go on to try to reach this state more permanently.
This Dhammakaya meditation is unlike traditional Thai meditation practices, which is usually practiced alone and instead of the center of the body focuses on the breath or the moving up and down of the abdomen. However, the founder, Luang Por Sot, bases his technique on the same Satipatthana Sutta as the traditional methods. But for Dhammakaya the emphasis is on the idea in the sutta of ‘bodies within bodies.’ Traditional meditation did not interpret this phrase in the same way (Bowers, 29). Unlike traditional meditation, Dhammakaya is practiced in groups where visualization is a key component. The visions seen in this meditation is very important as a marker to know where one is on the path, and this is what allows it to be taught in groups (Bowers, 32).
References:
Bowers, Jeffrey. Dhammakaya Meditation in Thai Society. Bangkok, Thailand: Chulalongkorn University Press, 1996.
Newell, Catherine. Monks, Meditation and Missing Links: Continuity, ‘Orthodoxy,’ and the Vijja Dhammakaya in Thai Buddhism” Ph.D. Dissertation, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, 2008.
Dr. Phra Rajyanvisith. The Heart of Dhammakaya Meditation: Volume 1. Wat Luang Por Sot, Rajburi, Thailand, 3rd Edition, May 2009.
Meditation Retreat Pamphlets: Advertising a Retreat to Foreigners
Most meditation retreat centers have informational pamphlets for foreigners about what to expect when staying at a particular center or temple. These pamphlets also list the benefits of attending a meditation retreat and the purpose of meditation. Thus they are a revealing source for the discourses of meditation as advertised to international visitors.
The brochures in Thai and English of Diphabhavan Meditation Center can be compared to see how discourses about meditation are reinterpreted for an English-speaking audience. From my translation, the brochure for Thai meditators first indicates that participants will learn about the heart of Buddhism through topics such as reducing dukkha, the 4 Noble Truths, paticcasamupatta (dependent co-origination), and anapanasati (mindfulness of breathing). The next part contains rules and regulations, items of necessity, as well as an explanation of the four trainings of the body, morality, the heart-mind, and wisdom. Here there is no list of benefits, information on ‘what is meditation’ or a meditation retreat, nor whom can attend the retreat.
The English brochure, in contrast, describes the benefits of this 6-day retreat at Dipabhavan:
1) Get to know oneself with no distractions through only paying attention to one’s own mind without the distraction of entertainment or books.
2) Learn to focus one’s mind on one thing at a time, so one is not scattered and can be more effective, efficient and joyful.
3) Learn to be here and now in the moment, let go of worries of past and future, be free from stress and feel recovered and peaceful and understanding.
4) Learn about feelings— how to free oneself from their influence and to control them and have a more content life.
5) Apply what one has learned as tools to cope with daily life situations and problems so that life becomes more simple and healthy.
These six benefits are all practical and secular reasons for joining a retreat. They stress learning about oneself and applying new skills to daily life. One of the main benefits is to have less worry, stress, and to be able to enjoy life more.
This brochure answers basic questions about meditation retreats, questions such as ‘What is a 6-day Meditation Retreat?,’ ‘What do participants learn?,’ ‘For whom is it good?’ These questions are necessary because foreign visitors often do not know about Buddhism or why they should participate in a retreat. The brochure answers that the meditation retreat is a special time to explore the inner side of oneself, a time to get to know oneself, and what one really wants in life. The answer concludes with “This retreat might just be a start towards discovering such important things about oneself.” Therefore in this retreat foreigners are told that meditation will help them know themselves and this will have a positive impact on the direction of their lives.
In answer to ‘For whom is it good?’ the brochure states, “The retreat is open for people from all walks of life, races, ages, sexes, faiths, and beliefs without prejudice or discrimination. It is good for anyone who wants a happy life, a life that has an aim, a life that is full of meaning, a life that is free from all stresses, pressures, frustrations, and problems, a life that is beneficial to everyone and everything in this universe.”
This idea that meditation is good for everyone, including non-Buddhists, is seen in many of the other international retreat brochures as well. The brochure for the Insight Meditation Practice Program for a Tranquil Life from the International Study and Retreat Centre, states that “Insight meditation can be practiced by anyone at anytime and anywhere.” At the Good Life Program, out of Section 5, Wat Mahathat, the brochure similarly states that “Everyone is eligible for the insight meditation practice with no limitations of time and place.”
Another interesting brochure is seen at The Middle Way Meditation Retreat. This one also describes meditation as something for everyone: “the practice of this technique is not in conflict with any religion or creed, and is open to anyone to try for themselves.” It also contains many reasons why meditation is beneficial in daily life and the reasons this particular technique works well. The key tagline for the brochure is “Relax your body, rest your mind and find inner peace.” Much of the focus of this brochure is finding peace and relaxation through meditation but also through the nature and surroundings of the retreat center. It states:
“The serenity and natural beauty of the surroundings make the village an ideal place for meditation conducive for listening to your inner voice that might have been silenced by a hectic lifestyle, busy schedules and multiple responsibilities. So, why not give yourself a treat and discover the simple joy, relaxation and life-changing benefits that the Dhammakaya method of meditation brings.”
So meditation is depicted as a break from everyday life where one can ‘recharge’ and come back into the world with renewed energy and sense of purpose. Another quote that describes this is:
“Our meditation course is designed to provide a balanced mind and body relaxation experience. As you breathe in the fresh air of the mountains and hear the birds sing in the morning, you will feel you are one with nature, peaceful, refreshed and ready to take on life’s challenges.”
The brochure also describes the purpose and benefits of The Dhammakaya method. It states that the technique “is about self-discovery, relaxation and purification of the mind . . . The meditation cleanses your mind making you more gentle, kind, and unharmful, it helps to quit a bad habit and acquire good ones, helps with personal development and career progress.” The focus here is on the positive changes that will occur after the retreat. It is particular to the Middle Way retreat to emphasize career progress.
One of the brochures for the Buddhist Meditation Institute at Wat Luang Por Sot Buddhist Meditation Institute declares prominently on the front page: “Inner Peace is Closer than You Think!” This brochure also includes statistics of levels of progress of meditators and positive comments from past participants. It states that the Institute addresses “a crucial need in our world caught up in emptiness of modern consumerism.” It is also made clear here that there are optional activities for those who want to delve deeper into Thai Buddhist culture as “serious Buddhists can attend evening chanting and meditation and can have memorable experiences such as almsround and can lean more about Buddhism if they want through reading and discussion but the most rewarding thing is experiencing nirvana.” Therefore it is made clear to foreign meditators that they can have a cultural experience if they want, but more important is the meditation and the possibility of ‘experiencing nirvana.’
Thus these brochures, in contrast to ones for Thai meditators, inform the English-speaking potential participant about the basics of meditation and what to expect. They mention the options of cultural activities that foreign meditators may want to participate in. The benefits of practice are stressed, especially ones that have to do with relaxation and less stressful living. But the most prevalent statement that these brochures make clear is that meditation is for everyone. Many international visitors do not know if meditation is something only for Buddhists so each brochure emphasizes that religion or nationality does not matter and makes the argument that meditation is a universal activity.
Conservative to Flexible Pedagogical Strategies
At international meditation centers where Thai and foreign meditators practice together, pedagogical strategies for teaching foreign meditators can range from conservative to more flexible. Conservative international meditation centers have fewer accommodations for non-Buddhists, asking international visitors to follow the Thai meditators quite closely. For the more flexible strategies there are accommodations for those who do not practice Buddhism as a religion—the attitude is to try to follow the Thai meditators but if it feels uncomfortable, it’s not compulsory.
An example of an international center with conservative strategies is Wat Rampoeng. Here there is little to no flexibility on the rules for meditators. Receiving the eight precepts in a formal ceremony and bowing to the Buddha statue and abbot are compulsory. Abbot, Phra Ajahn Suphan, asserts that since all of the rules and regulations of living in the wat are explained prior to the introductory ceremony, people can decide to leave if they feel they cannot participate fully. Since he began teaching over ten years ago, Phra Ajahn Suphan decided he would not have much flexibility or accommodation for foreign meditators. He prefers foreigners to participate in similar ways to the Thai meditators.
Another place where this strategy is implemented is Section 5 of Wat Mahathat. In this famous and historical meditation spot, Venerable Suputh Kosalo follows the same idea. He explains the introductory ceremony, chantings, and their meanings in detail. Then he asks if the foreign meditator can participate in these activities. If they do not feel comfortable then there is the option to meditate for the day but not sleep over inside the temple. The same strategy was followed at the International Buddhist Meditation Center (IBMC) retreats that were held out of Wat Mahathat by Venerable Piyobhaso. He also explained to the international participants what would be expected of them, so they could either participate fully or not participate at all.
Wat Doi Suthep International Meditation Center is an example of the more flexible strategy. This center began as a place only for foreign meditators but as the center grew, and Thai meditators expressed interest, they opened the center up to both groups. The teacher here, Phra Ajahn Buddhasak explains aspects of Thai Buddhism, Thai culture, and encourages foreign meditators to participate in chanting. However, if students feel uncomfortable bowing or participating in ceremonies, they do not have to.
Wat Chom Tong International Meditation Center as well is flexible and accommodating to foreign meditators. Like Wat Doi Suthep, they offer international visitors the option to become more involved in Thai Buddhism by explaining and introducing students to practices such as almsround and wan phra ceremonies. However if students only want to meditate that is an option too.
These kinds of pedagogical strategies can only be analyzed at centers where Thais and international meditators practice together. Group retreats where English-speakers practice in a large group for a fixed period of days don’t have this tension because there are only foreign meditators so there is flexibility to begin with. It is the presence of Thai meditators that necessitates different strategies for international visitors. The Thai meditators and the schedule they follow is the standard and the adjustments that are made for foreigners determine the level of flexibility present at the meditation center.
Separate Communities
Paul Numrich and Wendy Cadge have written about the phenomenon of parallel congregations in American Buddhist temples, where native-born American practitioners were involved in the same temple space as Asian-Americans, yet each group participated in different activities at different times. The American-born practitioners, mainly use the temple space to practice meditation while the Asian-Americans mainly participated in ceremonies. My research draws on this scholarship to analyze a similar phenomenon in Thailand of International Meditation Centers, which host both Thai and Euro-American meditators. Instead of parallel congregations, I use the term, separate communities, as both Thai and Euro-American groups are involved in similar activities and schedule, yet are clearly distinct communities.
The separate communities seen in Thai Buddhist meditation centers are similar to those found in Asian Buddhist communities in America. They both have separate activities for Western Buddhists and Asian Buddhists, which reflect their preference of participation and language abilities, as well as cultural familiarity. This phenomenon is more complex than in North America because in Thailand both groups meditate, live, and eat together. It is the difference in practices such as orientation, receiving the precepts, interviews and instruction, chanting and bowing, which constitute a more subtle execution of the separate community expression.
In these centers there are usually a small number of foreigners meditating together with Thai people. However, through various activities they are still a distinct group. At Wat Umong Thais and Westerners practice morning and evening chanting and group meditation in separate areas. At Wat Ramopeng, English-speakers gather to participate in the opening and closing ceremonies as well as have separate interview times from the Thai meditators. Wat Chom Tong has a separate location for its International Meditation Center, with separate living facilities, meditation hall, library, and English-speaking teachers. Because of the language and cultural differences between these two groups, even though there is not much group interaction at these centers, foreigners still constitute a separate community with separate activities.
Wat Umong is a particularly interesting example of this phenomenon. Separate communities of Thai and Western practitioners exist in the same space and time but participate in different practices and group activities. At Wat Umong Thai and Western meditators’ schedules list the same morning and evening periods for group practice but the groups are led in separate meditation halls by different monk teachers. Thai meditators practice an hour of chanting followed by a talk by the monk teacher, while English-speaking meditators practice 10 minutes of chanting with explanation of Pali terms. This is followed by a question and answer group discussion and some yoga poses. Thus the practices are different based on the group’s understanding of the tradition of Buddhism. Phra Uttara, the monk in charge of foreigners here, finds little benefit in foreigners doing an hour long chanting as they do not know what it means. Foreign meditators also have a more difficult time adjusting to the new sitting postures required in meditation and do some yoga poses to compensate for this. At Wat Umong also foreigners do not receive 8 precepts in a formal ceremony as Thai meditators do. This is because it is considered unnecessary as foreigners can read and follow 8 precepts on their own and I was told that this makes it easier for this group. The teachers here realize that many foreigners come to the center for meditation only and they usually don’t have belief or faith in Buddhism.
At Wat Rampoeng foreigners have separate opening and closing ceremonies from the Thai meditators. As well Thai meditators listen to talks about meditation and Buddhism and participate in other group activities while there is nothing like this available for the foreign meditators. Wat Chom Tong has its own center with separate living space, interview practices, and separate teachings in English. Participation in ceremonies and practices such as chanting are flexible here. If foreign meditators are interested they are encouraged to go but if they just want to practice then that is another option.
In contrast to this is Wat Prayong where Thai and foreign meditators practice together. This is possible because the teacher, Mae Chii Brigitte, is fluent in English, German, and Thai, and teaches in all three languages. There are no separate activities as both groups of meditators are welcome to the morning and evening sittings, instructions, and question and answer period, as well as the chanting with the monks in the morning and evening. This conflation of the two communities is also possible because there is only one teacher here. Despite the existence of non-separate communities here, Mae Chii Brigitte still finds Thai and Western meditators to have different ideas and preferences in regard to practicing Buddhism and meditation.
As a teacher who instructs both groups, Mae Chii Brigitte is in a unique position to discuss this topic. In her experience Thai meditators come to meditation with too much faith and a lack of understanding while Westerners have knowledge of meditation but lack faith. Mae Chii Brigitte tries to keep Buddhism and the Buddha out of her teachings as much as possible for both Thai and foreign meditators. Usually teachers present meditation in this way because foreigners are sensitive to talk of Buddhism as a religion, but Mae Chii Brigitte teaches in this way because she believes the Buddha didn’t want this – he didn’t want a Buddhism. Most foreigners agree with this interpretation and some Thai people understand this, but Mae Chii Brigitte finds that many are surprised. Mae Chii Brigitte told me that it is hard for Thais to imagine these ideas because they don’t often hear them. But Mae Chii Brigitte doesn’t change the teachings for either group, she just teaches from her experience and what she believes about the Buddhist tradition.
Thus through different practices, preferences, languages, and ideas, Thai and foreign groups form separate communities at International Meditation Centers in Thailand. Because of the way foreign meditators think about religion and Buddhism they practice meditation in separate ways at these sites. Each site is unique in the ways and degrees the communities are separated. Some centers have more flexibility for foreign meditators where they do not have to participate in Thai meditator activities such as receiving the precepts and chanting, but some places compel the foreign meditators to follow more closely to the Thai Buddhist structure. Some places have separate physical locations, some separate group meeting times and practices. Even at Wat Prayong where the groups practice together with the same teacher, it is the preferences and ideas about religion, and the way the teachings are received that create a less tangible manifestation of separate communities.
Wat Luang Por Sot
Wat Luang Por Sot’s Buddhist Meditation Institute (BMI) is a unique meditation center for a number of reasons. The two most obvious are the ways of teaching meditation in a guided format 3-4 hours per day and that most of the foreign meditators here have come not just to meditate but to volunteer their English-teaching skills to the many monks at Wat Luang Por Sot.
Phra Khru Baitika (Dr. Barton Yanathiro or Phra Bart) is the international outreach coordinator for this temple. The focus of the temple is mainly on Thai laity and monastics but he is in charge of the foreign programs. Currently there are two types of international visitors coming to Wat Luang Por Sot: the meditators and the teachers. The teachers have a chance to meditate as well but not as often as they have classes in the morning and evening to teach and prepare for.
Phra Bart’s first student was a man from Holland who was part of a volunteer travel website. Eventually, after contact with this student, Phra Bart came up with the idea that foreigners could come to teach the monks as volunteer service, and this became called a Buddhist Immersion program on some of the volunteer travel sites, advertising that they would provide an experience for those looking to teach as well as experience Buddhism. Through these interactions the English-teaching program at the school on Wat Luang Por Sot’s grounds is thriving and Phra Bart hopes to make it larger in the future.
But Phra Bart also focuses on the meditators. They do not come as part of a group, they do not get the tour of Bangkok when they arrive and brief tutorials on Thai culture, Buddhism, language, and history, as the teachers do. They arrive on their own at the wat ready to meditate. For the meditation program, one can attend up to four one-hour long guided meditation sessions per day. Phra Bart first guides the meditators in a relaxation exercise repeatedly telling them in soft tones to ‘relax’ and ‘let go.’ Phra Bart finds that it takes about a week of this before the meditators can get a sense of calm and be able to move on with the meditation.
Wat Luang Por Sot advertises their meditation technique as samatha-vipassana based on the Four Foundations of Mindfulness. More specifically they teach the method created by Luang Por Sot (after which the temple is named) or Luangpu Wat Paknam (see previous post about The Middle Way retreat). In this meditation one is guided to see a sphere of light in the center of one’s body. Advanced meditators who progress beyond the initial calmness and ability to see the sphere, can have their own personal higher-level guided meditation. Phra Bart likes to have about 3 meditators so he can guide each one individually, and there have been upwards of 10 meditators but then Phra Bart feels he loses some of the ability to guide each person. However, Phra Bart is hoping to obtain bigger numbers for the BMI and the teacher programs.
Because of the individual guided meditations, Phra Bart is able to boast of a high success rate of progress in the meditation, of which he has kept careful statistics (he has a PhD in Social Psychology from Cornell). He attributes this to the small numbers and his ability to guide individually. His teaching style is to see where each person stands in their meditation and guide them accordingly.
Phra Bart’s approach to teaching meditation is to teach it as a science. He finds this is the best way to communicate it to foreigners as most of them are non-Buddhists. He will teach about Buddhism for those who want to know and recommends going to the evening chanting if one wants a cultural/tourist experience. Phra Bart believes that Buddhism is a science, but one that has far more knowledge than the science we know today. His teaching philosophy is that Westerners have given up on Christianity and in turn have given up on religion. But he believes Westerners today do have a religion, they just do not recognize it as such and this is the religion of science.
Through the five years of the BMI’s existence, Phra Bart has had to make some changes in introducing foreigners to life at the wat. He used to tell them the rules and regulations for staying there the morning after they arrived. This was until some of the participants broke the rules of the wat prior to learning them. Now Phra Bart, working with the volunteer travel websites, sends a packet with letters explaining the dos and don’ts at a Thai wat, how to respect a monk, comments from past participants, and some basic information on Buddhism. Phra Bart also used to have a ceremony giving the 8 precepts to each participant. This was until some of the teachers told him they were not Buddhist and did not want to participate in keeping these rules. Now foreign visitors are offered the choice of taking the 5 or 8 precepts.
Thus there is much flexibility at Wat Luang Por Sot’s BMI. One can come to teach or meditate, or do both, and one can keep the 5 or 8 precepts. One can receive few or many guided meditations per day. Phra Bart is serious about progress in meditation as his statistical record-keeping shows, but his sense of humor also keeps the program light for the participants. After many of his guided meditations Phra Bart tells the participants to “go have fun.”
Meditation Retreat Rundown: Dipabhavan
When entering the meditation hall of this new meditation center on Ko Samui called Dipabhavan, one can see large banners in Thai and English stating the three resolutions of Buddhadasa Bhikkhu: “That all people strive to realize the heart of their own religions, that all people make mutual good understanding of essential principles among the religions, and that all people liberate themselves from the power of materialism.” This summarizes the ideas behind this retreat, which is based on the popular long-running retreat out of Wat Suan Mokhh at the International Dhamma Hermitage in Chaiya.
Ajahn Po, abbot of Wat Suan Mokhh, was born on Ko Samui and always wanted to pay gratitude to his home by offering meditation. He has seen tourism arrive on the island and felt that Thailand had more to offer than sun and sand. Thirty years ago he attempted to run retreats out of Ko Samui with limited success. The retreat at Wat Suan Mokhh became popular because the well-known teacher Ajahn Buddhadasa Bhikkhu was able to teach the foreigners at that time. Only recently in 2006, through the donation of land on Ko Samui, Ajahn Po was able to realize his dream of a meditation center on his homeland. I attended the 50th retreat at Dipabhavan.
Dipabhavan is based on the twenty years of retreat experience at the International Dhamma Hermitage. However, this retreat is only a 7 days long instead of 10 so some of the teachings and the schedule are different. This retreat is less strict with 30 minute sessions of walking and sitting meditation whereas at the International Dhamma Hermitage there are 45 minute sessions. As well at Dipabhavan wakeup time for foreigners is 430AM and at the International Dhamma Hermitage its 400AM. The teachings are different in that at Dipabhavan there is not as much explanation of Ajahn Buddhadasa Bkhikkhu’s life or his particular teachings of Buddhism. There are references to him and his work but this is not presented upfront like the video presentation on the first day of the International Dhamma Hermitage retreat.
At Dipabhavan talks of Ajahn Buddhadasa translated by former American monk Santikaro given to foreigners in the late 80s and early 90s are the main method of teaching. On this 50th retreat I heard tapes about the 16 stages of anapanasati meditation (the method used here and at the International Dhamma Hermitage), the 4 Noble Truths, and Buddhism as a science. There is meditation instruction by Ajahn Po on anapanasati as well in the afternoon. Another main part of the teaching comes through the chanting. Each chant is explained over the course of the six days by one of the volunteer ‘dhamma friends’ who leads the retreat. The other main difference on teachings is that at the International Dhamma Hermitage there is much discussion of an important topic for Ajahn Buddhadasa: dependent coorigination or paticca samupada. This is taught by British monk Than Dhammavidu but there is no such native speaking authority at Dipabhavan and not enough time to go into the subtleties of this doctrine.
What struck me most about the teachings of this retreat was how each talk, especially those of the tapes of Ajahn Buddhadasa Bhikkhu discuss the universal nature of Buddhism. These talks all offered information on comparison of Buddhism with Christianity or a reference to how Buddhism fits with the other religions of mankind. Thus the universal purpose and application of Buddhism is stressed in the Dhamma talks for foreigners as each talk demonstrates that meditation and this retreat is meant for people of all religions. This message of Ajahn Buddhadasa to foreigners has been heard by many more than the small groups that came to Wat Suan Mokhh in the late 80s and early 90s. Ajahn Buddhadasa was a forerunner of this message as one of the first to teach large numbers of foreigners and adapt the teachings specifically for non-Thais. So one learns the basics of Buddhism as a particular tradition but also that it is universally applicable.
Wat Sanghathan
I visited Wat Sanghathan in Nonthaburi for a tour and conversation with Phra Frank Gavesako while in Bangkok. Since 1979 the abbot of Wat Sanghathan, Luang Por Sanong Katapunyo, and student of meditation master, Venerable Acharn Sangwahn Khemmako, revived this abandoned temple outside of Bangkok. Now it is thriving with many mae chiis and lay people participating in the rigorous meditation schedule. There are few foreigners who come here but for those who do, they will receive an interesting experience in Thai Buddhism and instruction from Phra Frank.
Wat Sanghathan is affiliated with the Wat Thamkrissanan Dhammaram International Meditation Center or known as Ban Sawang Jai in the Khao Yai National Park where Mae Chii Brigitte Schrottenbacher used to teach. Now she has moved to Wat Prayong (see previous post) and there is no one who speaks English to teach. However, Phra Frank offers meditation teaching at Wat Sanghathan and if one wants a more retreat like environment, one can go to Khao Yai and text message one’s experiences to Phra Frank and receive advice.
Phra Frank told me that Wat Sanghathan is open to foreigners staying but at the same time they have to follow the rules of the temple and try to follow the schedule. However, Phra Frank is flexible with the foreigners– he doesn’t check if they are going to all the scheduled meditation sessions but hopes they are using their time to practice. He emphasizes they should not read or look for distractions but see if they can just be here. Some of the foreigners, he finds, make friends with the Thai laity and become involved in chores of cleaning the wat and going to the chanting. Others stay more in their room and don’t participate as much in the daily schedule of group meditation, chanting, and chores (except to clean their own rooms).
Upon arrival Phra Frank instructs international visitors on the basics of the meditation technique and discusses Buddhism only if asked. He does describe the Buddha’s life story as part of his teaching using the pictures in the wooden pavilion where columns depict the Buddha’s story. Phra Frank finds that foreigners need separate time and space from the Thai meditators so he has the afternoon especially for this meeting, for group meditation and question and answer. In terms of Thai cultural experience, Phra Frank thinks this is a great place to learn and observe Thai Buddhism. However it is a busy wat and he recommends going somewhere else if you want to focus solely on meditation.
During my visit Phra Frank said that he finds the dhamma is universal as all humans have the same defilements and problems. However, Westerners and Thais, not only need separate instruction because of different languages, but because they have different mentalities and come to the dhamma in different ways. Phra Frank came to the dhamma through teaching in Thailand and meeting his first teacher, Ajahn Helen Jandamit of the House of Dhamma. Phra Frank thought of ordaining at Wat Pah Nanachat but something told him to come back to Wat Sangathan where he had once visited before going on retreat to Khao Yai.
There is a small community of Western monastics within the branch temples of Wat Sangathan. Phra Frank is the only more permanent resident at Wat Sangathan but in the branch temples are a German monk and mae chii and an Irish monk. The abbot of Wat Sangathan is now focusing on creating centers abroad and has just purchased land near Berlin for a center in Germany.
Foreigners who come here can decide whether they want to be closely associated with temple life by living at the temple and keeping the eight precepts, or they have the option of staying at apartments nearby and coming to the wat during the day. This way they can keep 5 precepts and eat in the evening. This is a good option for some foreigners but Phra Frank finds some foreigners start out in the apartment and then move to the wat and vice versa.
Upon leaving Wat Sangathan, Phra Frank sends each international meditator home with CDs and books to help them remember the dhamma. He teaches about the the 5 precepts, the forest practices of Samadhi and awareness, the Kalamma Sutta, The 5 hindrances , and explains a little about dependent coorigination before each person leaves. Wat Sanghathan is a place where international visitors can learn from American monk Phra Frank, have group meditation sessions in English, but also be able to attend chanting, alms round, and group meditation with Thai meditators and monastics. Thus this wat offers a number of different experience if one chooses them.
Section 5, Wat Mahathat
Section 5 of Wat Mahathat has a long history of offering a place to practice and instruction to both Thai and foreign meditators. Former abbot Phra Dhamma Theerarach Mahamuni sent a number of skilled monks to learn meditation in Burma. When they came back they set up the meditation center at Section 5 and it continues today with many Thai and foreign meditators staying each month. Ajahn Tong, of Wat Chom Tong, Chiangmai, was one of these monks. His connection to the place lives on with books of his in Thai and English explaining the Four Foundations of Mindfulness.
Currently at Section 5 there is The Insight Meditation Program for a Good Life, which utilizes vipassana meditation for finding self-development and a better way of living. The goals of the program as stated in their brochure are to lead life according to Buddha’s teachings, cultivate the mind, be familiar with roles of Thai Buddhist monks in society, and lead one’s life toward the cessation of suffering.
The schedule consists of three practice times of 3 hours in the morning (7-10), afternoon (1-4), and two hours in the evening (6-8). There is an opening talk in Thai and a closing chanting of spreading loving-kindness and sharing the merit of the meditation with others. During the times when there is a break from the meditation the small hall is empty until the next period. Meditators come and go as they wish, staying overnight or practicing for just a day.
When I arrived at Section 5, I was greeted by Phra Narong, one of the monks foreigners can ask questions to and Khun Yai, a long-time lay woman assistant. They teach the method learned in Burma of rising/falling and the six steps of walking meditation. While I stayed at Section 5, the monk in charge of taking care of foreigners, Phra Suputh Kosalo, or Ajahn Suphat, was abroad in Germany. I was able to meet him after my stay to talk about the normal procedures of foreign meditators. He began teaching foreigners when he arrived at Section 5, over 13 years ago. But Ajahn Suphat estimates that for over 30 or 40 years foreigners have come to Section 5, at least to spend the day meditating and receive instruction through a translator. But now foreigners have two choices: they can come and go like in the past, or if they agree to follow the regulations, they can stay at Section 5. These rules include wearing white clothing, taking the 8 precepts, paying respect to the Buddha statues and monks, and participating in chanting.
Ajahn Suphat has dealt with the foreign meditators for a long time and has lived and worked in America. He asserts that Westerners don’t want to do anything if they don’t understand it first. So he makes sure to go into detail explaining why they must bow and chant, and the meaning of the 8 precepts. Ajahn Suphat emphasized to me that he never forces any foreign meditators to become Buddhist as meditation is for anyone to practice. But if one wants to stay at Section 5 he asks first if they are sure they can follow the rules. If they say yes, then he conducts the opening ceremony where they ask for the teaching and receive the 8 precepts.
Ajahn Suphat agrees that it is difficult for foreigners to live in a Thai temple and adapt to Thai culture. It is difficult for them to sit on the floor with their legs crossed and do prostrations. He knows they must try hard but finds many foreigners are happy with their time spent at Section 5 because they like to have experiences. Ajahn Suphat has taught many international visitors over the years and keeps in touch with several of them. One of his students wrote an article about her experiences learning from him.
This is a historic site for Thai Buddhist meditation that lives on today. Foreign meditators have been coming here for many years, and continue to do so through the work of Ajahn Suphat and the Good Life Program.
The International Meditation Study and Retreat Center
While looking around the historic temple, Wat Mahathat, I noticed signs for The International Meditation Study and Retreat Center, not far away. When I walked in I was soon greeted by volunteer layman, Khun Manit Vichitchot. He explained that this is a new center run by Wat Mahathat. Section 5 is a small place that is not able to meet the demands of all the meditators so the temple decided to create a new project to meet these needs. This new center perhaps can fill in the gap left by the IBMC and its retreats that were run by Phra Bhatsakorn Piyabhaso.
The International Meditation Study and Retreat Center opened for their first retreat on December 2008. They want to be able to accommodate many more people, now they can do so comfortably with 80-100 people sleeping in mats in a big room. They have two programs at this center: an intensive retreat from the 1st to 7th of each month and the regular program continues at all other times. In the regular program there is more chanting and wake up is at 430AM, in the intensive retreat there no chanting, and wake up is at 330AM.
Khun Manit came for the second retreat in January 2009 and soon became an assistant and helps with organization and teaching the foreigners. He teaches them because he knows English as he lived in US for 30 years, and started practicing meditation over thirty years ago. He prefers to teach the foreigners in lay terms, and adding logic so that it is something everyone can understand. In Jan-April a lot of foreigners came to this center, some for the retreat, but the majority just stay for the regular program, and others come to talk for a few hours. When English-speakers arrive, Khun Manit takes 2-3 hours to explain basics of foundations of Buddhism and meditation, then they can join the others. He understands that it is hard for the beginner to understand the practice so he offers this instruction and interviews. The Thais get a conference 3x during the retreat times but Khun Manit gives conference everyday for the foreigner. He also has Romanized and translated the short chanting that is recited during the retreat so foreigners can follow along. For the regular course this is not yet done as the chanting period is much longer.
When I asked Khun Manit how long he might stay assisting at this center, he said that he probably won’t stay long as he might go back to America but he is helping to set up the place, organize its structure and the ways foreigners are taught there. So far he has been surprised that the center has not yet had any problems with foreigners being resistant to religious aspects of Buddhists, only Christian Thais so far have objected.
Khun Manit emphasizes from his beginning orientation talk that meditation is for everyone and you don’t have to be Buddhist. He explains about Buddhist activities such as alms giving to monks, if they ask and are interested but they are not obligated to participate and he doesn’t want to give this impression. During the regular course there is a dhamma talk in Thai, and during this time if foreigners don’t understand they can go meditate outside or sit and meditate by listening. He wants to eventually be able to summarize the talk for them.
The foreign meditators and Khun Manit enjoy talking together about their experiences and ideas about Buddhism and meditation. He has fun with his volunteer duties and finds it is not the same as learning from a monk. He believes that many monks can teach how to practice, but not many can explain this in English. If foreigners ask more about Buddhism he will tell them but so far few have asked.
The International Buddhist Study and Retreat Center thus is a new option for foreigners that is continuing to grow. They have plans to create a three story building for this project, so this could become an alternate site to learning meditation in Bangkok, and Wat Mahathat apart from Section 5.
IBMC Retreats: An Interview with Venerable Piyobhaso
I interviewed Ven. Piyobhaso while he was residing in a nearby section of Wat Mahathat, visiting from England. Ven. Piyobhaso used to run the retreats at the International Buddhist Meditation Center (IBMC) at Wat Mahathat from 2001 until 2006, when he took leave for England where he is studying for an advanced degree. The IBMC still exists but in a much lessened capacity. IBMC used to hold meditation classes and retreats for Thais and foreigners regularly but the offerings have been reduced to dhamma talks in English twice a month.
From 2001-2006 Ven. Piyobhaso was in charge of retreats at IBMC as there was no other monk who could lead the retreat. About every two months they would hold a seven-day retreat for foreigners and twice a year they would have a one-day retreat for foreigners. Depending on the season, Ven. Piyobhaso recalls that they would have anywhere between 1-20 foreigners participating. Thai meditators had retreats more frequently and sometimes the foreign and Thai retreats were mixed if there were not enough foreigners. If this was the case Ven. Piyobhaso would speak in two languages but give the same information about meditation techniques.
But the foreign retreats were more flexible as participants would be able to wake up a half hour later than the Thai retreatants and do only 10-15 minutes of chanting rather than the half hour that the Thai meditators did. This is because Ven. Piyobhaso wanted the foreigners to focus on practicing and he didn’t want them to get chanting confused with prayer– he emphasized that this is not about asking for help but paying respect and maintaining mindfulness.
Ven. Piyobhaso finds that foreigners constitute a separate group as he would have to explain to them about Buddhist and Thai culture, how to show respect to the Triple gem, lower one’s head, and to not point one’s feet at a Buddha statue. When I asked Ven. Piyobhaso if he ever had the experience of an international meditator being resistant to these activities, he said he managed to prevent that. He did this by making it clear before the participants signed up that these are the regulations and you have to comply with them or they will not be accepted on the retreat. ThusVen. Piyobhaso’s strategy was to first explain the culture, why Buddhists bow and pay respect and what this means. Some people were reluctant to bow because they didn’t know if bowing has the same meaning as in their own religion. But he explained that the concept is different and that the Buddha statue is an object to remind one to be humble and to pay respect.
Through his years of teaching, Ven. Piyobhaso found there are two kinds of foreigners: those with no religion, who are open and have no problems with religious aspects of Buddhism, and those who are strict with religion. The latter group is encouraged to come to the center to practice but not to sleep over because if a person stays at the center they are obligated to follow the regulations.
There was also the option from the IBMC for a three day retreats. During these shortened versions Ven. Piyobhaso would explain basic meditation instructions and begin with mindfulness of the body. But in the 7-day retreats he could explain more and he focused on the 4 Foundations of Mindfulness, the 3 trainings of sila, samadhi, and panna, the 3 characteristics of all phenomena (suffering, no-self, impermanence), the Eightfold Path, the Seven Factors of Enlightenment, and the Five Hindrances. In his closing talk he would give a talk on the basic principles for human beings, and explain the ‘art of living.’ He told them that peace and world change is possible if we can change ourselves first and this begins with the mind.
These retreats ended in 2006 with Ven. Piyobhaso’s departure. There are not many Thai monks who can lead retreats in English. With Ven. Piyobhaso’s guidance, this seems like it was a good option for foreigners, easily available in Bangkok.
Meditation Retreat Rundown: The Middle Way
The Middle Way retreat began in Thailand in 2004, making it one of the newer group retreats. It began as a way to introduce the meditation techniques of Dhammakaya to the foreign audience. Since the beginning the organizers have consciously decided how much Buddhist culture and concepts to put into the retreat, and how much meditation. This is an interesting tension that they are dealing with which shows the range of things that can be presented to foreigners on these types of retreats. Besides the issue of how much Buddhist material and how much practice time at meditation, this group retreat is also interesting because the focus is mostly on concentration rather than vipassana, and because participants are encouraged to talk and get to know one another. These are the main differences from other group retreats available for foreigners in Thailand.
Recently the Middle Way program had two beginner tracks, one called ‘meditation focus’ and the other ‘Buddhist wisdom.’ The Buddhist wisdom track had more activities to do with Buddhist culture such as chanting and bowing and introduced more Buddhist concepts such as karma. The meditation focus emphasized meditation rather than Buddhism. They separated the two tracks because about one-third of people would come from Asia, and they understood Buddhism already. The meditation focus program was for newcomers- because they found they were not comfortable with the bowing and chanting- as they didn’t understand it. Because the participants in both tracks were equally non-Buddhist they kept the meditation focus retreat as the only option for beginners. And this is the retreat I attended. There is also an intermediate retreat offered twice a year to coincide with big Buddhist holidays which is similar to the former Buddhist wisdom track. And there is an advanced retreat with lots of meditation time offered once a year. The advanced program participants stay at the temple for one month, and the first one will be offered this November.
The mission statement of Wat Dhammakaya, the temple which sponsors and created the Middle Way, is to spread meditation to people of all cultures and religions, so the Middle Way was created with this mission in mind. The Middle Way retreat program started in Thailand and has moved to different retreat center locations within the country. There are usually 15-20 participants. But the Middle Way is not limited to Thailand, as there are programs established already in Singapore, Australia, and South Africa. They are also looking to establish other permanent locations in parts of America and Europe.
Before going into the details of this retreat, I will give some brief background about Wat Dhammakaya, and Dhammakaya meditation. First Dhammakaya meditation was founded by Luang Pu Wat Paknam. There are many levels of this technique but basically to start it focuses on concentration, particularly on imagining an object (sun, moon, crystal ball, bubble) in the center of one’s body. Wat Dhammakaya is one of the temples that teaches this form of meditation, the other two main ones are Wat Luang Por Sot and Wat Paknam. Wat Dhammakaya is the largest temple in Thailand, thus it is quite unlike the other temples one sees in Thailand because of its physical space and the number of people attending their events. With this background in mind, I will describe The Middle Way Retreat which begins at Wat Dhammakaya.
Participants arrive at Wat Dhammakaya’s Visitor Center before being taken on a bus ride to the retreat center in Loei Province called Suan Pa Himmawan. The helpful mentors and volunteer staff have prepared a packet of information and encourage the participants to get to know one another. On the bus ride participants in the Middle Way are seated next to each other with assigned seats. On the retreat I attended there were twelve participants, and I was told usually the numbers are between 15 and 20. But the Thai meditators that are also using the retreat center number close to two hundred. They are on completely a separate retreat, however, we use the same facilities for accommodation and eating. Their schedule and meditation hall are separate from the Middle Way. At 7PM a video of chanting came on during the bus ride. The Middle Way participants were told we could put our hands together and follow along or just remain silent. This was the only chanting we were exposed to on this retreat. We arrived at about 9PM, received our room keys and went to sleep. Day One was already completed.
The rest of the retreat from Days 2-6 includes full days of meditation practice and teaching. In the beginning few days the technique of meditation is introduced as well as an orientation to the facilities and retreat structure. Each day there is a group meditation for four periods in the morning, late morning, afternoon, and evening. The latter three of these sessions are accompanied by talks by the monks on topics of meditation instruction, self-development, and inspirational life stories. Thus in the morning participants learn how to overcome obstacles in meditation and go deeper, in the afternoon there is more Buddhist teaching on topics such as the Noble Eightfold Path, and in the evening they present life stories of the Buddha as well as the founder of the meditation technique, Luang Pu Wat Paknam, and founders of Wat Phra Dhammakaay, Master Nun Khun Yai and Luang Pau Dhammajayo, current abbot.
In addition to these times the monks are available for questions and there are two formal group sharing activities where people learn from others’ experiences and the monks’ advice. The staff also organizes other group activities such as bubble blowing to remind the participants of the meditation object in the center of the body, birthday games, and ice-breaking introductions on the first day.
During the retreat I was able to speak with the two Western monk teachers. There are two other Thai monk teachers but they were not present for this retreat. Luang Pi River Bhaddako, a British monk, has been with the Middle Way retreats since October 2009. Before ordaining he attended the second Middle Way retreat and this made him decide to become a monk at Wat Dhammakaya.
Luang Pi River told me that it is not only monks who can teach Dhammakaya meditation but so far there have been two Western lay people authorized to teach, but now they are given the chance to become a teacher assistant. In order to create this retreat they studied the Goenka ten-day vipassana retreats where participants watch videos of Goenka giving instruction and talks. This way the teachings are the same for each group and the only staff needed are assistants, or facilitators. The Middle Way is looking into following this model by creating videos for their 90 minute, 2 day, 3 day, 7 session, 7 day beginner, 7 day intermediate and one month advanced retreats. Then they hope to train teaching assistants in the whole curriculum so they can be able to give people kits to host sessions as teaching assistants. The Middle Way also hopes to use technology in the future by creating an interactive website where past participants can form a community and possibly meditate online together.
Luang Pi River finds it is important to separate the foreigners to have a different retreat because there are many differences. In the Middle Way retreat they don’t include chanting, bowing, or paying respect to monks because it would shut the door to Muslim and other religions who couldn’t accept this and if it were optional people would still feel uncomfortable. He believes it is better to give the foundations for the foreigners, but for Thais they know this from birth. If the retreat was aimed at Thais then it would be over the heads of the Westerners. So they try to bridge to Western ideas of science and philosophy and to make it more understandable.
At the Middle Way they believe that you cant just reduce Buddhism to meditation but should teach some Dhamma. This teaching can be effective in the seven day course as participants can get the whole picture. But at the same time that they want to put meditation within the Buddhist context, it is emphasized that there is no membership required. Luang Pi River discussed how he suggests to Muslims to use the mantra of ‘Allah’ and they can imagine a crescent moon or a Christian can imagine God or a cross.
I asked Luang Pi River if there would be any benefit or advantage of doing the Middle Way retreat in Thailand rather than a person’s home country. Currently the retreat is not fully standardized but when it is then he said there would be no difference between doing the Middle Way in one’s home country or in Thailand. Luang Pi River believes that having a retreat in a Western country could be an advantage and be better than Thailand because then there it would be easier for more English-speakers to attend.
I next spoke with Luang Pi Sander Khemmadhammo, a Dutch monk, who has been with the Middle Way since the beginning. He started about 7 years ago with one retreat in Chiangmai but it wasn’t called Middle Way. It started simply by renting a center. The foreign retreats began because there was a need. Luang Pi Sander finds that many people appreciate Buddhism because there is no attempt to convert, there is only showing the practice to others. Foreigners would come to Wat Dhammakaya for some of their activities and had questions about Buddhism and meditation. Soon Luang Pi Burin, a Thai monk, was given the assignment to make the foreign retreats a permanent project as before it was something random, having English talks here and there.
The retreats have always focused on meditation but they have found that this isn’t enough to encourage people to keep up the practice. Thus one of the main intentions of the program is to get people to meditate at home and bring a change to their lives. To this end they have adapted the retreat to fit the international audience. The format is similar to Thai retreat but it is adapted so that the foreigners wake up an hour later. While still creating the schedule, the teaching monks found that foreigners aren’t used to waking up at that time and it was hurting their meditation. Thus they decided to offer a balance between discipline and meditation.
Luang Pi Sander agrees with Luang Pi River that it is best to separate the Thai and foreign retreats. Luang Pi Sander said that it wouldn’t work to have Thais and foreigners together because of language and level of understanding. Even in Asian Buddhist countries they don’t know much about Buddhism. Thus if combined it would be difficult to teach, but if they were only practicing meditation, then it would be possible. The two groups could meditate together but this is not enough because the foreigners would need more context. Luang Pi Sander, like Luang Pi River, finds that having the retreat in Thailand offers no advantage to the foreign retreatants. If they had the same seven day Middle Way retreats in other countries it would be easier because there would be more English-speaking teachers, but he finds that in Thailand meditation is more available and much cheaper.
Thus this retreat is quite different from the longer running vipassana ones in the south of Thailand. Here it is seven days instead of ten and the focus is on concentration rather than insight meditation. There is also a focus on the Middle Way, not on silence, but group sharing and harmony. The teaching monks discuss how other retreats are more spartan and strict with beds on the floor, silence, and lots of meditation. They believe this can have its benefit but the Middle Way retreat offers itself as ‘a middle way’ so that there is more personal time, a bed with a (not thick) mattress, and the opportunity to share one’s experiences.
But similar to the vipassana foreign group retreats it is also made clear that meditation is for people of all religions and learning about Buddhism is just that, a learning exercise, one does not have to adopt anything. As well at this retreat and vipassana group retreats in Thailand there is a lot of teaching as part of the schedule. Teachings about meditation and Buddhism are considered necessary for this audience to progress in their practice.
The Forest Path: Forest Tradition Collected Writings
The forest tradition of Thailand has attracted many Western monastics. Through the writings of teachers such as Luangda Mahabua and Ajahn Chah, English-speakers have been exposed to this tradition and many have chosen to make the commitment to be a part of it. These Western monastics have not only become a part of communities of the forest tradition throughout Thailand, they have also written about their unique experiences and choices. Many of these writings come out of the Western monk lineage of Ajahn Chah, and they often write of their memories of his teachings, their experiences living as a his student, and the monastic life.
Ajahn Jayasaro in his article “Twain Shall Meet,” in Forest Path writes of the impression the new phenomenon of Western monks made on the Thai people. His description is worth quoting in full:
“The sight of the Western bhikkhus was a powerful one. At a time when Western technology, material advances, expertise were being so touted, here were to be found educated young men who had voluntarily renounced the things that people were being encouraged to aspire to; men who had chosen to live austere lives in the forest as bhikkhus: not understanding the language, eating coarse food, striving for peace and wisdom in the same way that Thai bhikkhus had been doing for hundreds of years. It was baffling, fascinating, and, above all else, inspiring. Many visitors would leave Wat Pa Phong thinking that perhaps there was more to Buddhism than they had thought. If the Westerners had so much faith in it, how could it be outdated?” (18)
So this was how many of the Western monks were seen. They offered inspiration to the Thai people for their voluntary renouncing of Western life. But Western monks did not become completely integrated into Thai Buddhist culture. Many of the Western monks of the Ajahn Chah lineage write about their particular challenges and how it affected their teachings from Ajahn Chah. Ajahn Jayasaro continues that Westerners came to monasticism with a different cultural conditioning so that in one sense they had an open, questioning attitude about this lifestyle which could be stimulating. They were not as complacent as some of the Thai monks. But, Ajahn Jayasaro writes that Ajahn Chah found this questioning attitude was not always positive. The Western monks were often filled with doubt, and did not have the faith of their Thai counterparts (p. 19).
Western monks also write about their experiences living in the Thai forest tradition. Ajahn Jayasaro, in the same article, writes of Ajahn Sumedho’s experiences. Ajahn Sumedho found that at many monasteries in Thailand he was treated as special—he would receive special food and didn’t have to participate in chores as he was focused on meditating.
But with Ajahn Chah this was different and the Western monks had to follow the schedule and eat the same as the Thai monks. Thus instead of focusing only on meditative training, with Ajahn Chah these Western monks received training in monasticism and the rules of the Vinaya. And Ajahn Jayasaro writes that it was the presence of Ajahn Sumedho, in addition to Ajahn Chah who made the forest tradition so appealing. Ajahn Sumedho proved to others that Westerners could live in these conditions and thrive (33).
In “Facets of Life at Wat Pah Nanachat,” in Forest Path Ajahn Vipasi writes of his transition from living as a monastic in England to living in Wat Pah Nanachat of Thailand. At first he was shocked at the number of people who came to make offerings compared with England where guests often first need a basis in understanding about Buddhism. He was surprised by the faith of the Thai people (46). Ajahn Vipasi continues in this article to discuss the guests at the monastery who become part of the monastic life when they stay at Wat Pah Nanachat. He finds that the level of renunciation is demanding as one must wake up early, keep the eight precepts, eat once a day, and have many hours without any formal structure (48).
He contrasts the many monastic opportunities in Thailand with England, where there isn’t much room for change. Therefore the communities in England are more stable and one can gain strength from this but Ajahn Vipasi also finds that the culture of Thai Buddhism brings confidence to the Western monk. Yet in Thailand there is often the temptation to move to a different temple to meet a new Ajahn so it can be difficult to settle (53). Because of this transience of Western monks, especially at Wat Pah Nanachat, Ajahn Vipasi finds that no one can pin down life at this monastery. It is always in flux so that one person’s experience can be very different from another’s a few years or even months later (55).
But it is not only Western monks who can experience life in the forest tradition. Christine Lim writes in her article “Ten Thousand Joys and Ten Thousand Sorrows: Life and Times at Wat Pah Nanachat—The Teaching of My Life,” in Forest Path about fitting in as a lay women in this monastic training center for monks. For her this was an ongoing challenge that eased over time. She learned to understand how monastics interacted with each other and with laypeople but at first wondered why these monks were put on such a high pedestal. Lim finds that for Western women used to equality it can be hard to understand the ways of behavior such as eating after the monks, lowering oneself when speaking with a monk, and cooking and serving the monks (93). Thus for some women, Wat Pah Nanachat can feel like a boy’s club, and this is the challenge of Western women who visit here (108).
Besides Forest Path there is another collection of writings by English-speaking disciples of Ajahn Chah called Seeing the Way. This is a collection of essays, letters, and talks given by 20 teaching monks of this lineage, and so represents the fruit of what Ajahn Chah nurtured. In this book, along with teachings and dhamma talks, many of the Western monks relate what it was like to live with Ajahn Chah and impart some of his basic teachings. Venerable Jayasaro in “Luang Por’s Way,” writes that Ajahn Chah’s
“method of training was one of pointing directly at the way our minds work. He was always showing us how craving gives rise to suffering—actually allowing us to see directly the Four Noble Truths. And for him, the way of exposing desires was to frustrate them. In his vocabulary, the words ‘to teach’ and ‘to torment’ where more or less interchangeable” (189).
Ajahn Jayasaro continues by emphasizing Ajahn Chah’s focus on a sense of community, and teaching by changing routines so that the monastics would learn to let go. This, Ajahn Jayasaro finds, is the benefit of living with a teacher, so that one is pushed to constantly be mindful.
Thus the Western monks and lay people are prolific in describing life in the forest traditions of Thailand. Monastic life with Ajahn Chah is portrayed by the Western monks, their experiences of his teachings and the insights they gained from living with him. Later monks and lay people write about their experiences of forest monasticism in Thailand—their surprise at the faith and respect for monastics that still lives on here. This can be confusing for the foreign laity, but following with the monastic life and understanding the relationship between monastic and laity is part of the challenge and experience of living in a forest monastery.
Mini-Buddhism 101 Classes
In some of the programs and centers for international meditators I have visited there is more of a focus on teaching about the tradition of Buddhism, rather than focusing exclusively on the technique of meditation. These mini-Buddhism 101 classes put meditation within the framework and worldview of the tradition. Most of the programs offer basic teachings that aid in meditation, but others intentionally teach about Thai culture within Buddhism, and some even offer short lectures on basic Buddhist concepts.
The Buddhist teachings emphasized at many international meditation retreats are mostly related to meditation. The main points that international meditators learn are teachings that help to understand the practice of meditation. One of the most popular teachings for foreign meditators is the Five Hindrances. Meditation teachers discuss these common problems of sloth, restlessness, doubt, sense desire, and anger, often experienced during meditation, and how to overcome them. This is often discussed as a strategic way to aid meditation— not a list coming from the teachings of the Buddha. The 4 Foundations of Mindfulness is a basic teaching as well presented especially at those centers which base their meditation technique on these four foundations. Meditators are taught this technique of observing their body, feelings, mind, and mind objects, and again often without placing this within the Buddhist context or the scripture it comes out of as it is described more as a meditation method.
The Kalama Sutta is mentioned frequently at meditation centers which teach foreigners. This famous sutta asks the student to come and see for oneself if one should believe the teacher after one has tested out the teachings to see if they are beneficial and true. This sutta is used to show foreign meditators that in Buddhism one is not asked to blindly believe the teacher but to learn through one’s own meditation experience. Another basic meditation teaching is the three characteristics of existence or non-self, impermanence, and suffering. For international meditators these are framed as concepts to contemplate during insight meditation practice. And the last major teaching most foreign meditators learn about are the five and eight precepts of lay people. This is a necessary teaching as at most centers, the lay meditators must keep these precepts in order to live in the monastery.
The above are what many international meditators learn when attending a meditation retreat in Thailand. Some offer less than this and some go into more depth about these concepts and add other ones. But beyond teaching these basic concepts for understanding the goals and purposes of meditation seen at many international meditation centers, other programs teach about the tradition of Buddhism in a more rounded way than focusing mostly on meditation. At The Life Program run out of Wat Suan Dok, Chiangmai, there is a one-hour presentation on aspects of Buddhist life within Thai culture. Along with going over the basics of types of meditation techniques, they also teach about the eightfold path, the life story of the Buddha, and the middle path. In terms of Thai Buddhism, Phra Saneh Dhammavaro, the founder of the program, talks about the tradition of monasticism, morning almsround, the relationship of laity and monks.
Another program focused on teaching not primarily about meditation is the Monk for a Month Program in Fang, Chiangmai. Fred Blandford, a lay American Buddhist, teaches for the first seven days of each participants’ visit. He starts off with the basics of Thai culture and Buddhism in general. He at first teaches about the differences of Theravada and Mahayana, the tradition of monasticism, and basics of Thai Buddhist culture such as how to sit in a temple, how to prostrate when entering and leaving a sacred area, how to behave around monks, and how to act at a temple. Blandford also presents information about the life of the Buddha, the 4 Noble Truths, and the Eightfold Path. Meditation instruction is part of the teaching as well as the participants learn about concentration and vipassana meditation. Blandford only goes over the basics as he is not a meditation teacher, but tries to teach as he learned at Wat Rampoeng in Chiangmai.
The International Dhamma Hermitage is another mini-Buddhism 101 class as there is much time devoted to dhamma talks concerned with the teachings of founder, Buddhadasa Bhikkhu. Here the international retreatants receive a variety of teachings from a number of ‘dhamma friends’ coming from all different perspectives. However, the main teachings of the meditation technique and Buddhist concepts come from British monk, Than Dhammavidu. For one hour a day during the first four days Than Dhammavidu discusses the meditation technique of anapanasati and explains the source of this technique, The Anapanasati Sutta, in some detail. After going through this technique and sutta, Than Dhammavidu spends the next three sessions explaining important Buddhist concepts, as emphasized by Buddhadasa Bhikkhu. Most importantly, Than Dhammavidu explains about the doctrine of Paticca-samupada, or dependent co-origination, which was a major theme of Buddhadasa Bhikkhu’s thinking.
This retreat delivers more Buddhist teachings than the other major English-speaking centers not only because of the live dhamma talks and instructions but also through written media. Each day begins with a reading from a Buddhist teacher, usually a contemporary Western or Asian meditation master. After meal times one can read quotes, poems, and cartoons about being mindful and practicing meditation. Many of these quotes come from Buddhadasa Bhikkhu himself and well-known forest tradition teacher, Ajahn Chah. As well, toward the middle of the retreat there are books available to read in the dining hall. These works are mainly by Buddhadasa Bhikkhu, especially the numerous translations of the book this retreats is based on: Mindfulness with Breathing. In the tradition of Buddhadasa Bhikkhu there are these intellectual teachings of Buddhism presented, but here there is little about Thai Buddhism in its cultural aspects. Foreign meditators do not learn about life in a monastery or the tradition of monasticism.
Bhikkhuni Dhammananda at Wat Songdhammakalyani is the next example of a teacher who offers a mini-Buddhism 101 class for foreigners interested in Buddhism. Ven. Dhammananda, with her excellent command of English, attracts many international visitors to her monastery. It is open year round for anyone who would like to stay for any length of time. She offers a dhamma talk and meditation instructions in English and Thai after the morning and evening chanting periods. As well, international visitors are able to accompany her and the other samaneris (female novices) on alms round and partake in temple life. But if one wants to participate in a specific program Ven. Dhammananda runs the Living Buddhism program since 2008 where she opens her temple to foreign and Thai visitors for a week of classes on Buddhism in English as well as meditation practice. During this week she teaches basic concepts of Buddhist living at a monastic center. The schedule includes four hours of lecture, guided meditations, and other various events.
She has also created another program of temporary samaneri ordination for nine days offered twice a year. This program is tailored for those who are interested in the monastic life. Ven. Dhammananda also hosts college groups regularly from Dayton University in Ohio, USA and Payap University in Chiangmai, Thailand. She tailors her lectures to these groups based on their fields of study.
Besides the basic meditation techniques and teachings associated with these, other programs are offering programs on learning about the basics of the Buddhist tradition for those interested in more than only meditation. These teachers and people associated with the creation of these programs find that the Buddhist traveler should be able to understand how meditation fits within Thai Buddhism. They also find that foreign travelers are wondering about what they see around them on a daily basis so want to explain Thai Buddhist cultural aspects such as monastic life, almsround, and Buddhist holidays. These programs thus offer a more rounded picture of Buddhism in Thailand.
History of Buddhist Travelers in Thailand: ‘On the Ground’
Donald Swearer writes in his Secrets of the Lotus the reasons Buddhism is becoming of interest in America.
“Buddhism is becoming increasingly popular in the United States. Its popularity rests not only on the appeal it has among college students or the role it has played in influencing “hip” culture. It offers a serious religious option for many Westerners, and it may well prove to have a significant impact on Judeo-Christian thought and practice.” (p. 1)
He also writes of the appeal of meditation in particular:
“Yet, among all the varieties of Buddhism one can find in America today and all the forms of Buddhist practice, no aspect of Buddhism has a stronger appeal than Buddhist meditation, especially among younger people . . . Buddhist meditation is attractive for many reasons, to be sure. For some it offers a retreat from the chaos and complexity of today’s world. For others it may serve as a means of introspective self-understanding; and, for still others it is the means for attempting seriously to grasp the truth of Buddhism” (p. 2).
Thus this interest in Buddhism and appeal of meditation lead Buddhist travelers to explore the opportunities to learn more in Asian Buddhist countries. And with the rise of lay meditation already being offered to Thais, many temples and meditation centers have sought to accommodate an international audience through teaching in English. I will outline the history of this phenomenon as it occurred in the different regions of Thailand.
One of the first programs for international visitors interested in meditation took place in Bangkok, at Wat Mahathat and the Buddhist University it houses, MahaChulalongkorn, or MCU. Ajahn Helen Jandamit was instrumental in the creation of this program, which began soon after she arrived in Thailand in the mid-1970s. Wat Buddhapadipa, a Buddhist temple in London, recommended that she received further guidance at Section 5 of Wat Mahathat in Bangkok. Once there, she was asked to teach the English-speakers who came to the temple and who wanted to learn about meditation. She worked for more than 20 years with the monks at MCU to provide vipassana meditation instruction and information about Buddhism in English. In 1974 she co-founded the International Buddhist Meditation Centre (IBMC) that is now part of MCU. It ran talks, lectures, discussions, and weekend retreats in English. In 1994 she converted her residence into the private meditation centre called The House of Dhamma.
Apart from Wat Mahathat, Bangkok was also a popular place for Western monks to ordain. This was available at famous temples of Bangkok, such as Wat Bowonniwet. The Western monks at this temple used to conduct meditation classes in English until the early 1980s, when backpackers began to behave inappropriately, even sleeping on the temple grounds. At this time also the wat made a rule that foreigners would be expected to make a long-term commitment to the monastic life and would prove this by living as a novice for at least a year. Thai men who want to ordain are a different situation because it is a socio-cultural duty for them—so they can still ordain without commitment and for a short period of time. Also in Bangkok, Wat Paknam held a famous ordination of the first foreign monk, Kapilavaddho, in 1954, which was followed by another ordination of three more British monks two years later. These temples were at the forefront of foreign ordination because of their history and proximity to the capital where most Buddhist travelers arrive.
Many of the Western monks who would follow Ajahn Chah began their journey at one of the large temples in Bangkok, ordaining there in the early 1970s. Many of them subsequently moved to the northeast when they heard of this great teacher, the first being American monk Ajahn Sumedho in 1967. More Western men interested in Buddhism heard about this community surrounding Ajahn Chah and joined at Ajahn Chah’s Wat Nong Pah Pong, or moved to one of his branch temples including the International Forest Monastery, Wat Pah Nanachat formed in 1975. Another smaller community grew out of the famous teacher Luangda Mahabua, beginning in 1963 when Ajahn Pannavaddho went to live at Wat Pa Baan That, and other Western monks followed in his path. These communities of Western monks also led to a transient community of lay foreign Buddhist travelers hoping to learn from these Western monks, or at least be able to understand about living in a Thai temple with help in English.
In the south of Thailand, it was the group retreats that became popular. The first international retreat site was Buddhadasa Bhikkhu’s Wat Suan Mokhh, beginning in 1985. Later, through the enthusiasm and encouragement of now abbot, Ajahn Po, the International Dhamma Hermitage was built as a group retreat facility for foreigners and Thais in separate retreats starting in 1990. Ajahn Po had heard about ten-day group retreats and with the interest he saw from the foreign travelers on his home island of Ko Samui he helped to create a retreat program with the famous Buddhadasa Bhikkhu.
It was the large numbers of travelers, as well, who led to the second group retreat in the south, Wat Kow Tahm International Meditation Center on Ko Phangan. Mae Chii Ahmon of Wat Kow Tahm received many foreign travelers interested in meditation on the island. When long-time meditation practitioners, Rosemary and Steve Weissman, arrived on the island in 1987, Mae Chii Ahmon soon asked them to teach meditation to the foreign travelers, and they continue to do so presently.
In the north of Thailand, famous meditation teacher Ajahn Tong introduced his method of meditation based on the method of Burmese master, Mahasi Sayadaw in 1954 at Wat Muang Mang. The popularity of his method led to the creation of many meditation centers throughout the North of Thailand, the second being Wat Rampoeng in 1973. The Mahasi Sayadaw created the phenomena of the lay meditation centers in Burma and Ajahn Tong carried this to Thailand, first setting up these centers for Thais. Now there are three popular international centers in the area: Wat Doi Suthep, Wat Chom Tong, and Wat Rampoeng. All of them practice the Ajahn Tong method, and welcome foreigners with instruction in English. Wat Rampoeng and Wat Chom Tong opened their doors to foreigners in the early 1990s and Wat Doi Suthep in 2006.
Because of the popularity of meditation and interest in the Buddhist tradition for foreign visitors to Thailand, recently new programs have been created. These are based not primarily on meditation but on teaching the basics of Buddhism and monasticism. An introduction to Thai Buddhism and culture as well as meditation was established out of the MCU campus of Wat Suan Dok in 2005, called ‘The Life Program.’ Phra Saneh Dhammavaro created this program because he saw a need to teach interested foreigners about the tradition. More recently, the Monk for a Month program is also based on teaching about Buddhism and the basics of meditation, with the added option of becoming a novice monk. This program was created as a cultural exchange so that travelers could understand more about the tradition of Buddhism and be able to experience it first-hand.
Thus the history of Buddhist travelers in Thailand began in Bangkok with the meditation center at MCU and the ordinations at famous Bangkok temples. This occurred because of the increase in travelers and foreign men interested in becoming monks as well as the centrality of Bangkok for travelers. The teachers who attracted foreigners such as Ajahn Chah and Luangda Mahabua contributed to the movement of foreigners to more far-flung destinations such as the Northeast. Another tourist destination was the south with its islands and beaches. The tourist boom on Ko Samui and Ko Phangan, as well as the presence of famous monk Buddhadasa Bhikkhu nearby, created the establishment of two long-standing group retreats. In the North, Ajahn Tong’s adaptation of the Mahasi Sayadaw method created a number of lay meditation centers for Thais. In turn this led to the establishment of international centers which welcomed foreigners. These individual retreats attract serious practitioners as well as travelers to the North seeking new experiences. All of these opportunities and their success with foreigners created new programs which focus not just on meditation but on teaching about Buddhism and monasticism.
History of Buddhist Travelers in Thailand: The Guides
Jane Hamilton-Merritt, in her 1976 memoir of learning meditation in Thailand (A Meditator’s Diary) shows how difficult it was at this time to find a teacher and temple willing to instruct a foreign women. She writes:
“I soon found, however, that I would encounter tremendous difficulties in finding a Buddhist monastery that would accept me- the foreign woman- as a resident. I tried for over a year with no success. My inquiries and requests to live within a wat compound were met with kind but negative responses. Usually I was told by the head monk that I could come to visit the wat any time, but as to the question of living in, the response was commonly that there were no facilities for women.” (20).
Eventually, in this memoir the narrator learns of Wat Bowonniwet in Bangkok and is able to attend the daily dhamma talks and meditation sessions there before becoming a student of Ajahn Tong at Wat Muang Mang in Chiangmai. This is certainly quite different today as it is apparent that there are many opportunities for English-speaking meditators to live and learn about Buddhism and meditation in temples across Thailand. But the history of this phenomenon is important. How did the popularity of meditation emerge for Buddhist travelers? This post will scratch the surface of such a large question by looking at the role and history of meditation guidebooks to Thailand.
The first people who encouraged this trend helping foreigners find meditation temples in Thailand were the writers of a series of editions of meditation guides published by the World Federation of Buddhists (WFB). The first edition of this guide was available in 1978, two years after Jane Hamilton-Merrit’s memoir was published, through the research of then monk, Sunno Bhikkhu, but now well-known as Jack Kornfield. His A Brief Guide to Meditation Temples of Thailand, was an important document for foreigners who came to Thailand to learn and practice meditation. It also formed the basis for the next two editions. After this, a committee of the National Identity Board (Prime Minister’s Office) authored a second edition of the book which came out in 1988 under the title, A Brief Guide to Buddhist Meditation Centres in Thailand. Since this edition opportunities for foreigners had changed as new monasteries and meditation centers become popular and others were no longer able to host foreigners. That is why a third edition by Bill Weir appeared in 1991 in print and online in 1994. The online edition is still used by foreign meditators looking for suitable places in Thailand.
Besides the WFB guides, long-time Thailand resident, Joe Cummings, published his, The Meditation Temples of Thailand: A Guide, also in 1991. In his ‘Introduction’ he describes why he decided to write this book:
“With the rising general interest in Theravada Buddhism and in insight or mindfulness meditation in particular, the time seems right to make the study of Buddhism in Thailand even more accessible to westerners, if possible. This book was written to serve that purpose. In the past, many foreigners have arrived in Thailand with the name of one wat or none at all; it is hoped that this guide will alleviate some of the problems experienced by first-time visitors, as well as open up a wider range of possibilities for the serious student” (vii-viii).
Cummings also writes why Thailand is appealing to meditators. He asserts that it is the most open to foreigners out of the Theravada Buddhist countries, there is strong social and cultural support, the instruction is freely given, and the teachings are offered with no motive to convert practitioners (vi-vii). Cummings states that the rise in popularity in lay meditation in Thailand is due to the efforts of famous teachers to increase lay meditation, the increased interaction with foreigners and the rapid growth of modernization (6-7).
The fourth edition of the WFB guide, titled A Guide to Buddhist Monasteries and Meditation Centres in Thailand by Pataraporn Sirikanchana, came out in 2004. The ‘Foreward,’ written by WFB president, Phan Wanamethee, states that there are many guidebooks to Thailand that give information on famous temples but this book “is meant to meet the needs of those seeking knowledge about reliable places in Thailand where meditation is taught according to Buddhist traditions.” Phan Wanamethee also asserts that the popularity of this guide shows the growing interest in meditation centers and ways to achieve peace in the modern world. This booklet has more specific details for those wishing to train in Buddhist meditation, as well as updated information from the third edition. The author writes in the ‘Preface’ that this revision is intended to assist foreigners to find a meditation center of their choice.
The most recent guide is “Meditation Retreats in Southeast Asia,” compiled by Dieter Baltruschat, and translated by Katharina Titkemeyer, which came out online in 2007. The information on retreats was collected through the members of the Munich Buddhist Society and intentionally follows the format of the WFB guide publications. In the ‘Introduction,’ the author lists the benefits of meditating in Thailand:
“It [Thailand] has some outstanding meditation teachers. Some monasteries have excellent conditions for practice. Thailand also offers a broad spectrum of retreats. Whether you are a beginner wishing to combine a beach holiday with a meditation course, a meditator who wishes to ordain in a forest monastery, or simply want to practise intensely, you will find a suitable place. English, however, is not commonly spoken and therefore communication can be difficult, especially in the lesser known monasteries” (6).
This same group of authors has an online form which foreign meditators can update after having attended a retreat, so the information from this guidebook will be continually updated.
These guides have been important sources for Buddhist travelers and the history of foreign meditation in Thailand. English-speakers interested in participating in a retreat and have never been to Thailand before use this information to select a place and plan their trips. Many Buddhist travelers visit many of these spots over a long period of time, making a meditation tour of Thailand. The guides have opened up more possibilities for travelers by giving them the information necessary to find the sites and know what to expect. Along with this, the meditation guidebooks list the benefits of practicing in Thailand. But the foreign meditators were the impetus for the creation of these guides. The increased number of foreign participants has also sparked a rise in international meditation centers through the success and numbers of other long-established centers.
The Life Program of Phra Saneh Dhammavaro
Phra Saneh Dhammavaro is an important figure for foreigners visiting Chiangmai who are interested in Buddhism. He started the popular Monk Chat program in 2000 out of the Mahachulalongkorn Buddhist University Chiangmai campus at Wat Suan Dok. He told me that he created this program because he found that many foreigners had doubts and questions about Thai culture, monastic life, Thai people, and Buddhist art. So now there is a specific time and place where tourists and monks can come together to have conversations in English about these topics. After a few successful years of this program, Phra Saneh began looking at the participants’ comments to try to improve it further. He found that most people wanted to learn meditation, to experience it, not just talk about it. So this gave him the idea for a retreat for foreigners that gradually came into being.
The International Meditation retreat program officially opened in 2004 through many generous donations. Phra Saneh’s goal is to have the center open for foreigners every day of the week but for now there is a one-night retreat every Tuesday-Wednesday and a four day, Tuesday-Friday retreat at the end of each month. Phra Saneh calls this retreat ‘The Life Program’ because he believes meditation is not about belief but a way of life. This is a unique program in that it is intended as a beginners’ course—an introduction to meditation as well as the Thai Buddhist way of life. With activities on the schedule like chanting and offering alms, Phra Saneh hopes to teach the foreigners about Buddhist culture along with meditation.
Before The Life Program begins, there is a one-hour PowerPoint presentation covering topics such as “What is Buddhism?”, Thai culture, “The Middle Path”, “The Eightfold Path”, types of meditation training, meditation techniques, and The International Meditation Center. During this introduction it is first emphasized that Buddhism is about practice, not belief. It is about training the mind, not just study, as one must experience it to understand it. Under the topic of “What is Buddhism?” Phra Saneh tells the retreatants that Buddhists believe in human beings, and that this is a method for liberating oneself from suffering, and a path to real happiness.
The foreigners are also presented with a demythologized version of the Buddha’s life story. Phra Saneh asserts that the Buddha was a prince who could have been a king but instead became an enlightened being. But he says that anyone can be a Buddha who has awakened from delusion and sees reality as it is, one who understands the nature of all things. For the segment on Thai tradition, Phra Saneh emphasizes the difference between monk and novice,morning almsround, and the connection between monastics and laity.
As for Buddhist teachings, the Eightfold Path is explained in detail. In this regard though, an explanation of morality is lacking as the five basic precepts are not explained. Phra Saneh told me that there is not enough time to go into this during the two-day retreat but during the four-day retreat they explain the five and eight precepts. During the meditation segment, Phra Saneh presents the difference between samatha and vipassana meditation and the four positions of meditation: sitting, standing, lying down, and walking.
Following the one-hour presentation, retreatants are bussed to the International Meditation Center in Sansai, where they begin to put into action the meditation methods and cultural activities that were introduced earlier. Phra Saneh thus wants the foreigners to learn about Thai Buddhism through direct experience. They practice the four positions of meditation, chant, pay respect to the Triple gem, and offer food to the monks at the center. He includes chanting as part of the program because he wants the foreigners to learn to be humble and let go of ego. He finds that to pay respect to the Triple Gem helps meditation as it reduces selfishness. Phra Saneh explains that Thai people pay respect to the Buddha as the person who founded the path to liberation, the dhamma because it is the nature of the world, and the sangha because it is a community of noble people. And he hopes the participants will learn the value of giving from learning about the tradition of the almsround. Phra Saneh told me that very few foreigners are resistant to bowing and chanting because they explain the reasons for the practices in detail.
The reason Phra Saneh teaches theory first and practices the four forms of meditation second is so foreigners can investigate the map before diving into the experience. Phra Saneh finds that other meditation centers often don’t show the map, they jump right into teaching meditation. So he gives theory on what is Buddhism and meditation and then he finds it’s easier for the foreigners to do the practice. The next morning, the monk assistants, Phra Saneh, and the participants have a discussion about their experiences and clear up any doubts. He finds this is a good format for such a short course.
When I asked Phra Saneh why he thinks foreigners participate in this retreat he responded that international visitors come for different reasons but mostly they want to learn meditation because it has become very popular. Many foreigners have read books about Buddhism and meditation and realize that they need this practice in their daily life. To this end Phra Saneh makes sure, at the end of the retreat, to convey to the participants not just how to close their eyes and meditate but how to live their lives in this complex society, how to deal with anxiety, worry, to sleep at night, to forgive and forget.
Chiangmai Meditation Center Teacher Interviews
In the Chiangmai area there are a number of International Meditation retreats to choose from. I recently went to interview a number of teachers in this area: Jonathan Preboy of Wat Chom Tong International Meditation Center, Phra Ajahn Buddhasak of Wat Prathat Doi Suthep International Meditation Center, Phra Ajahn Suphan of Wat Rampoeng International Meditation Center. I asked each of these teachers similar questions and here I will let some of their answers speak to each other. I hope to show the similarities and differences in dealing with international meditation students and these teachers’ techniques for teaching this unique audience.
Phra Ajahn Suphan has taught at Wat Rampoeng since 1994 and has taught foreigners since about 1995. He started teaching because the temple didn’t have any other staff to teach and when the foreigners came he taught them also. Jonathan went to Bangkok in search of a master and at Bangkok’s Wat Mahathat they told him to go see Ajahn Tong in Chiangmai. After he finished the basic course at Wat Chom Tong and then sat five more retreats he was asked to start teaching. Phra Ajahn Buddhasak has taught for almost five years now at Wat Prathat Doi Suthep. He does this because he feels it is the duty of the monk to give back to the people.
Resistant foreign meditators
I asked each of the teachers how they handle foreign meditators who are resistant to what are commonly considered to be ‘religious’ activities such as bowing and participating in other ritual activities. At Wat Chom Tong the foreign meditators must take part in the opening ceremony to receive the eight precepts. This is because Ajahn Tong is traditional and has asked that all the international meditators be taken to the ceremony. But the closing ceremony is not as important as people sometimes have to leave early. But the teachers try to explain the five precepts before each meditator leaves as guidelines to try to live by. But Wat Chom Tong International Center is more flexible about bowing and attending wan phra ceremonies. If an international visitor has a problem bowing to a Buddha statue they can just bow in another direction and can think of it as part of their meditation practice. They encourage the meditators to go to the wan phra rituals, but this is optional for people who want to learn more about Thai Buddhism.
Ajahn Buddhasak has had some foreign meditators who are resistant to religious activities such as bowing and chanting. Some of the international visitors feel that these activities are not allowed in their religion. If this is the case they Ajahn Buddhasak advises them not to be concern about participating. He makes sure to explain the reasons for the rituals, but they are not compulsory because he feels that Buddhism is more concerned with the internal than anything external. But Phra Buddhasak finds that many people, after staying at the temple for a while and hearing the explanations for ritual activities, change their point of view and start to participate. But he emphasizes that this is open to each person, and meditators can just practice if they want to.
Phra Ajahn Suphan, in contrast to the other two teachers, finds that the foreign meditators who come to Wat Rampoeng are not resistant to religious activities like bowing or chanting. This is because when he started to teach he kept a strict policy of participating in rituals. The opening ceremony and how to conduct the interview is explained in the office before meditators begin. Ajahn Suphan feels that one’s religious background doesn’t matter—each person must participate in these practices because they have come to this temple, they made this choice so now have to follow the protocol.
Strategies of Reinterpretation
For each teacher and center, there are strategies for teaching foreigners that are different from those used with Thai meditators. I asked each teacher about their teaching techniques for the foreign meditators. Jonathan finds that psychological terms can help the foreign meditators to understand the effect of the meditation. He uses terms like anxiety, depression, anger, hatred, paranoia because it is helpful for Westerners to label their feelings. Thus he finds psychology useful as a translator and stepping stone to understand the deeper experiences of the meditation.
Phra Ajahn Buddhasak finds that for Western meditators he needs to do much explaining about the Buddhist teachings and practices. He told me that he has learned that he has to explain thoroughly about the three characteristics of all phenomena, chanting, bowing, the four noble truths, etc. This is because he finds the Western meditators need to hear reasons why and need explanations to be able to understand the tradition of Buddhism. Phra Buddhasak believes that the teacher has to understand how to explain these things to this audience. The international visitors need more reasons and explanations because they don’t yet have faith. So this is how he teaches but he finds that once the foreigners understand the explanations then faith will come.
Ajahn Suphan gave a different answer for how he teaches foreigners. He said that the teaching is the same for foreigners and Thais but the only difference is the time periods each group has to practice. He finds that foreigners have a more concentrated amount of time, they come maybe only one time a year and don’t know when they can come back. The Thai people come for a few days but can come often. Because of this, Ajahn Suphan finds that foreigners are more likely to pay more attention to the teachings and experience of meditation than Thais. Ajahn Suphan also finds that both Thais and foreigners want to have explanations and reasons about Buddhist practices, as it depends on the person, not the cultural background. He has taught some foreigners who ask many questions but some who learn from books and have practiced meditation before, so they have much knowledge. Thai people learn about Buddhism in school so many already have faith in Buddhism, but Ajahn Suphan finds that not all Thais have a deep education or have this belief.
Teaching about Buddhism
I also asked each teacher what they hope the foreign meditators learn from their experience living at the temple, besides the practice of meditation. At Wat Chom Tong, Jonathan finds that a certain percentage of foreign meditators enjoy participating in the Thai Buddhist activities along with the meditation. But the main way that Jonathan teaches about the Buddhist path is through Ajahn Tong. He encourages the foreign meditators to observe and be in contact with Ajahn Tong to see where the practice of meditation could lead. They can see how Ajahn Tong is always in the present moment as he walks, talks, and listens. So if there is a chance to meet Ajahn Tong the international visitors are encouraged to go, to see that the path of Buddhist meditation leads to a natural, kind, and loving state of being.
Ajahn Buddhasak tries to incorporate Thai and Buddhist culture in his teachings, not just meditation. He knows that at some centers they just teach meditation but at Wat Doi Suthep from the start they didn’t want to focus only on meditation. Phra Buddhasak believes that if someone wants to understand a country, they have to understand culture. He tries to teach this in his daily dhamma talks which include topics such as living in the temple and the rules of monasticism. He also makes sure to talk about how to incorporate Buddhism into daily life. He wants the international visitors to learn about the culture and ceremonies but if they don’t want to its up to them—he keeps open the possibility but otherwise the foreigners can just practice meditation.
In response to what foreign meditators learn when they come to Wat Rampoeng, Phra Ajahn Suphan said that their course is about meditation but there are some Buddhist concepts within this such as the Four Foundations of Mindfulness. But he finds that the international meditators learn about Buddhism through the experience of the meditation and living in the temple. He has seen some foreigners who become interested and even want to ordain because of their experience with the practice and seeing life around the temple. Ajahn Suphan said that many of the international meditators also learn about art, customs, and how Buddhism influences Thai society.
Practicing in Thailand
My next question was if there are any benefits to practicing in Thailand rather than one’s home country. Jonathan finds that there is an advantage to practicing at Wat Chom Tong because they have Ajahn Tong as an example of where the meditation leads and they have the option to learn about Thai Buddhism by going to the ceremonies. Wat Chom Tong is a valuable place to practice because it has both a temple and meditation center.
Jonathan has had many good experiences practicing in Western countries but has found that the practice for most people in the West is more episodic, so that people go to a retreat once or twice a year. But in Thailand people usually come for one or two months, so its longer and usually more intense. He finds that Thailand is more suitable for long-term practice and is certainly more cost effective. In the West the centers have all different teachings each week and so it is possible for meditators to get the idea that one method is as good as the other. Or they could become confused with the amount of options offered but at Wat Chom Tong they have one type of practice and this will stay the same.
Phra Ajahn Buddhasak does not know much about meditation centers in Western countries but asserts that the quality of the center is what matters—the teacher, teachings, and environment. The quality of the center is what he is most concerned about, not whether the teacher is ordained or lay, or if it is in a Buddhist country or not. Phra Ajahn Suphan had a similar opinion. He told me that the Buddha taught all people, not just Asian people in particular. So it doesn’t matter where Buddhism is, people can learn it wherever, whenever.
These centers and teachers thus have similar issues of dealing with foreign meditators but handle them differently. Jonathan and Phra Ajahn Buddhasak are equally flexible with the foreign meditators of different faiths who have problems participating in Buddhist rituals. But at Wat Rampoeng, there is not this allowance for foreigners—they must bow and participate in the opening ceremonies as the Thai meditators. Also Phra Ajahn Suphan asserts that he teaches the foreigners in the same way as the Thai meditators, the only difference is they usually stay longer. But at Wat Chom Tong and Wat Doi Suthep the teachers try to explain the teachings and activities more for this audience. At Wat Chom Tong, Jonathan adds some familiar psychological terms for foreigners. Ajahn Buddhasak makes sure to introduce the foreigners to some Thai and Buddhist culture as part of the experience, not just the meditation. As well at Wat Chom Tong the foreigners can learn about Thai Buddhism by going to see Ajahn Tong and wan phra ceremonies. But at Wat Rampoeng the foreigners learn Buddhism through the meditation and observation—there is no overt teachings other than meditation and the Buddhist concepts that fit into this. In terms of practicing in Thailand, Jonathan finds that there are some advantages of being able to learn about a Buddhist culture in Thailand but Ajahn Suphan and Ajahn Buddhasak are concerned with the quality of the center.
Travelers’ Tales: Journeys through the Forest Temples of Thailand
I met Taylor on the beginning of his journey of forest temples in Thailand in December at Wat Pah Nanachat, and by the time I caught up with him again in late March at Wat Pa Baan That, I realized that Taylor’s journey was an interesting one that reveals the role of the forest monasteries for foreign lay meditators and those who are interested in monasticism.
Before leaving for his nine-month tour of famous Thai forest monasteries, Taylor had practiced with the community at Wat Abhayagiri in America and had planned to ordain there. However, before this he wanted to travel to Thailand to pay respect to teachers he had heard about, especially Luangda Mahabua and Luangpu Plian.
At Wat Abhayagiri Taylor was recommended to start at Wat Pah Nanachat, and he also knew he wanted to go Wat Pa Baan That of Luangpu Mahabua and Wat Aranyawiwake to see Luangpu Plian. But this loose plan expanded to many other forest temples and a desire to ordain in Thailand, rather than in America. Before arriving in Thailnd he had thought Thai Buddhism was all about ritual and ceremony but in America the Buddhism is fresh but he found this was completely wrong. In Thailand, instead he says he found the heart of Buddhism, whereas in America the mind of Buddhism is more present. Especially during festivals like Songkhran Taylor was inspired by how Buddhism has influenced the Thai people to live such an open-hearted life. As well Taylor was impressed by the anniversary of Ajahn Chah’s death at Wat Nong Pa Pong—he found there people who loved food, community, sharing, and the dhamma.
Thus Taylor didn’t know he would find faith in Thai Buddhism and its traditions, and he also didn’t know that he would find Ajahn Anan. While staying at Wat Pah Nanachat he had heard about Wat Marp Jan, and this became the next stop on his journey. Upon arrival he was impressed by the abbot, Ajahn Anan and the community of Western monks and lay people who practice there. Through Ajahn Anan’s answers to Taylor’s many questions, he was inspired to ordain with this teacher at Wat Marp Jan and plans to do this next year.
Now Taylor has realized the importance of studying with a teacher like Ajahn Anan and living among a strong community of practitioners, both lay and ordained. Taylor finds that there are two philosophies of practice and possibilities at these forest wats: one is that a strong community is needed to support one’s practice and the other emphasizes the importance of a teacher. Taylor always thought his inclination was more toward a strong community but since staying in Thailand, and especially Wat Marp Jan, he now sees the value of a teacher.
But besides Wat Pah Nanachat and Wat Marp Jan Taylor has visited many other branch temples of Ajahn Chah and finds that they all have a similar formula so that each one, although all with different personalities, still feel like home. Recently Taylor has been in the Chiangmai area staying at Wat Mo Moui and Wat Doi Akincanno, where he found the environment, teacher, and community inspiring for his practice. After this Taylor plans to go back to Wat Pah Nanachat and Wat Nong Pah Pong as well as Wat Marp Jan and branch temple of Wat Pah Nanachat, Wat Pu Jom Gaun.
The other piece that Taylor discovered while staying in the forest wats of Thailand was the inspiration from the monastic way of life. Before becoming interested in the forest tradition, Taylor had participated in and volunteered at many Goenka retreats. From his experience with these retreats and the forest tradition, he finds that retreat settings and forest temples have separate cultures. For retreats its much more formal where one has to register and leave at a certain time and learns a certain technique of meditation. But from staying with the followers of the forest tradition he has learned a way of life, not a technique but a way to interact that one can take outside the wat, a broad spectrum of teaching one can use to help society. Taylor still values retreats and finds them helpful for his practice, but now has realized the importance of the forest tradition’s emphasis on the monastic living in community and in nature.
Thus Taylor’s journey illuminates the difficult choice for Westerners who wish to ordain: should one remain in one’s own country or go to the tradition’s country of origin? Taylor wants to go back to practice in America at some point, but in Thailand he has found inspiration from a Thai master. Now toward the end of his journey Taylor finds that in both Thailand and America, there are pros and cons to the ordained life. In Thailand monasticism is a mixed bag with both bad and good. There are sincere practitioners and faith because the tradition is so rooted in the culture and way of life but also it can be taken for granted and there can be communities that aren’t that sincere. But in America Buddhism monasticism is fresh but can also feel too new.
Brian, another would-be monk I met in Chiangmai was in Thailand for similar reasons to Taylor. He planned to ordain at Wat Abhayagiri but in case that didn’t work out Brian stayed in Thailand to check out some of the forest temples in Thailand as a second possibility. But he told me that he felt being a monastic in America was important because the dhamma is so new and monasticism is needed for the tradition to take root. Because of the strong connection among the branch temples of Ajahn Chah around the world, Western monastics have the potential to live and ordain in many different locations. This network of Ajahn Chah temples has created a globalized form of the forest tradition where Western monks can live in Thailand and Thai monks can stay in Western countries.
Samnak Batipattham Nirodharam
When I visited the bhikkhuni residence called Samnak Batipattham Nirodharam (the center for practicing of dhamma called Nirodharam) in October (see previous post here) I was told I was welcome to come back and stay for any length of time. I decided last weekend was a good time and I made a plan to go with my friend Ashley. When we arrived, one of the bhikkhunis who was expecting us greeted us along with another young woman from Australia who had just arrived, raising the total percentage of foreign guests of this samnak significantly higher. The Australian woman had heard about Nirodharam through a Mae Chii from Wat Pa Baan That and I had heard of it from a nearby meditation center at Wat Chom Tong. Foreigners who stay at this monastery inevitably hear about this bhikkhuni residence through someone else. It is not a well-known place, tucked inside the backroads of the already small town of Chom Tong.
We were immediately told to pay respect to the Buddha in the front hall of the samnak. Then we were taken to meet the abbot, Phra Ajahn Bhikkhuni Nantayani. The abbot asked our names, how we heard about this samnak, how long we were staying, and if we knew about meditation. We said that we did and she recommended using the Mahasi Sayadaw technique of rising/falling for sitting and awareness of footsteps right/left for walking meditation. We were then given keys to our kutis, and were told to think of this place as our home. After this some of the bhikkhunis were off to make offerings to some monks in the area as this is a practice they do after Songkran and before the end of the month. Before they left, the bhikkhunis recommended meditating in the lower meditation halls where there is a fan and cool floor.
Upon arrival we were also told to sign the guestbook. Upon inspection of the guestbook I was able to see that in the last three years about ten foreigners had stayed there for varying lengths of time. There were foreigners from Germany, Hong Kong, Australia, Spain, Portugal, Holland, and the United States. While we were there the abbot was actually not present much as she was recovering from a car accident, but I was told by two of the bhikkhunis that she is able to teach meditation in English; she previously taught a German guest for three months There is currently a novice nun from Australia under the abbot’s tutelage as well. This novice nun has also provided a couple shelves of English books in the samnak’s library that are readily available to borrow.
For the evening group practice period we did a little yoga and stretching before the samaneris and bhikkhunis led the chanting in Pali and Thai. After this, due to the abbot’s health, there was a video of her giving a dhamma talk about protecting the precepts and how this has important consequences for one’s future. Even though this talk was not live the audience was still interactive, answering the abbot’s questions aloud.
During the morning group practice there was a short chanting at 4AM followed by walking and sitting meditation until a longer chanting period at 5AM. After this some of the lay people cleaned but Ashley and I decided to accompany the monastics on almsround. We set off with one samaneri and a young Thai laywoman. The samaneri told us it would be good to use this time to do walking meditation. As well she instructed us on the five benefits of walking meditation. On the way to the village we stopped when we saw a jedi in the distance, which contained a relic. We repeated a short prayer to the relic after the samaneri. After this we followed the samaneri as she stopped at houses to collect alms from mostly older women. After she received the alms and put any extra food into our bags, we all knelt down to listen to her blessing. After the long journey out from the samnak the samaneri was able to get us all a ride back on a pick-up truck. At this point she told us that at Nirodharam the practice is the daily life of monasticism; this is more of the focus than constant meditation instruction. But meditation and listening to dhamma is definitely a part of this life as is following the routine of the bhikkhunis.
The meal is a long affair as it is the only one of the day for the monastics. A bell was rung at 730AM for the bhikkhunis and samaneris to begin their chanting before eating. The lay people sat alongside and chanted as well. When this was finished the ordained members took their food followed by the lay people. During the meal, the monastics took their time and listened to a recording of the abbot giving a dhamma talk on the importance of mindfulness. After the meal, midday is a time for resting, practicing meditation, and study. In one of the meditation halls, one of the samaneris was constantly practicing sitting and walking meditation. And for the laity around noon there is the option to have a second meal.
One of the things that is easily noticeable about Nirodharam is the number of written signs and diagrams about meditation in the meditation halls and around the center itself. In the main chanting hall there are diagrams of the path to Enlightenment and reminders of the many lists in Buddhism such as the Five Hindrances and Four Noble Truths. Throughout the samnak there are reminders to remain mindful and stay on the path of sila, samadhi, and panna. Nirodharam, although not a forest monastery, has the feel of one as the monastics eat only one meal per day, the center is located in a forested environment, there are books and pictures of Ajahn Chah present, and body contemplation is an important aspect of the teachings (a poster of a skeleton hangs prominently in one of the meditation halls.)
While I was searching through the collection of English books in the library I found a thesis which incorporated field research from Nirodharam titled “Unraveling the Webs: Deconstruction of Identity in a Thai Buddhist Nunnery,” by Carry Klein Gunnewiek. The printed thesis in this library did not contain any other bibliographical information but from what I could ascertain it was written between 2004-2005, when Nirodharam was a community of mae chiis. Klein Gunnewiek conducted four months of research living the life of a mae chii at Nirodharam. During this time she was close with the other mae chiis and especially the head mae chii of the time, now abbot, Phra Ajahn Bhikkhuni Nantayani.
Klein Gunnewiek found that the current abbot created this community about eight years ago from the time of writing “in order to build a place for females who have the serious wish to become a ‘nakbuat’ [ordained person]” (p. 7). The abbot seeks to practice in as pure a way as possible by reading the Pali Cannon herself, and as well she is inspired by Buddhadasa Bhikkhu. Klein Gunnewiek asserts that the other mae chii of the community at this time came to join Ajahn Nantayani because they were inspired by her knowledge and her dhamma talks which were easy to understand with examples from daily life and without difficult terms (13). Thus Ajahn Nantayani is central to the lives of the other women of this community (14) and this can be seen today in the way the other bhikkhunis and samaneris talk about her and play her dhamma talks whenever they are in a group setting.
Thus in my short stay at Nirodharam I found the community to be extremely welcoming and caring, as well as serious about their practice. Teaching meditation is not a primary focus but it is possible to get meditation instruction and the environment is certainly conducive to a meditation retreat. There are not many foreigners who have come to stay with this community as it is not as well-known as other female monastic centers like Ven. Dhammananda’s Wat Songdhammakalyani. But as the debate about bhikkhuni ordination continues and foreign women become more involved, places like Nirodharam are sure to attract more international visitors.
The History of Teaching Westerners at Wat Pa Baan That
It is interesting to note how these Western enclaves come to be and how the English dhamma talks came to be at Wat Pa Baan That. Than Martin Piyadhammo related this history to me beginning with his arrival there as a layman in 1995. When he arrived British monk Ajahn Pannavaddho was already there and teaching English speakers.
Than Martin states that Ajahn Pannavaddho came to tea around 1p.m. every day in order for people to ask questions. He didn’t give formal talks, he would just answer these questions about anything. He was also available for Westerners and Thais in the morning after the meal. After Than Martin ordained he normally sat with him, listening to the questions and asking some himself. Ajahn Pannavaddho gave some formal teachings to Than Martin and another laywoman before he ordained but after his ordination the primary teaching was the question and answer period.
Two years before Ajahn Pannavaddho died, a larger group of Germans were coming and Than Martin would teach them separately, normally everyday, first talking about a subject for 10 to 15 minutes, then answering questions. After Ajahn Pannavaddho died in 2004, American monk, Ajahn Dick Silaratano, took up Ajahn Pannavaddho’s style and answered questions in the morning and afternoon. Ajahn Dick and Than Martin split the teaching so that Than Martin taught the Europeans and he taught the other English-speakers. At this time Than Martin reduced his teaching to three or four times a week as there were two teachers then and guests could go to listen to either speaker.
Currently Than Martin is the only teacher at Wat Pa Baan That. The frequency of English dhamma talks now depends on the people present. If most of the people are experienced, then he will give two talks a week, but sometimes only one. If there are more beginning practitioners he will teach three times a week.
The history of English teaching at Wat Pa Baan That thus began with Ajahn Pannavaddho and his willingness to answer questions to any Westerners who came to the monastery. The number of German speakers coming necessitated the need for Than Martin to take part in the teaching and led to the splitting of teaching duties between Ajahn Dick and Than Martin. They mostly followed the same format they had learned from Ajahn Pannavaddho— mainly answering questions. Thus Ajahn Pannavaddho founded a tradition that has carried on seven years after his death.
Transferring the Dhamma: Comparing Thai Masters’ Attitudes Towards Missionization
Why is a major part of the legacy of Ajahn Chah a Western monastic sangha in Thailand and abroad? Why is Buddhadasa Bhikkhu’s foreign legacy a lay meditation retreat? Why does the lineage of Ajahn Mahabua have much less presence outside of Thailand? These questions can be answered by looking at the philosophies of each famous Thai monk to see their attitudes towards spreading the dhamma.
Buddhadasa Bkihhku
Amarin Publishing describes Buddhadasa Bhikkhu’s vision in spreading the dhamma in their 100th anniversary of the life of Buddhadasa Bhikkhu series. Each of the books published at this time records: “Suan Mokkh International Dhamma Hermitage, Buddhadasa’s final project, is a center dedicated to helping people who come from other countries and speak other languages in the search for the meaning of life and spiritual inquiry . . . Buddhadasa didn’t favor sending spiritual masters from the East to teach Buddhism in Western countries. Rather, he believed that for Buddhism to flourish outside of Asia, Westerners must take it into their hands and hearts and seek to spread the teachings in their own countries. Therefore, he devoted a great deal of attention to imparting the correct understanding of Buddhist principles and practice to non-Asians, so they can relay it to their own people, in their own way.”
Here we see part of the reason why the foreign legacy of Buddhadasa Bhikkhu is the retreat center. His focus was on having Westerners adapt the dhamma for themselves, rather than passing on directly the teachings of Asian teachers. He stressed imparting the correct understanding of Buddhism, and once this is grasped, Westerners can relay this message on their own, while maintaining this basic understanding. Thus is it not monasticism that Buddhadasa Bhikkhu wished to pass on to the West, but a basic and correct understanding of the fundamentals of Buddhism. This is taught at the International Dhamma Hermitage and it is hoped the participants in these retreats can impart what they learned back in their home countries.
This is demonstrated further in Buddhadasa Bhikkhu’s What did the Buddha Teach: Buddha Dhamma for Students. In the foreward the purpose of the book is stated as wanting to have a set of central principles, basic points that set out the elements of Buddhism so that when people come from other countries and religions anyone would be able to give right answer. Buddhadasa Bhikkhu would rather this than someone answering in terms of their own particular understanding. And he hopes that the knowledge in this book will help Thais to impart a basic understanding to foreigners. This shows his interest in imparting this understanding for foreigners– this was the most important thing to pass on to Buddhism in the West.
Ajahn Chah
A well-known quote of Ajahn Chah is “Buddhism in the East today is like a big tree which may look majestic, but can only give small and tasteless fruit. Buddhism in the West is like a sapling not yet able to bear fruit, but having the potential to give large, sweet ones.” (No Ajahn Chah, p. 183). Thus Ajahn Chah was interested in laying the groundwork and planting seeds for long-term establishment of Buddhism in the West. This is shown in first his creation of the International Forest Monastery (Wat Pah Nanachat) and in his promotion of his Western monastics to create monasteries in Western countries.
Noah Last’s thesis addresses these issues. He writes “Most sources agree that Ajahn Chah decided to establish Wat Pa Nanachat as a preliminary step in his vision to help disseminate Theravada monasticism to Westerners in the West.” (p. 103). Therefore the creation of the International Forest Monastery was the first step in creating a Western sangha apart from Thailand and his guidance. Last continues, “In the long run, Ajahn Chah’s decision to establish Wat Pa Nanachat would entail a drastic change for future Western disciples of Ajahn Chah, leading eventually to the formation of a Western monastic enclave” (p. 101). Ajahn Chah’s decision led to this Western monastic enclave in Thailand as well as the establishment of long-term institutions abroad.
Ajahn Chah’s attitude to spreading the dhamma can also be seen when the English Sangha Trust wanted a Western monastic to reside in England. They first they asked Ajahn Mahabua and he declined to send one of his Western monastics because he deemed the space unfit for a forest monks’ residence. But Ajahn Chah did not feel the same way and left four of his Western disciples there upon his visit. Now there are nearly 20 international monasteries of Ajahn Chah. At each there are between 5-30 monks are in residence. With over one hundred monks, this lineage represents the majority of Western Theravada monastics in the West and in the world (Last, p. 107). Now a new generation of Western monks is emerging who may never have set foot in Thailand.
Ajahn Mahabua
Part of Ajahn Mahabua’s attitude has also been demonstrated in his reaction to the English Sangha Trust’s offer to house a Western monk. Than Martin of Wat Pah Baan That has related to me that when Ajahn Mahabua’s senior Western monk, Acharn Pannavaddho, asked advice from Ajahn Mahabua concerning this offer he replied, ‘are you finished with your work?’ After this Ajahn Pannavaddho decided to go back to Thailand with Ajahn Mahabua. Thus Ajahn Mahabua is concerned with the end of the practice. He hopes for his disciples to reach the goal of the Buddhist path and once this has occurred, they will be more able to teach and spread the dhamma abroad. He is thus concerned with the depth of the practice and spreading these deep roots.
On my last visit to Wat Pa Baan That I was able to ask Ajahn Mahabua about his attitudes to spreading Buddhism in the West. I asked him what he thinks about how the teachings are spread and he said that this depends on the one who is doing the spreading. Some people just want to boost themselves or lose parts of the teachings and invent new ones on their own. He finds this is the way of the world and there is not much that can be done about it. So from his perspective it all depends on the person that is spreading the dhamma.
Than Martin has also related what Ajahn Mahabua told him when he inquired about practicing in Germany. Ajahn Mahabua told Than Martin that if he can keep the dhamma and Vinaya in Germany as it was taught in Wat Pa Baan That and he does not need to change it then he can go, but if he needs to change the Dhamma or Vinaya he should not go.
Thus each teacher has different emphases that they place on their students and this lead to their particular legacies of spreading Buddhism in the West. Buddhadasa Bhikkhu was interested in passing on the fundamentals so his legacy lies within a ten day retreat center. Ajahn Chah was interested in spreading the dhamma in the West through his abundance of Western monastics and thus created a large network of Buddhist monasticism in the West. And Ajahn Mahabua was most concerned with each individual’s practice so his Western Buddhist legacy has not spread as far, as he prefers the depth of practice to its spread.
Continuums of Foreign Meditation Practice in Thailand
For meditation retreats for foreigners in Thailand there is a range of options and opportunities between sites that many foreign retreatants may not be aware of, especially when first arriving. These options I am labeling continuums as the categories below affect the experience of the meditation retreat and describe the range of possibilities for foreign meditators.
Monastery and Meditation Center
The first continuum that might not be obvious to foreigners is that some international meditation centers are separated from temple facilities and some are mixed within it. At Wat Rampoeng the meditation center and temple are indistinguishable but at Wat Chom Tong there is a separate area for the International Meditation Center where English-speakers practice, the meditation center where mostly Thais practice, and the temple. This affects the experience because when one is in a separate center there is less interaction with temple activities. At the International Dhamma Hermitage, the retreat is held at the meditation center, across the highway from Wat Suan Mokkh. Thus one does not see any of the monastic daily activities or the interactions between lay and ordained.
This continuum also captures the difference between forest monasteries and practicing in temples with meditation centers. In forest monasteries one’s kuti and walking path are one’s personal meditation center as there are usually limited meditation halls for group practice. As well the forest monastery provides less specific guidance and method of practice than meditation centers, which have particular meditation halls and methods for each meditator.
Thai and Western
This is another important range within the opportunities for foreigners in Thailand– there are places of practice that are ‘Western Buddhist enclaves’ and places that have primarily Thai teachers and meditators and those with mixed. Sites with primarily Western teachers attract English-speaking students but those places with Thai monks and laypeople who can teach in English also attract foreigners and Thais and thus offer the opportunity for the two groups to practice together. But there is at least one site with a Western teacher and Thai students. This is Wat Prayong with teacher Mae Chii Brigitte who can teach in English, German, and Thai so she attracts all kinds of students.
Lay and Monastic
For foreigners interested in meditation and Buddhism in Thailand there is also an obvious continuum of lay and monastic– both in terms of teachers and program. Both Thai and Western, and both lay and monastic teachers exist for foreign meditators in Thailand. This distinction affects how one treats the teacher, such as bowing and making offerings to monastics but not to lay teachers. Some foreigners feel as though it is a more authentic experience to have an ordained teacher and some feel uncomfortable, preferring a lay teacher.
The monastic and lay continuum also captures the practitioners as well. Some foreign meditators are interested in ordaining and eventually go on to become monks and nuns. In the forest monasteries the possibility of ordination is much more prominent as well as in programs that include the experience of ordination like the Monk for a Month Program.
Group and Individual Meditation Practice
The continuum of individual and group practice affects one’s experience as well. With individual practice meditation centers there is more opportunity to be in communication with Thai meditators and thus there is more integration into Thai Buddhism. As well, because of the nature of individual practice, there are fewer Buddhist teachings and more practice. However group practice retreats for foreigners focus more on teachings and can be compared to a mini-Buddhism 101 course. Thus these retreats show how meditation and Buddhism is being presented but there is less focus on integration because all the English-speakers are grouped together. Thus there is little chance for integration into temple activities and with Thai Buddhists, even if the retreat is held in a monastery.
These continuums show the range of practices available for foreigners in Thailand but also how these different aspects of the meditation environment affect one’s experience. Each of these continuums is significant for how meditation and Buddhism is presented. The makeup of the teachers, meditators, and site create these continuums of practice.
Wat Marp Jan
I had heard about Wat Marp Jan and its abbot, Phra Ajahn Anan (who is in the lineage of Ajahn Chah), while staying at Wat Pah Nanachat. One of the laymen there had already visited and was impressed with Ajahn Anan and his Western monks there. Another layman had also heard of Wat Marp Jan’s praises and told me of his plans to go. After his visit, we caught up again and he found the monastery very inspiring and now plans to ordain there. I decided to take a trip there to meet this abbot and try to understand the appeal of the site for Western monks and laity.
This wat is another manifestation of the ‘Western Buddhist enclave’ in Thailand. This one is based on monasticism and the presence of Western monks, similar to Wat Pah Nanachat. And as I have noted before, where there are Western monks lay English-speakers are likely to follow. So although they do not get a large number of foreign visitors to this wat, it is still a common occurrence because of the presence of the Western monks and the possibility to ordain here within this community.
Western monks came to stay at Wat Marp Jan from Wat Pah Nanachat over 20 years ago starting with Ajahn Kalyano. Since that time monks have continued to come from Wat Pah Nanachat and Wat Nong Pah Pong and have stayed for various lengths of time. Its been about six years since Ajahn Anan started ordaining monks at Wat Marp Jan and now Western monks can come to Wat Marp Jan without first going to one of Ajahn Chah’s branch temples.
As Ajahn Anan is in the lineage of Ajahn Chah his monastery has adopted the same style for lay devotees– they come to participate in monastic life, but there is no formal meditation method or instructions to follow. When I described my project to the assistants of Ajahn Anan, I was informed that at Wat Marp Jan the focus is on participating in the monastic daily schedule and there is no instruction given here unlike a vipassana meditation retreat. I assured him that I knew this already but think it is important to include the forest tradition and ideas of monasticism for my project.
Also in the tradition of the forest monasticism, Wat Marp Jan has one meal per day with lots of free time afterwards until cleaning at 3PM. After this, there is evening meditation followed by chanting beginning at 6PM. However the lay guests here can decide if they want to follow five or eight precepts– the difference being only if one chooses to eat after noon. Another difference here compared with other forest wats is that there are two large halls for the women to use as sleeping quarters. I am used to having a private room and walking meditation path but here one can meditate in one of the meditation halls when they are not being used.
Upon arrival I was greeted by the friendly lay women staying here for the Songkran holiday break. One of them actually drove me to the office (it’s that far) to meet with the monk-assistants of the abbot. An Australian-Thai monk told me about the daily schedule and gave me Ajahn Anan’s English books and CDs. These books and audio teachings are mostly translated by Ajahn Kalyano who is now abbot of a branch of Wat Marp Jan in Melbourne, Australia called Bodhivana Monastery. Ajahn Anan traveled to that temple twice to give teachings and these are recorded in the English materials. The fact that Ajahn Anan attracts these Western monks and has temples abroad is why he is important for my research.
Ajahn Anan is quite available to lay practitioners as well as his foreign guests. I was able to interview him, asking questions about his thoughts on Western monks and meditation teaching in Thailand as well as Buddhism’s spread to the West. He thinks Western monks are attracted to staying at Wat Marp Jan because here they have a teacher who has experience and they have a community of Western monks for translation and support.
When I asked Ajahn Anan if he thinks foreigners should be taught differently from Thais because of differing cultural backgrounds, he had an interesting answer. He asserts that all people have the same suffering and cause of suffering. But how they should practice to attain the end of suffering depends on a person’s character. Ajahn Anan finds that many Westerners tend to the side of contemplation and analysis so for this type he advises the practice of letting go, and seeing things as empty. He believes this is an appropriate way to practice for Westerners.
Ajahn Anan told me that he encourages Western monks to teach about meditation and Buddhism because he feels the English language is able to reach a wider audience. Ajahn Anan therefore encourages monks to teach but whether they should go abroad to teach in the West would be up to what is appropriate for the individual.
While at Wat Marp Jan, I was also able to interview the senior Western monk of 12 years from Canada, Ajahn Sammano. Ajahn Sannamo came to Wat Marp Jan through Wat Pah Nanachat. He ordained there because he wanted to be a part of an English-speaking monastic community, but at that time didn’t know anything about the forest tradition. After one year at Wat Pah Nanachat, Ajahn Jayasaro (then abbot) sent him to Wat Marp Jan to help him integrate into Thai Buddhism, as is common practice. After five years as a monk Ajahn Sammano decided came back to Wat Marp Jan and has been there ever since.
He finds that Ajahn Anan attracts Western monks for different reasons but for the most part he finds that the appeal is in Ajahn Anan’s caring attitude, as he knows where his monks are in their practice. He can also answer any question and is always available to his monks. Ajahn Sammano finds that Ajahn Anan doesn’t just quote scriptures but speaks from his own experience, and according to reason. Western monks also like that he is broad-minded– he doesn’t just talk about Theravada but also respects Mahayana and has interesting things to say about the other traditions.
Another big attraction of Wat Marp Jan is that there is much time devoted to practice and there are few responsibilities given to individual monks. At Wat Pah Nanachat a senior monk would usually have many duties but at Wat Marp Jan nothing is asked of him. Ajahn Samanno stays in Thailand because he finds living with a teacher to be so valuable. He has stayed with Ajahn Anan for most of his monastic life and thus doesn’t know much about the status of Buddhism in the West.
But when I asked him his impressions of Buddhism in the West he asserted that there are both pros and cons. He finds there is a genuine interest in the West– the Western laity ask many questions and this can be inspiring. But it can also be difficult as Western monks then have to spend much time answering questions. However, in Thailand the act of offering to the monks is enough as the laity has faith in Buddhism and the idea of merit-making. He finds this faith can be good but also the genuine interest of Westerners can be motivating for the monks. Also in the West there is not a Buddhist culture so there are hurdles especially for the forest tradition where there is no use of money and a focus on simplicity- thus some things must be compromised.
Therefore another temple of the Ajahn Chah lineage has taken on the status of a Western Buddhist enclave outside of Wat Pah Nanachat. There are currently 13-14 Western monks here, some living more permanently and others visiting from another Ajahn Chah temple. But this is definitely a destination for Western monks, and thus Western laity. Although the Western monks do not have any formal teaching duties, one can ask Ajahn Anan any questions about the practice and have this translated by a Western monk.
Buddhist Travel in Thailand: Remarks from the Tourism Authority of Thailand
In the recent publication of the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s (TAT) “Meditation in Thailand: Learn and Practice Buddhist Meditation in the Traditional Thai Surroundings” there are many revealing statements about discourses of meditation for foreigners in Thailand.
First of all, to my knowledge there are fewer listings of international meditation centers or monasteries with Western teachers. There is a focus on monasteries with ordained Thai teachers. Major centers with Western teachers such as Wat Chom Tong International Meditation Center and Wat Kow Tahm International Meditation Center are not listed.
In the introductory section of the booklet with the subheading: ‘Thailand- The Perfect Place to Practice Meditation,’ there is an emphasis on low cost, availability, practicality, and support. This section discusses the willingness of Thais to host foreign meditators and the variety of methods that can serve different needs. A quote from the booklet that demonstrates this is “Thais welcome overseas visitors to learn and practice the Buddha’s teachings and there are different methods of practice that will meet the varied personalities and expectations of the students.” Travelers are informed that this is an endeavor for those with little money; it is not only cheaper than staying in a hotel but also than other countries. “By staying for a month or more, it is possible to learn and practice meditation in Thailand at a far smaller cost than anywhere else in the world. . . and visitors, from wherever they come are all welcome (4).”
Under the subheading of ‘What is Buddhism?’ modern themes within the tradition are stressed. In this section the TAT discusses Buddhism in contrast to theistic religions. “Buddhism, one of the major religions of the world, is a spiritual religion based on the teachings of the Buddha. In Buddhism there is no deity; Buddhism is focused on personal development and liberation from suffering through selflessness and self-mastery” (5). Then this section goes on to reference the Kalama Sutta and how Buddhism does not teach belief or faith. The pamphlet quotes the Buddha as saying: “‘Believe no one, not even me, but discover the truth for yourselves.”
The next section discusses the benefits of meditation. The TAT write that “Meditation is a form of mind training that leads to a state of peace and calm, no matter where it is performed.’ The benefits that are lauded the most are mundane ones of calm and concentration. The TAT writes: “As a form of training that can be applied to daily life, meditation helps the concentration and mindfulness that lead to harmony within oneself and a state of peace and calm.” The editors continue to focus on these mundane benefits that enhance one‘s daily life: “Successful practice can lift depression, cure many stress-related illnesses and at the very least add a little joy to life.”
The booklet goes on to stress the abundance of benefits one can experience: “There is overwhelming evidence to show that cultivating mindfulness through meditation will help you enjoy life more, make it easier to cope with illness and stress, and even improve your physical and emotional health. Those who are more mindful are also more likely to be happier and more optimistic. They tend to be more open to new experiences and more satisfied with life.” The booklet also makes sure to stress that there is no need to identify as Buddhist to enjoy these benefits. “It is important to remember that you do not have to be a Buddhist to experience the benefits of Buddhist meditation. Meditation is for everyone” (8).
These ideas in this booklet show some of the ways discourses of meditation are presented to foreigners. It also presents the ideas of Buddhism for those foreigners who may not know much about Buddhism but are interested in practicing. The TAT focuses on the benefits of meditation so that English-speakers know why they are practicing and the ease and practicality of practicing in Thailand is made clear.
Second-Generation of International Dhamma Hermitage Teachers
Since Buddhadasa Bhikkhu’s creation of the International Dhamma Hermitage, there have been many ‘dhamma friends’ who have contributed to the teaching of foreigners at the center. There have been two publications of teachings related to those given every month at the International Dhamma Hermitage by long-time volunteers: Mae Chii Pairor Thipayathasana and Reinhard Hoelscher. Both are no longer involved extensively in the retreat center but both left their mark for many years and thus for many thousands of foreign retreatants. Below I describe their teachings and how they relate to Buddhadasa Bhikkhu’s main ideas he tried to bring to Buddhism in Thailand and Buddhism in the West. For the most part these two teachers highlight his main concepts but try to make it more applicable to the modern English-speaking audience.
Maechee Pairor’s book, with the help of Prof. David Progosh is titled The Natural Truth of Buddhism: Formulated from the Concept of Venerable Buddhadasa. It was first published in 2000 by Buddhadasa Foundation, and was made by the request of Khun Metta Panich, the chairman of the Dhammadana Foundation. The book consists of 5 dhamma talks that were often given by Mae Chii Pairor at the International Dhamma Hermitage retreats.
Her dhamma talks elaborate on key concepts of Buddhism as well as those most important to the teachings of Buddhadasa Bhikkhu such as sunyata or voidness, anatta or non-self. Mae Chii Pairor discusses in one chapter the characteristics of mental planes of existence. She writes that the thirty one planes that are depicted as physical realms of existence come from Brahmanism and Buddhadasa Bhikkhu had a more modern take on this. He thought of these planes as mental states instead of physical locations. In order to stave off some of Buddhadasa Bhikkhu‘s critics on this she writes that Buddhadasa never refuted rebirth but “He intended merely to put a more scientific sense in Buddhism. He also said that a more realistic explanation would complement the ancient beliefs” (52). Thus it is emphasized that Buddhadasa Bhikkhu is a modern Buddhist with ideas aligned with science.
But Mae Chii Pairor also emphasizes Buddhadasa Bhikkhu’s stress on nature and its importance in understanding the dhamma, even describing meditators’ time at the retreat as consisting of two activities: looking within and contemplating nature (140).” She writes: “At present, we are surrounded by a man-made culture until we have lost the possibility to observe things like the tides, the seasons, and other natural changes, and in this loss we have become afraid of being alone with nature. Instead we feel lonely in a forest, and cannot absorb the serenity offered by nature” (14-15). This is in keeping with Buddhadasa Bhikkhu’s intention in creating the International Dhamma Hermitage close to nature and his emphasis on dhamma as nature.
Reinhard Hoelscher’s Why Meditate? is somewhat more extensive as the book is not only based on dhamma talks he gave but was written for foreign meditators who have completed the ten-day course at the International Dhamma Hermitage. As more participants asked for some copies of the talks during the retreat it was decided to make this a book available at the retreat. The basis for parts of the book are the series of three talks by Than Dhammavidu, the British monk who gives the main teachings during the retreat.
Other chapters are transcribed from various talks Hoelscher has given at the retreats– talks based on his study of Buddhism and meditation, especially of Buddhadasa as well as experiences of meditation and listening to talks by other monks and nuns. The stated purpose of the book is to help participants gain access to the talks of other speakers, to link these talks to each other, and connect the theory to practice. This is important because at the International Dhamma Hermitage they have calculated that for 80% of participants this is their first contact with Buddhism and meditation. Hoelscher also has knowledge of what students are often confused about through the interviews he has given to help the foreign participants during the retreat (i-ii).
In keeping with Hoelscher’s intention to provide a connection between Buddhist concepts and Western ideas he uses some sources and references of Western science and psychology. In the ‘Introduction’ he first cautions his audience about the content of his writing on the mind. He writes: “The following will deal with how the mind works, not from a western materialistic point of view in terms of brain, neurons, synapses, transmitter substances . . . but from a spiritual point of view in terms of thoughts and emotions and their causes, all of which originate in the mind” (13).
A few pages later Hoelscher elaborates on how non-self might be difficult for Westerners to understand because they have grown up in cultures with a strong sense of self’-esteem, and he acknowledges that “for persons with a feeling of inferiority it can be even dangerous” (22). He explains to the Western audience to whom he thinks this might sound strange: “This sounds like a paradox, but the meaning of ‘not-self’ doesn’t indicate that we do not exist at all, but we are not unchangeable, solid entities, rather an ever changing natural process” (22). After this Hoelscher recommends Jack Kornfield’s A Path with Heart to understand the psychology of self and not self from Western point of view.
Hoelscher also uses psychology to help the Western reader understand the concepts discussed in the book. He uses Jonathan Watts, psychologist, for definitions of ignorance in psychological terms (52). And Hoelscher’s explanation of how memory creates the self comes from Antonio R. Damasio in his 2000 book ‘the Feeling of What Happens” (71). Thus he adds Western ideas of psychology and memory to help understand the creation of the idea of self.
In the ’Conclusion’ Hoelscher goes back to the question of why one should meditate. He writes of what he calls common sense answers like we get to know ourselves, develop inner peace and calmness of mind, develop tolerance and loving kindness toward all living beings. These answers alone are sufficient, Hoelscher asserts, but after some investigation into the true nature of phenomena and how the mind works he hopes that the meditator should feel need to develop meditation practice even more, as he believes this is the only way to diminish “at least the gross forms of our problems in life” (95). Thus the benefits of meditation are listed for foreign participants for whom it might not be immediately transparent as this is most likely one of their first contacts with meditation and Buddhism.
Thus for the Western audience key Buddhist concepts are explained in a way that the authors deem appropriate for this audience. They use Western science and psychology to make the concepts more familiar but at the same time use the same central teachings of Buddhadasa Bhikkhu.
Strategies of Reinterpretation: Teaching Meditation to Foreigners in Thailand
In a meeting of the Fulbright researchers I was able to give a presentation about my current research findings. I focused on the teachings presented to the foreign meditators at the international meditation centers I have visited over the past several months. In my research I am thinking not only about the meditation methods and how they are taught but also what I learn from participant-observation, ie what is conveyed through the setup of the meditation center, the schedule, and daily activities.
Below is an outline of the main strategies of reinterpretation I have noted at these sites. These topics focus on how meditation is taught to this community of foreign English-speakers who are, for the most part, interested in Buddhism and meditation but are non-Buddhists. The teachings and the way they are conveyed are adapted for these non-Buddhists, and this is what I call the strategies of reinterpretation.
Separate Communities
The most obvious difference between Thai and Western meditators easily noticed at international meditation centers is the existence of separate communities. These groups of Thai and Western practitioners share the same space but have different practices and group times. This is demonstrated well at Wat Umong in Chiangmai, where the Thai and Western meditators have the same schedule of morning and evening group practice periods but in different halls led by different monks. Thai meditators practice an hour of chanting followed by a dhamma discussion, while English-speaking meditators practice 10 minutes of chanting with explanation of Pali terms. This is followed by a question and answer group discussion and some yoga poses. So the practices are different based on the group’s understanding of the tradition of Buddhism.
Also at this wat foreigners do not receive 8 precepts in a formal ceremony with a monk as Thai meditators do. This is because it is considered unnecessary as meditators can read and follow 8 precepts on their own. I was told that it is easier for the foreigners to not have to participate in this ceremony with the flowers, incense, candles, bowing, and explanation of its meaning. The teachers here realize that many foreigners come to the center just for meditation and feel that this formal ritual is not necessary.
Buddhism and the Category of Religion
Another obvious strategy of reinterpretation is the emphasis at these international meditation centers that Buddhism is not a religion. Pamphlets and websites of these centers stress that any person can practice meditation regardless of race, nationality, religion, or culture. At the International Dhamma Hermitage, Mae Chii Aree tells foreigners that Buddhism is not a religion but a way of life because she feels that if they think it’s a religion then there is a gap between her and the foreign meditators. As well she feels that Buddhism truly is a way of life as religion is only an assumption.
This idea is further demonstrated by the International Dhamma Hermitage through the teaching of Buddhadasa Bhikkhu from his book Mindfulness with Breathing: “In speaking to Western meditators, Achan Buddhadasa uses a straightforward, no-frills approach. He does not go into the cultural interests of traditional Thai Buddhists; instead, he prefers a scientific, rational, analytical attitude. And rather than limit the instruction to Buddhists, he emphasizes the universal, natural humanness of anapanasati. Further, he endeavors to respond to the needs, difficulties, questions, and abilities of beginning Western meditators, especially our guests at Suan Mokkh.” (xvi)
Selected Teachings of Buddhism
For foreign non-Buddhists there are a number of key teachings that are offered to the foreign meditators. These Buddhist teachings are all related to meditation and how to develop it further. For example the five hindrances (ill-will, sloth and torpor, restlessness and remorse, desire, and doubt) are a key teaching for overcoming problems during meditation. This is one of the only teachings presented at many of the international meditation centers. As well, as part of the orientation to the meditation and teachings the Four Foundations of Mindfulness are often delineated, but again this is in connection with meditation practice and not often put into the context of the Buddha‘s teachings.
Selected Practices
For selected practices the most obvious to pay attention to in the course of daily life at meditation centers are chanting and bowing. Most Thai meditators have a group chanting period in the morning and evening and bow on many occasions such as before a Buddha statue and monks. There is also usually a ceremonial practice before meals and before the interview with the meditation teacher.
For foreigners interested in Buddhism, these practices need to be taught. Wat Rampoeng meditation center demonstrates this. Here English-speakers are instructed in how to bow before the interviews with the abbot and recite the food reflection. So they are taught what is necessary for interviews and eating but the rest is left to the foreign meditator to observe and adopt as one wishes.
This is what is considered important for foreign meditators to follow when residing at a meditation center with Thais. However, at the group meditation centers where there are only foreign retreatants, there is no bowing during interviews with a monk or nun and no bowing in the meditation hall.
Focus on Benefits
Because most English-speakers do not know much about Buddhism or meditation, and are coming to a retreat for the first time, especially at the group meditation retreats for English-speakers, there is a focus on why one should participate– what are the benefits of spending ten days meditating?
To this end, during registration at these retreats there are some required readings which list the benefits of meditation. Pamphlets describing the retreats also emphasize the benefits of meditation such as to know oneself, have a focused and not scattered mind, less stress, know one’s emotions and feelings and be more aware in daily life interactions.
Different Teachings for New Students and Old Students
At many of the international meditation centers there are different teachings for new and returning students. This is a strategy that is used so that beginners are exposed to primarily the meditation aspect of the retreat but old students can go deeper into the teachings and devotional aspects of life in a monastery. This is thought to help the new students feel more comfortable as they are not yet used to the teachings and practices of Buddhism.
At Wat Umong the main teacher for foreigners, Phra Uttara, told me that for the most part foreign meditators come to practice meditation only but do not have faith or belief in Buddhism. He believes they will develop faith and belief as they continue. Thus after one develops more faith in the teachings, meditation teachers are more willing to introduce a broader breadth of the tradition.
Accommodations
For the most part, the teachers at the international meditation centers understand that some foreign meditators are not Buddhist and make accommodations for these cases. They understand that these meditators might feel uncomfortable bowing or chanting. At Wat Chom Tong, foreign meditators, unlike Thai meditators, do not have to renew their precepts on the day before the Buddhist holiday twice a month. During the chanting periods at Wat Umong and International Dhamma Hermitage it is emphasized that chanting is optional. Thus there is a sensitivity to those who might be practicing another religion.
Psychological/Familiar Terms
Much of the teachings for foreign meditators are based on familiar Westernized terms and placed within the framework of psychology rather than a Buddhist worldview. I have heard the term ‘cultural conditioning,’ to describe why we are the way we are, instead of the idea of kamma that might be more difficult to understand. At Wat Chom Tong they use the phrase ‘no-control’ instead of the more Buddhist term of ‘non-self’ because this is not easy to grasp by those unfamiliar with Buddhist teachings.
Thus the meditation teachings and instructions on how to live in a monastery are reinterpreted for foreign meditators. This is because foreign meditators are considered to be interested mostly in meditation and are not necessarily Buddhists. Meditation teachers in Thailand are sensitive to this and in all these different ways the retreats are adapted for them.
Luangta Maha Bua and Wat Pa Baan That
During my second, shorter visit to Wat Pa Baan That I got to see some friends from my last visit such as Than Martin and some of the Mae Chiis, as well as a meditator I had met at Wat Pa Nanachaat who happened to be staying at Wat Pa Baan That. This phenomenon of Buddhist travelers extends all over the country so one often sees the same people, or people who know the same people at different wats for foreigners. This is true especially in the forest tradition where people are allowed the opportunity to get to know one another more and talk about different forest wats they have practiced in. Thus the Buddhist travel scene is a small community that one can easily become immersed in.
During this visit, I met Ajahn Cheri for the first time and he gave my husband and me an impromptu dhamma talk that was essentially a summary of the main teachings of the forest tradition. But first he told us his background growing up in Canada and living most of his life at Wat Pa Baan That. He asked if we were interested in Buddhism and told us how Buddhism is different from other religions and from everything else because it looks at reality directly, especially noting the inconveniences of the body. Ajahn Cheri described the orifices of the male and female body emphasizing that all are the same, only the skin color, hair, and eye color are different. He told us that Buddhism shows us this– that the mind is not the body and the body is the biggest delusion of self.
In the afternoon Than Martin gave a talk related to the plight of my research– the difficulties of attending different meditation retreats with different teachers and methods. He focused on how one can know which teachings to follow as there are so many in Thailand alone. In this case one needs the Kalama Sutta that tells the meditator to evaluate the reasonableness of the teachings. One can decide if the teacher is worth following if their teachings are reasonable because the Buddha’s teachings are reasonable. Than Martin also advised me personally that before writing my dissertation to try to just do concentration meditation and enter Samadhi and not think about research topics for ten to fifteen days. In this way the mind is clear to evaluate the writing and the meditation methods learned.
Another highlight of the visit was being able to speak with Luangda Mahabua. One of the long-time residents of the monastery offered to help me ask Luangda some questions. I asked him if he encourages the spread of Buddhism in the West and if he sees it as somewhere that Buddhism can flourish. He responded that he supports Buddhism in the West but that its development is uncertain. The dhamma could spread in the West in the way of the ego, and this cannot be prevented as this is the way of the world. But Luangda hopes that there could be someone who would go to the West with the essence of the dhamma without ego and this would be the best way.
While there I also learned that the people from Wat Pa Baan That have appreciated my blog and that it helps others to learn about the forest tradition. One man staying there from South Africa read my blog and said it was helpful in knowing if he should come there. I am glad to be able to help others while doing research.
Phra Ofer at Wat Chom Tong
*Phra Ofer has practiced meditation since 1983. He first practiced at Wat Rampoeng as a traveler. At first he was not interested in meditation or the spiritual life, he just wanted to see people and places. But he found at Wat Rampoeng he could understand the Thai people more than a tourist would and live cheaply. Because of this motivation, he later realized that at this time he really didn’t understand the meditation technique. But he still became sincerely interested in meditation and continued to practice upon returning to his native Israel. He found that he got some benefits out of meditation such as more strength, feels healthier, has more patience and the ability to handle life better.
After this he started to take the practice of meditation more seriously, and practiced with Ajahn Tong at Wat Chom Tong. After some time Ajahn Tong gave him permission to teach and he started in Israel, still as a layman. He wanted to become a monk at that time but knew he needed permission from his parents and that it would be hard for them to understand this decision. He ordained at first temporarily but after his father passed away his mother gave him permission to ordain, already nine years ago. After his ordination he taught in Germany for several years and began teaching again in Israel in 2005.
Since then he spends half the year in Germany and the other half in Israel fulfilling his duties as a meditation teacher. He intersperses this with annual trips to India and Thailand. He usually comes to Thailand for a short while to pay respects to Ajahn Tong but this year he was asked to take over the International Meditation Center at Wat Chom Tong for the month. I was able to communicate with him via phone and email during this time and ask him about his life, his thoughts about teaching meditation to foreigners in Thailand and abroad, and his role as one of the few ordained Western meditation teachers within the worldwide network of teachers of the Ajahn Tong lineage.
When I asked Phra Ofer about his style of teaching as a Western monk as opposed to a lay teacher he responded that the ordination status of the teacher does not matter. He finds that if lay or ordained, there is no difference and in fact some laymen have more experience and understanding so can teach better than monks. It only depends on experience and the ability to teach. Phra Ofer ordained because he felt this would give him a deeper understanding of meditation and the Buddhist tradition, not because he thought it would help in his meditation teaching or practice. He compares his choice to ordain like someone who studies for a higher education degree as keeping the monastic precepts is just a way for him to go deeper into the subjects of meditation and mindfulness.
I next asked Phra Ofer to compare the experience of teaching foreigners in Thailand to teaching in Western countries. He finds that in Chom Tong the foreigners can see the culture of the place, so its easier for them to accept parts of the Buddhist tradition within their immediate environment. One example that is instructive to compare is the issue of bowing to Phra Ofer. As he is ordained, it is considered appropriate for those receiving meditation instruction from him to bow before and after each interview period.
He finds that some people don’t accept bowing and would rather be taught by a lay teacher. Phra Ofer doesn’t mind this as he doesn’t force anyone to bow but thinks of it only as an expression of respect, and he realizes that it depends on the culture of the person, that it is not a personal reaction toward him. He finds that many of the meditators learn by themselves over time. Phra Ofer related the story of one student who didn’t want to bow to him but when she finished the meditation course she immediately went to bow to Phra Ofer, now realizing the meaning of this action. Phra Ofer, as a Westerner, does not mind if someone does not feel comfortable bowing to him but if the meditators at Chom Tong have a chance to see Ajahn Tong they are told that they cannot go unless they are willing to bow to him. Phra Ofer said that he is too high, too senior a monk for someone to not bow to him.
In Germany and Israel Phra Ofer deals with the same issue. He finds that in Israel, the Jewish tradition of not bowing has blocked people from this practice. It is hard to introduce bowing when it is against the culture, so he has to explain to the people about the tradition in Thailand, and make clear the intention and context of the action. In Germany he finds it is easier because they are mostly Christian and are more flexible about bowing. But Phra Ofer doesn’t find this is important to the practice as it just depends on the person. He finds that he must be sensitive and mindful of the people in order to guide them in the best way.
Finally I asked Phra Ofer if he finds the meditators have different results practicing in Europe compared to Thailand. Phra Ofer believes that if you are practicing close to something that is pure then the benefit is higher. So if one practices in Chom Tong the practice will be more deep because of the presence of the relic of the Buddha in Wat Chom Tong and because of Ajahn Tong’s presence as well. Therefore when one practices in holy place, this gives one strength in the practice. Phra Ofer asserts that if one practices just anywhere it will give benefit but the practice will have less influence because the mind is very sensitive to the location and energy of the place of meditation.
Phra Ofer, as a monastic and someone who teaches in Thailand and Western countries has a unique perspective on teaching meditation to Westerners. His status as an ordained person presents certain challenges and opportunities to his students, who react differently depending on their culture and personality. Phra Ofer takes this all in stride, not bothering about the issue of bowing to him, and treating his students around the world equally.
*Photo taken from Dhammacari Vipassana Meditation Center Website.
Mae Chii Brigitte at Wat Prayong Gittavararam
Another long time teacher of foreigners in Thailand is Mae Chii Brigitte Schrottenbacher most recently of Wat Prayong Gittavararam. Mae Chii Brigitte was married with children while in her 20s, but because of a strong fear of death that emerged following the birth of her children, she started to explore ways to cope with this. She discovered meditation and completed her first two month intensive retreat in 1989. But this wasn’t enough for her and soon she was back, wanting to become a nun. She eventually had to leave her kids with her husband after they lived with her for a short time in Thailand. She decided that she did not want to disrobe and even though it was very difficult she felt it was the best decision for her life and her family. Since this time she has given her life to meditation and being a nun.
She ordained in 1990 under Phra Acharn Thawee Baladhammo of Sorn Thawee Meditation Center. She studied the Mahasi Sayadaw technique with him for five years but started teaching meditation to foreigners after two years of practice as a mae chii. At this meditation center, Mae Chii Brigitte’s daily routine included walking on alms round (rare for a mae chii but as she had given all her money away and had no other means of support, she was allowed to do this) and interviewing the 5-15 foreigners at the center at least until midday everyday. This was the teaching routine here with the Mahasi Sayadaw technique. But a strong wish for intensive practice arose in her and Ajahn Thawee advised her to go to the forest for seven days. She did so with a teacher she had already met who had impressed her very much, Luang Por Sangwahn. One week became many and soon she had stayed for more than a year, until Ajahn Thawee became sick. She went back to stay with him as his nurse for seven months until he died, and she returned to the forest and Luang Por Sangwahn. Luang Por advised her to keep meditating intensively and not teach as it was time to help herself, but she always had the feeling that she wanted to do something more. She started to make tapes of translations of dhamma talks and began to teach English to poor Thai families. She also started to care for the sick nuns at her temple and create websites for the temples she was affiliated with.
In 2000 she returned to teaching at a branch temple of Ajahn Thawee, first at Wat Thamkrissana Dhamaram in Nakorn Ratchasima, and then Wat Pa Charoenratdhammaram in Pathumthani. There was no one to instruct foreigners there and because of the beautiful environments, many foreigners were attracted to those locations. (See full details on her decision to be a nun here) (An extended biography can be found here). Besides teaching foreigners in Thailand, Mae Chii Brigitte has taught internationally as well, mostly in Europe, for extended periods each year since 2002. Thus Mae Chii Brigitte is an important figure in the teaching of foreigners in Thailand as well as the transmission of meditation techniques in the West.
When I arrived at Wat Prayong in early March, I was immediately greeted by Mae Chii Brigitte. She led me to the dining hall for lunch and afterwards I was shown the meditation hall. This is the center of the lay meditators’ activities. In it there are meditation mats, two bookshelves filled with English and German books and a set of Buddhist volumes. There are also pictures of Mae Chii Brigitte receiving an Outstanding Women in Buddhism Award 2009 and an award for Meritorious Deeds Performed onto Humanity an honor given by the Sawang Kuan-Im Thammasathan Foundation of the Kwan Yin Temple in Lardprao for Peacebuilding.
The meditation center cannot accommodate a large number of meditators but they are expanding. Before Mae Chii Brigitte’s arrival at this center, there were no lay meditators. The abbot, Ajahn Phet, allowed them to stay here once he had Mae Chii Brigitte to lead them, because he teaches only monks. Mae Chii Brigitte found Wat Prayong through the advice of a taxi driver, and upon her first visit was impressed by the abbot because he could tell her things about her past. So she came for a retreat and later moved here to establish the lay center, where she teaches both Thais and foreigners. Since Mae Chii has been teaching there are usually more foreign meditators than Thais. In December-March its more crowded with typically 10-15 people and in other months the numbers can drop as low as 1-2 but on average there are 5-7 meditators at any given time.
At this wat Mae Chii Brigitte offers group meditation in the morning and meditation instruction and discussion in the evening. She will give the basics to beginners before they start and is available for private interviews. She has practiced in many styles but usually teaches the Mahasi Sayadaw method. If someone is experienced they can practice as they like and silent retreats are also possible. She advises to practice 10 hours of meditation per day but realizes this is challenging for the beginner. So the activities of the meditators include eating, some cleaning, chanting, and rest, but the bulk of the day should be spent in meditation. It seems intense, but the 10-hour regulation is not enforced, as Mae Chii Brigitte gives away books she had printed and offers her library to retreat ants. So this is not a strict meditation center as Mae Chii Brigitte describes her style as relaxed and natural, not serious.
In an interview with Mae Chii Brigitte I asked if she feels that Thai and foreign meditators receive her meditation instruction in different ways. As a teacher who instructs both groups, she is in a unique position to answer this important question. She believes that in order to progress in meditation one needs to have a proper balance of faith and understanding. But in her experience Thai meditators come to meditation with too much faith and a lack of understanding while Westerners have knowledge of meditation but lack faith. So the two groups of meditators need to work out a different balance.
Mae Chii Brigitte tries to keep Buddhism and the Buddha out of her teachings as much as possible for both Thai and foreign meditators. Usually teachers present meditation in this way because foreigners are sensitive to talk of Buddhism as a religion, but Mae Chii Brigitte teaches in this way because she believes the Buddha didn’t want this – he didn’t want a Buddhism. Most foreigners agree with this interpretation and some Thai people understand this, but Mae Chii Brigitte finds that many are surprised. She emphasizes that one doesn’t have to be Buddhist to be Enlightened because labels do not matter. Mae Chii Brigitte writes: “Buddhism for me is no religion – it’s a life-philosophy. You do not have to depend on a person or a god. You have to know and experience everything by yourself.” She also references the Kalama Sutta as part of the attraction of Buddhism for her: “You don’t have to follow a teacher like a sheep follows the shepherd – you have to check it out yourself – is it as he said, or not?! If you cannot experience it by yourself, then it’s not your truth.”
Mae Chii Brigitte told me that it is hard for Thais to imagine these ideas because they don’t often hear them. They have a different attitude because for them Buddhism is a religion that depends on faith. Some Westerners as well are shocked by her ideas about God and theistic religions who are used to believing in a higher power. But Mae Chii Brigitte doesn’t change the teachings for either group, she just teaches from her experience and what she believes about the Buddhist tradition.
Mae Chii Brigitte emphasizes that it is not important to talk about Buddhism when teaching meditation but sometimes she has to attribute ideas to the Buddha. What is important for her is to reduce suffering and increase mindfulness- – to give people the tools to deal with life. And she believes one doesn’t have to be religious to do this. She finds that people from any religion can listen to mindfulness training because it doesn’t depend on religion. Atheists or those with no religion can see the logic also.
Mae Chii Brigitte has experienced some situations where foreign meditators were resistant to ‘religious’ activities– such as when they see the devotion of the Thai people towards the Buddha statues and monks. When this happens, Mae Chii Brigitte tries to explain about the workings of Thai Buddhism. But most of the international visitors can accept and participate in bowing and chanting in order to be a part of the community. She tells people its better to participate so they can fit in with community, but they do not need to feel compelled to do so. If people ask about it then she teaches them the proper way to bow, but when she teaches in Europe she doesn’t have to go into this because of the different settings. Because Wat Prayong fits within the context of Thai Buddhism, Mae Chii Brigitte has to explain about not pointing one’s feet at the Buddha statue and other points of etiquette.
Mae Chii Brigitte is one of the senior Western ordained teachers for foreigners in Thailand. She has had experiences at many different centers, in both Thailand and Europe, and has taught many meditators, both Thai and foreign. She has a range of meditation techniques to draw from with her years of meditation experience with various teachers. She has been able to translate the dhamma and her ideas about Buddhism and meditation to lay meditators for many years in many different locations.
Wat Luang Por Sot
I was able to visit Wat Luang Por Sot unexpectedly. I was staying with Ven. Dhammananda, who was invited to a ceremony they were holding, and she in turn invited the three foreign guests staying at her temple. I had planned to visit this temple to stay for a short while in May and had already contacted the meditation teacher there, the American monk Phra Bart. During the chanting for the ceremony I was able to speak with him.
Upon meeting Phra Bart one can tell immediately he is a joyful man. A former professor of Sociology and Social Psychology, he became a monk at this temple upon retirement at age 67. His role at this temple is to manage the Buddhist Meditation Institute (BMI), for which he has been teaching about five years. He still considers himself a professor of research methodology and argues that meditation is the best methodology for understanding reality. In a recent presentation for the World Buddhist University he asserts that meditation and loving-kindness should be taught as universal ways of life in school curriculums.
Thus Phra Bart favors treating meditation and other aspects of Buddhism such as loving-kindness as universal elements that can be divorced from the Buddhist tradition. He is in favor of this because of his understanding of the Western worldview: He argues that as numbers of Christians decrease and many people are becoming anti-religion, they are instead turning to science for explanations. Thus in order to teach meditation to Westerners teachers cannot begin with faith or other such religious ideas. Instead he is in favor of teaching meditation apart from its Buddhist context, as a science of the mind. To this end, Phra Bart hosts two websites for BMI, one is for Buddhists called Dhamma Center, and the other called Meditation Park is for non-Buddhists.
At BMI Phra Bart teaches mostly through guided meditations, 3-4 times a day for an hour with rest periods after each session. Despite his advocacy of removing meditation from Buddhism, Phra Bart finds that many foreign meditators do want to understand more about the tradition. So during break periods meditators can read What the Buddha Taught. Phra Bart discuss the book chapter by chapter for those who want to learn about Buddhism instead of giving a lecture, and he finds that most participants enjoy this book and form of learning.
International meditators can stay for any length of time at BMI but two weeks is recommended. BMI also has two-week intensive retreats three times a year for foreigners and Thais together and this is when foreigners can have more access to the abbot, Dr. Phra Rajanvisith. There is slightly more intensive training during this time as well as more group meditation and activities. Since BMI’s opening in 2005 they have hosted 320 international visitors with typically 4-5 retreatants present at any given time. Many participants come to BMI through volunteer exchange programs such as Global Service Corps.
Phra Bart, because of his background, is interested in statistics and measuring the success of his students along the path of the Dhammakaya meditation practice that they teach. This is a particular kind of practice begun by famous Thai monk Luang Por Sot. Through the guided meditations Phra Bart is able to determine the rate of progress of each meditator and records this for progress reports for BMI. They also keep track of comments about the teaching and participants’ experiences. Phra Bart, the abbot, and the rest of the teachers at BMI thus seem committed to increasing their number of participants and refining their techniques of teaching.
Impressions of Ven. Dhammananda
In the quarterly newsletter published in both Thai and English, Yasodhara, there contain numerous accounts of foreigners’ visits to Wat Songdhammakalyani. This newsletter has been a touchstone for the community surrounding Ven. Dhammananda Bhikkhuni since it began. The records of international visits are a highlight as one can see what these visitors take away from their experience at the wat, and most interesting, their impressions of Ven. Dhammananda.
In “Joining in Temple Life,” Adeline Sarira Van Waning shares her account of a five-day stay at Wat Songdhammakalyani. She came when there was no special program so joined in with the community schedule with morning and evening services. She participated in chanting and listening to dhamma talks by Ven. Dhammananda, as well as instructions in samatha meditation. She is taught to concentrate on three bases: under the nostrils, in the center of the head, and center of body near the navel while repeating Buddha-metta, Buddha-metta with the in and out breath. When fully concentrated Ven. Dhammananda invites the group to expand their focus by visualizing a Buddha image inside the third base. The next instruction is in vipassana meditation where Van Waing learns to observe mind-body processes from moment to moment while noting movements of the mind and being aware of the breathing. Lastly Ven. Dhammananda instructs in the practice of observation of the body in decay. She also receives homework from Ven. Dhammananda to give special attention to metta (loving-kindness) and karuna (compassion)– to note how one expresses friendly feelings and gratitude to others throughout each day (vol. 20 (no. 75) April-June, 2003, pp. 13-15).
Maruja Bredie writes of her three-week stay with Ven. Dhammananda in an article titled “Another Dutch Woman at Songdhamakalyani Temple.” She felt welcome in joining the daily rhythm of the temple and enjoyed the morning and evening chanting and meditation. She was the only foreigner at the time but everything was translated for her. Ven. Dhammananda taught her the method of concentration meditation and how to follow the path of the brahmaviharas: loving-kindness, compassion, joy for others and equanimity. Bredie was absorbed by all the information Ven. Dhammananda shared. Bredie found that Ven. Dhammananda answered all her questions she had while at home during these talks. During her stay Bredie was also able to get a good picture of the development of Thai women in Buddhism and the struggle Ven. Dhammanada is facing (vol. 19/4, no. 76, pp. 8-11, July September 2003 pp. 8-11).
“The Venerable” by Richard Carey of Dayton University discusses his impressions of the Ven. Dhammananda. He found her to be very powerful and her presence commanded much respect. Through her presence he finds that he now knows and understands the meaning of respect. Carey was in awe of her power over his concentration. During the weekend they practiced meditation, went on alms round, chanted, and had class, but Carey writes that he was always transfixed by Ven. Dhammananda if she was in the room, and was wondering where she was if she was not with the group. Richard was changed by the Venerable– she made his study abroad experience extraordinary (18-19). (vol. 19/4, no. 76, pp. 8-11, July September 2003 pp. 17-19)
Norma Guiterriez in “Women in Buddhism: The Wat Songdhammakalyani Experience” stayed with Ven. Dhammananda for three days and was impressed by the friendliness of the people who greeted her. She was impressed by the alms round and the generosity of the lay people who give to Ven. Dhammananda. While at the wat she learned about the role of women in Buddhism and about Buddhism itself. She learned this not just through Ven. Dhammananda but also through living at the wat and participating in the daily schedule (Vol. 20/3 no. 79) April-June 2004, pp. 17-19).
In “Sliding into Grace,” Cindy Rasicot recounts her visit to Wat Songdhammakalyani with eight international women living in Bangkok for an overnight stay. They came in order to meet Ven. Dhammananda and to experience monastic life. Rasicot writes of her love of the harmonious sound of women chanting and the calm state of her mind after sitting meditation. During alms round Rasicot watches Ven. Dhammananda counsel sick and old people, and families. Ven. Dhammananda knows all their stories and says a healing blessing for the ill. To experience this loving connection is why Rasicot continually comes back to visit Ven. Dhammananda. She finds that the Venerable brings people together into one international family (Vol. 20/3, no. 90, Jan-March 2007, pp. 16-20).
Thus there are numerous positive impressions of this first fully ordained Theravada bhikkhuni living in Thailand. They are impressed by her unique set of skills: her commitment to monastic life, her meditation teachings, and her connection and loving-kindness to those around her.
Ven. Dhammananda Bhikkhuni at Wat Songdhammakalyani
Most people write about Ven. Dhammananda Bhikkhuni in regards to her progressive stance in women’s issues. This is because she was the first Theravada bhikkhuni in Thailand and has begun a movement that has created her own community centered at Wat Songdhammakalyani as well as other groups of bhikkhunis arising in Thailand. But instead of women’s issues, I am interested in Ven. Dhammananda as a meditation teacher and host to foreign visitors. (For more background on Ven. Dhammananda and women’s issues see The Red Connection Blog).
Ven. Dhammananda, with her excellent command of English, attracts many international visitors to her monastery. It is open year round for anyone who would like to stay for any length of time. She offers a dhamma talk and meditation instructions in English and Thai after the morning and evening chanting periods. As well, international visitors are able to accompany her and the other samaneris (female novices) on alms round and partake in temple life. But if one wants to participate in a specific program Ven. Dhammananda runs the Living Buddhism program since 2008 where she opens her temple to foreign and Thai visitors for a week of classes on Buddhism in English as well as meditation practice. During this week she teaches basic concepts of Buddhist living at a monastic center. The schedule includes four hours of lecture, guided meditations, and other various events.
She has also created another program of temporary samaneri ordination for nine days offered twice a year. This program is tailored for those who are interested in the monastic life. During the last ordination, in December two foreigners participated and there will be more at the upcoming one this April. Ven. Dhammananda also hosts college groups regularly from Dayton University in Ohio, USA and Payap University in Chiangmai, Thailand. She tailors her lectures to these groups based on their fields of study. If they are medical students she focuses on Buddhism and healing and if they are management and business then she teaches about general Buddhist topics.
Usually there are not many foreigners at this wat but enough so that Ven. Dhammananda requires all her disciples to learn English. Ven. Dhammananda does not expect foreigners to keep the eight precepts, instead they can choose between five and eight. Because some people come to Wat Songdhammakalyani who are not Buddhist, she doesn’t give the full eight precepts. Although through living at the wat one practices the extra two– not sleeping on a high bed and not decorating oneself– it is the eating after noon that Ven. Dhammananda does not want to force on people. She feels that to some this might seem like self-mortification. Ven. Dhammananda also doesn’t give the three refuges to foreigners because she believes saying these words declares that one is a Buddhist. Thus she tells non-Buddhists not to repeat what she is saying if she is giving them in a group, out of respect for the other religions.
Usually in the morning and evening after chanting. Ven. Dhammananda gives dhamma talks in English and Thai or a recording of a previous talk is played. Usually she discusses a topic related to meditation but she finds this is difficult because of the transient groups of people, especially foreigners. Some people have just arrived and some have been staying at the wat for a while. But if one is serious about meditation there are steps to be followed along the path. Foreigners usually don’t come in a group so she discusses meditation in general and gives instruction on the beginning steps. Ven. Dhammananda offers three-day retreats for lay Thais and five-day retreats for volunteers of the wat but they don’t have any offerings for foreigners because they have not been able to establish themselves in a group. But if a visitor wanted, they could treat their time at this wat like a meditation retreat. However, Ven. Dhammananda finds that most people are just passing through and are not serious about the meditation.
But when foreigners do come in a group for special programs like the Living Buddhism program or when a college study abroad program visits for the weekend, Ven. Dhammananda can go into a little more depth. For the college students she uses same technique of mindfulness of breathing that she teaches her Thai students but she doesn’t say anything about Buddhism. Instead she just explains meditation as a mental training that can help one live one‘s life with more clarity and less anger. She advises the students who are Christian that they can concentrate on an image of a cross or use the mantra of Jesus Christ as they breath in and out. Ven. Dhammananda is flexible in this way because she believes the outer form of meditation doesn’t have to be Buddhist. Thus she is more interested in the essence than the form.
For the Living Buddhism program Ven. Dhammananda lectures about the monastic life, mental training, and morality (sila). She believes that sila is the foundation for practice and considers this important for any religion. One needs to be living within a certain way of life to aid in mental training. She advises participants to make sila a part of their lives, in contrast to the West where Ven. Dhammananda asserts that the sila aspect of practice is often skipped. She believes monasticism is important because of the strict sila training and because she finds it is a shortcut to Enlightenment. She told me that monastic life is unique, and when one comes to her wat it is easy to see that a different way of life is possible.
During this program she teaches meditation everyday in the morning and evening and takes the students through concentration of the breath and then goes into insight meditation. It is hard because she finds one needs a longer period with each step. But Ven. Dhammananda does not consider herself a meditation master but rather a practitioner who shares what she has experienced with others.
She is participating in the Australian Mitra Conference this September. The theme of this conference is Unplugged. Or as Ven. Dhammananda describes it: Buddhism without the smells, bells, and rituals. Ven. Dhammananda is in favor of this way of thinking about Buddhism. As can be seen she favors the essence over the form. She finds that practitioners need both but need to practice the form with an understanding of the essence. She likens the form and essence to an orange peel— the peel protects the orange but it is the orange that provides nourishment. So both are needed, the form to protect the essence but there shouldn’t be form just for form‘s sake.
Thus Ven. Dhammananda offers another opportunity for foreigners to engage in Thai Buddhism. This is a unique one location because this is one of the only women’s Buddhist training centers in the country. With her ability in English, her meditation experience, and her training as a monastic, many international visitors consider her a great resource for understanding about these topics.
Meditation Techniques of the Masters: Ajahn Buddhadasa Bhikkhu
Ajahn Buddhadasa Bhikkhu had a profound effect on Buddhism in Thailand and internationally. His teachings and ideas about meditation are just one of the reasons he was so renowned. He bases his meditation technique on the Anapanasati Sutta (translated as Mindfulness with Breathing). He argues that a method following this sutta is the best one because one is sure it comes directly from the Buddha.
Ajahn Buddhadasa Bhikkhu makes this clear in his book, Buddha-Dhamma for Students, as he writes: “Lord Buddha himself declared that he realized Perfect Self-Awakening through the practice of anapanasati. So he offered it to us as the best system to practice . . . There is no better way to practice Dhama than mindfulness with breathing” (107). He asserts that out of the many meditation methods and systems of Samadhi and vipassana taught by various teachers– anapanasati is the best one. Thus Ajahn Buddhadasa Bhikkhu favors the Anapanasati Sutta over the Satipatthana Sutta. The Satipatthana Sutta has received much attention in scholarship and within meditation centers, however, Ajahn Buddhadasa finds Anapanasati Sutta to be much more clear. He writes in the journal Evolution/Liberation, Ajahn Buddhadasa Bhikkhu lists a number of legacies he would leave behind. Legacy #36 states: “It is better to study the 4 Foundations of Mindfulness from the Anapanasati Sutta than from the Mahasatipathana sutta.” This is because the latter is too long, vague and muddled with no clear progression. But the former sutta has a progression of 16 stages from the beginning of the path to the end (73).
Ajahn Buddhadasa Bhikkhu makes clear what this system of anapanasati is not in his Mindfulness with Breathing: “This system is not the Burmese or Chinese or Sri Lankan style that some people are clinging to these days. Likewise, it is not the system of ‘achan this,’ ‘master that,’ ‘guru this,’ or ‘teacher that’ as others are so caught up in nowadays. Nor is it the style of Suan Mokhh or any other wat. Instead, this system is simply the correct way as recommended by the Buddha” (17). Thus he finds this is the basic way of practice without anything added to it.
The meditation instruction of Ajahn Buddhadasa Bhikkhu can be read in his Mindfulness with Breathing translated by Santikaro. In this book Ajahn Buddhadasa writes that the correct and complete practice of anapanasati is to take one truth or reality of nature and then observe, investigate, and scrutinize it in the mind with every inhalation and every exhalation. Thus, mindfulness with breathing allows one to contemplate any important natural truth while breathing in and out (5). In order to begin on this journey to discover the truth of nature Ajahn Buddhadasa Bhikkhu writes that we need sati or awareness, and we do this by being mindful of each in and out breath. “Let the breathing continue comfortably and normally. Let it be natural. Do not interfere with it in any way. Then contemplate each breath with mindfulness” (29).
Ajahn Buddhadasa Bhikkhu goes through all of the sixteen stages of the Anapanasati Sutta, which is broken up into four tetrads. The first two steps of the first tetrad are contemplating the long breath and then the short breath. One notices how they feel and the different aspects of these two kinds of breath. Step three asks the meditator to go deeper and investigate the breath more profoundly than before. One contemplates that there are two bodies, the normal body and the breath-body that is within the physical body (43). Step four of this first tetrad is calming the breath- this makes the body calm and then the mind.
Today Ajahn Buddhadasa Bhikkhu’s teachings are summed up in dhamma talks by British monk Than Dhammavidu at the International Dhamma Hermitage retreats. Than Dhammavidu explains much about the first tetrad of the sutta during his talks. He explains that the teaching of anapanasati in the sutta advises one to use the breath as a concentration object but Ajahn Buddhadasa wants meditators to use the breath to contemplate mindfulness — to comprehend fully all types of breath. Once you fully understand the breath then one can move on to meditation with the breath as a concentration object with the 4th step.
The next tetrad of the sutta deals with vedana, or feelings, primarily of piti (joy) and sukha (happiness), that arise once one has calmed the breath already. These feelings are used as objects of concentration. Ajahn Buddhadasa Bhikkhu writes of the importance of vedana. One needs to focus on vedana first before going to insight forms of meditation because understanding them help us to control the mind. Ajahn Buddhadasa argues that “once we regulate the feelings, we will be able to keep our life on the correct path” and thus not be slaves to materialism (67). Therefore the feelings are important to master. And Ajahn Buddhadasa Bhikkhu believes that we can use the vedana to control the mind the same as we can use the breath to control the body.
In the third tetrad meditators move their contemplation to the mind itself. By doing this, it helps us to know ourselves and the kind of thoughts that are typical for us (73). This is the objective of this step, and it is possible to attain because one has already trained the body and the feelings. So in this tetrad one gets to know the different states of mind. In the fourth tetrad the meditator studies the Dhamma, or truth. Now that the mind has become trained through practice of the third tetrad, one is ready to use this to understand the truth of nature. The main concepts to contemplate are impermanence, non-self, the existence of suffering, emptiness or voidness, and the law of cause and effect.
Ajahn Buddhadasa Bhikkhu considers these 16 steps as the complete path, however, he finds that it may not be necessary for everyone. Thus he created a condensed version that is adequate, although incomplete. He taught the complete form but this may seem long and too detailed. Therefore Ajahn Buddhadasa gives advice to those intimidated or put off by all the steps. It is possible to condense them into two steps: 1) train the mind to be adequately concentrated; 2) with this amount of concentration skip to contemplate the concepts of impermanence, non-self and suffering (127). Thus one would complete up to stages three or four of the first tetrad and then move to the insight meditation of the fourth tetrad.
In order to be able to watch these different kinds of breath Ajahn Buddhadasa gives a number of techniques and hints. He offers the method of counting each breath. By counting the number of seconds of each in and out breath one can regulate the duration of each breath and thus lengthen or shorten the breath as one wishes. He advises that meditators don’t have to use this all the time, but do it only to get to know the breath better (32).
He also offers five skillful tricks for following this path of mindfulness with breathing: “following the breath, guarding the breath at a certain point, giving rise to an imaginary image at the guarding point” (48). Therefore one can follow the breath from the tip of the nostril down to the navel and back again, or pick one point along this path and be aware every time the breath passes through this spot. The latter trick has to do with imagining an object to aid in generating concentration. This should be a neutral or natural object like the sun, moon, a tree, or light. One imagines this image at the spot where one is guarding the breath. One can use one or all of these techniques to aid in understanding all kinds of breath.
Thus Ajahn Buddhadasa’s teachings and meditation method are based on his interpretation of what he believes are the direct teachings of the Buddha. This is why he chooses his meditation technique to be firmly based in the Anapanasati Sutta and why he teaches the complete method. There is room for innovation though, for the modern period. Ajahn Buddhadasa offers hints and tricks for meditators to succeed in mindfulness with breathing and he offers a shortcut technique for those not interested in the complete path but would rather proceed to insight.
Buddhadasa Bhikkhu and Modern Buddhism
Buddhadasa Bhikkhu was an important teacher in Thailand and is a significant figure for Westerners interested in Buddhism as well. He spoke to Westerners with their cultural background and identity as mostly non-Buddhists in mind. In the “Translators Introduction” of Buddhadasa Bhikkhu’s Mindfulness with Breathing, Santikaro explains Buddhadasa Bhikkhu’s method of teaching foreigners thus: “The talks included here were chosen for two reasons. First, they were given to Westerners who were attending the monthly meditation courses at Suan Mokhh. In speaking to Western meditators, Achan Buddhadasa uses a straightforward, no-frills approach. He does not go into the cultural interests of traditional Thai Buddhists; instead, he prefers a scientific, rational, analytical attitude. And rather than limit the instruction to Buddhists, he emphasizes the universal, natural humanness of anapanasati. Further, he endeavors to respond to the needs, difficulties, questions, and abilities of beginning Western meditators, especially our guests at Suan Mokkh” (xvi)
His teachings resonate with English-speakers, I argue, because they cohere with the ideas of modern Buddhism that are so prevalent in Western countries. Buddhadasa Bhikkhu’s main teachings, like that of modern Buddhism, emphasize science, demythologization, study of the suttas, especially the teaching of the Kalama Sutta, and meditation as a primary activity. As well he is critical of ritual and ceremonial practices. These are all main characteristics of modern Buddhism.
The Kalama Sutta, as interpreted by Buddhadasa Bhikkhu, asks us to come and see for ourselves if something is true or not. One should not believe blindly but test out what one hears or reads and find the truth of it for oneself. Buddhadasa Bhikkhu sums this up in his Buddha-Dhamma for Students, “Although we may have read, listened, and heard, we should not simply accept what is offered in these ways unless we have first thought it over, considered it carefully, fathomed it out, examined it, and seen clearly for ourselves that it really is so” (53).
Buddhadasa Bhikkhu argues that we should only believe something if we have put it to the test and have come to see the truth of it clearly. He writes in the same book that this a foundation of Buddhism: “to believe after having seen clearly is intelligence. That is the Buddhist policy on belief: not to believe stupidly, relying on people, or on textbooks, or on conjecture, or on reasoning, or on what the majority believes; but rather to believe what we see clearly for ourselves to be the case. This is how it is in Buddhism” (57). Thus he believes this is part of what distinguishes Buddhism from other world religions, this feature of having to verify things for ourselves (8).
In order to be able to see things clearly for oneself, Buddhadasa Bhikkhu recommends the scientific method. He believes that the dhamma is scientific in nature and agrees with the principles of science, and thus Buddhism is a religion of reason. It is also a religion compatible with modern science as it fits with the structure, principles and spirit of science, but at the same time it is a religion of its own particular character (13).
Along with the ideas of verifying truth for oneself through the scientific method, Buddhadasa Bhikkhu also coheres with modern Buddhism through his demythologization of parts of Buddhist teachings. This can be seen in his analysis of the four woeful states of existence found in Buddhism: beasts, hell beings, hungry ghosts, and titans. These are classically understood as physical places where one has the possibility to be reborn, however, Buddhadasa Bhikkhu interprets these as states of mind. Thus when one is filled with desire, one becomes a hungry ghost, or when one is angry one dwells in hell, but this is all within the mind. Buddhadasa Bhikkhu argues that this interpretation is more important because it describes our present-day reality rather than some future lifetime. Thus if one doesn’t fall into any woeful mental state then they won’t fall into any of these realms of existence after death anyway. He believes this interpretation is correct because “The Buddha was not a materialist. He did not take the body as the reference standard . . . the Buddha took the mind as the reference standard” (Buddha-Dhamma for Students, 203).
In his book Handbook for Mankind, the essay ’Looking at Buddhism,’ describes Buddhadasa Bhikkhu’s ideas about ritual and Buddhism. He writes forcefully that: “Buddhism has nothing to do with prostrating oneself and deferring to awesome things. It sets no store by rites and ceremonies such as making libations of holy water, or any externals whatsoever, spirits and celestial beings included (7).” He is extremely critical of the rituals that have become associated with Buddhism and likens them to a tumor invading the whole religion. This anti-ritualism is a main characteristic of modern Buddhism and one of the reasons why his teachings are popular with foreigners who are familiar with these ideas.
Buddhadasa Bhikkhu’s writings are vast, only a small portion have been translated into English. But even from this small sample one can see his focus on arguing for a particular kind of Buddhism that coheres with the ideas of what scholars have labeled modern Buddhism. His teachings that have been translated and are read widely offer to English-speakers a picture of a modern Buddhism that for many coheres with their ideals of Buddhism and this attracts them to Buddhadasa Bhikkhu.
Issues: Relationship Between Retreat and Meditation Method
As part of my research, I am interested in the relationship between the method of meditation and retreat format. I have been researching at forest meditation temples, individual meditation retreat centers, and group meditation retreat centers. Each one teaches through unique methods that match the format and structure of the retreat for the foreign lay meditator. Of the main sites I am researching there are four possibilities for the relationship between retreat format and meditation method:
1) Meditation retreat created from Thai monks’ method
2) Meditation retreat and method created by Thai monk
3) Meditation retreat and method created without a Thai lineage
4) Monastic setting that creates meditative atmosphere
The retreat created from Thai monk’s meditation method refers to the International Dhamma Heritage of Wat Suan Mokhh. Buddhadasa Bhikkhu’s Mindfulness of Breathing book discusses the main points of his method of meditation based on the Anapanasati Sutta. This book records his teachings to foreigners at Wat Suan Mokhh in 1986 and was translated for publication by his disciple, Santikaro Bhikkhu. Thus this is a direct method of Buddhadasa Bhikkhu, however, the coordinators of the International Dhamma Heritage have adapted this somewhat to fit into a ten day group retreat format. The teachings have changed slightly over the twenty years this retreat has been in operation but it has always been based on the teachings in this book. Buddhadasa did not set out the particular amount and content of each teaching for each day nor did he tailor his teachings to a ten day retreat format.
The meditation retreat and method created by Thai monk refers to the individual retreats found in many meditation centers of Northern Thailand that follow the method of Ajahn Tong. He created this method and it is taught to Thais and foreign meditators. Each center teaches the method somewhat differently but the methods are all based on that Ajahn Tong created himself. He created a meditation basic course or program where the intensity of practice increases until one comes to the end of their retreat. Because of how he created the program of meditation, this works best as an individual retreat where one meets with the teacher each day and progresses in the practice on one’s own.
Wat Kow Tahm Meditation Center represents a site which was created without a connection to a Thai lineage. It was the location, not a particular teacher or method, which was the impetus for creating this center. Although Rosemary and Steve Weissman, teachers of this center, have studied with many Thai teachers as well as Westerners, they do not connect their teachings with any one lineage. Over time Rosemary and Steve created their unique meditation retreat with particular teachings and techniques that they developed, all with their base in Theravadin Buddhism. They found what worked for their students and through the many interviews and Q & A sessions over the years have come to know the appropriate time to introduce each topic over the course of the 10 days.
The category of the monastic setting that creates a meditative atmosphere refers to the forest temples. At these temples, there is usually some instruction in the meditation method of the forest meditation masters. But it is more the environment of the forest monastery and living close to the monastic life that helps one create one’s own meditation retreat based one‘s own practice schedule. Thus this is more free and open but one can consult a senior monk for advice and listen to dhamma talks and group question and answer discussion. One can practice the method of the forest tradition masters that will be discussed by the monks at the forest monasteries but retreatants also use the environment and monastic rules to inspire practice.
Thus there is much to consider about each type of retreat and method offered to foreigners in Thailand. Each site has its own history, teachers, teachings, and method of meditation. At each site the teachings and environment correlate with the format of retreat. Through the history of each site, a particular format was created, sometimes the method of meditation led to the appropriate format, and sometimes the format led to the presentation of meditation instructions.
Meditation Methods that Lead to Group Practice
The meditation retreats of Wat Kow Tahm and the International Dhama Hermitage are conducive to group practice because these are beginner retreats with lots of instruction. At Wat Kow Tahm Meditation Center Steve and Rosemary Weissman have developed a number of unique meditation methods and instructions for an English-speaking audience. They have continually refined their presentation and development of their techniques over the many years of teaching in this 10-day retreat format. Their students progress in the retreat through learning new techniques, unlike other meditation centers where one develops one’s practice by sitting or walking for longer periods of time or adding more aspects of the breath to concentrate on. At Wat Kow Tahm, one is first taught the simple mindfulness of the breath in sitting meditation and of the footsteps in walking meditation. After this, other kinds of meditation practice are introduced such as loving-kindness meditation, as well as sympathetic joy meditation. Meditators are encouraged to use these different techniques during guided sittings and on their own in group meditation. These are taught systematically as the meditators progress as a group within the ten-day retreat.
At the International Dhamma Hermitage, the group meditation format is useful for the number and progression of teachings as well. The meditation instructions develop throughout the ten days. The teachings are based on the 16 stages of mindfulness of breathing found in the Anapanasati Sutta. Thus the instructions by British monk, Than Dhammavidu, begin with steps one and two and progress until sixteen. Meditators usually do not reach beyond steps one and two but through the progression of teachings can see where the meditation might lead. As well certain themes of Buddhadasa Bhikkhu’s teachings are elaborated on as the retreat continues. These are increasingly more complicated and subtle, with the difficult teaching of dependent co-origination taught towards the end. Thus because of this progression and the amount of teachings, doing this retreat on an individual basis would not be possible.
Along with group teachings and instructions there is also the feeling of being in a group that makes these retreats differ from individual retreats. Every person is at the same stage of the retreat, practicing the same instructions, and everyone is meditating together. Maechii Pairor, of the International Dhamma Hermitage, in her book, “The Natural Truth of Buddhism,” writes of this group feeling, “In this retreat, group action is a form of effort. Those who are weak can be stimulated by those who are strong– that is why even the weakest mind can wake up at 4AM. If there weren’t many of you on this retreat, perhaps it would be more difficult to get you up at 4AM. I don’t think those who have grown up in an atmosphere of free will to do as they please would readily obey the coordinator’s words (144).” Thus the spirit of the group can inspire some meditators to advance in their practice.
Comparing Group Retreat Centers: Wat Kow Tahm and Wat Suan Mokhh
There are two large 10-day group retreats for foreigners in Thailand: The International Dhamma Hermitage at Wat Suan Mokhh, and the International Meditation Center taught by Rosemary and Steve Weissman at Wat Kow Tahm. Both of these retreats occur at certain times throughout the year where English-speaking meditators arrive, register, participate, and leave together so that the 10 days is considered a whole teaching. The group retreat thus offers more opportunities for teaching than an individual retreat because the retreat is composed of mostly community activities. In individual retreats there is usually a private meeting with the teacher or an informal group discussion once a day or a few times a week, and the other times one practices on ones own. But at group retreats there is much more information being offered to the large group and everyone practices together.
At these two group retreats, everyone gathers to receive dhamma talks and meditation instruction usually twice a day. These group retreats thus can give much background on Buddhist teachings along with meditation instructions and can constitute a mini-Buddhism 101 class along with learning meditation. But of course the teachings chosen to elaborate on are mainly concerned with the practice of meditation. But besides this similar format, there are many other similarities, as well as differences that illuminate the teaching of foreigners in Thailand.
Both of these retreats have a registration day before the retreat begins where retreatants read much information about what they are going to be participating in. There is a short interview with the teacher or staff member, and then a fee is paid for food. The literature about the retreats emphasize that this is a serious endeavor, and if one is not sure about one’s level of commitment they should consider coming back when they are. As the emphasis is on the group spirit it is hoped that participants will remain for the whole retreat. After this registration period there is time to explain the living conditions and rules of the center.
After this initial period of orientation, the daily schedule for the group meditation retreats consists of a morning period of meditation and exercise before breakfast, time for relaxation and chores, another period of meditation and a dhamma talk before lunch, then after a break a longer period of group meditation followed by an afternoon drink/light meal and the evening practice period. In order to facilitate communication during these silent retreats, coordinators and teachers make use of notice boards to post information that reviews the meditation instruction and concepts taught. As well there are opportunities for individual interviews in the middle of the retreat. These interviews are not ritualized so one does not bow to the teacher if a monk or sit lower than them, or bow to a Buddha statue. Another mode of communication is notes which can be written to the teachers to ask questions about meditation or the living conditions.
Besides these surface similarities of structure, orientation, schedule, and communication, there are some major differences that concern the history and maintenance of each retreat center. The International Dhamma Hermitage is connected with a famous Thai teacher named Buddhadasa Bhikkhu and thus is part of a lineage that propagates his teachings. This center is also coordinated by a group of people consisting of both foreign and Thai laypeople, monks and nuns. Each month they hold a meeting to discuss what will be taught and who will have which responsibilities. This retreat is always at the same time beginning on the 1st of every month and ending on the 11th so volunteers who can offer their time for that month help with that retreat. Thus the volunteers change each month but the material presented stays relatively consistent. This is because the teachings are always based on the main points of Buddhism and meditation that Buddhadasa Bhikkhu stressed. Thus there are many teachings of Buddhism presented here such as the Anapanasati Sutta, non-self, dependent co-origination, and the five aggregates as well as the use of Pali words. The volunteers at this center prefer not to be called teachers but ‘dhamma friends,‘ as there is not just one or two meditation teachers but a number of people who offer advice based on their experience throughout the retreat.
At this center there are also a number of optional activities such as interviews, chanting, mindfulness in motion, and an insight sharing activity and working meditation period on the last day. These activities are not part of the formal meditation so one can choose to participate or not. The center finds that some people feel uncomfortable chanting because of their religious views so they have the option to practice on their own. Some also prefer not to attend the yoga class or talk directly about their practice with one of the dhamma friends in a formal interview. As well the activities at the end of the retreat such as a period of working meditation that Buddhadasa Bhikkhu advised is not mandatory. The insight sharing that takes place on the last night is also not formal meditation so this can be replaced with individual meditation in a different hall. However, most people participate in these optional activities.
The orientation material at the International Dhamma Hermitage consists of one booklet and two notice boards, which one should read before speaking with a staff member. The notice boards continue to be used during the retreat for teachings from famous Thai and Western meditation teachers and information about the schedule. The morning reading as well comes from famous Western and Thai meditation teachers. Retreatants are reminded to remain silent but they are encouraged to make eye contact and smile at each other, showing their loving-kindness. There is also a group food reflection that is recited together aloud after everyone has taken their food. This is not just a center for English-speakers as Thais have a retreat here at the end of each month.
Wat Kow Tahm International Meditation Center is not part of a famous Thai Wat or lineage. When registering for this retreat there is much information presented on multiple notice boards. Teachers Rosemary and Steve Weissman told me that through compassion for everyone and to create a harmonious retreat atmosphere, they wish for all potential retreatants to understand the requirements so they will be prepared as possible and gain the most benefit from the retreat. By explaining many aspects before the retreat starts, Steve and Rosemary hope to encourage retreatants to be open-minded as they believe that an open and focused mind gives rise to the best results, allowing everyone to understand each meditation technique’s true purpose and effectiveness with helping to alleviate specific difficulties.
As the teachers do not want to present unfamiliar terms and Buddhist rituals to beginning meditators, at Wat Kow Tahm there is no chanting session. This also can be seen in the uncomplicated teachings. There is little use of Pali words and only a few Buddhist concepts, most of which directly relate to meditation. As well here there is no formal repeating of a food reflection with the group but one is advised to do this on one’s own. The interviews are also not optional as the teachers understand that everyone can benefit from these three periods to discuss meditation issues with the teachers. As well, due to the intensity of the retreat, Rosemary and Steve know the importance of having a more personal connection with the retreatants.
At this center there are two main teachers who teach in English. They also speak Thai and regularly Thai Monks, Nuns and lay people have attended the retreats, while reading a Thai translation of Steve & Rosemary’s teachings and having interviews in Thai. The assistants that help manage the retreat and center are mostly English and/or German speakers. Translations of the retreat teachings have also been made in German, French, Spanish, Italian, Chinese and Dutch. These translations have helped many people with weak English participate in the retreats. There are Thai monks and nuns who live at the Wat but the only interaction with Thai people during the retreat is the opening and closing talk by Mae Chii Ahmon, who is the founder and head of the International Meditation Center.
Thus there are different ways to present meditation to English-speakers even within similar structures and formats of retreat. The International Dhamma Hermitage is concerned with preserving the ideas of Buddhadasa Bhikkhu and thus his teachings are presented to English-speakers and this is connected to the meditation practice. At Wat Kow Tahm International Meditation Center, Steve and Rosemary Weissman created their particular retreat teachings and thus are not bound by a Thai lineage or teacher.
Western Buddhist Enclaves in Thailand
Throughout Thailand’s meditation centers and monasteries there have arisen, at various sites, what I am calling ‘Western Buddhist enclaves.’ These have arisen through different circumstances involving lay and ordained Thai and Western people, as has been chronicled here. These enclaves can be seen in different formats. Group retreats for foreigners is the most obvious enclave, but Western Buddhist communities, if small, still exist in individual retreats at international meditation centers and within the forest tradition.
All of the sites I have visited (Wat Chom Tong International Meditation Center, Wat Kow Tahm Meditation Center, Wat Pah Nanachat, Wat Suan Mokhh, Wat Pah Nanachat, Wat Rampoeng, Wat Umong, Wat Pa Baan That) have had English-speaking meditators and meditation teachers (both lay and Western, both lay and ordained) in residence for some years. Some of these enclaves are more apparent than others but the fact that these communities are located in separate physical spaces and during set time periods create these Western Buddhist enclaves.
The smallest and least obvious enclaves are the individual meditation centers I have visited. This is because at these centers there are usually a small number of foreigners meditating together with Thai people. However, through various activities they are still a distinct group. At Wat Umong Thais and Westerners practice morning and evening chanting and group meditation in separate areas. At Wat Rampoeng, English-speakers gather to participate in the opening and closing ceremonies as well as have separate interview times from the Thai meditators. Wat Chom Tong has a separate location for its International Meditation Center, with separate living facilities, meditation hall, library, and English-speaking teachers. Because of the language and cultural differences between these two groups, even though there is not much group interaction at these centers, foreigners still constitute a separate group with separate activities.
Western Buddhist enclaves have also been created at the forest temples with English-speaking monks. At Wat Pa Baan That there is a dhamma talk and meditation instruction in English twice weekly. This is when all the English speakers come together and thus constitutes a Western Buddhist enclave for at least a short period of time. Wat Pa Nanachat hosts Western and Thai laity, so even though this monastery is designed for the training of Western monks, Thai laity have to be considered as well. During Buddhist holy days the community splits up so that Thai speakers can hear a dhamma talk in Thai and English speakers can hear one in English at a separate location. But the presence of Western monks at these two temples creates the possibility of Western Buddhist enclaves through the communities that form around them. There are a number of other forest temples I will visit that also host several Western monks who have created more enclaves.
Group retreats are the most obvious Western Buddhist enclaves. 50-100 English-speakers come together for ten days and receive all instruction and dhamma talks in English, and have all teachings catered to the Westerner. Thus there are no separate locations or communities because the entire time is dedicated to English-speaking meditators.
Western Buddhist enclaves are able to continue providing services for foreigners by receiving help from participants. Thus at many of these locations there is the possibility for meditators to join the communities on a more permanent basis, either through ordaining or becoming an assistant to a lay meditation teacher. At Wat Chom Tong and Wat Kow Tahm assistants are in residence to help run the retreats. At Wat Suan Mokhh International English speakers can volunteer to be coordinators during the monthly retreats. And at Wat Pah Nanachat and Wat Pa Baan That, one can become a monk, thereby continuing the enclave.
So no matter the format these Western Buddhist enclaves constitute separate communities either in location or time period. They are also self-sustaining as practitioners who wish to become more involved will contribute their time and effort to help teach and manage the retreat centers. As well, with the presence of Western monks, it is easier for other foreign men to ordain and join an already established English-speaking community and one day contribute by teaching the Western lay meditators. Thus there are a number of these enclaves, large and small, throughout Thailand that have been created over time through varying conditions.
Wat Umong
I spent three days researching and meditating at Wat Umong in Chiangmai. Wat Umong is an individual retreat site similar to the wats using the Ajahn Tong method I have practiced at (Wat Rampoeng, Wat Doi Suthep, Wat Chom Tong). There are usually a small number of both Thai and foreign meditators here, except when groups of Thai people come for group instruction. Thai meditators are more common as on some days there are no foreign meditators at all. Typically there are about 3-6 foreign meditators. Some stay for only three days, and some stay as long as a month. Therefore at this center there are both Thai and international meditators living and eating together— however, as usual, these groups are not totally joined.
This International Meditation Center opened about two years ago and is still expanding with new meditation halls, dormitories, and a meditation office for the monk teachers. There are several teachers for the Thai meditators and three monks can teach in English for the foreigners. However, one monk from Vietnam, Phra Uttara, is in charge of the international meditators currently. Phra Uttara began teaching about six months ago and plans to remain for another one or two years, when he will finish his masters degree at Mahaculalongkornrajavidyalaya University (MCU) in Chiangmai. He has finished his coursework so has time available to instruct the foreigners. The previous teacher of international visitors was a Cambodian monk, also in attendance at MCU. However, he was taking classes and did not have the time to devote to the instruction.
Thus the international and Thai meditators have different monks that lead them in their meditation. They also have separate chanting and group meditation periods in the morning and evening. The foreign meditators use the newer hall and the Thai meditators chant, discuss dhamma, and are instructed in the method of meditation in the hall of the womens’ dorm. During the international group meditation period, Phra Uttara enters and bows to the Buddha statue. The international meditators can follow him in this bowing or choose not to. Some foreigners bow to Phra Uttara and he tries to help them cultivate this as bowing helps one to respect the teacher and make one’s mind malleable to the teachings. But bowing is not taught or forced for the foreigners. After this there is a short chanting of about ten minutes because the foreigners usually do not know Pali. Phra Uttara finds that most international visitors enjoy the chanting because Pali words are new and interesting to them. The group does not chant the English translation but reads it silently. Then Phra Uttara will explain the main ideas of the Pali chanting such as the five precepts. After this Phra Uttara asks if there are any questions. He encourages the students to talk to each other and sometimes he just listens. By listening Phra Uttara says he is able to see the state of their mind so can instruct each individual better. However, the group meditation for foreigners is not as consistent as it is for the Thai meditators. Sometimes Phra Uttara feels that the foreigners should practice on their own and only focus on the meditation. Thus the group meditation is a semi-regular morning and evening period.
In the mornings Phra Uttara has also begun to teach some yoga poses. This is not typical procedure at meditation retreats led by Thai monks, however Phra Uttara finds benefit in doing yoga so passes on his knowledge to foreigners. He finds that his students enjoy this activity. He learned from one of his meditation students from Israel who was a yoga teacher. This Israeli meditator stayed for only ten days but was able to inspire Phra Uttara to continue his yoga practice, and to teach others.
Another difference between the Thai and international group is that the English-speakers do not have an opening or closing ceremony to ask for the precepts and meditation instruction. Thais need to prepare the flowers, candle, and incense for these ceremonies but foreigners just begin the practice without this formal ritual. Phra Uttara said this is the way at Wat Umong in order to make it easy for the foreigners. They come here just to practice meditation and many times do not care about Buddhism as a religion. Phra Uttara says this is fine because most foreigners come to Buddhism through understanding, not through faith. He finds that many Thai people have faith, but no understanding. One needs both to gain the benefits of Buddhism. Phra Uttara believes that over time the international meditators will learn about Buddhism as a religion and develop faith and belief, but for now they are working on understanding through practicing meditation.
There are also separate dhamma talks for the public on Sundays, with Thais in the morning and foreigners in the afternoon. Phra Uttara gives this talk to the international travellers not staying at the center and those new meditators who can learn from his discussion. On the dhamma talk I attended Phra Uttara touched on many topics within meditation and Buddhism. He explained his ideas about meditation practice which constitute his instruction at the center as well as teaching about wrong view and right attitude, and the differences between concentration and vipassana meditation.
The method of meditation instruction for foreigners here is idiosyncratic to Phra Uttara; therefore foreigners are not learning the exact same method as the Thai meditators. Phra Uttara focuses on teaching the topic of his masters thesis: cittanupassana or the third foundation of mindfulness, the mind, from the Satipatthana Sutta. He encourages students to begin with the body before going on to contemplate the mind. He does not advise to only concentrate on the breath but to be aware of all five senses, to practice listening meditation, seeing meditation, and so forth. As well each meditator is different for Phra Uttara— he doesn’t have one method for everyone but draws from their personal experience to help guide them. He does not want meditators to forget their experience as some teachers with their own methods do, but to use their past experiences to progress in their practice. Thus each person receives different instructions based on their histories and their progressions.
As Wat Umong’s International Meditation Center continues to expand I think this will become another important spot for meditation in Chiangmai. This center gives another option beside the Ajahn Tong method so prevalent in the north of Thailand. The teaching here is less regimented and structured. If one has a personal question about meditation, one can go to Phra Uttara in private, however, otherwise the instruction takes place informally in a group. This shows the forest tradition roots of Wat Umong, which has qualities of a meditation center but also a forest retreat where one is left mostly to practice on one’s own.
Meditation Retreat Rundown: International Dhamma Hermitage of Wat Suan Mokhh
The International Dhamma Hermitage has a long history of providing group retreats for foreigners at the beginning of each month. The land for the retreat center was bought through fund-raising by Wat Suan Mokhh, the monastery of the famous Thai monk, Buddhadasa Bhikkhu. Even though Buddhadasa Bhikkhu died in 1993 his teaching of foreigners lives on at this center.
The history of the International Dhamma Hermitage begins with Ajahn Po, a monk who was informally the assistant abbot of Wat Suan Mokhh while Buddhadasa Bhikkhu was alive, and who is now the abbot. Ajahn Po had a special affinity for the foreigners who have come in a steady stream to Wat Suan Mokhh and Po’s hometown of Ko Samui since the 1960s. He sought to give foreigners something of value they could take back with them rather than the material products and comforts Thailand provides for its tourists. Thus when Ajahn Po heard about 10 day retreats he got a young monk, now Rodney Smith, to lead a retreat on Ko Samui which 4 people attended. 20 people attended the next one. By 1985 when another Western monk arrived, Santikaro, the retreats became monthly events at Wat Suan Mokhh instead of three or four times a year at Ko Samui. Around this time Ajahn Po asked permission to build a meditation retreat center across the highway from Wat Suan Mokhh. Thus Ajahn Po was crucial in founding the retreat center (and currently also leads an international retreat center on Ko Samui called Dipabhavan). In the early years of the center, the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, Buddhadasa Bhikkhu was available to teach the foreigners during the. Talks he gave at this time are online and translated by Santikaro.
Santikaro, in addition to being a translator for Buddhadasa Bhikkhu and former monk and resident of Wat Suan Mokhh, edited an English-language journal called Evolution/Liberation. In this journal he writes that the international retreats began in May 1990 in the International Dhamma Hermitage. He continues that for the international group courses the talks and instructions always follow the same principles but are never identical. In this retreat the teachers emphasize understanding of Dhamma practice through teachings of the 4 Noble Truths, dependent origination, voidness, unconditionality, and the technique of anapanasati meditation-theory. They also ask meditators to discover how to apply these basic principles to their own lives. Returning from the retreat of February, 2010, I learned that these same guiding principles have not changed in a major way in the twenty years this retreat has been offered at this site.
I arrived at Wat Suan Mokhh on the day before registration in order to ensure my place in the retreat as well as tour this famous wat. I was joined by many other retreatants who were anxious to talk about what the retreat would be like and each others’ backgrounds, before the silence of the retreat began.
At 7AM the group from Wat Suan Mokhh makes their way across the highway and down the street to the International Dhamma Hermitage. The volunteer coordinators had already set up the information packets and notices on two white boards for participants to read before filling out the application and going for an interview. Like Wat Kow Tahm, at this group retreat the coordinators want to make sure that potential retreatants understand exactly the type of serious commitment they are making.
The informational booklet one is required to read reveals the principles of the retreat. The booklet emphasizes this is a place where one can reflect on nature as it “is the foundation for realizing truth.” This focus on nature is amajor part of founder Buddhadasa Bhikkhu’s teachings. Another interesting point is one that is necessary for international visitors: retreatants are advised to be open-minded about the teachings but also not to follow blindly. They hope to maintain a balance wherein retreatants do not think of the teachings as religious articles of faith but are encouraged to investigate new perspectives and relax personal opinions. This is also a part of Buddhadasa Bhikkhu’s ideas as he was interested in being in dialogue with all of the world’s religions but at the same time felt that the dhamma could help all people.
During afternoon and evening meetings on registration day, coordinators reiterate the rules of participation and explain in detail the living conditions by giving a tour of the area. Retreatants also listen to a welcome talk by Ajahn Po and watch a video production about the life and work of Buddhadasa Bhikkhu. This gives some context of the place they have chosen to spend the next ten days as many have not heard of this famous Thai monk. After these presentations, participants are asked to remain silent for the remainder of the retreat.
The schedule for the first official eight days is filled with teachings and group meditation periods. As the days progress, however, some of the teaching periods are replaced by more meditation so there is progressively more practice. Yet throughout these first eight days, there are many dhamma talks, instructions, and presentations of theory by various ‘dhamma friends,’ who volunteer to offer their experiences for the international visitors. All of these combined constitute a mini “Buddhism 101” class. This is necessary because Buddhadasa Bhikkhu’s teaching and meditation technique are under girded by some key concepts that many travelers would be unfamiliar with.
The faces of the dhamma friends at this center have changed over the years but a number of them are veterans. Ajahn Po is still giving the morning talks and leading meditation sittings. Than Medhi, a Thai monk of over twenty years, has been helping with the International Dhamma Hermitage since its founding and it was his labor that helped create the facilities for retreatants today. Mae Chii Aree has volunteered her time most months for over ten years and is receiving an Outstanding Female Buddhist Award because of this work. British monk Than Dhammavidu has been giving the main dhamma teachings consecutively for about eight years. He was not interested in teaching at first, however, he wanted to give back to the Thai people who had supported him and, being no other Western monks at Wat Suan Mokkh, he became a fixture of the retreat. A laywoman, Khun Tanyakhan, has been sharing her experiences for over nine years. She has helped at this center for so long because sharing what she has learned inspires her personal practice. Thus these dhamma friends came to the center through different means and have different topics on which to focus. There are also a number of foreign retreat volunteers that have come and gone over the years. But one German man, Khun Reinhard, has been assisting for over fourteen years. He has also written a book titled “Why Meditate?” which can be purchased after the retreat.
Mae Chii Aree focuses her dhamma talks on being in nature and how nature can be a support for the practice. She tells stories of her experiences learning from nature and how at the International Dhamma Hermitage, retreatants can take advantage of the natural setting. Mae Chii Aree gives advice on how to take meditation and awareness into everyday life.
Ajahn Po gives morning talks about the genuine happiness one can find doing meditation practice; a happiness that lasts longer than that which arises from stimulation, which, he asserts, ultimately results in suffering. But paying attention to the breath and being mindful leads to a more genuine kind of happiness. Ajahn Po likens the retreat center to a hospital where one can be cured of some mental suffering. He says that when one returns to one’s “home”, they feel like it is paradise because their mind has been changed to be calm and quiet.
Than Medhi leads the optional chanting and does some guided meditation and dhamma talks. During the chanting sessions, the retreatants do not only chant in Pali and English but learn the meanings behind the chants. Than Medhi explains about Buddhist concepts such as the eight precepts, the three refuges, the five aggregates, and sankharas. Toward the end of the retreat, he explains the concept of dependent co-origination using a Tibetan depiction of this process. When I spoke with Than Medhi he said that he does all he can to help out with the retreat but is limited due to his English skills. Therefore his job is to supplement the main teachings.
Khun Tanyakhan instructs in the method of walking meditation as well as gives talks on anger, clinging, and attachment. Her favorite topic to discuss, however, is loving-kindness meditation. Some months she is able to spend more time on this than others, depending on how many dhamma talks she is able to give at each retreat. Finally, Khun Reinhard, the only foreign volunteer to give regular talks and offer interviews, hopes to help link all these teachings the retreatants receive; to connect the meditation theory to practice in everyday life. He finds that since most of the participants are beginners and they are listening to unfamiliar topics presented by speakers of an unfamiliar cultural background, the additional information he provides that is processed by a ‘western mind’ helps many of the participants.
Thus retreatants receive a variety of teachings from a number of dhamma friends coming from all different perspectives. However, the main teachings of the meditation technique and Buddhist concepts come from Than Dhammavidu. For the first four days Than Dhammavidu discusses the meditation technique of anapanasati and explains the source of this technique, The Anapanasati Sutta, in some detail. The sutta is composed of four tetrads, each corresponding with different stages of the meditation practice. Than Dhammavidu explains all four tetrads, but pays special attention to the first and last as these constitute the ‘shortcut’ method that Buddhadasa Bhikkhu created. Buddhadasa Bhikkhu found that one gains enough concentration within the first two or three stages of the first tetrad to begin the insight practices of the fourth tetrad. However, Than Dhammavidu emphasizes that this is serious and hard work, and one needs to have motivation to follow these steps. He has found that most people can only reach stage one or two of this practice and those who reach stage three or even four most likely already have a strong meditation practice or have some natural ability.
After going through this technique and sutta, Than Dhammavidu spends the next three days explaining key Buddhist concepts, mainly stemming from the teachings of Buddhadasa Bhikkhu. Than Dhammavidu explains about the three characteristics of all phenomenon (suffering, impermanence, and non-self), and Paticca-samupada, or dependent co-origination, which was a major theme of Buddhadasa Bhikkhu’s thinking. Than Dhammavidu explains Buddhadasa Bhikkhu’s particular interpretation of this teaching through accessible, everyday life examples. However, this is a difficult concept to comprehend, like non-self. Thus retreatants, through all of these teachings, get an introduction to Buddhism along with meditation.
Retreatants also have an opportunity to hear the translation of Buddhadasa Bhikkhu’s talks to foreigners from the early years of the international retreat. The coordinators usually play about three talks as translated and interpreted by Santikaro. These talks connect with the teachings of Than Dhammavidu and focus on non-self and selfishness, as well as dependent co-origination.
This retreat delivers more Buddhist teachings than the other major English-speaking centers not only because of the live dhamma talks and instructions but also through written media. Each day begins with a reading from a Buddhist teacher, usually a contemporary Western or Asian meditation master. After meal times one can read quotes, poems, and cartoons about being mindful and practicing meditation. Many of these quotes come from Buddhadasa Bhikkhu himself and the other forest teacher, Ajahn Chah. As well, toward the middle of the retreat there are books available to read in the dining hall. These works are mainly by Buddhadasa Bhikkhu, especially the numerous translations of the book this retreats is based on: Mindfulness with Breathing.
Retreatants also have a chance to ask personal questions. There are three methods for personal interaction: writing questions to be answered by Than Dhammavidu, a question and answer session with Than Dhammavidu on Day 3, and an opportunity for a personal interview on Days 3 through 6 with a dhamma friends of one’s choosing. During the interviews one can discuss their personal practice, their challenges and potential successes. The written and spoken questions are more open about meditation practice or Buddhism in general– although Than Dhammavidu is more keen to answer questions about the practice. His answers are posted in handwritten form on the notice boards for consumption near the end of the retreat.
After all of this information on Days 1-8, the retreatants have a day of intense practice on Day 9; there are no talks and retreatants meditate at their own personal rhythm. This helps one to be more independent as one must decide on one’s own how and where to practice sitting and walking meditation. As well, there is only one meal so that one can live closer to the monastic way of life.
On Day 10 the schedule returns to two meals and receiving dhamma talks, but there is still time for practicing at one’s own rhythm. There is also an added component of working meditation. The purpose for this is explained by Than Medhi, who asserts that Buddhadasa Bhikkhu valued work and being mindful while helping society and the environment. Therefore an optional activity for this retreat was to smooth out the dirt on different areas of the wat in order to prepare for the creation of a garden. Everyone participated in this activity and it caused a stir of conversation even though silence was still in effect at this time. On this night there is another optional activity that Ajahn Po described as a celebration of all the hard work the retreatants have done. This celebration is called insight sharing, where participants voluntarily walk up to the microphone and share their experiences over the last ten days. Many retreatants chose to participate and many gave eloquent and inspiring speeches about their motivations for attending, what they learned, and what they hope to take back with them.
Day 11 is the final day of the retreat. There is the usual morning reading and sitting, but after this silence formally comes to an end. One is instructed to pack up and peruse the books by Buddhadasa Bhikkhu available for sale. After this there is a goodbye talk by Ajahn Po where he emphasizes to develop one’s life as one now knows the methods to attain this. He urges the retreatants to use these techniques for higher happiness in daily life and to look after one‘s mind. After a group photo there is an optional breakfast and tour of Wat Suan Mokhh led by Than Medhi. Many people attend this tour and even stay a few extra nights at the wat before reengaging with the world. The tour is a chance to learn more about Buddhadasa Bhikkhu, see where he lived, meditated, taught, and where his ashes now remain.
Thus Buddhadasa Bhikkhu’s legacy lives on throughout the duration of this international retreat. His teachings are the foundation for the meditation instructions, and main Buddhist concepts taught at the retreat are the ideas of Buddhism he most stressed. This information, however, is simplified and made clear for those unfamiliar with Buddhism and Buddhadasa Bhikkhu, and for those who only have ten days to fit in all this learning and meditation practice.
Teachings of the Western Monks of the Forest Tradition
The Western monk teachers of the forest tradition are involved with teaching Western lay meditators similarly to the teachers at international meditation centers in Thailand. But the content and format of the teachings are different as the focus for monasteries of the forest tradition is not on the retreat setting but the lifestyle of the monastic.
There are two monasteries in Thailand, which are very well-known with Western monks and lay foreign meditators. Wat Pah Nanachat, the interntational forest monastery of Ajahn Chah, has a program for English-speakers who would like to become monks. Because of this focus on training monastics, the Western monks do not have time to conduct a formal meditation retreat program. But lay meditators can seek advice from senior Western monks in the way of forest practice. As well at certain times of the year there are question and answer sessions with senior monks and dhamma talks.
Wat Pa Baan That is the monastery of the famous Luangda Mahabua. There is no formal program for English-speaking monks here but there have been, since the first Western monk disciple of Luangda Mahabua, Ajahn Pannavaddho, a steady number of Western monks living here. These Western monks teach the lay meditators who come to stay and practice in a more formal way than at Wat Pah Nanachat, but not as formal as a meditation retreat. At Wat Pah Baan That, one learns through Western monks’ dhamma talks two or three times a week. Western monk teachers here including Ajahn Pannavaddho, Ajahn Dick Silaratano, and currently Than Martin, teach in the format of question and answer sessions and extemporaneous dhamma talks. Topics include Buddhist concepts, teachings of forest monks of their lineage, and of course, meditation.
Thus the format and content of teachings of Western monks of the forest tradition vary considerably from meditation centers. There are no group meditation halls, formal group meditation instructions, ceremonies for entering and leaving the monastery, instructions on how to behave in a monastery, or formal interviews. The living conditions for lay meditators is also different as lay westerners live close to the monastic way of life by eating one meal a day, participating in chores, practicing alone in one’s kuti on one’s own schedule.
Western monks teach about monastic life because this is what they know. They often discuss, in their dhamma talks, the forest tradition and forest life stories and techniques of living and meditating in the forest and of forest masters. They have chosen this monastic lifestyle; thus this is what many Western monk teachers focus on with less concern for providing formal teachings for the foreign laity. Ajahn Chah and Luangda Mahabua were more interested in monasticism and teaching monks so their international legacy is with Western monks rather than lay disciples and having retreats for foreign laity. For them and their Western monks the practice is more about a commitment to a lifestyle.
Meditation Techniques of the Masters: Steve and Rosemary Weissman
Steve and Rosemary Weissman are in a unique position teaching in an international meditation center connected with a Buddhist monastery as a lay married couple. They have meditated with many teachers, both Thai and Western, and have developed their own emphases and methods of meditation throughout their many years teaching 10-day retreats at Wat Kow Tahm. This information about their techniques is taken from my experience in their new students retreat, and my reading of their book . . .with Compassionate Understanding as well as Steve’s publication with the Buddhist Publication Society Wise Reflection: The Importance of Yoniso Manasikara in Meditation.
. . . with Compassionate Understanding contains the standardized version of all of the retreat talks for the 10 days of the beginners retreat. Thus one can read before a retreat to know what the teachings are like or afterwards to review. The basic purpose and teachings of the retreat are summed up thus: “These retreats have been designed as a basic introduction to many of the methods found within Theravadin Buddhist teachings for training the mind in order to find deep Inner Peace and Wisdom. The emphasis of the retreats is the development of beneficial qualities… and the lessening of unbeneficial qualities . . . ” (xi). Talk topics include meditation instructions, teachings on the 5 hindrances, 4 foundations of mindfulness, how to deal with meditation pain, right effort, mindfulness activities, and guided reflection meditations on loving-kindness, sympathetic joy and other topics.
The three components of the skills developed on the retreat are concentration, mindfulness, and wisdom and compassionate understanding. Rosemary and Steve stress that the wisdom and compassion are the most important of these three. They write: “We have never stated that the object of this overall practice is to stay concentrated on something like the breathing. Nor have we ever stated that we can judge our Meditation/Mental Development abilities on how long we stay concentrated on the breath. Developing strong concentration has its benefits, but what we have been stressing throughout this retreat is the developing of Compassionate Understanding and Wisdom. Then using this Compassionate Understanding and Wisdom to lessen unbeneficial qualities and to strengthen beneficial qualities, in order to lessen our difficulties and problems, and to increase our Peace and Happiness” (262).
Thus Rosemary and Steve focus on not just teaching formal sitting meditation but emphasize bringing meditation into daily life so that all of life is meditation. Walking and standing meditation are taught to help integrate into life outside of retreat conditions, as one uses a broader awareness than sitting meditation. Mindfulness activities like washing dishes, going in and out of doorways, putting on and taking off one’s shoes, tasting food, and others also emphasize mindfulness in everyday life.
The teachers also bring up an important topic of staying open and letting go of resistance. Meditators in these retreats are encouraged to leave their views and opinions behind at the start of the retreat and be willing to practice all of the methods Steve and Rosemary teach. They have found that those who have a lot of book knowledge about Buddhism or meditation are often not open to the techniques but instead question their teachings and possibly think that the way they have learned to practice from books is better. Another type of meditator Steve and Rosemary have encountered develops an aversion to the retreat schedule and teachings and thinks he could change it for the better. In the talk on this topic it is reminded that one is here not to change Wat Kow Tahm but to be changed by one’s experiences here. So the advice is to submit to Steve and Rosemary’s methods for the 10 days, and afterwards reflect on what is beneficial and what is not. Rosemary and Steve see their teachings as a whole so that one should try to practice each one of the techniques in order for one to see an increase in peace and contentment. They consider each technique to be a tool for one’s life
. . . with Compassionate Understanding introduces the retreatant to this reflective kind of meditation which may be new for many meditators. But Steve fleshes this out further in his small book called Yoniso Manasikara, published by the Buddhist Publication Society. Here he argues that many suttas actually emphasize reflecting wisely. Throughout the book he dispels myths such as ‘thinking is not meditating’ and ‘concentration meditation will automatically lead to wisdom.’ These myths, Steve believes, are widespread and he has written this book in order to show that wise reflection can be an important part of one’s meditation practice. He finds that reflecting wisely is not only recommended by the Buddha but that it leads to making wiser choices in one’s life, and that this is the way to wisdom. He writes that wise reflection helps to “integrate the concentration and mindfulness developed during formal meditation into everyday life, and develop right view and right intention” (23). This helps meditators who can develop these skills in retreat but have difficulty applying them to normal life (23). Recommended topics for reflection are food reflection, reflecting on how fortunate one is, death and impermanence, the suffering of life, the consequences of one’s choices (kamma), and the relationship between compassion and equanimity.
These teachings are directed to a particular audience of Western meditators, since the majority of their participants come from the West. They discuss the ‘conditioning’ of people in the West and tailor their instructions to try to balance some of this. The most significant teaching on this topic is the perceived Western world’s focus on achievement. Rosemary and Steve write: “In the Western world, great value is placed on achievement. From when we were small children, we often were conditioned to believe that if we achieve this or that, are successful and show this in material acquisition, name, fame, status according to the values of our society, then we are valuable, useful, worthy human beings” (160). Thus Westerners often feel they are unworthy or lacking if they do not achieve the goals they’ve set. Steve and Rosemary teach to let go of these ideals and develop compassionate understanding for oneself. They also find another common occurrence in the West is “the feeling of futility, of working and wondering what is the purpose of it all” (170). Steve and Rosemary remind the meditators that if we are mindful then we are working to purify our minds, and this is never futile.
Thus Steve and Rosemary have developed a number of unique meditation methods and instructions for an English-speaking audience. They have continually refined their presentation and development of their techniques over the many years of teaching in this 10-day retreat format. Their students progress by adding new techniques and learning new ways of reflecting wisely, unlike other meditation centers where one continues by sitting or walking for longer periods of time or adding more aspects of the breath to concentrate on. They focus on integration of each of their techniques into daily life so that one can benefit from the meditation even outside of retreat conditions.
Meditation Retreat Rundown: Wat Kow Tahm
I recently did a meditation retreat at Wat Kow Tahm meditation center on Koh Phangan island. It’s very interesting how this haven of peace exists on such a tourist island. About twenty years ago the first bungalows were built on the island in order to welcome the foreign tourists. Since that time some of the islanders have adjusted their lifestyles to grow with the industry. Koh Phagnan has also grown into a backpackers’ destination, being known as the ‘budget’ island. With all these young backpackers the island also developed a reputation for partying. It began with full-moon parties once a month and now has grown to half-moon parties and even Shiva moon parties so that the partying seems almost continuous. But some of these travelers are not as interested in partying as they are in mental development.
In these early years many tourists would take the hike from Baan Thai Beach up the hill to the temple called Wat Kow Tahm and ask the head nun there, Mae Chii Ahmon, how they could learn meditation. She discovered a way to share the practice of meditation in the forms of two experienced meditators who happened to find their way to this monastery also. Steve and Rosemary Weissman arrived in 1987 where they were soon asked to lead retreats and they have continued to do so for over twenty years.
The implications of tourism on Koh Phagnan are thus present at Wat Kow Tahm. It has provided the impetus to create this center by supplying the participants, but this is a particular group of meditators. They are used to bungalows, partying, and traveling, but not necessarily living in a wat. But after over 20 years of running these retreats, the teachers at Wat Kow Tahm know their audience well and have many words of advice in the forms of notices that must be read before attending the retreat. “This is not a bungalow” and “You must be willing to work hard” are signs seen on the notice boards. The teachers have seen many situations and thus offer precautions; it seems every possible scenario has been thought of beforehand. Steve Weissman likens the creation of the many rules for this center to the creation of the monastic rules by the Buddha: as situations arose, more rules were added. The center is not mostly supported by Thai Buddhists as is the case with many meditation centers that have both Thai and foreign participants. Meditators here thus have to pay for their food in advance and donations cover the other expenses.
Thus here the center was established based on location rather than teachers within a particular Thai lineage. This is a very unique situation for Buddhism in Thailand. Most of the Westerners teaching meditation in Thailand that I have come in contact with are affiliated with a Thai meditation master and lineage. Although Rosemary and Steve have studied with many Thai teachers as well as Westerners, they do not connect their teachings with any one lineage. Other Western meditation teachers thus carry on a Thai lineage but adapt it for English-speakers and bring this particular lineage to other countries. Steve and Rosemary thus represent a possible future for the transmission of the Dhamma; one which has no lineage but that begins anew with Westerners, with methods developed and adapted from their many years of teaching retreats.
When one arrives at Wat Kow Tahm on registration day, the day before the retreat begins, one already knows that this will be a very well-organized retreat. Assistants are on hand to offer applications and answer questions, retreatants are all diligently reading the many notices, rules, and regulations required before going to formally register with either Steve or Rosemary. After paying the 5000 baht fee that covers food and maintenance related expenses, the retreatant goes to pick up her pillow, blanket, sitting/sleeping mat, and mosquito net from another assistant. This assistant orients each retreatant to find her room and bathroom and answers any questions.
On the first day of the retreat there is an afternoon talk about living conditions of the wat. This talk reiterates many of the rules and notices on the boards in the registration area. After this one is given time to purchase any items forgotten, make any last phone calls before going into silence that night, and lock away any valuables. One also learns about his or her chore for the retreat. Each morning there is a mindful activity time that is used for helping to clean the center. The high-level of organization continues as one receives a paper describing the chore they chose in detail so there is no confusion. As the light dinner of fruit salad approaches, retreatants notice that their names are posted next to sets of dishes in front of the dining hall so that each person uses the same ones each day. Silence begins after dinner as one steps into the meditation hall for the first meditation instructions. Because there is no talking, the teachers and assistants make use of notes to communicate with retreatants. There is a notes board inside the meditation hall supplied with pen, paper, and clips to post one’s questions about meditation or their living conditions. Throughout the retreat there are new notices posted daily on the information boards reviewing teachings already given, informing of the interview schedule, and any changes in the schedule.
Since Steve and Rosemary had done a variety of 10-day retreats and Mae Chii Ahmon encouraged them to conduct retreats for the foreign visitors, the Weissmans began using the same model. They started with a standard model they had learned from other centers. Over time Rosemary and Steve adapted this standard format with particular teachings and techniques that they developed. They found what worked for their students and through the many interviews and Q & A sessions over the years have come to know the appropriate time to introduce each topic over the course of the 10 days.
Each day of the retreat is filled with sitting, walking, and standing meditation periods, meditation exercises, mindful chores, mindfulness activities, teachings and talks by Steve and/or Rosemary, three vegetarian meals and post-meal breaks. There are also three interviews each retreatant experiences, which is the only opportunity to speak during the retreat. As well the retreat is interspersed with guided meditations in order to learn how to practice loving-kindness meditation, as well as meditation on sympathetic joy and wise-reflection meditation.
The description above pertains to the basic new students 10-day retreat, which I attended. However, Steve and Rosemary have also developed retreats with different topics for a group they call “old” students. These focus more on Buddhist teachings such as wise reflection broadly and the 10 paramis (perfections) specifically. These retreats not only differ in content but also in the attitude towards Buddhism. In the beginner retreats, Buddhist teachings related to meditation such as the 5 Hindrances, and the 4 Foundations of Mindfulness are explained. But as one becomes a student of Rosemary and Steve for longer periods of time there are opportunities to learn more about the suttas as well as devotional aspects of the tradition. Within the new students retreat there were also old students who were staying on for another 9 days after the beginners left. Before and after each meditation period, new students could identify these older ones by their slow, concentrated bowing toward the Buddha statue in the meditation hall. And those who become assistants, helping out with the physical maintenance and running of the retreat, go even deeper in learning about the tradition of Buddhism. They are encouraged to memorize the entirety of twenty suttas Steve has identified as most significant. The assistants also learn to chant in Pali and English and students can learn this as well from tapes recordings available for sale.
There is a minimal amount of information about devotional aspects of Thai Buddhism for new students because the teachers don’t want to confuse those beginning meditation. From the outset, Rosemary and Steve did not want students to wear white or keep the 8 precepts because they didn’t want to push religion. If students feel that religion is being pushed down their throats, this can turn people off to the whole practice and harm people’s interest in Buddhism. This is why if one attends a second retreat, they show that they are willing and able to understand and learn more about Buddhism. Steve and Rosemary emphasize teaching what they feel is appropriate and beneficial; thus they teach topics at the appropriate times during the retreat in order for the students to receive the most benefit. And they feel the most beneficial ideas for new students are the practice of meditation, as well as the most significant teachings related to this. Rosemary and Steve focus on easing new meditators into the world of Buddhism because they have seen that many Thai monks don’t know how to treat Westerners interested in meditation and end up treating them like Thais.
Thus Steve and Rosemary have, over the years, created a unique meditation center in Thailand. This is not only because they are a Western married couple teaching in a Thai monastery with no connection to a Thai lineage; it is also because they have seen so well into the meditators’ experiences that they have timed and organized each retreat so that meditators receive the appropriate teachings. After the retreat some of my fellow meditators discussed their experiences with me. Many said they were ready to leave after the first few days but it was always the evening talk that kept them there. Each night the topic seemed to address the problems they were facing that day and the techniques and teachings offered the solutions as well as the knowledge that what each meditator was experiencing was normal. Over twenty years of teaching in this 10-day format, Rosemary and Steve have built their program in such a way that a large majority of participants complete the retreats, many return multiple times, and many more take the practice into their daily lives.
The Role of Samadhi in Meditation Centers and the Forest Tradition
The debate over the relationship of Samadhi and vipassana and their roles in achieving liberation has been debated since the time of the Buddha. This debate continues today in the form of those associated with the forest tradition versus those who run meditation centers. Especially the meditation centers that teach methods based on the popular Mahasi Sayadaw technique are in contrast to the ideas of the forest tradition. This technique holds that the direct path to nibbana is found in vipassana meditation and only the minimal moment-to-moment concentration is needed. Thus concentration meditation (samatha) is seen as necessary only in its momentary form, thus longer term Samadhi and those states of absorption called the jhanas are not cultivated.
In contrast to this, the forest tradition holds that the separation of Samadhi and vipassana is a false distinction. The monks of this tradition argue that both develop each other and both are necessary for achievement of liberation. Ajahn Chandako relates this view in his publication A Honed and Heavy Ax: Samatha and Vipassana in Harmony. In this book he uses ancient texts and popular contemporary approaches to show how samatha and insight support each other. The simile of the title is explained as the weight of the ax is like concentration and the sharpness can be compared to wisdom (1). Like the ax, both weight and sharpness are needed to produce the desired results. He argues that the two were not intended to be two different styles of meditation with two different goals but one complete path (2), and that the Buddha taught many meditation themes but all incorporated both concentration and vipassana.
Ajahn Chandako questions the validity of the Mahasi Sayadaw method that focuses most exclusively on vipassana. He ponders whether the development of momentary concentration fulfills the eightfold path factor of right Samadhi (meditative absorption) (4). He states that vipassana only schools are counterfeit dhamma as the suttas say different meditators have different inclinations but they always need a balance of vipassana and samatha (24). If these vipassana techniques work, he feels this is because the retreatants develop Samadhi as they are practicing the vipassana (25), as retreats rely in special conditions that generate samadhi such as no speaking, reading, or external distractions.
Ajahn Chandako finds that with samatha one gains insight also, as it shows attachments. One needs deep states of concentration in order to see subtle attachments that block Enlightenment. Samadhi also makes the mind more energized as it removes the five hindrances and makes the mind ready for investigation.
In contrast the vipassana only schools argue that in modern times people are more prone to investigation. Only a minimum of concentration is needed as vipassana is the path that leads to directly to nibbana. This is taken from the Visuddhimagga, a commentary on the Pali Cannon, which has become very authoritative in the Theravada tradition. The forest tradition relies more on the suttas of the Pali Canon arguing that these are closer to the source of the Buddha himself.
Reinterpretations of Ajahn Chah by his English-Speaking Disciples
As the first generation of the Ajahn Chah Western Sangha lineage turns into the second generation- what changes are evident in the movement of Ajahn Chah‘s teachings to this new audience? Senior Western monks knew and lived with Chah for many years. But as the most senior Western Sangha monastic, Ajahn Sumedho, approaches 80 and second senior monastic, Ajahn Khemmadammo, is nearing 70, more authority will be placed in the hands of the second generation of teachers.
During my stay at Wat Pah Nanachat, I was able to travel to Wat Pah Pong and Wat Pu Jawm Gawm with Ajahn Khemmadhammo. He told me and the junior monks present many stories of his early years as a monk living with Ajahn Chah. Ajahn Khemmadhammo makes a point to relive these memories because anyone under 30 years as a monk would not have known Ajahn Chah. He wants to pass on something of Ajahn Chah’s personality and teaching method to this younger generation.
Each of the Western sangha monastics currently teaching take their foundation from Ajahn Chah but emphasize different aspects. Ajahn Sumedho teaches a method of listening to the sound of silence and recognizing intuitive awareness. Ajahn Brahmavamso (although now no longer a part of the Ajahn Chah lineage is still included here as a student of Ajahn Chah) has a method of teaching meditation based on achieving the jhana state in a step-by-step progression. Ajahn Pasanno emphasizes mindfulness of breath, while Ajahn Amaro stresses the inner sound of silence similarly to Ajahn Sumedho. Both Pasanno and Amaro teach at Abhayagiri Monastery so even at the same temple students can receive a range of teachings but still have a broad base to work from. This reflects Ajahn Chah’s teaching style as he did not teach only one idea or method. His Western students have followed this by creating this range of teachings, but at the same time they have found what works for them from experience. They all fit within the umbrella of Ajahn Chah’s teachings but the Western students are developing their own styles and ideas that are resonating with their English-speaking audience.
These teachings to a new audience can be seen in the work of the most senior Western disciple, Ajahn Sumedho. He was the first abbot of Wat Pah Nanachat and the one who led the others in establishing a monastery in England and began teaching the new Western disciples. An illustration of how the teachings needed to be adapted to this audience can be seen in the Ajahn Amaro‘s “Preface,” of the new book he co-authored with Ajahn Pasanno titled The Island. One of the reasons Ajahn Amaro decided to write this book, which is an anthology of quotes from the Pali Cannon about nibbana, was because of something Ajahn Sumedho told him. Ajahn Sumedho noticed that there was a lack of understanding in the Western mind about nibbana since he first began teaching in the West.
Quoting Ajahn Sumedho, Ajahn Amaro writes: “After teaching in the West for a very short period of time, I began to see that many people were disappointed both in materialism and theistic religions. To them Buddhism had great appeal but, lacking any fundamental sense of, or faith in the transcendent, the practice of Buddhism became almost a dry, technical procedure—intellectually satisfying but strangely sterile as well. They had largely rejected the idea of an Ultimate Reality from their thoughts as being intrinsically theistic nonsense so I realized that people needed to be aware that there was also such a principle in the Buddha’s teachings, without there being any hint of a creator God in the picture. In Thailand, because there is already such a broad and strong basis of faith in these transcendent qualities, there is no need to talk about Ultimate Reality, the Unconditioned and so forth—for them it can be a distraction. Here, I saw people needed something to look up to—that’s why I talk about it all the time. It goes a long way to cultivating faith and it gives a much more living and expansive quality to their spiritual life; there is a natural joy when the heart opens to its true nature.” (x).
Thus because of the background of Westerners coming from cultures embedded in Christian faiths, they need a different sort of teaching than people coming from Buddhist countries, such as Thailand. Ideas about ultimate reality and nibbana are just one manifestation of the adaptations that need to be implemented for this convert audience.
Ajahn Sumedho, in a collection of his dhamma talks titled Intuitive Awareness, discusses another aspect of difference between Asian and Western Buddhists. This is the idea of faith, that again is difficult for Westerners to understand because of their background in Christian cultures. Ajahn Sumedho addresses this: “In the Western world we get very complicated because we don’t have a lot of saddha (faith) usually. The asian Buddhists tend to be more culturally attuned to this. They have a lot of faith in Buddha, Dhamma, Sangha, a teacher or something. Most of us came to Buddhism or became samanas (monastics) when were adults- and we’re skeptical.” (46).
The issue of faith and nibbana are just two of the topics that need to be changed for this new Buddhist audience. The Western lineage of Ajahn Chah is a well-known community taking on these issues. They teach meditation and adhere to the forest tradition ways that they learned from Ajahn Chah. But the teachings need to be adapted to the different cultural context. And as the second generation begins to teach, those who learned from Ajahn Sumedho and others and who have not spent much time in Thailand and were not able to meet Ajahn Chah, the teachings will need to be adapted further still.
Comparing Forest Masters’ Techniques and Implications for International Meditators
Ajahn Chah and Luangda Mahabua are two of the most well-known teachers of the forest tradition for Thais and English-speakers alike. They both come from the lineage of Ajahn Man and yet their styles and teachings differ enough to affect lay international meditators who come to their monasteries.
In a recording of a Dhamma Talk on 27/9/09, Ajahn Martin of Wat Pa Baan That says that Mahabua focuses on formal practice. At this wat it is recommended that one does the small tasks needed to keep the monastery functioning quickly and quietly. After this is done one returns to formal practice. This formal practice consists of much walking meditation on one’s individual jongrom path, practicing sitting meditation, and being mindful when doing everything else. Because of this stress on formal meditation practice, Luangda Mahabua’s monastery does not have communal activities such as daily chanting. The only community activity is for the monks to recite the Patimokkha once every fortnight. Mahabua spent many years living with and attending to the founder of the forest tradition, Ajahn Man, and thus his practices come directly from the first generation of forest practice. Many of these masters were hermits, wandering individually or in very small groups. The style of Mahabua and the setup of his monastery shows how he carries this tradition forward, even though he is settled in an established monastery.
Ajahn Chah, in contrast, wanted to develop community in his monasteries and found this was especially important for his Western disciples. Ajahn Pasanno (Co-Abbot of Abhayagiri Monastery), who I spoke with at Wat Pah Nanachat, has also stated that Ajahn Chah felt that face to face communication was very important. The Western sangha continues this through their World Abbots Meeting held every two years. Also in contrast, Ajahn Chah only spent about seven days with Ajahn Man. Although gaining much insight into his teachings and being able to implement them into his own practice, he was not as close to the teachings and personality of Ajahn Man as was Luangda Mahabua. Thus Ajahn Chah does not follow in Man’s footsteps as closely as Mahabua.
Ajahn Chah also stresses meditation and mindfulness in daily life, rather than formal practice, in contrast to Mahabua. My previous post about the ‘style’ of Ajahn Chah describes his chiding of those who think that meditation can only happen on a cushion or on the walking path. For Chah every aspect of monastic life was to be a part of one’s practice.
When practicing in this way one enters a world where the meditator is in battle against the kilesas (anger, hatred, delusion), and where one attempts to get back to the original mind or pure ’citta.’ and move away from the defiled citta that is part of one’s normal experience. For Ajahn Chah discussions of this ’citta’ and getting back to its undefiled state are not predominant but there are some allusions to this in some of his translated dhamma talks. These references are not spelled out and not even labeled as ’citta’ and thus do not constitute a major part of Ajahn Chah’s worldview of meditation as they do with Mahabua.
This can be seen from a quote from Paul Breiter’s Everything Arises, Everything Falls Away. He quotes Ajahn Chah as saying, “We are practicing to reach the mind—the ‘old’ mind. This original mind is unconditioned. In it there is not good or bad, long or short, black or white … The mind in its natural state, the true mind, is something that is stable and undefiled. It is bright and clean. It becomes obscured and defiled because it meets with sense objects and comes under their influence through liking and disliking. It’s not that the mind is inherently defiled, but that it is not yet established in Dharma, so phenomena can stain it” (4-5). Here the mind is being described similarly to how Luangda Mahabua, in his dhamma talks, discusses the pure and defiled citta.
These emphases in each master’s teachings and the way each has established their monasteries affects the experiences of international meditators. Because of Mahabua’s focus on formal practice, a retreat for foreigners at Wat Pah Baan That consists of much solitary meditation in one’s kuti. There are no group activities to attend and no chores assigned except to clean inside and the surrounding areas of one’s kuti. Because Mahabua’s teaching style includes this battle against the kilesas and the defiled citta, the dhamma talks in English by Ajahn Martin contain these same ideas. Meditators are taught about these concepts and how they relate to one’s daily practice.
For Ajahn Chah’s monasteries, however, this tradition of communal activities and mindfulness in daily life, certainly continue at Wat Pah Nanachat. Foreign meditators participate in group chanting, before-meal ceremonies, meditation, question and answer sessions, as well as assist with assigned chores. These organized chores and other activities are part of the meditation practice, as Chah intended. As well, since Chah did not have a meditation ‘method’ but more of a ‘style,’ this is not a formal meditation retreat as one would receive at Wat Pa Baan That. There is no monk assigned to teach the foreigners and there isn’t a predominance of the goal to reach the pure citta that is so prevalent in Mahabua’s and Ajahn Martin’s teachings.
Thus the personalities, backgrounds, and styles of each forest meditation master affect how meditation instruction is presented to lay foreign meditators. The styles of Mahabua and Chah affect the setup of each monastery, the amount of instruction received, the hours available for formal practice and other activities, and one’s integration into daily life at the monastery.
Features of Forest Practice
While interviewing Ajahn Kevali, the current abbot of Wat Pah Nanachat, he offered that the forest tradition is unique in the amount of time spent in walking meditation, the focus on the loathesomeness of the body, and the emphasis on solitary meditation and privacy.
It is a common saying in the forest tradition that when a teacher goes to visit a monastery he first wants to investigate the walking paths of the monks to see if they are well-worn or not. Ajahn Kevali stated that at Wat Pah Nanachat, most of the monks do a lot of walking meditation and only practice sitting meditation when their mind ‘gels’ (reaches a good point of concentration) and wants to settle down. At this wat, most English-speaking lay people who stay there or come to ask about meditation are given a copy of Ajahn Nyanadhammo’s Walking Meditation. This short book is published by Wat Pah Nanachat and is taken from talks at Dhammalok Buddhist Center in 1992 and Bodhinyana Forest Monastery in 2002.
Here Nyanadhammo stresses the importance of walking meditation as many of Buddha’s early disciples attained Enlightenment while practicing in this way. He states that in the forest meditation tradition of Northeast Thailand, great emphasis is placed on walking meditation. There are stories of Ajahns who live on their path and walk over 15 hours a day. He finds that in the West there is not as much emphasis on this practice so he gives talks on walking in order to describe it to English-speakers and recommends it as a complement to sitting practice.
The basic practice is to notice the feeling arising and passing away of the feet while moving. One should walk naturally, either fast or slow depending on the individual, with eyes cast down a meter and a half in front. Before beginning to walk one should compose the body and continue until one develops Samadhi while walking. Walking meditation can help to cultivate tranquility and concentration in everyday life. Nyanadhammo wants to make clear that meditation is not just for when one is seated on cushions but can be used in every aspect of life.
The second feature is a focus on the loathsomeness of the body, or asubha contemplation, and contemplation of death. This can be seen at Wat Pah Nanachat where there are pictures of skeletons in the main sala and at Wat Pah Pu Jawm Gawm, a branch temple of Wat Pah Nanachat, where the monks there recently managed to procure an actual skeleton. This tradition of housing skeletons was also alive during Ajahn Chah’s time at his monastery called Wat Nong Pah Pong.
In Living Dhamma, Ajahn Chah is recorded as saying that “At Wat Nong Pah Pong we have a body which is neither male or female … Some go to Wat Nong Pah Pong, into the main hall, see the skeletons . . . and then come running right out again! They can’t bear to look. They’re afraid, afraid of the skeletons. I figure these people have never seen themselves before. Afraid of the skeletons … they don’t reflect on the great value of a skeleton … They’ve never seen such a thing before. They’re born with it and yet they’ve never seen it. It’s very fortunate that they have a chance to see it now … Maybe they go home and can’t sleep for three or four days … and yet they’re sleeping with a skeleton!” (39-40).
Ajahn Kevali finds that this topic is also not as well-developed in the West and that the laity often do not understand why monks meditate on the body so frequently. Contemplation of skeletons and meditating at cremation grounds are themes far away from lay meditative Buddhism. Ajahn Kevali asserts that in the West if a retreat is offered on this topic then it is a special retreat where only people interested in this sort of meditation would attend. But for the forest tradition this is a core teaching.
At Wat Pah Nanachat they regularly chant “The Reflection on the 32 Parts of the Body” and lay Western people can sometimes find this offensive. Lay people need explanations as to why this practice is so predominant. At Wat Pah Nanachat monks explain that it is because they are trying to resist indulging in sensual desires. Lay people never thought this was part of the meditation tradition but usually they find that this kind of contemplation makes sense for the monks because they are celibate. Thus for forest monks this is a major teaching of the Buddha– it is not just watching the breath or engaging in present-moment awareness but also contemplation of death and the undesirable, ‘true’ nature of the body.
Ajahn Chah discusses this practice in detail in Living Dhamma: “Hair, nails, teeth, skin . . . people are really hooked on these things … They are transient, imperfect and ownerless; they are not ‘me or ‘them’. We are born with and deluded by these things, but really they are foul. Suppose we didn’t bathe for a week, could we bear to be close to each other? We’d really smell bad. When people sweat a lot, such as when a lot of people are working hard together, the smell is awful. We go back home and rub ourselves down with soap and water and the smell abates somewhat, the fragrance of the soap replaces it. . . . but when the smell of the soap is gone the smell of the body comes back again” (41-42).
The third focus of the forest tradition is that this asubha contemplation and walking meditation are done primarily in the privacy of one’s own kuti and walking meditation path. In the forest tradition the emphasis is on individual meditation rather than on group practice. At Wat Pah Nanachat there are some group activities such as chanting followed by periods of walking and sitting meditation. This is designed to bring the community together. But these are not the only times one should be engaged in formal meditation. At Ajahn Chah’s monasteries, for monks meditation is one’s life, one is not on retreat. Ajahn Kevali finds that Westerners are not used to having this private space for their meditation.
These three main features of forest practice can also be seen in the autobiographies of the first and second generation forest masters such as Ajahn Man and Ajahn Kao, and translations of anecdotes about forest tradition lives in Kamala Tiyanavich‘s Forest Recollections. One can read about the early forest masters who wandered alone without group support and found their own secluded caves or cremation grounds to meditate in, their progress in defeating lust through contemplating the loathsomeness of the human body, and their stories of long hours spent on the walking path cultivating Samadhi. That Wat Pah Nanachat and other forest wats continue to focus on these features shows a sense of continuity of this tradition.
Meditation Techniques of the Masters: The ‘Style’ of Ajahn Chah
I was able to talk with Ajahn Pasanno of Abhayagiri Monastery about Ajahn Chah while staying at Wat Pah Nanachat. When I asked him about the meditation method of Ajahn Chah, he corrected me saying that one can more accurately call it the Ajahn Chah ‘style.‘ One can get a sense of this style from the informational brochure of Wat Pah Nanachat: “Ajahn Chah taught in a direct, uncomplicated, and straightforward manner. He taught with charm and humor and was a master at using everyday situations as opportunities for learning. He stressed that mere intellectual knowledge can never bring true happiness. This can only be known through personal experience and transformation, through the insight that arises naturally when the mind is radiant, quiet, and still.”
At Wat Pah Nanachat I received many books featuring collections of teachings of Ajahn Chah such as A Still Forest Pool, A Taste of Freedom, Food for the Heart, Living Dhamma, Bodhinyana, and An Unshakeable Peace. From these books as well as the more recent collection from Paul Breiter called Everything Arises, Everything Falls Away, and the writings of his Western disciples collected in a volume called Seeing the Way, I have compiled the major points of Ajahn Chah’s style into six categories: directness, self-reliance, naturalness, no method, practicing in daily life, and minimal meditation instruction.
Directness In Seeing the Way, Ven. Jayasaro is recorded as describing the directness of Chah’s method of teaching. Luang Por Chah’s “method of training was one of pointing directly at the way our minds work. He was always showing us how craving gives rise to suffering—actually allowing us to see directly the Four Noble Truths. And for him, the way of exposing desires was to frustrate them. In his vocabulary, the words ‘to teach’ and ‘to torment’ were more or less interchangeable” (189). Thus this directness is recorded by some of Ajahn Chah’s disciples as an effective but sometimes irritating way of teaching. Chah is recorded as continuously frustrating his students in order to get them to understand their own minds and attachments.
Paul Breiter and Jack Kornfield write in A Still Forest Pool that Chah’s “mastery is to use the ascetic discipline to allow monks to confront and work directly with their own problems of greed or judgment, hatred, or ignorance. And his teachings always turn the monks back to their own minds” (126). The discipline of the monastic life and living in the forest gives way to exposing monks’ clingings. And if the monks couldn’t see their attachments themselves, Chah would be the one to do the exposing for them.
Paul Breiter gives an example of this directness that could sometimes be harsh but helpful to Chah’s disciples. Breiter tells of a time when Chah discussed anatta with a former nun at the Hampstead Vihara in London in 1979. She gave a long, complicated explanation of her understanding of this doctrine of no-self and after the translation he informed her she was very ignorant. But the woman did not feel denigrated, rather she saw Chah’s loving kindness and traveled to Thailand to take ordination under him (85).
Self-Reliance Along with the directness of pointing out his students’ faults, Chah also expected his disciples to be self-reliant in their monastic lives. Paul Breiter quotes Chah as saying “It’s up to each individual to follow the correct path. We can take others as good examples, but we have to look deeper within ourselves in order to eradicate the doubts” (52), and that Chah “would put the responsibility for their spiritual path back in their hands and allow them the freedom to discover the truth for themselves” (108). Thus for Chah it was up to each individual to find his or her own path. Chah guides his disciples with his direct talk about their attachments, but ultimately the individuals makes these changes in themselves.
In the collection of Dhamma talks, Food for the Heart, Chah is quoted as reasoning that “That’s why this year I’ve distanced myself from my disciples, both old and new, and not given much teaching: so that you can all look into things for yourselves as much as possible” (209). Sometimes his teaching got in the way of students learning for themselves. He sometimes saw people idolizing him and following him when they should have been following their own minds.
Naturalness Chah’s stress on naturalness shows that he was a teacher not just to monks but also to laymen. In Living Dhamma, Chah says “If you really understand the practice of Dhamma then no matter what position or profession you hold in life, be it a teacher, doctor, civil servant or whatever, you can practice the Dhamma every minute of the day. To think you can’t practice as a layman is to lose track of the path completely” (111).
This naturalness is also seen in the way Chah ran his monastery and trained his monks. Ajahn Jayasaro writes that “Primarily he would teach about letting go … He continually changed routines around in the monastery so you wouldn’t become stuck in ruts. As a result you kept finding yourself not quite knowing where you stood” (189). Through these constant changes letting go of one’s own ideas and attachments is emphasized. One should then submit to the ways of the monastery and the guidelines of the teacher.
In A Still Forest Pool, Chah advises: “Don’t make vows just let it be natural and soon you will find you can sit a long time” (96). This is another aspect of ‘naturalness,’ where one doesn’t try to conduct formal meditation for a set period of time. Chah has found this formality doesn’t work; but instead if one follows one’s natural inclinations at the moment the path is much smoother. Chah also recommends to his monks in Bodhinyana to “Walk and eat naturally. And then develop natural mindfulness of what is going on within yourself. Don’t force your meditation nor force yourself into awkward patterns . . . If you act naturally and are mindful, wisdom will come naturally too” (184-5).
Naturalness and letting go are also seen in Chah‘s negative opinion of scholarship and academic pursuits. In Unshakeable Peace, he writes that “Scholars, however, tend to get confused a lot. For example, when they sit in meditation as soon as their minds experience a teeny bit of tranquility they start to think, ‘Hey, this must be first jhana.’ Then the tranquility is lost. One cant speculate about it, but should abandon thinking and speculation” (35-36). Thus, he felt, scholars do not demonstrate the naturalness necessary for progression. He saw them to be too fixed on ideas and clinging to preconceived thoughts rather than on the naturalness of their meditative experiences.
No Method Many meditation masters have a specific meditation method or technique that they teach in a series of steps. Ajahn Chah had no such method, but instead, as seen, he focused on teaching with directness, advising naturalness, and being self-reliant. In A Still Forest Pool, Chah says that “We must see all the causes of suffering – this is the true Dharma, the 4 Noble Truths, not any specific method of meditation” (127). Chah emphasizes the basics as the true path, and meditation methods as deviating from this somewhat. He found that meditation retreats could have some benefit but that it is difficult for this to carry over into one’s daily life. In A Still Forest Pool, Chah stresses that the value of silent meditation retreats depends on the individual. “You must learn to practice in all kinds of situations, both in the market-place and when you’re really alone” (153).
In Chah’s monastery, unlike at meditation retreat centers, there are no daily interviews. In A Still Forest Pool, he advises students to interview themselves – listen to dhamma talks and compare the teachings with their own practice – do self-examination – understand the process of doubt in mind – if one asks every question one has, one won’t understand this. Chah recommends that as long as one is mindful, all meditation methods are the same because in the end one must let go of all systems.
Practicing in Daily Life Following along with this de-emphasis on retreats, Chah instead recommended to practice in daily life. In Living Dhamma he states that “Most people still don’t know the essence of meditation practice. They think that walking meditation, sitting meditation and listening to Dhamma talks are the practice. That’s true too, but these are only the outer forms of practice. The real practice takes place when the mind encounters a sense object. That’s the place to practice, where sense contact occurs” (107). And this sense contact occurs in daily life. Because for him there is no separation between daily life and meditation practice, all of life becomes the practice.
Ven. Viradhammo, in Seeing the Way, relates this aspect of Chah’s teachings: “What is needed in mindfulness practice, he taught, is a constant awareness of what one is thinking, doing or saying. It is not a matter of being on retreat or off retreat, or of being in a monastery or out wandering on tudong; it’s a matter of constancy” (191). Ajahn Sumedho comments in the same book on this topic. Sumedho describes how he told Ajahn Chah that he couldn’t meditate because the daily life routine was too busy. “I was seeing meditation as this very special experience that I’d had and quite enjoyed and then Luang Por Chah was obviously pointing to the ordinariness of daily life, the getting up, the alms-rounds, the routine work, the chores, the whole thing was for mindfulness” (107).
Minimal Meditation Instructions But Chah did give some meditation instructions to start people off. He advises in Living Dhamma to take a few deep breaths and then establish the attention on the breath, using the mantra word ‘Bud-dho.’ “Make this practice continual. . . When you start to feel fatigued then bring all your thinking to a halt, let the mind gather itself together and then turn to knowing the breath” (59).
In the ‘Introduction’ to A Still Forest Pool Kornfield and Breiter say that Chah’s instructions are simple and rational: just sit and watch the breath, walk and notice the body. After one has done this for a while, Chah then advised to examine one’s heart and mind to see nature and characteristics (76). Chah advised to sit erect, legs crossed, head straight and still, concentrate one’s mind on the breath in an easy way at the nostrils. In walking meditation Chah recommended to walk for hours and stop if the mind wanders, walk at a normal pace with mindfulness and change positions with mindfulness (78).
Chah summed up these instructions in Bodhinyana: “The method which is most useful and which can be practiced by all types of people is known as ‘mindfulness of breathing.’ … In this monastery we concentrate our attention on the tip of the nose and develop awareness of the in – and out -breaths with the mantra word ‘Bud-dho.’ If the meditator wishes to use another word, or simply be mindful of the air moving in and out , this is also fine. Adjust the practice to suit yourself. While doing walking meditation we try to be constantly mindful of the sensation of the feet touching the ground. This practice of meditation must be pursued as continuously as possible in order for it to bear fruit” (7-8).
All of these factors of Chah’s ‘style’ work together to create his unique personality as a teacher. Naturalness together with having no distinct meditation method carry over into Chah’s emphasis on meditation in daily life. And Chah’s minimal meditation instructions show his focus on directness and his wish for his disciples to be self-reliant. As can be seen from reading the memories of his disciples and his own transcribed Dhamma talks, Chah was a unique teacher with a style all his own.
Monastic Etiquette for Monks at Wat Pah Nanachat
In the library of the women’s section just outside my kuti at Wat Pah Nanachat I was able find a unique book called “Korwat: Monastic Etiquette at Wat Pah Nanachat,” written by The Sangha, of Wat Pah Nanachat. This book is really a manual for monastic life at the International Forest Monastery. It contains detailed instructions for participation in the very structured life at this wat; everything from basic kuti care to how to greet a large merit-making tour bus full of Thai laity, to how to clean monastic robes if one has had a nocturnal emission.
The table of contents lists further topics such as robes and alms bowl care, sala set-up and other chores, how to conduct alms round, the meal and afternoon drink, hospitality toward ordained and lays, pujas, dhamma talks, gestures of respect, how to maintain the sewing kuti, dyeing shed, office and library, caring for sick monks, and the benefits of assisting senior monks called ‘upatakhing.’ After all this information is a translated dhamma talk about korwat by Ajahn Chah, and other forest masters’ sayings about the importance of korwat.
Indeed, this manual argues for the significance of maintaining proper korwat and lists many of its benefits. The introduction links precise korwat to successful forest monasteries and students. The sangha of Wat Pah Nanachat wants new monks to remember that for academic people, the korwat helps one get out of one’s head and into the body, and it offers a way to get to know oneself better by showing one’s weaknesses. The sangha has found that intelligent people often find ways of avoiding korwat thinking “Isan boys need these guidelines but educated individuals can make our own choices” (16). This manual hopes to combat this thinking by showing the benefits of maintaining proper korwat.
As this manual is intended for the English-speaking monks of the International Forest Monastery, it also discusses the need to uphold korwat outside of Thailand. It is stressed that one can adapt minor regulations but it is not necessary to make drastic changes. One practicing proper monastic etiquette demonstrates to family and friends how someone dedicated toward attaining Enlightenment behaves. The emphasis here is not on resistance but on behaving properly because these are the guidelines set forth by one‘s teacher. One should submit instead of using one‘s intellect. Indeed the manual states: “Don’t insist on doing things [your] way. Respect the way other people around you are doing things and adjust with flexibility. This leads to harmony” (111).
At first this may seem at odds with the English-speaking Buddhist mantra of the Kalama Sutta to ’come and see,’ to question and realize the truth of the teachings on one’s own. However, this manual is intended for those who have already committed, have already seen some of this truth and want to continue further on the path. This path of the forest tradition includes submitting to one’s teacher and noticing one’s defilements along the way.
Through practicing korwat the emphasis is on behaving mindfully and respectfully with cleanliness and harmony. One should be mindful in everything one does, from assisting a senior monk in all his needs, to maintaining the altar in one’s kuti, to traveling with one’s alms bowl on an airplane. One acts with respect for the hierarchy of the monastic tradition when one does all the teacher asks rather than questioning and coming up with one’s own ideas. Respect is also shown through proper greetings of monastic and laity. The manual details how to greet senior monks, forest monks, city monks, mae chiis and bhikkhunis. Cleanliness shows one’s care of the monastery and Buddhist tradition as it gives a good impression to the laity to the extent that it can even inspire religious emotion. Apparently a common saying in the forest tradition is that if you want to become familiar with the standard of practice of monks at a wat then look at their toilets (135). Harmony is shown through noticing what others are doing, helping out, and working together to dye the monastic robes or sweep the sala.
In this manual there are also some interesting details about Buddhist cosmology, especially concerning proper behavior toward devas. It is advised to enter one’s kuti unhurriedly so as not to disturb the non-human beings (23). It is advised to keep one’s altar clean as devas approach it from behind. And when discussing nakedness, the manual advises monks to remember that there are devas watching (64). If one is staying in the wilderness one should ask the devas’ permission and state one’s intention as devas should be treated with respect. It is asserted here that devas know the dhamma and are interested in well-behaved monks; they watch monks on the walking path and are offended by ill behavior. One should also ask permission from them before urinating in the forest. And one should share merit with the devas as this will support one‘s practice. All of this shows how the belief and presence of devas as seen in the first-generation of forest masters in their autobiographies is alive and well among the Western sangha. The devas are not psychologized as a state of mind but a realm of existence that matters for Buddhist monastic practice. Thus not all English-speaking sanghas have reinterpreted the more metaphysical aspects of Buddhism to a great degree.
After all these instructions, the reader is further encouraged to see the benefits of the korwat through a dhamma talk by Ajahn Chah. It is stated in the introduction of this talk that the meditation teachings of Ajahn Chah are cherished yet infrequent as most of his instruction was actually focused on korwat. He used korwat to get his monastics back on the path of diligence, especially when novices and temporary monks stopped caring about proper monastic behavior. Chah argues that there is a link between pleasant dwellings and meditation practice as “Keeping things clean is part of proclaiming Buddhism” (151). But, he laments, monks are too busy looking for nibbana to clean the toilets (152). Thus this manual of Wat Pah Nanachat seems to be a response to Ajahn Chah’s concerns. The manual makes the aspects of the korwat Chah criticized his monks of transgressing impeccably clear for the Western monks at Wat Pah Nanachat. Chah strongly suggests his monks to discuss their alms routes and what time they should leave. The monks of Wat Pah Nanachat have gone one step further than this with maps of alms routes, timetables, and names all listed on the white board in the main sala. Thus the Western sangha took Ajahn Chah’s emphasis on korwat seriously and came up with detailed ways of enacting this in their community.
Tales of a Globalized Buddhism
At Wat Pah Nanachat, the idea of a ‘Global Buddhism’ is quite apparent. This International Forest Monastery was created with the intention of having international residents be able to ordain and live in a monastery in Thailand with the benefit of an English-speaking community. Seeing the Western monks it is clear that Buddhism has made its way West and subsequently lured interested English-speakers to learn in the East. But what about the other way around? Now that one can find avenues for Buddhist practices in Western countries, Asian Buddhists are finding a deepening of their practice while living abroad that they didn’t think to look for in their home countries. Wat Pah Nanachat is, again, a great place to look for such stories.
The first tale of Global Buddhism I learned during my retreat at Wat Pah Nanachat. I was able to spend time with a Thai mae chii, who was ordained in England, at the Forest Hermitage under Ajahn Khemmadhammo, senior monk of the Western Sangha lineage of Ajahn Chah. Mae Chii came to Wat Pah Nanachat in early December in order to see her teacher, who was attending the World Abbots Meeting.
Before ordaining, Mae Chii was completing a PhD in Economics at Warwick University in England. When Ajahn Khemmadhammo came to speak to the university students, this was her first contact with him. She didn’t think that much about it until she attended a retreat in Thailand in a similar style to that of Mahasi Sayadaw and this changed her life. She started to become more involved with Buddhist activities at the university and bought a car so she could travel to attend any events. On her first tour of the Forest Hermitage, Ajahn Khemmadhammo pointed out to her a picture of Ajahn Chah. “Who is Ajahn Chah?” Mae Chii responded. She therefore had much to learn about the forest tradition of Thailand, not having been exposed to this while growing up. Eventually she found attaining a PhD and her goal of being a lecturer at a university to be less worthwhile than she had imagined. She stopped working on her dissertation and moved into the Forest Hermitage, eventually ordaining.
Because of visa problems in England, Mae Chii was forced to return to Thailand. This was her first time living as an ordained person in her country. She found it interesting to travel to various Ajahn Chah branch monasteries and learn about Buddhism in Thailand.
There is also a tale of Global Buddhism from one of the Thai monks at Wat Pah Nanachat. Thai monks can stay at this wat if they know English so the Thai monks that stay here tend to have traveled or lived abroad. In the article No Thai, No Farang, Tan Dhira explains how he first began to think seriously about ordaining through his interactions with the Western sangha of Ajahn Chah while training to be a doctor in America.
He recounts a story from this period: “When the doctor found out that I came from Thailand, he had a broad smile and asked me, “so you’re from Thailand, are you? What is Nirvana?” I was shocked. I did not expect this kind of question in the West. I don’t remember what I answered but it made me think hard. I had gone all the way to America in search of knowledge, but I wondered if what I was looking for was in my own country.”
Tan Dhira started to attend weekly potluck and meditation sessions of the Thai community in his area. Through this he heard about a retreat Ajahn Jayasaro would be holding and decided to attend. This was his life-changing experience. While attending morning and evening chanting he remembered learning to chant from his grandmother as a child. But during the retreat he learned the meaning of the chantings, and was able to listen to the wisdom of Ajahn Jayasaro during daily question and answer sessions. Tan Dhira felt a close connection with Ajahn Jayasaro, something he had not yet experienced in Thailand.
Thus both Mae Chii and Tan Dhira discovered their intention to ordain while living in England and America, respectively. They were on paths to become doctors and professors but the connection with the dhamma in the West, reminded them of their past as well as sparked something new.
Meditation Retreat Rundown: Wat Pah Nanachat
“You go to airport?” the taxi driver called out to me when I left my hotel in Ubon Ratchathani city. When I didn’t respond, I heard “Oh, you go to Wat Pah Nanachat.” At this I smiled, taxi drivers know this place as the second option for foreign visitors to their town. Sure I was wearing white and holding a map of Wat Pah Nanachat in my hand—they still knew the monastery without any further description.
When I arrived at Wat Pah Nanachat, I wasn’t sure whether the World Abbots Meeting would still be happening, but when I saw dozens of laypeople preparing massive amounts of food, I was assured that it was. A samaneen (novice monk) from New Zealand told me “things are a bit chaotic right now,” and advised me to have a look around before the meal as it wasn’t necessary for me to pitch in. There was a festive mood with children running around taking pictures of the foreign monks and I was excited to be staying at the wat during this historic meeting. It was good for my research that so many abbots of the Ajahn Chah lineage were there, however, the drawbacks were that many of them just came for the meeting and did not engage with the laity and the wat’s routine practice schedule was suspended. There were fewer group practice times than usual but I did get to speak to some of the abbots from England and America, and of course, ones who live in Thailand.
The material on Wat Pah Nanachat’s website and brochure make it clear that this monastery does not host meditation retreats. Laypeople are welcome to come and participate in the daily life of the monastery but they should have their own meditation practice and be self-reliant. There are opportunities for group practice and speaking with senior monks but most of the time is spent doing one’s own practice without instruction. Thus for my research, I wanted to find out how the teachings of Ajahn Chah were evident for English-speaking lay visitors. How do those who stay here learn about Ajahn Chah and his meditation technique if there are no formal teachings? I quickly realized that Ajahn Chah did not have a specific meditation method, but that his teachings were embedded within the daily life of the monastery. He deemphasized formal practice and instead placed attention on mindfulness of daily life within the rules of the monastery and being a forest monk.
Much of this initial understanding of Wat Pah Nanachat and its relation to Ajahn Chah I learned from an interview with former Guest Monk (the monk assigned to greet and orient lay visitors), Phra Cittikuto. Cittikuto now lives in Fang at a branch temple of Wat Pah Pong but he lived at Wat Pah Nanachat for almost 4 years. He stated that the focus here is on the korwat, or monastic etiquette, and this is what Chah was famous for. Formal sitting is needed too but knowing and enacting the framework and guidelines of the korwat, even for layeople, is very helpful. Chah focused on daily life and integration of korwat with formal practice.
When I asked about meditators who don’t want to participate in Buddhism as a ‘religion,’ Cittikuto recalled that foreigners sometimes arrive who refuse to bow to the Buddha statue. In response to this, the policy at Wat Pah Nanachat is that if the lay guests don’t want to participate fully and don’t fit in, then they can leave. They observe the new guest for three days to see if they are becoming members of the community. Because there is no charge to stay here, Wat Pah Nanachat feels comfortable asking visitors to follow the lifestyle. Therefore Wat Pah Nanachat mostly attracts serious practitioners.
Thus because this is not a retreat but instead the focus is on daily monastic life, for lay people, Wat Pah Nanachat represents a more full integration into Thai Buddhism as one participates in temple life similar to the foreign monks. Because Chah emphasized wat life as part of meditation, lay guests participate in monastic life through doing chores such as cleaning kutis, sweeping the grounds, cleaning bathrooms, helping out in the kitchen, cleaning up after the meal, and assisting on almsround. Thus in contrast to meditation retreat wats, there is no separation of Thai and foreign visitors. Both groups have the same orientation and are assigned the same tasks. Therefore, because this is a wat with foreign monks and with an emphasis on the benefit of monastic life, foreign visitors are integrated into temple life unlike the separation seen between these groups at international meditation centers.
The lay meditator’s experiences at this monastery more specifically, however, depend on gender. I experienced daily life within the lay women’s section and have talked with some lay men about their experience. From what I heard and observed, it seems that the men’s side is more structured in terms of specific assigned chores. The lives of the monastics at this wat are highly organized and much of this organization is centralized on the ‘white board’ located at the back of the main sala. The white board contains information on the day’s activities, lists of chores for laymen, monks, samaneen (novices), and pakhows (pre-novices). There is also a map of all the almsround routes with the names of which monks are going where and at what time they should leave.
The laywomen don’t have anything like this, mostly because there is no resident lay-woman. There is no nuns’ community at this monastery and women are only allowed to stay for a maximum of 3 months. This is because Wat Pah Nanachat was set up as a training monastery for Western monks. Ajahn Chah felt that having a nuns’ community would overwhelm the new monks. Thus the laywomen act as a group to do their chores of cleaning the female public restrooms, sweeping around the female section, helping to prepare the meal and cleaning the kitchen after the meal is over. While I was there, there were also other activities the laywomen did together such as making freshly squeezed orange juice for the international abbots. For me being able to help out in the maintenance of the wat and in the kitchen was a new experience. At meditation centers the mae chiis take care of this along with some Thai laywomen and foreigners are usually not called upon to participate.
There was only one occasion when I observed a separation of the two communities. This was apparent during wan phra dhamma talks given in separate locations for Thai-speakers and English-speakers. But it was not only the language that was different but the content also, showing the perceived interests of each group. On the evening of wan phra when I was there, I was able to attend parts of both talks. I first listened to the dhamma talk in Thai by Canadian monk Ajahn Tiradhammo. He gave a talk in simple Thai about his experiences teaching about Buddhism to both Thai and English-speaking audiences in Thailand, Switzerland, and New Zealand. He emphasized that Thai Buddhists enjoy making merit but English-speakers just want to meditate. He talked about the differences of these communities but stressed that both groups in the end have suffering and can use Buddhism as a way to escape this.
After this talk ended, the Question and Answer dhamma talk for English-speakers was still in progress. A visiting German monk answered questions about meditation from junior monks, samaneens and lay people. Each lay person I spoke to after this wan phra night told me how extraordinary that talk was for their practice. The monk asked for any questions anyone might have about Buddhism but it turned out that people only asked about meditation. Many of these laypeople had not heard such straight talk about meditation practice that was clearly based on experience. I think this shows the differences in the two communities Ajahn Tiradhammo was discussing. The English-speakers got their questions answered about meditation while Thai-speakers heard a light talk about Ajahn Tiradhammo’s experiences with different Buddhist communities. Of course this is just one wan phra evening at Wat Pah Nanachat but I think this still speaks to the differences of these communities even when they are integrated at a monastery like this.
After wan phra, many of the international abbots left Wat Pah Nanachat to go back to their respective monasteries. But before they left, I was able to speak with the co-abbots of Abhayagiri Monastery in California, USA, Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Amaro. Ajahn Pasanno emphasized that there is no such thing as an Ajahn Chah ‘method of meditation.’ Instead he would call it an ‘Ajahn Chah style.’ This style seeps in through this wat based on how it is structured and managed, and how Wat Pah Nanachat is strict on vinaya, cleanliness, and community. The other aspect of this style is adaptation to whatever meditation technique works for the individual. Ajahn Pasanno told the story of when Ajahn Sumedho first met Ajahn Chah he wondered what meditation method he would make him practice. But surprisingly Chah advised to keep doing what had been working for him. Ajahn Pasanno also recounted how Ajahn Chah taught one Western monk who couldn’t concentrate to follow the light of the incense candle— he was this flexible. Ajahn Amaro lived at Wat Pah Nanachat in the late 70s, arriving as a lay meditator and eventually becoming a monk. He stayed for about 3 years and spent the next 30 in England and America, coming back to Wat Pah Nanachat about 5 times during these 30 years. Amaro finds that in Wat Pah Nanachat the teaching is in the monastic life, in living out the routine and not so much in formal sitting.
Next I met with the current abbot of Wat Pah Nanachat, Ajahn Kevali. He emphasized that there are opportunities to develop one’s practice here especially through the structure of daily life at the wat. One has the opportunity to practice in every posture and can use worldly activities, such as work and chores. But if lay foreign meditators have problems with meditation they can seek advice from a senior monk. The forest tradition doesn’t have a systematic approach toward meditation techniques but these monks can advise from their own experience. Otherwise lay meditators can take advantage of the weekly question and answer dhamma talks and other frequent talks by the abbot. But lay foreign meditators don’t only learn about meditation, but also have opportunities to learn much about Thai Buddhism. Through the examples of monks and Thai lay people, international visitors learn basic values of Thai people such as generosity, friendliness, and community— not just a meditation technique.
Ajahn Kevali stressed that Wat Pah Nanachat is the middle way between Western and Thai cultures. He sees it as a stepping-stone so one doesn’t have to throw oneself into an alien culture. The foreign monks have much contact and exchanges with Thai branch monasteries of the Ajahn Chah lineage, where Western monks usually spend a year without any English. The Western monks are encouraged to study Thai because it makes it easier to get acclimated and helps to gain access to teachings directly. Some monks come to Wat Pah Nanachat and then go back to their home countries in the West but the intention here is to stay for five years. Wat Pah Nanachat is also a stepping-stone to Thai Buddhism for lay meditators. As soon as this wat was established, it also attracted English-speaking meditators. Because many of these early lay meditators didn’t have the language skills to go to the Thai monasteries to learn about meditation and the monastic life, they first came to this international forest monastery.
Because of this focus on monastic life instead of formal meditation practice, some lay meditators may wish for a more structured setting. However, this is the lineage of Ajahn Chah and the focus here is on being self-reliant, and as stated above, there are opportunities to develop one’s practice here. Wat Pah Nanachat is the place where future abbots of international Chah monasteries are trained, but it is also where Western Chah lineage holders got their start in meditation. Wat Pah Nanachat therefore is a training ground for future meditation teachers as well. If a Chah monastery is going to survive in a Western country, the monastics in charge should be able to instruct in meditation. Ajahn Brahmavamso (trained under Chah but has been excommunicated from the lineage recently) as well as senior monk Ajahn Sumedho have meditation guidebooks published. Many of the other abbots have published dhamma talks and have audio talks available about meditation instruction as well. Thus monastic forms and formal meditation practice are vital in spreading this tradition to the West.
The most interesting aspects of Wat Pah Nanachat for my research are the differences with other meditation options for lay foreign meditators. Here meditators are more fully integrated within the monastic lifestyle and thus Thai Buddhism as they participate in activities with Thai laypeople and foreign monks. I posted previously about a thesis by Noah Last, who claimed that Wat Pah Nanachat represented a separationist model because their community is separate from Thai Buddhist monastic circles. I agree but would like to temper this with Ajahn Kevali’s sentiments that Wat Pah Nanachat is a stepping-stone for foreign monks to become more fully a part of Thai monasticism. As well from the lay perspective, lay meditators are more integrated into the daily life of this wat than at international meditation centers.
Research on The Integration of Foreign Monks into Thai Buddhism
I received a great thesis (Last, Noah. “Buddhism and Culture: When Western Theravada Monks Encounter Thai Monasticism.” Capstone Thesis. University of Massachusetts, Amherst. June, 2008.) in the mail from Ajahn Dick Silaratano of Wat Tam Daaw in Udon Thani. When I mentioned my project to Ajahn Dick and the other meditators at this wat they right away said that I had to read this thesis. Noah Last did research in the Northeast, at Wat Pa Baan That, Wat Pa Nanachat, and talked to Ajahn Dick as a source for his project as well. Thus the residents of Wat Tam Daaw were a part of the research, had read the outcome and recommended it highly.
And I agreed. I have written a similar piece looking at integration of foreign monks. Here I analyze this issue using memoir as the main source and the ideas of ‘modern’ Buddhism to describe the preconceptions Westerners have of Buddhism before coming to Thailand and how this affects the ways they are able to integrate. Last uses interviews as his main source and his theoretical framework is a social scientific model of integration developed by a scholar named John Berry. Based on this model, Last offers examples of monks who fit the characteristics of integrationists, resisters, and separationists. Western monks are placed into these categories based on their reactions to three important aspects of Thai culture: hierarchy, indirectness, and non-confrontation.
These are his axes rather than ideas of ‘original’ Buddhism and Orientalist leanings I uncovered in my investigation of integration. However, Last does reinforce my ideas as he writes: “Western monks are usually intensely committed to what we might call ‘meditative’ cultures– predicated on Buddhist texts and a teacher’s teachings— that represent ideals for the Buddhist practitioner. This final cultural layer can often conflict in significant ways with mainstream and monastic cultural practices and values” (p. 25).
This thesis is broken up into three case studies of different integration strategies. The first example is of the well-known American monk Thanissaro Bhikkhu (Ajahn Geoff) of the Metta Forest Monastery outside of San Diego, CA. He represents the ‘integrationist’ part of the model as he felt value in adapting to Thai cultural values such as the three axes of hierarchy, non-confrontation, and indirectness. He finds that these increase his practice and lead towards his goals of liberation. Phra Jonah is the example of resistance. Although he knows Thai language and culture, he does not adapt to it but maintains his own ideas of hierarchy and confrontation. The third example is Wat Pah Nanachat representing the separation aspect of Berry’s model of integration. Through the availability of English-speaking teachers and Buddhist materials, this monastery makes it possible to not integrate fully into Thai culture or learn Thai language.
For my research, the two themes that this thesis brought out for me was the changes from first to second generation English-speakers and Last’s focus on reinterpretation. These two themes are especially evident in the chapters on Ajahn Geoff and Wat Pah Nanachat. Last relates the history of Wat Pah Nanachat and Ajahn Chah’s thinking about his Western disciples. At first Ajahn Chah wanted his Western disciples to integrate into their Thai monastic context. Even after he established the separate community at Wat Pa Nanachat, he still compelled his Western disciples to live in branch monasteries with predominantly Thai monks. It was only after Ajahn Chah died that there became the option for Western monks to fully separate and not have to integrate, or move around to other monasteries. When monasteries were established abroad and Western disciples were authorized to teach and manage themselves, this made the need for integration even less. This shows the need for the first generation to learn from the Asian teacher and once the dhamma is translated for the second generation, the need for integration becomes less.
Last writes, “Monks who ordain at Wat Pa Nanachat generally do not ordain to learn a language or culture but rather to practice Buddhism. In the early days, before a Western monk could practice Buddhism, he had to integrate into Thai culture in many respects . . . But today, Wat Pa Nanachat monks have the resources to practice Buddhism without having to learn the Thai language and culture” (p. 110). But Ajahn Geoff’s example demonstrates the feelings of the first generation of Western disciples. Thus one could say that Ajahn Geoff integrated because he was first generation and Wat Pa Nanachat became separate as they developed into a second generation through Ajahn Chah’s wish to spread dhamma abroad and have Westerners be able to teach other Westerners.
The second theme most interesting for me is the ideas of reinterpretation one can see within Wat Pah Nanachat, and again, having the example of Ajahn Geoff as a counter to this. Last contrasts Thai cultural values of hierarchy, indirectness and non-confrontation with Wat Pah Nanachat’s emphases on democracy, directness, and Western-style conflict resolution.
This quote from Than Cittapacina of Wat Pah Nanachat, details the focus on democracy: “Westerners . . .tend to come from an egalitarian viewpoint. So there tends to be at least more of an attempt to have a group process [at Wat Pa Nanachat] . . . There’s a lot of discussing and explaining with Westerners.” (p, 94). The emphasis on democratic processes can also be seen in the leadership roles at Wat Pa Nanachat. Unlike in Thai monasteries, the abbotship is not a permanent position but rotates every five or so years. Than Cittapacina sees that Westerners ordain at Wat Pa Nanachat for this feeling of community and freedom of choice in their own actions. (p. 96).
Another reinterpretation has to do with hierarchy and Western monks favoring of self-authority rather than that of a specific teacher. Last quotes Than Cittapacina: “But such trust in exclusively one or even a few teachers tends to be difficult for Westerners . . . are much more apt to read the suttas and compare them with the teachings of contemporary teachers, compare contemporary teachers with one another, and even compare different Buddhist traditions with one another.” (p. 97). Therefore Westerners tend to rely on self-authority rather than following one teacher without question. This is contrasted with the example of Than Geoff who also had difficulty at first serving his teacher, Ajahn Fuang. However, he found eventually that this brought further dimensions to his practice as he learned to serve his teacher in the Thai way.
These Western values of monastery management do not just remain in Thailand but carry over into Ajahn Chah’s branch monasteries abroad. “Western Buddhists have had to decide which aspects of Buddhisms’ expressions in Asia should be retained in the West and which should be discarded in favor of more Western-friendly forms. These decisions have deeply informed the nature of the Buddhisms and Buddhists that have developed in the West” (p. 114). By teaching Buddhism, Western monks are involved in this process. An example of this is Ajahn Sumedho’s reinterpretation of the Thai Forest Tradition to become more characteristically aligned with Western democracy— this move away from hierarchy has “been a deliberate development on the part of Ajahn Sumedho and others, who have seen such hierarchy as incompatible with and inappropriate for Buddhism in a Western context.” (p. 115).
But not all Western monks favor the style of Wat Pah Nanachat and the monks of the Ajahn Chah lineage. Ajahn Martin, of Wat Pa Baan That and a student of Luangda Mahabua has said in one of his dhamma talks I attended that he did not like the focus on group conflict-resolution when he stayed at Amaravati. He favors his teacher’s advice to fix the problem in yourself—there is no reason to talk with others to resolve an issue. Ajahn Geoff takes a different approach in contrast to the directness of the structure at Wat Pah Nanachat. There they have detailed manuals of all procedures of the wat. But Ajahn Geoff refuses to create manuals of how to act in his monastery because then the residents would miss an opportunity to gain mindfulness by observing.
Thus there are some important ideas in this thesis and some quality research. I feel fortunate that Ajahn Dick was able to send me a copy. Although we have different methods and entry points, Last and I are both looking at issues of integration, reinterpretation, and the cultural flows of ideas about Buddhism from West to East and back again.
Taking Buddhist Tourism to a New Level: The Monk for a Month Program in Chiangmai
In Joe Cummings’ Meditation Temples in Thailand: A Guide he describes the situation regarding English-speakers in connection with meditation and ordination at the famous Bangkok royal temple, Wat Bowonniwet. He states that this temple used to have meditation instructions for English-speakers until the 1980s when backpackers began to behave inappropriately, even sleeping on the temple grounds. At this time also the wat made a rule that foreigners would be expected to make a long-term commitment to the monastic life and would prove this by living as a novice for at least a year. Thai men who want to ordain are a different situation because it is a socio-cultural duty for them—so they can still ordain without commitment and for a short period of time. This is the case at Wat Pah Nanachat also where foreign monks must show their commitment before being allowed to ordain as a full monk.
A new program called Monk for a Month has brought a solution to any foreigners wishing to ordain for a short period but not finding temples willing to do this. Foreigners to Thailand also might feel that it is difficult to ordain because they do not know the customs or the language—Monk for a Month solves this problem as well by explaining everything in English. But there is another difference between this program and ordaining at any Thai wat: participants are required to pay for these services. Because of this, the reactions to this program have not all been positive. Here is a summary of discussions on the internet:
On the website Dhamma Wheel the discussion surrounding this program is mostly positive. Most respondents find this a great opportunity, way to spread Buddhism and also cheap. They say that they would spend the fee for the program anyway as donation, so being required to offer that amount is not a problem. But there are also those who comment that Buddhist teachings should be freely given.
There is also an article from the Global Post explaining about the program, the founder and his motivations. The author discusses the criticisms and provides a balanced perspective on the mixing of religion and capitalism.
On the Thai Visa site there is another discussion debating the merits or demerits of such a program. The teacher of the program, is on hand to give his perspective. He feels that foreigners want to understand what is going on within the Buddhist culture of Thailand and Thai monks are too busy or don’t have the capacity to explain. The founder of the program, Bowler, thus advertizes that he can offer English-language guidance in a world most tourists would never get to experience.
The Facebook page of Monk for a Month has been very popular with close to 10,000 fans. This page displays many positive comments from past participants and questions answered by both founder, Ben Bowler, and Dhamma Instructor, Fred Blandford.
The Monk for a Month website emphasizes that one does not have to become a Buddhist in order to participate in the program. The value of the product they are offering is stressed, making the operation sound very business-like. Participants can choose between different ‘packages’ for their stay dependent on their ordination status and length of stay. The reader is told that participants don’t have to worry about any detail as everything will be taken care —sounding similar to a luxury hotel website. It is stressed that you will have an experience like that of a Thai monk. This makes it seem like one would participate in the program for the novelty of it, rather than sincerity of wishing to learn about Buddhism.
The temple where the program takes place is called Wat Sri Boen Ruang in Fang, Chiangmai, and I went for a visit Tuesday morning, December 1st. When I arrived a few novice monks greeted me in English, asking where I came from. Obviously the interaction with foreigners through this program has given these novices confidence in their speaking ability. Wat Sri Boen Ruang has about 50 novice reside monks and about 100 students that attend the school on the monastery grounds, with only 3 or 4 fully ordained monks. Thus the main interaction of the foreign participants is with novices—they go on almsround together, eat together, and can often be seen sitting and chatting in English together.
Despite the Monk for a Month hype on the internet and the popular Facebook fan page, there is nothing to indicate this temple hosts the program. There are no signs, and not that many foreigners around. There are usually between 1-4 participants in the program with only a few rooms available for the guests.
Tuesdays are when Fred, the Dhamma Instructor, usually begins his introductory teaching. Students arrive on a Monday and are given a day to settle in before receiving the two hour teaching sessions over seven days. Fred begins with the basic teachings on Thai culture, basics of Buddhism, and how to behave in a wat. Over the next few days students learn about the Buddha’s life story, the basics of concentration and vipassana meditation, major Buddhist concepts, and points of Buddhist morality. The seven days of teaching are rounded out with a discussion of the four stages of Enlightenment and Buddhist cosmology.
Fred met founder of Monk for a Month, Ben Bowler, by chance while eating lunch in Fang one day. After discussing his meditation retreat experiences at Wat Rampoeng, Chiangmai, and how he wished he could have helped out the other foreign meditators, Ben decided to give him a chance to teach. Fred’s qualifications are that he has been a Buddhist for over 30 years, he has been to many retreats at Wat Rampoeng, read many books on Buddhism, and has learned from Thai teachers including Luangpau Charoen of Wat Amphawan outside of Bangkok and most recently, Suphawan Green, a Thai laywoman and former student of Buddhadasa Bhikkhu.
Fred teaches vipassana meditation as he learned it in Wat Rampoeng. He tells the students the basics and then they can practice on their own if they wish. Participants also learn what Fred considers to be the ‘core’ teachings in order to give them enough background to do the practice of meditation. Much of these teachings, such as karma, rebirth, cosmology, are hard for international visitors to accept, however. When I mentioned this to Fred, he answered that the foreigners don’t have to accept it, they are not trying to convert anyone, just give them the context. Fred asserts that this is a good jumping-off point to go deeper into Buddhism. Many participants have gone on to meditation retreats or have thought about ordaining more permanently.
After learning about my main research interest, the pedagogical strategies of teaching Buddhism and mediation to foreigners, I met Graham, the guest coordinator of the program. Graham doesn’t like his title because he agrees it sounds like he is working for a hotel. His role is to arrange and help with transportation, arrange laundry, cleans rooms, fix any problems in living situation, and arrange the ordination. There is also a Thai layman, Charin, working for the program. He facilitates activities such as taking the participants on trips to the nearby waterfalls. When I was there he also helped translate the lunch order of the participants to the cafeteria workers.
Fred felt that compared with meditation centers in the area, one receives the teachings here—the participants understand what is going on around them. Students also do not have to meditate but can choose their own activities. Some participants would rather do nothing with their vacation time or read some of the Buddhist books in the library, or participate in any of the organized outings. Thus compared with the international monastery, Wat Pa Nanachat (it is still a stretch to compare the two) Monk for a Month is much more light-hearted with its purpose being to live in the Thai temple and receive the cultural translations international visitors need.
Fred emphasized that the local community accepts and enjoys having the program at this wat. On wan phra the locals try to help the foreigners make merit by showing them how to offer. The local Thai Buddhists are happy to give alms alongside foreign visitors to foreign novice monks. Locals also enjoy attending the monk for a month ordinations.
Thus participants receive Buddhist teachings in the form of Fred’s Buddhism, translation services, activities, and a hassle-free journey. Is it worth paying for? I am not going to weigh in on that question. This program has been running for a year now and it is definitely interesting for those thinking about the mixing of religion and commerce. My main focus, however, is on strategies of reinterpretation for foreign meditators. The teaching here is unique in that not only meditation is being taught but also a kind of short Buddhism 101 class. And this is taught by a layman who is not part of a lineage of teachers, nor a scholar of Buddhism. Thus the presentation of Buddhism here is particular to this particular teacher.
But the presentation is also similar to meditation centers in that meditation is still the main focus and in both it is emphasized that conversion is not the goal. In terms of integration into Thai Buddhism, however, the point of the program is to become a part of temple life, as opposed to meditation centers where integration is at a minimum. Thus this is a new model of offerings for foreigners interested in Buddhism in Thailand. The ordination part is related to the model of Wat Pah Nanachat, the focus on meditation teaching is related to meditation centers across Thailand, and the light-heartedness and service-orientation is related to tourist organizations.
International Meditation Centers and Forest Dhamma: Different Methods lead to Different Structures
Spending time at the forest meditation retreat of Wat Pa Baan That and the Ajahn Tong retreats of Wat Chom Tong and Wat Rampoeng has made me think about the connection between meditation method and structure of meditation retreat. Having written descriptions of the meditation retreats that are related to Ajahn Tong and Luangda Mahabua and explaining their meditation techniques, I am in a good position to describe how the two relate.
At Wat Pa Baan That one is taught meditation in the style of Luangda Mahabua. Mahabua is part of the lineage of wandering forest monks of Luangpu Man. Even though Mahabua now lives in a wat, aspects of the forest practice are still apparent. In the forest there is no structured practice. One receives instructions from the teacher and if there are problems one can talk to the teacher again but otherwise one progresses on one’s own. This can be seen in the well-known biographies of forest masters such as Luangpu Man and Ajahn Kao and Mae Chii Kaew.
Briefly, the style of meditation of Luangda Mahabua is to repeat the word ‘buddho,’ in order to enter into samadhi and after this one can go onto investigation (recommended to do investigation of the body first). This simple technique of repeating ‘buddho’ is given briefly when one arrives at Wat Pa Baan That, and this is what one does for an indefinite amount of time. When I practiced there, the teacher, Phra Ajahn Martin, recommended that if one can do ten minutes of only focusing on the ‘buddho,’ then one could move on to further instruction. Thus it is up to the person to determine when they are ready to move on– when a person has reached a certain level of Samadhi depends on the facility of each individual.
The entire setup of the meditation retreat here is very individual: there is hardly any orientation to the wat but one should figure out the daily schedule and proper behavior by watching others. One does not have an opening ceremony or take the precepts as a marker of entering into a retreat. Retreatants meet the teacher twice or three times a week for the dhamma talk—not a private interview with the teacher. One meditates alone in one’s kuti and individual walking path. This is because Luangda Mahabua has said that he doesn’t like meditation in groups in meditation halls. In the forest, forest monks wandered alone or with a few other monks—not in large groups. This also shows the focus on the individual. One has to do the work themselves, and not have a way to blame their failures in meditation on someone else around them.
Wandering forest living is reflected in the lifestyle of those at Wat Pa Baan That. One does not live in the wild forest but the wat is situated within a forest with animals and individual kutis. There is no electricity, no bed or mattress, no cushions for sitting meditation, and no meditation timers. Here there are no set days of practice, no set sequence of progression because this is not a meditation center. And unlike a meditation center, there is no information on the website or in a publication what to prepare when you arrive, or how to act in this wat.
The Ajahn Tong method of meditation, in contrast, is highly structured and rationalized. In this method one practices sitting and walking meditation in order to develop momentary concentration and practice awareness of the four foundations of mindfulness. One begins with a slow prostration exercise and then one is instructed in specific techniques of walking and sitting meditation. In sitting meditation one focuses on the abdomen rising and falling and progresses to noting various points in the body. In walking meditation one first notes the movement of the legs and then the instructions become more intricate focusing on the lifting and moving of the foot while walking.
This technique has led to an organized and systematic program of meditation. In Ajahn Tong retreats there are 21-26 day basic courses. Meditators progress in time of meditation and are given increased instruction as they get nearer to completing the course. There is some flexibility as to which days which meditators receive certain instructions but for the most part meditators follow a similar path.
Not only is the meditation instruction rationalized but so is the introduction and orientation to the center. Before one arrives, meditators are told what to prepare for their stay. When one arrives, one is given an introduction to the technique, a tour of the monastery, an idea of the schedule to keep, and one is pointed to the opening ceremony to receive the 8 precepts.
Ajahn Tong’s structured method adheres well with a meditation center where people meditate together in meditation halls. As opposed to the forest tradition retreats, in the Ajahn Tong retreats is each meditator has their own room with a bathroom and the centers are filled with well-decorated meditation halls. In contrast, the forest tradition of wandering ascetics do not have such a set method, and therefore this hasn’t led to the production of a meditation center atmosphere. It has led to a very independent forest meditation retreat with remnants from the first-generation of forest masters. Thus, in both types of retreats, that of Ajahn Tong and Luangda Mahabua, the meditation method creates and dictates the structure of the meditation retreat.
*Meditation Techniques of the Masters: Ajahn Tong
Ajahn Tong created his method of meditation through his teachers from Bangkok, at Wat Mahathat, and in Burma, most notably, Mahasi Sayadaw (full bio here http://www.sirimangalo.org/bio). His teaching is based on the 4 Foundations of Mindfulness and takes the approach that strict vipassana is the way to freedom from suffering and a limited amount of concentration is necessary for this goal.
Ajahn Tong’s most extensive book on his method of meditation has been translated into English by Kathryn Chindaporn. Titled “The Only Way: An Introduction to Vipassana Meditation,” the book is a translation of a dhamma talk given by Ajahn Tong on his 72nd bithday, and includes excerpts from talks given on other occasions. There are also a series of five translated works of Ajahn Tong’s dhamma talks called “Dhamma from Ajahn Tong.” Among these five, two are available, and of these two, “Dhamma from Ajahn Tong 4” is the most relevant concerning meditation practice. I will include ideas from this text as well.
In the ‘Introduction’ to “The Only Way,” Ajahn Tong explains that the direct or ‘only path’ to freedom is the practice of insight meditation based on the four foundations of mindfulness. He emphasizes that the world has many problems and each religion attempts to solve this by advocating peace and doing good deeds. However, the method of mental development of vipassana is only found within the teachings of the Buddha. The book then goes on to give much background on the Buddhist concepts of insight, mindfulness, the 4 foundations of mindfulness, the 8-fold Path, 3 characteristics of all phenomenon, 5 aggregates, 37 requisites of Enlightenment, 4 great efforts, and more. All are associated with stories from the suttas and are related to the practice of insight mindfulness meditation.
The Only Way goes on to describe the precise method of meditation created by Ajahn Tong. It describes the exercises of prostration, standing, walking, sitting, lying and minor positions. These exercises are connected to the 4 foundations of mindfulness and the Buddhist concepts described, so one can understand how this technique of meditation helps to illuminate the more abstract Buddhist teachings. The end of the book details the essentials of the practice such as staying within the present moment, maintaining continuity, and practicing with effort.
The back cover of the book states that The Only Way is “steeped in the tradition of the ancient Lanna Thai.” This is not necessarily true as it seems that the book is very much based on the Pali Cannon literature! The back cover also indicates that this book contains “exercises which can be enjoyed by everyone.” I imagine that the authors of the back cover were trying to get people to read this book with some enticing phrasing. But this book offers a comprehensive description of the practice and Buddhist concepts underlying Ajahn Tong’s methods.
In “Dhamma from Ajahn Tong 4,” Ajahn Tong describes the different methods he investigated before settling on the 4 Foundations of Mindfulness. He chose this method because it is directly related to the teachings of the Buddha as seen in the sutta called The Satiphatthana Sutta. As in “The Only Way,” Ajahn Tong goes through in detail concerning the 4 Foundations. He describes the 6 parts of contemplation of body practices, the three types of feelings, four assurances and three factors of the practice. He describes the benefits of practicing vipassana according to the 4 Foundations. These include attaining the five goals of Buddhism: purity, the ending of sorry, the ending of pain and grief, the realization of the truth, and freedom from suffering or Nirvana.
The book also records a short description of his teaching of the technique and description of the 4 Foundations:
“Body. Prostrate first and then recite “Namo…” or “Arahat…” Walk “right stepping, left stepping.” Sit meditation placing the right hand on top of the left. Have mindfulness note at the abdomen. Breathing in, the abdomen rises. Breathing out, the abdomen falls. Note by saying “rising, falling.” Feelings. Note the comfort, discomfort, equanimity. Mind. Note “thinking, thinking.” Mind-objects. Note liking, disliking, sleepiness, distracting thoughts and doubt.” (p. 10)
Ajahn Tong goes on to explain that momentary concentration and mindfulness are the ways to reach nirvana. He finds that mindfulness in daily life is not as focused on the present moment as the concentration developed in meditation retreats. Momentary concentration is needed– the first level of Samadhi only– because this is vipassana practice. One only needs this level to get to the benefits of vipassana, to be able to see reality as it truly is, and it will arise naturally as one develops the 4 Foundations. He describes how the threefold training of sila, Samadhi, and panna are developed in meditation practice:
“After doing the mindful prostration, start walking meditation “right stepping, left stepping,” and then do sitting meditation “rising, falling.” This careful attention is virtue on the path. The mind that is established on the rise and fall is concentration. That which knows the rise and fall is wisdom.” (p. 12)
In this volume there are also dhamma talks concerning the reasons meditators are slow in developing the practice (delighting in not being mindful, delight in socializing, delight in sleeping, not noting the mental objects, eating too much, not protecting the sense faculties), and the five hindrances of practice (doubt, ill-will, restlessness, sleepiness, and desire). He also describes the four benefits of practice: mindfulness, good rebirth, inclination to practice, and development of faculties. All of these talks and lists are similar to the style recorded in “The Only Way.” As well Ajahn Tong in both works backs up his information with quotations, references, and stories from the suttas. Reading these books one gets a sense of how Ajahn Tong teaches and how his meditation technique relates to the teachings of the Buddha and basic Buddhist concepts. There is also some repetition within the works and through this one can see the real focus and emphasis on the 4 Foundations, how to develop them, and Ajahn Tong’s instructions.
However, in order to understand well one should attend one of the retreats offered by his students around the world. At the retreats I have attended there is detailed and systematic training in his method in which one gets an understanding of this technique far beyond anything one could read.
Meditation Techniques of the Masters: Luangda Maha Bua
Through reading Luangda Mahabua’s dhamma talks one can construct an idea of his method of meditation—but it is not presented in a systematic way. What has been published in English of Luangda Mahabua’s ideas of Buddhist practice is a selection of his dhamma talks (many downloads of these talks available here). In Thai much more has been published, but these are also collections of talks on various subjects such as the Four Noble Truths or Samadhi.
When reading Luangda Mahabua’s writings translated into English, a glossary is provided in the back of each book. This glossary is necessary to refer to throughout one’s readings. Even if one is familiar with Pali Buddhist terms, the forest tradition uses even more particular terms such as the ‘citta,’ or heart-mind, which is very difficult to conceive of and understand.
Kammathana: The Basis of Practice is a translation of teachings compiled from writings and transcriptions of talks by Luangda Mahabua. Part One of this book describes the way of practice. Mahabua discusses sitting and walking meditation. One should focus the mind on one word (‘Buddho’ is a good choice) or another word to suit one’s character. Repeating the word brings calmness. Eventually one will enter Samadhi and the breath will seem to cease. After one becomes proficient in Samadhi one should move to investigation or vipassana meditation. One can use Samadhi as a resting point for the mind when investigation is too tiresome. One comes out of Samadhi naturally and at that point one should reflect on the meditation session.
Within this practice there are 3 types of Samadhi that are emphasized. One is the momentary concentrated state of khanika Samadhi, where the heart becomes fixed and calm. Upacara Samadhi is the second level and it is described as the same as khanika except it lasts longer. In this stage a vision, or nimitta may appear, such as a dead body. This can be something to investigate for someone who understands this is just a vision or can be a setback for someone who does not understand where this vision is coming from. The final stage is appana Samadhi which is more subtle and unwavering. One can remain in this state for a very long time and one can withdraw from it as one wishes. Luangda Mahabua does not discuss the jhanas but finds states of Samadhi more helpful as an aid toward investigation meditation.
During walking meditation, Luangda Mahabua advises that one should have a 20-30 meter path and walk at a moderate speed. For this method hands are placed right over left in front and the meditator should look down. One should stop and reflect until the mind is calm by repeating ‘buddho,’ as in sitting meditation. Sessions of walking and sitting meditation last as long as one wishes– there is no set length of time.
After one has reached Samadhi, one can then first investigate objects of the body such as hair, nails, teeth and skin, and one can also investigate the inner body if able. One also has the 5 khandhas (the 5 objects that compose sentient beings: feeling, body, consciousness, perception, and mental formation) as objects of investigation. But it is up to the individual character which to choose. One should find one’s own way as only the meditator knows their own ‘citta’ and character.
Throughout Mahabua’s talks there is the image of a fighting —of a warrior going to battle while meditating. This emphasizes the effort needed and the difficulties of dealing with the mind. Therefore Mahabua recommends seeking out fearful surroundings and fasting as part of the practice. But one has to find one’s own method for taming the ‘citta.’ Interestingly, Mahabua notes that foreign monks at Wat Pa Baan That like to fast because it helps to control the ‘citta.’ They fast like the Thai monks. He also notes that they behave well and with a clear purpose. He praises foreign monks as coming from an intelligent race but not being conceited, and for getting along well with their Thai peers even though far from family.
Thus within this method there is a balance of Samadhi and panna—they both support each other and develop each other. Mahabua encourages meditators to use satipatthana (foundation of mindfulness) and gives hope that Enlightenment is still possible as we all have a body like the Buddha and the arahants. But Mahabua is careful to note that the dhamma he is discussing comes from both theory and his own experience. He therefore acknowledges that the experience part could be wrong so students shouldn’t only listen to him but experience the meditation for themselves.
Therefore part of the method of Mahabua has to do with his relating of his own experiences. In Part Four of this book titled “The Transmission of Dhamma” Mahabua recounts his meeting with his teacher Luangpu Man. Man advised Mahabua to stop studying for now and work on calming the ‘citta.’ After describing the ups and downs of his own practice, Mahabua switches to a 3rd person account of the progress of meditation.
In another translation of dhamma talks of Mahabua Arahanttamagga/Arahattaphala: The Path to Arahantship there is a summary of Mahabua’s writings on this concept of ‘citta.’ Here are some of the definitions I have compiled: the citta is a knowing awareness that does not arise or pass away; the true citta only knows but we live with the defiled citta; consciousness flows out from the citta; to progress in meditation one first separates citta from body, then 5 aggregates and then one is left with pure citta; the citta is the prime mover governed by kamma; the arahant’s citta has transcended kamma; we need to purify the citta to stop rebirth; the citta is subtle and hard to know; one can see true citta in Samadhi; the defiled citta is infected with the kilesas (greed, hatred and desire); the goal is for the citta be in harmony with its true nature; true citta is free from fear.
In this book as well Mahabua describes the repetition of ‘buddho’ as the anchor. One enters into and out of Samadhi and investigation, but ‘buddho’ is always there. One should switch back and forth from the statement of buddho’ to Samadhi to investigation and back to the repetition again depending on one’s state of consciousness. Another important concept is avijja, or ignorance. The defiled citta is said to be connected with avijja—it is stuck to attachments of the world and completely deluded. Through investigation of the body and the 5 khandhas one will start to know and be able to remove avijja from the heart.
Here there is also an autobiographical recounting of the later stages of Mahabua’s progress in meditation. In a part of the book titled “Shedding Tears in Amazement with Dhamma,” Mahabua recounts the moment when he experienced the true dhamma and how, like the Buddha, he too did not want to teach after experiencing this. But he saw that some people could be taught, and so eventually acquired many students. He now focuses his energy on projects within Thailand and trying to unify the nation.
Therefore the meditation techniques of Luangda Mahabua are particular to his experiences and the forest lineage of Luangpu Ajahn Man. The terminology used is part of the Pali Canon tradition but the forest lineage uses certain words, such as citta, more frequently than other meditation methods. The meditation is placed within the study of the Buddha’s teachings and experience of the teachers. It is also placed within the context of the forest, of practicing in one’s kuti, meditating in fearful places, wandering, and fasting. Thus the method, lineage, and place of practice are balanced together to create this particular method of meditation.
English Meditation Instructions: Wat Srisuphan
Phra Chan begins by discussing respect. “Why do we respect the Buddha? Why do we respect our parents? Why do we respect others?” It is a challenging question. He is pointing to Buddhist morality, giving a short foundation on this before moving to strictly discussing the methods of meditation. Phra Wanna listens and adds in as Phra Chan takes the lead, asking the students questions and quizzing them on their Buddhist knowledge. He then shifts to incorporating Buddhist morality into daily life—discussing the negative attributes of craving and attachment to worldly possessions.
I have visited Wat Srisuphan’s Monk Chat and Meditation Instruction program on many Thursday evenings. Although this temple in the city center of Chiangmai, many visitors make it a stop on their tour because of the beautiful silver halls and the silver-making that takes place here. I asked one of the several Cambodian monks who staff this program why they have Monk Chat and Meditation Instruction at this temple. I was told that the abbot wanted to be able to help foreigners understand Buddhism. English-speakers come and ask questions and the abbot created this forum for their questions to be answered. He gave the responsibility of teaching to a group of about 8 monks that could speak English. These monks all go to Mahachulalongkornrajavidyala Buddhist University and take part in the English-speaking program there.
Each evening this program is offered (Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays), about 4-8 foreigners usually attend. Because these are mostly beginners the monk teachers focus on concentration meditation, telling the foreigners to focus on mindfulness of breathing while sitting and mindfulness of movement while doing walking meditation. Vipassana or awareness meditation would be too advanced for this short introduction. After 15 minutes of walking and 15 minutes of sitting, there is time for questions. Sometimes these questions are more about Buddhism in general and the way it is practiced in Thailand, but other times they are about the meditation itself. The monk teachers give instruction on how to integrate this new practice into their daily life. They stress that just practicing a half hour a day will help to calm the mind. Since these are beginners, the benefits of meditation are emphasized, such as reduced stress, increased concentration, and tranquility. After the question and answer period many of the new meditators promise they will incorporate the practice into their lives and thank the monks for introducing them to these new ideas.
On one Thursday night, however, Phra Chan asked me to talk to the beginning students about concentration meditation. I had just came back from a longer retreat and Phra Chan thought it would be good for the foreigners to hear about my experience and learn from a native speaker. I described the technique of walking and sitting meditation– all the while checking with Phra Chan that I was teaching the method correctly. After this the beginning meditators wanted to know more broadly about Buddhism. Phra Chan again let me take over. Answering questions about Buddhism was much easier for me than teaching meditation, as I am used to explaining Buddhist concepts. They asked why Buddhists talk so much about suffering, what Buddhists believe happens when we die, why monks have different colored robes, and what karma is all about. Some of these questions were about comparing Buddhism to religions more familiar, some clarifying what they heard from pop cultural understandings of Buddhism, and some from what they see around them in Thailand. It is always interesting to see what kind of ideas foreigners have about Buddhism. But the students also wanted to know practical questions about sitting in meditation. They struggled to sit cross-legged and wondered why they can’t sit in chairs, and other ways to sit that are more comfortable. These kinds of issues are particular to foreigners as well.
But each night at Wat Srisuphan is different depending on the dynamics of the group. One night I attended it was not foreigners but two Thai women and a small boy who came to discuss dhamma and meditate. One of the ladies decided to give a dhamma talk in Thai for over an hour. She went over many Buddhist concepts and gave me some great Thai listening practice. But usually foreigners dominate the program as it is designed for them. The monks at Wat Srisuphan have much on their hands with this program three nights a week but they all help each other and become more and more proficient at explaining meditation and Buddhism to a foreign audience.
Wat Tham Tao and Forest Temples of Udon Thani
Everyone that finds their way to Wat Tham Tao comes through Wat Pa Baan That. Some meditators and monks become frustrated with life at Wat Pa Baan That because it is crowded and the devotionalism for Mahabua becomes overwhelming. In contrast Wat Tham Tao is described as the way Baan That used to be– a quiet, secluded forest monastery.
I heard about Wat Tham Tao through Wat Pa Baan That as well. I had heard Ajahn Dick’s name mentioned as one of the former teachers at Wat Pa Baan That and also heard of a meditator’s plan to visit his wat nearby. Before I left Baan That I had a map and a plan to visit Wat Tham Tao the next morning. I didn’t know if Ajahn Dick would be there or if he would be able to talk with me but since I only had one day for this trip, I decided to go anyway.
“Your timing is immaculate,” one of the foreign meditators told me after I arrived. Had I arrived five minutes later, the foreign meditators and monks would have already left for their tour of some of the forest wats in Udon Thani. Luckily I arrived as they were leaving and was able to go along on this unique adventure. I was accompanied by Ajahn Dick from America, Kruba Ron from Germany, Alan, a meditator from Australia, Kofi, an American and soon-to-be-monk, and Melita, a maechii from Indonesia.
This tour consisted of visits to three forest wats whose abbots are all students of Luangda Mahabua. We first visitied Wat Bodhisompon, which is situated within the city. They have just built a jedi for the respected abbot of this temple. The jedi contains much modern art depicting the life story of Luangbu Man. Next we went to a temple located in the forest which looked similar to Wat Pa Baan That and Wat Tham Tao called Wat Pa Nakoon. The abbots of these two temples are of the same generation of Luangda Mahabua but the abbot of the third forest temple we visited, Wat Pa Nagamnauy, represented a new, younger generation of leadership among the branch temples. It was interesting to visit these forest temples and see the different architectures but it was the talks with the meditators and Ajahn Dick that was the most engaging part of the trip.
Ajahn Dick began the ordained life as a novice in India before ordaining in Sri Lanka. As a monk in Sri Lanka Ajahn Dick read about the forest monks of Thailand. These readings eventually led him to reordain within the Dhammayut Nikaya of Thailand in 1977 and to practice under Luangda Mahabua at Wat Pa Baan That. Since leaving Baan That Ajahn Dick has stayed in a number of branch temples of Luangda Mahabua and most recently resides at Wat Tham Tao.
As a former teacher of foreigners at Wat Pa Baan That, Ajahn Dick found that many of the English-speaking meditators came to practice there based on internet research. Ajahn Dick commented that it is easier to find these places for newer generations but for his generation, it was much more difficult. Because Wat Pa Baan That has an English version of their website, many foreigners visit without knowing about Buddhism or other options. Therefore some meditators don’t stay long but there are some who stay and benefit from the forest dhamma. Ajahn Dick interprets that those who stay have a connection with the place through previous kamma.
Now at Wat Tham Tao Ajahn Dick tries to help the English-speakers when they come to practice. But he finds that in the forest tradition, meditators need time to adjust and do the practice on their own. But for those who would like to ordain, Ajahn Dick recommends learning Thai and studying about Thai culture. Foreigners can question the culture but should participate and not resist because eventually they will realize that the culture and religion work together as a system. Ajahn Dick related the story that as a young monk, he felt awkward prostrating but then learned to let go of his conceit. He emphasizes that foreign monks shouldn’t resist being a full part of the Thai sangha as they are part of a system that works and it is their own attachments that put them in opposition.
When I asked Ajahn Dick about my research focus– the reinterpretation of meditation teaching for foreigners– he had some interesting answers. He finds that Thai monks explain meditation and Buddhism on a longer timeframe that includes future births and distant past lives but for foreign monks, especially Ajahn Dick’s teacher Ajahn Pannavaddho, used more psychology to help Westerners understand the practice. This is helpful for Westerners as psychology is part of the culture and Westerners have a tendency to focus on this life and striving toward Enlightenment in the present. Pannavaddho’s teaching style was helpful since foreign monks already had to adjust to a new culture, language, and climate. Westerners could talk to him about their emotions and state of mind whereas Thai monks do not often counsel on one’s emotional state. Ajahn Pannavaddho was one of the first Western monks and served as a helpful conduit between the Western and Thai cultures. Since he was the Western monk with the most experience, he became teacher by default when other Westerners and monks came.
Ajahn Dick also had some interesting answers when I described for him about the Ajahn Tong meditation centers in Chiangmai. He thought these centers were perhaps a modern reinterpretation for busy laypeople. In the forest tradition there is no program or course timeframe so the idea of having a set number of days to meditate sounded strange to him. He finds that it is difficult to go back into the world after such courses.
The forest tradition can be characterized as having a more gradual approach. Ajahn Dick recommends working through one’s problems first before meditating intensely. He finds that ordination provides the stability to practice in this way. The fact that forest tradition emphasizes this more long-term meditative lifestyle could be why many foreign monks gravitate toward this tradition.
This day trip thus provided a wider perspective with which to view the forest tradition and the lineage of Luangda Mahabua. I didn’t get to see much of the city of Udon Thani as I had planned, but instead I received much stimulating conversation and ideas for the forest tradition section of my research.
Meditation Retreat Rundown: Wat Pa Baan That
“This is the last place to come,” said Ajahn Martin during one of his semi-weekly dhamma talks. “Other places, meditation centers in Chiangmai and in the south, there you have your own room, eat three meals a day, you can chat and have discussions. But here its just you, alone with the meditation.”
What struck me the most when I first arrived at Wat Pa Baan That was how different the forest meditation retreat is from the Chiangmai meditation centers in which I have practiced. I have read extensively about the forest tradition, the biographies of Luangpu Man and others, dhamma talks of Luangda Mahabua and Ajahn Chah. I even wrote a paper about meanings of the forest within this tradition. But still I didn’t realize the extent of the contrast until I experienced this myself. At Wat Pa Baan That the focus is on oneself, one does everything on one’s own (in Thai: dua eng). But while there what I had read came back to me as I noticed the patches of cloth on some monks’ robes (forest monks traditionally make their robes from disparate pieces of cloth), the minimal wat structures (there is only one sala inside the temple and one outside), the minimal Buddha statues (there is one Buddha statue upstairs in the inside sala).
As this blog has recorded, I have been spending time at International Meditation Centers in Chiangmai. In comparison to the forest monasteries, I didn’t realize how structured these centers are. When you arrive at a meditation center you are given an orientation to the wat and meditation method, you meet the teacher, are given the 8 precepts and are told the daily schedule to follow. Meditators have scheduled daily meetings with teachers in which the meditation time and technique progress.
In Wat Pa Baan That, however, there is no such structured organization. When I arrived I told some of the laywomen taking donations at a merit-making station that I was here to meditate and I had contacted Ajahn Martin through email. They told me to wait while they found Ajahn Martin and upon his arrival he just said for me to meet him at 1PM. Then I was taken into the women’s side of the wat by another laywoman, who handed me off to Maechii Lim from Indonesia. Maechii Lim is the facilitator for foreign meditators; however, she speaks only a little English and only slightly better Thai. Maechii Lim led me through the confusing maze of kitchens and kutis that compose the women’s area to the ‘foreign meditators’ kuti,’ and asked me if I thought I would like staying here. Looking around at the tiny structure and remembering the nice rooms with electricity and bathroom I had stayed in during my time at international meditation centers, I answered with a weak ‘maybe.’ Next, Maechii Lim showed me the kitchen where the meditators eat, and the bathrooms. It was hardly an extensive tour since it took me about 3 days to feel confident I could find my kuti without wandering around too much. Maechii Lim was constantly disappointed when I continued to ask her to point me in the direction of my kuti.
On this first day I met with Ajahn Martin as planned. Even though everything had been so different already, I was still expecting to receive an introduction to the meditation technique and information about the schedule at this wat. I thought all my questions would be answered but I quickly realized that I would have to ask if I wanted to know anything about meditating at Wat Pa Baan That.
First, Ajahn Martin asked me about why I had come. I told him that I had been meditating in the Ajahn Tong tradition, and I wanted to learn about the meditation techniques of Luangda Mahabua. Ajahn Martin asked me to describe the Ajahn Tong technique to him and then in his dhamma talk went on to subtly describe how Luangda Mahabua’s technique is closer to the teachings of the Buddha than the method I had explained. After the dhamma talk I asked about the meditation technique (to be described in a separate post) and where I should meditate. Ajahn Martin advised to meditate in the inside sala (hall) only before and after the meal and in the outside sala before 4PM when the gates of the temple close. It took me a while to realize, however, that one is expected to meditate primarily in one’s kuti because I was so used to meditating with others in meditation halls of meditation centers.
Because I had expected to receive an orientation I didn’t prepare all the questions I had about meditating in this wat for Ajahn Martin, and the next dhamma talk wouldn’t be for another couple of days. Luckily while doing walking meditation in the outside sala I met a Thai monk, and was able to ask him all my questions. He informed me that at this wat they do not give the 8 precepts because one should be able to keep them on one’s own without needing a formal ceremony. They don’t chant in the mornings or evenings because they focus on meditation. One can practice walking or sitting meditation for as long as one likes depending on how one feels. One can walk fast or slow in walking meditation as one likes. He also told me that women should not leave the women’s area after 4PM because there is no benefit to this. He said that the alms round in front of the wat occurs around 630AM and there is a meal in the inner sala around 730AM, and this is the only meal of the day. I was glad to learn these basic rules and schedule.
For the first few days I was the only female meditator, Thai or foreign. There were many Thai women living there, but their job was to help out in the kitchen, not meditate. Many of the women were interested in where I had come from and wished me metta on my meditation retreat. Later on I was joined by a Maechii from Singapore and a Thai laywoman touring the Northeast and North of Thailand by meditating in wats. Both women asked me many questions about how to conduct a meditation retreat and I shared with them what I had learned. Toward the end of my stay an older British woman arrived. She has been coming to Wat Pa Baan That since the 1960s and shared news of the thriving British forest sangha. I was impressed and inspired by this woman’s long time commitment to this tradition.
In addition to female meditators there were two older foreign males and on the last day I was there a young man arrived. The length of stay is very flexible at Wat Pa Baan That. One of the older men from America had stayed there for 6 months already. I was told that a foreign female meditator who had just left had stayed for 3 months. When questioned by Ajahn Martin, the young male meditator said that he did not know when he would leave. He also said that he had come to this wat rather coincidentally and he interpreted this as his ‘angels having led him here.’ This young man confessed that he knew nothing about Buddhism but I still thought it was a little strange that he would use a Christian/New Age term to describe his arrival. However, Ajahn Martin immediately interpreted this term within his Buddhist framework. Ajahn Martin responded ‘yes, it must have been the devas that led you here because demons wouldn’t lead anyone to a wat and hungry ghosts don’t have the power to influence humans.’ I thought it was interesting that Ajahn Martin changed the idea of angels to devas and fit the explanation right into the Buddhist concept of the six realms of existence.
The highlights of the retreat were the dhamma talks and teachings of Ajahn Martin. Besides talking with the Thai monk and learning from observing, this was the time when I was taught the most about the living forest tradition and the meditation of Luangda Mahabua. Ajahn Martin does not plan his dhamma talks but comes up with a topic while greeting the foreign meditators. He then gets very concentrated and expounds on this topic mostly from stream of consciousness. From reading some of Luangda Mahabua’s dhamma talks it seems that Ajahn Martin stays pretty close to the same ideas and concepts. The one clear reinterpretation for foreign meditators is his focus on the proclivities of people from the West. He always describes the Western mind and how Westerners need to work on concentration and just being. He perceives Westerners as striving for knowledge and investigation without giving proper attention to concentration and experience. Besides giving the dhamma talk Ajahn Martin does ask about and instruct each individual’s meditation practice. If someone does not ask or bring up their practice, he will inquire and give further advice for any problems. However, this is still very different from the everyday one hour or longer individual discussions with meditation teachers at some meditation centers.
During the middle of my stay I was able to have a meeting with Ajahn Martin outside of the scheduled dhamma talks. I had to ask one of the male meditators to accompany us so I would not be alone with a monk. Ajahn Martin answered my questions about my meditation practice within this method as well as my questions about my research. I informed him that I am researching about meditation techniques popular for foreigners in Thailand. His response was “Well, you have come to the wrong place.” He perceived that the meditation centers with structured programs and individual rooms were much more popular. Wat Pa Baan That, in contrast, attracts people who are serious about meditation. People who come here have heard about the wat from Thai people or are on some kind of tour of meditation places. Many people come to the wat and there are always several foreigners to listen to the dhamma talks, but not many people stay for more than three days. Many meditators come not expecting the intensity of forest meditation and leave after a short while. Ajahn Martin offered, “It is odd that we have three Americans here now. Usually the Americans can’t handle the environment; only the Europeans stay.”
I also learned the history of hosting foreign meditators at this wat. It began with Ajahn Pannavaddho almost immediately when he arrived. Foreigners began to come when they saw there was a foreign monk capable in meditation to teach them. Ajahn Pannavaddho stopped teaching about 2 years before he died in 2005, and at this time Ajahn Dick Silaratano and Ajahn Martin began teaching. They divided the work so that Ajahn Dick taught the Americans and Ajahn Martin took care of the Europeans. When Ajahn Dick left Ajahn Martin took over and has been the primary teacher since then.
In terms of my personal experience living in the wat, Ajahn Martin is right, it is difficult. Meditators sleep on mats on the floor, burn candles and carry flashlights after 6PM, take sponge baths, hand wash dirty clothes, contend with roosters, peacocks, chickens, lizards, and deal with a lack of food variety. But one gets used to this lifestyle and becomes inspired by the many laywomen and maechiis who are permanent residents. The temperature was much cooler in the Northeast and I immediately got a cold. The maechiis were very sympathetic and helpful in my recovery. One maechii boiled hot water so I could take a hot shower, another made me ginger tea each night, and another offered me many cough drops. So even if there are no female meditation teachers, the maechiis still look out for and care for the meditators.
During my stay there was a merit-making festival to raise money for Luangda Mahabua’s many social projects in Thailand. Currently he is involved in constructing a hospital in the city of Udon Thani. During the alms round outside the wat there were even more people than usual. About 50 monks came to receive alms but there was much more food. Whenever an individual monk would pass, the laypeople ran to offer food. Many times the monks’ bowl was full and he could not accept, having no one to clear out his bowl. Thus during the meal in the inner sala there was much food offered to the laity. There were also special amulets and posters made for the occasion. I joined the rowdy crowd in order to receive an 8×10 picture of Luangda Mahabua and his students. I almost couldn’t get up after making my offering due to the anxious people behind me trying to get next in line. The forest tradition is alive and well in the Northeast!
I left the wat right after the Wednesday afternoon dhamma talk. Ajahn Martin was nice enough to give me a series of 6 CDs of his dhamma talks. I also asked him about incorporating this practice into daily life since I was about to reenter the world. He advised to meditate for 30 minutes in the
morning and 30 minutes in the evening everyday. He recommended to concentrate until in Samadhi and then reflect on one’s day. Ajahn Martin said this would change one’s life within a few years and in this way one would get to know oneself. If one knows one’s good parts and bad parts then what other people think cannot affect them. Although this line of teaching was related to meditation, it still reminded me of therapy and how meditation is taught in the West. This surprised me because Ajahn Martin is critical of Western Buddhism. He came to Wat Pa Baan That because he couldn’t find a teacher to help him in the West. When I asked him what he thought about Westerners who claim that Buddhism is not a religion, he responded that Westerners only know Samadhi. But for Ajahn Martin the path consists of sila, Samadhi, and panna. Therefore he finds the West has an incomplete path and he follows the more inclusive path practiced in Thailand.
Bhikkhuni Meditation Center in Chom Tong, Chiangmai
In light of the recent bhikkhuni ordination controversy concerning Ajahn Brahm and the forest lineage of Ajahn Chah, it is timely to post about my research trip to a bhikkhuni meditation center in Chom Tong, Chiangmai, called the Nirodharam Vipassana Center. From reading the center’s publications and talking to the women there, any controversy surrounding their decision has certainly been down-played. The center’s booklet titled “Bhikkhuni Sangha In Chiang Mai, 2008” only states support from monks in the area and the gratitude the bhikkhunis feel for the teachings they have received. On almsround, I have witnessed the people of Chom Tong readily give to the bhikkhunis and samaneris (female novices), and the women I spoke with at the temple emphasized that they were not in any financial need. Of course, I do not know all the details nor did I go into depth about perspectives on their ordination, but I think the fact that this bhikkhuni meditation center keeps a low but respectable profile provides another picture of bhikkhuni ordination in comparison to the publicized and polarizing recent bhikkhuni ordination in Perth, Australia.
The bhikkhuni sangha of Nirodharam Vipassana Center was born on June 7, 2008. Nirodharam used to be a community of maechees led by Ajahn Rung-Deuan. Ajahn Rung-Deuan became a mae chee at the age of 25 and in 1995 she was offered a piece of land in Chom Tong to establish this center. A branch center named Suttajit Meditation Center was established at Doi Saket, Chiangmai in 2003. When the maechiis at Nirodharam heard about the possibility of becoming bhikkhunis they sought out the advise of elder monks within Chiangmai. They were generally supportive as they saw the desire of the maechees to practice a stricter monastic code. In 2006 Ajahn Rung-Deuan and other mae chees received samaneri ordination. In 2008 more samaneris were added to the center and the first group of samaneris was invited to come back to Sri Lanka to receive the full bhikkhuni ordination.
Having seen the bhikkhunis on almsround while staying at Wat Chom Tong and being encouraged to visit them by the teachers of the International Meditation Center there, I decided it was time to pay a visit. So on Halloween morning, William and I and two friends, Steve and Carol, visited the Nirodharam Vipassana Center (the center cannot be called a ‘wat’ because there are no bhikkhus present). Residing here are bhikkhunis and samaneris. Some of the women were able to receive samaneri ordination from Wat Prathat Doi Suthep in Chiangmai. In order to receive full bhikkhuni ordination, however, the women must travel to Sri Lanka. We were fortunate enough to speak with one of the bhikkhunis and be given a tour even though we showed up quite unexpectedly.
We learned through our talk and tour that one can meditate at this center for any length of time. There is no set course length as there is with Ajahn Tong retreats even though the leaders of this center are students of Ajahn Tong. The method they teach is the same as that taught at Ajahn Tong temples except it seems they focus on more intermediate themes: suffering, the 3 characteristics of all phenomenon, and the 4 elements. Our host showed us how they recite the 4 elements during walking meditation instead of repeating what the body is doing such as ‘right goes there, left goes there.’ We were shown to three beautiful meditation halls. There was much writing on the walls here and signs within the halls and temple of meditation reminders and quotes from the Pali Canon. The four of us worked together to understand the complicated charts linking Buddhist concepts with meditation practice.
Ajahn Rung-Deuan is the main meditation teacher. She receives many invitations to teach in other locations as well as to hold Dhamma courses within Nirodharam. Many people come to participate in these courses. Ajahn Rung-Deuan also produces MP3’s of her dhamma talks and these are also played on a Chiangmai radio station. There is also an Australian bhikkhuni who teaches meditation also. Unfortunately she was at the branch temple in Doi Saket receiving teachings so we did not get a chance to talk with her. When we arrived there was one lay female meditator and we heard that people have come from Japan and Germany as well as researchers in the recent past. If men want to learn meditation from bhikkhunis they can, but they have to stay in another area not far away. Our host said that groups come sometimes to study meditation. The monks from Wat Suan Dok and MCU campus came once, however, bhikkhunis are not allowed to teach monks meditation but they can discuss it together.
The samaneras and bhikkhunis there encouraged me to come back and practice meditation. They stressed I can come whenever and stay however long I want. They said it would be easier for me because I can get closer to the female teacher and don’t have to worry about touching as I would with a monk. Here they do not have daily interviews but if someone has a problem they can go see their teacher and have a chat. They thought this more informal style was better.
Nirodharam Vipassana Center is therefore yet another place to practice within the Chiangmai area. If one wants English instruction, however, one should check in advance that the Australian bhikkhuni will be in residence. It is a quiet and beautiful location to practice—seemingly far from the markets and stores of nearby Chom Tong.
Comparing International Meditation Centers: Wat Chom Tong, Wat Rampoeng and Wat Prathat Doi Suthep
Now that I have participated in all three meditation retreats in the Chiangmai area that offer instruction in the Ajahn Tong technique, I am in a position to compare the different environments and strategies of reinterpretation. The three meditation centers combined make for an interesting comparison because one has a separate international meditation center (Wat Chom Tong), one has international meditators mixed with Thai meditators (Wat Rampoeng), and one has only international meditators (Wat Prathat Doi Suthep).
As stated, these are all retreats using the method of Ajahn Tong, however there are small variations depending on the teacher and temple. The technique at Wat Rampoeng and Wat Doi Suthep is very similar. They both have a 26-day course but at Wat Chom Tong the basic course has been shortened to 21-days. Ajahn Tong moved to Wat Chom Tong after being abbot of Wat Rampoeng. Therefore the technique of Wat Rampoeng is the same as Ajahn Tong had established it before he left. He changed this technique slightly when he moved to Wat Chom Tong.
The process of meditation instruction and orientation is also comparable. Wat Rampoeng has an administrator monk who also teaches new meditators the method of meditation before reporting to the teacher. At Wat Doi Suthep there is a layman who orients the new meditators and a young monk who teaches the method before meeting with the teacher. However at Wat Chom Tong the teacher that one reports to is usually the same person who teaches the technique and orients new meditators on the first day.
The schedules of each temple are pretty similar except that at Wat Doi Suthep the foreign meditators are treated to a dhamma talk in English every morning. The other two temples do not have regular dhamma talks for the international visitors. The dhamma talks at Wat Doi Suthep investigate the lives of monks and Thai Buddhists so one learns about Buddhist concepts as well as lived Buddhism. At Doi Suthep as well going to chanting and Buddhist holidays is encouraged. Pali chanting books in English were well-circulated while I meditated there and the abbot enjoyed seeing the foreign meditators participate. Thus at Doi Suthep the teacher and abbot were interested in showing international visitors about a little bit more than just meditation.
Each foreign meditator at all three temples should participate in an opening and closing ceremony. At Wat Chom Tong foreign meditators join in the same opening and closing ceremonies with Thai meditators but are joined by the current teacher. The teacher acts as a liaison with the Thai community and tells the foreign meditator when to bow and chant from the special Romanized Pali chanting sheet. At Wat Doi Suthep the ceremonies are done whenever there are people coming and going. The lay administrator acts as the assistant who tells the meditator how to perform the ceremony and the teacher is the monk who performs the ceremony. It is similar at Wat Rampoeng except there is no Romanized sheet to read from, one must repeat after the abbot and there is also no assistant. Thus at Wat Rampoeng the ceremonies for Thai meditators are much bigger and held with different monks at different times.
The two meals per day offer another point of comparison. At Wat Rampoeng the lay people eat with the monks so the meals are more of a communal activity. Everyone waits until all are seated and chant before being invited to eat. But with this ceremony one can see there is a real focus on community and meditation here. While waiting meditators are encouraged to remain mindful and sit in meditation until everyone is ready. At Wat Chom Tong this is a much more individual affair. One reads the chanting on contemplation of food silently and individually before eating mindfully at one’s own pace. At Wat Doi Suthep there is a short communal chanting if the assistant monk has joined the international meditators for their meals, otherwise the meditators will read the chant to themselves before eating silently.
The living situations also affect the experience of the meditator. Because the international meditation center at Wat Chom Tong is physically separate from the temple and all the international visitors live together, a sense of community has developed. There are refrigerators to keep personal items and a common area to donate food or drinks to the group. At Wat Doi Suthep the international meditators are the only meditators so there is no issue of mixing with Thai meditators. International visitors live either next to the meditation hall or at the other end of the temple, depending on gender. But the living and practice areas are separate from the wat itself where visitors come to worship. The meditation center at Wat Rampoeng is the same space as the temple itself. The implications of this are more distraction but can see temple life more clearly.
At all three temples there is a policy of minimal to no talking in order to focus on the meditation. At Wat Chom Tong people can introduce themselves and say hello but extended periods of conversation are frowned upon. Wat Rampoeng has a stricter policy of no talking and no eye contact in order to remain internal. This policy was not enforced much at Wat Doi Suthep. At the chantings and when taking a break in the temple, meditators could often be seen chatting for long periods of time. However, this depends on the individual. No matter what the policy some people will strive to remain internal, and others will be more outgoing and make contact with others.
At the end of the retreat, a donation is appreciated at all three temples, but each wat has a different system of offering. The donation to the international center at Wat Chom Tong is separate from one’s donation to the temple. At the end of the retreat one can donate both to the international center and the meditation center of the wat. The donation to the meditation center of the wat covers ones food. But at Wat Rampoeng the foreign meditation office is run by the wat, so the donation is given in the same place as the Thai meditators. At Wat Doi Suthep one gives donation to the international meditation office only.
The main themes I will be dealing with while thinking about international meditation centers are Buddhism and the category of religion, strategies of reinterpretation, and the spectrum of integration into Thai Buddhism. I have discussed some of these issues in other posts and will continue this in future posts as well. Through comparing these three centers the strategies of reinterpretation and integration into Thai Buddhism emerge and are of course, related. At Wat Doi Suthep there is a slight emphasis on teaching about the lives of monks and the rituals of Thai Buddhism through dhamma talks and participation in chanting and Buddhist holidays. At Wat Chom Tong teachings about Buddhism are limited to the meditation but if a meditator is curious further teachings about the life of Thai Buddhism are available. And at Wat Rampoeng the international meditators’ participation in Thai Buddhist activities is mostly limited to participation in the evening wan phra ceremony.
Clearly the idea of meditation is seen as primary for all three centers for international meditators and thus the practice of meditation is not necessarily placed within the context of Buddhism in Thailand. Thus each center has their own strategy of reinterpretation to accommodate this primacy of meditation. And of course this all relates to the ideas surrounding Buddhism and the category of religion in English-speaking countries. The continued debate over whether Buddhism is a religion or a practice of mental development has created these reinterpretations and the limited integration of international visitors into Thai Buddhism.
An Analysis of Discourses of Meditation: Focus on Reinterpretation
I have been thinking and discussing recently about transplanting the teachings of meditation and Buddhism. One avenue for doing this would be to have a bi-lingual generation of teachers, and this can be evidenced at Wat Chom Tong. Without Khun Thanat and Kate Chindaporn who are both fluent in Thai and English, it would be very difficult to create the International Meditation Center at this wat. For someone who doesn’t know Thai it would be difficult to buy the land and get Ajahn Tong’s permission and for someone who doesn’t know English it would be difficult to teach the international visitors and create a successful center. Because Kate and Thanat have created this space, now other teachers can come and teach and do not have to know Thai as well because the space is already settled. They have paved the way and made it possible for others to come in without having to master the language.
As well can see with Wat Chom Tong and other wats in Thailand that have native English-speakers—there is more flexibility, more willingness to change from both sides. The English-speaking meditators are more willing to ask about practices they don’t understand and ask for accommodations and teachers are more willing to make the changes as they understand the background and motivations of the English-speaking meditators.
At Wat Chom Tong English-speaking meditators have this flexibility. Female meditators have to wear the ‘sabhai’ or white scarf that wraps around the chest, while in the temple areas, but when females come back to the International Center, they can remove this. A contrast to this flexibility can be seen at Wat Rampoeng. Here females must always wear the ‘sabhai’ because there is no separate space without Thai meditators. In the presence of Thai meditators, English-speaking meditators must be more formal and follow protocol.
Another example of comparison between Thai and English-speaking teachers involves the daily reporting. At Wat Chom Tong one bows to a Buddha statue when entering the reporting room. If one does not understand why one must bow, this can be questioned and negotiated. In Wat Rampoeng there is a more complicated process when entering and exiting the reporting room where one must bow to the Buddha statue and the abbot. This procedure is taught to international visitors a number of times before execution. Again this is because teachers familiar with English-speaking cultures are willing to be flexible. The English-speaking teachers are usually lay people and do not require the same amount of respect and formality as an ordained Thai monk. As well, in Wat Rampoeng, Thai meditators are sometimes waiting in the reporting room but in Wat Chom Tong the area is separate without Thai meditators. Thus when Thai and international meditators report in the same area it is difficult to make accommodations. Fewer reinterpretations occur when international visitors do not have their own space.
Thus in Thailand, reinterpretations and changes to the processes and forms of meditation centers are occurring. This can happen more rapidly through handing over teaching responsibilities to English-speakers and non-Thai Buddhists. These kinds of adaptations have been occurring in American and British Buddhist vipassana circles for some time. When vipassana was first transplanted in these countries, teachers of Jack Kornfield and Ajahn Sumedho told them to modify the teachings to their audience. Therefore, in both Thailand and non-native Buddhist countries reinterpretations occur when the authority of teaching changes hands to a native of the new culture.
Separate but Within: English-Speaking Meditators in Thailand
In Thailand, International Meditation Centers can be divided into two categories: ones that are within wats integrated with Thai meditators and ones that are in separate physical spaces only for the international visitors.
Within centers where English and Thai meditators are integrated, such as Wat Rampoeng, of course, the language is a major dividing factor as international meditation students are taught and instructed in English and Thai meditators in Thai. But other activities are kept separate as well. Thai meditators report to different instructors at different times of the day, they attend different dhamma talks, and may have separate meditation areas.
Some international centers in Thailand have found that it is too difficult to accommodate English-speaking meditators within the wat. There are not enough Thai monks who have a command of English and ones that do come and go. Thus for these situations, like in Wat Chom Tong, a facility outside the main temple area was built to support the meditation of English-speakers.
English-speaking meditators can chant with the monks, ask to speak with a Thai monk about meditation practice, listen to a dhamma talk in Thai, and attend any ritual or celebration that is going on at the temple. However, it is not expected and sometimes not encouraged that they attend. For foreign meditators the expectation is that they are there for the meditation and other activities may not be truly devotional but instead a way to get out of practicing meditation. However, other English-speaking meditators just want to meditate and don’t want to do anything they deem ‘religious.’ Thus the international visitors are given the separate space to choose if they want to be a part of the Thai meditators’ community.
Clearly English-speakers need a different kind of instruction in order to know how to behave properly in a wat. Most English-speakers did not grow up understanding Buddhist communities and so need to be taught what is happening, how to behave, and why. But some English-speakers are able to integrate after time if they are willing to put in the effort as many foreign monks and nuns have. But with larger and more transient groups comes more difficulty adapting or unwillingness to adapt. As well if one has a familiar cultural community it is less likely they will put in the effort to belong to the distant group. Thus the international sections of meditation centers are helpful for foreigners but can isolate English-speaking meditators from understanding about Thai Buddhism. But again, this is only if one wants to be isolated, there are opportunities to integrate into a more Thai Buddhist experience, but this depends on one’s personal preference and ways they relate to meditation.
Meditation Retreat Rundown: Wat Rampoeng
“[Wat Rampoeng] also has a good reputation it seems. But seems a bit heavy on the Buddhism influence. Just seems a little funny that I have to bring 11 lotus flowers, etc, and circle around a Chedi 3 times and do all this chanting. Does that actually have any benefit?” (Link to quote)
This is a quote from The Thai Visa Forum discussion titled “Help Me Choose Among 4 Centers for Meditation Retreat.” In this discussion the debate about which meditation retreats in Thailand are best turns on the question of religion. The author of the quote above wonders why he has to participate in more ‘Buddhist/religious’ activities; he wonders if this has any benefit, when presumably he is attending only for the practice of meditation. This question of religion can be seen clearly at Wat Rampoeng as currently there are no native English-speakers helping with the International visitors, so there is not much opportunity to question or negotiate the level of participation in religious activities. Occasionally mae chiis or monks with English-speaking skills stay and assist there, but not on a permanent basis. Therefore foreign retreatants are confronted with Thai Buddhism more starkly than at a center with native English speakers, such as Wat Chom Tong, where English-speakers can serve as liaisons to help negotiate through Thai Buddhism. Meditators report to the abbot of the temple, Ajahn Suphan, and participate in a formal opening and closing ceremony with the abbot. They do group chanting and prostrations before eating the collective breakfast and lunch meals. This leads to a stark contrast between ideas of meditation and ideas of religion, and the differences between Thai and foreign meditators.
At Wat Rampoeng there is no separate area for foreigners— the group is mixed within the wat yet they still constitute a separate group. Foreigners have separate ceremonies, a separate office to register with, and reporting time. There are usually about 10-15 foreigners and 50-80 Thai meditators. The foreigners live together in the same building (although separated by sex) but the living spaces are within the wat and next to the buildings and kutis of Thai meditators. The Thai people come and go in large groups and are taught the method together in large groups as well. Taking care of the foreign meditators is on a smaller scale.
When arriving at the Foreign Meditation Office one is encouraged to read the Northern Insight International Meditation Center booklet that has been prepared in English. It explains the two types of meditation: samatha and vipassana, the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, what to wear, what to bring, the daily routine, basics on how to report to the teacher, and the transcript of the opening ceremony. The booklet emphasizes that vipassana kammathana (the practice of insight meditation) is a personal experience and it doesn’t matter what religion, nation or race one belongs to because one only focuses on mental development. But there is a tension here because one is living in a wat where one is confronted with other aspects of Buddhism besides meditation.
Upon arrival, after I was set up in my room, I learned the method of meditation taught here (Ajahn Tong’s method, also taught at Wat Chom Tong) from Phra Chaibordin, the monk who runs the Foreign Meditation Office. He was very detailed in showing us the method and discussing with us our initial experiences. He made us meditate together until 10PM so he could tell the teacher that we meditated for two hours that night. At Wat Rampoeng there is a real focus on the hours of meditation one accrues each day, as the abbot keeps a file on each meditator’s progess. Phra Chaibordin also explained in detail how to report to the teacher. But this is the extent of our instruction besides the individual reporting and also the only time we meditate as a group. There is an emphasis on remaining internal, and the Thai meditators wear badges that say ‘no talking.’ The same was emphasized verbally for foreign meditators through Phra Chaibordin. While I was there, there was very little interaction among foreign meditators.
Once past the orientation at The Foreign Meditation Office and the initial reporting, foreigners mix with the Thai meditators during meals and in the meditation halls. However, the experience for foreign meditators can be quite different from that of the Thais and can vary from person to person. For the rest of this post I will note the reinterpretations for foreigners learning the practice. For foreigners living in the wat can be part of the experience or just incidentally the place they need to go to practice meditation.
The opening and closing ceremonies are separate for foreigners and Thai meditators. The international visitors are hosted in the abbot’s office and are instructed when to repeat, prostrate, and make the offerings to the teacher. After the opening ceremony the abbot gives a short explanation in English of the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, Five Hindrances, and the benefits of meditation. Ajahn Suphan explained that in order to receive these benefits, during retreat we make changes to our lives such as making more effort and getting less sleep, eating less, and talking less. Ajahn Suphan said that only vipassana helps one to achieve freedom and reap the benefits of practice—not chanting, reading, or listening, but only experiencing.
International meditators need to be trained on the necessary activities of the schedule such as how to report to the teachers and participate in the meal ceremonies. But there is a focus on meditation for the foreigners here—they are not told about the activities of the Thai Buddhists, such as their chanting sessions, dhamma talks and group meditations in the morning and evenings. This is partly due to the language barrier, but also the fact that many English-speakers come wanting to focus on meditation only. But the international meditator is also exposed to many ceremonies and devotional activities. One sees Thai meditators offering incense and candles to Buddha statues throughout the wat and other group activities, such as sweeping the grounds. There was also a short alsmround ceremony every morning. Introductions to these activities were not part of the orientation to the wat, and for someone with little knowledge of Thai and Thai Buddhism it would be difficult to participate without this information. It seems as if it is assumed that foreigners are living in the wat to meditate and would not be interested in participating in Buddhist activities. However, there were two Buddhist holidays that occurred while I was there that were explained to the international visitors.
While I was there the Kathina Ceremony took place. This is held after the end of the rains retreat and the main activity is offering robes to the monastic community. There were preparations for this starting on Friday night for the Sunday, all-day activities. Wat Rampoeng had a special celebration in order to fundraise for the meditation complex they are building for female meditators. I was curious about the preparations, so I asked the abbot about this on Saturday. He said the foreign meditators should participate and make merit but be sure to practice meditation as well. That night the abbot gave a long dhamma talk to all the lay Thai people staying at the temple. During Kathina there were stands of food and drink lining the temple walkways, banners, tents, traditional performances, and decorations. At 2PM Ajahn Tong arrived and the ceremony of Kathina began with chanting, and the offering of robes. The abbot spoke about the fundraising they were doing and the amounts they had raised so far. Many people donated robes before and many more during the official time. The foreigners looked at everything and ate some of the food but did not participate; there seemed to be no real engagement.
There was also a wan phra ceremony during one evening. I had been participating with the Thai meditators in chanting and group meditation when one mae chii explained to the group that we were to buy flowers, candles, and incense and prepare the chanting sheet for later on in the ceremony. At this time the other foreign meditators arrived, having gotten the information about the ceremony from a Vietnamese monk who helps Phra Chaibordin in taking care of the foreign meditators. He explained the symbolism of the flowers, candles, and incense and said that we would circumambulate the jedi three times. Once we were all assembled again, the abbot explained the meaning of wan phra in English for the three foreign visitors in attendance. He said the day is a special day to appreciate and celebrate the Buddhist Triple Gem. This was the only evening that foreign meditators joined in the group activity.
The one daily interaction international meditators have is with the abbot. I enjoyed these sessions as he is a warm and helpful teacher. Conducting my reports in Thai was quite challenging but satisfying. During the last day I even got called in as a translator—and that was even more challenging! During my first reporting session I told the abbot that I am researching the reinterpretations of meditation for foreigners. He said that meditation is the same for all humans. I conceded that the method is the same but that the ideas around meditation are different for international visitors. Ajahn Suphan is more concerned with the method of meditation and teaching that to both foreigners and Thais, thus he is focused on the similarities rather than any differences.
Through these interactions with the abbot and through offering at the almsround and participating in their morning and evening chantings, dhamma talks, and group meditations, I started to feel closer to the Thai Buddhist community. Many Thai families were there, many children helping with cleaning and trying to learn how to meditate. The monks and mae chiis seemed to have a wonderful relationship with them, and it was such a safe, loving place for the children. At one point at the jedi a monk was trying to teach a child the chant ‘namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sammbuddhasa’ and the child kept getting confused and the monk kept smiling. With all the preparations going on in the background getting ready for the big Buddhist holiday of Kathina, it seemed like a beautiful picture of Thai Buddhism. Thus the Thai Buddhists are inspiring, some of them for their dedication to meditation, some for their dedication to the wat: cleaning, giving, staying up late and waking up early without seeming tired.
Thus, although I didn’t follow Phra Chaibordin’s prescription to remain inward, I was able to learn about other aspects of Thai Buddhism. Therefore I received not only the benefits of meditation but also a feeling of connection with Thai Buddhism. I think most foreign meditators get some sense of this just by living in the wat—but it depends on individual interest how deep one gets.
Wat Umong’s International Dhamma Practice Centre
I visited Wat Umong for their wan phra morning celebration and to speak with the monk, Phra Uttara, who helps run the International Dhamma Practice Centre. I learned a lot about their program and philosophy of teaching meditation, and I plan to do a retreat there in February.
Wat Umong has a long but vague history as outlined in the book available at the wat titled simply History of Wat Umong written by Hans Perth in 1974. The myth associated with the temple tells that King Mengrai, the founder of Chiangmai, built this monastery complete with caves so that the brilliant but unstable monk Jan would stay in the area. The monastery was maintained and remained a functioning monastery, at least until the date this article ends with, 1520. However, information from the internet takes this further and states that:
“The monastery eventually fell into disuse, though Japanese troops were said to garrison here during WW II. Since 1948, the Thai prince Jao Chun Sirorot, now in his 90s, has been active in rebuilding and reestablishing the monastery. In 1949 he invited Buddhadasa Bhikkhu (founder of Suan Mokkh in southern Thailand) to come and live here. Duties kept Buddhadasa Bhikkhu from coming. Instead he sent Ajahn Pannananda and other monks to help set up and run Wat Umong.”
This information explains why the method of teaching at Wat Umong is connected with Buddhadasa’s teachings and the meditation techniques taught at Wat Suan Mokkh.
Today, Phra Uttara, a Vietnamese monk studying for his masters’ degree at Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya Buddhist University takes care of the international meditators at Wat Umong. His teacher speaks good English as well but is busy trying to get new buildings built so he asked Phra Uttara to be in charge of foreigners while another monk oversees the Thai meditators. Phra Uttara said that there are not many meditators at Wat Umong in general so they can spend more time with each person, and there are more Thai meditators than foreigners. When we arrived there were no foreigners but two had just left. Phra Uttara spoke of meditators from Japan and Africa so this appears to be a diverse group.
Phra Uttara stressed that his instruction depends on the individual meditator because everyone is different. Some people can go right to the mindfulness of the mind but for some this is too hard so they should start with mindfulness of feelings and body. Thus Phra Uttara advises people to focus on different ways of being mindful depending on their personality and experience. For instance someone could focus on one of the five senses such as seeing or hearing if that works for them before concentrating on the mind.
Phra Uttara showed us the building where meditators sleep, eat, and meditate. There is a hallway with individual rooms, a small table for eating, and a meditation hall all in the same area. Phra Uttara recommends coming for more than 3 days because one cannot get too far in vipassana in a shorter period. But it is up to the individual meditator how long they will stay for, there is no suggested amount of time or basic course as there is with temples that teach the Ajahn Tong method.
We also listened to Phra Uttara’s introductory talk that he gives to all new meditators. He covered topics such as the difference between concentration and awareness, the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, and the morality of the five precepts. He said the benefit of concentration is to make the mind strong and that it complements vipassana. He stressed that vipassana has more benefits however, because it helps one to see impermanence whereas concentration does not. If someone concentrates on one object during their meditation session, there will be no notice of impermanence. Phra Uttara warned that meditation can reveal the truth and this can be scary and inconvenient because people don’t want change or to realize impermanence.
We thanked Phra Uttara for giving us this sample introductory talk and he encouraged us to come back and practice. Wat Umong is a beautiful temple in the forest and appears to be an inspiring place to practice. They are flexible, allowing people to come for shorter periods and working closely with the meditators to see which foundation of mindfulness is right for them.
An Analysis of Discourses of Meditation: Focus on Relaxation vs. Hard Work
As anyone who has done some meditation knows, the general idea of popular culture is that one is supposed to come out of the experience feeling more relaxed, less stressed. However, anyone who has done meditation also knows that it is not always so relaxing. Of course less stress can be one of the outcomes but many long-term retreatants consider meditation hard work with lots of ups and downs. So where do these ideas come from? Why are meditators thought to be stress-free?
Maybe because of good advertising? Here is a list of quotes from promotions of meditation in Thailand:
From the Thai Tourism Authority Meditation Brochure:
“Meditation is one of the most important aspects of Buddhism, and seeking inner peace through meditation is a growing, global phenomenon. There is an understanding around the world that meditation plays a role in sustaining a healthy lifestyle, with the practitioner seeking some degree of detachment from the material world, and drawing on inner peace for a sense of well-being. Meditation is a safe way of balancing one’s physical, emotional, and mental states. Today, physicians recommend meditation as a way of relaxing from the stress of everyday life.”
“The Kingdom of Thailand has attracted visitors from all over the world who wish to learn more about meditation. The many students of meditation in Thailand range from expatriate residents to tourists, but many come expressly to discover the secret of the peaceful, meditative Buddhist lifestyle. In their different ways, all tend to see Buddhist philosophy and meditation as a means of attaining good mental and physical health, personal fulfillment and satisfaction.”
“Thailand is among the world’s premier travel destinations with the kingdom’s way of life, traditions and culture creating a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere for visitors. This, coupled with the country’s deep-rooted Buddhist faith, makes Thailand a perfect destination where one can relax and find inner peace and a healthy life for mind, body and spirit through Buddhist meditation. . . In such an atmosphere, it is never hard for the visitor to find his or her own key to the lasting benefits of Thai Buddhist meditation.”
“The benefits of Vipassana meditation are manifold. It will enable you to calm down and look within, in order to develop wisdom and freedom. Successful practice can lift depression, cure many stress-related illnesses— and at the very least add a little joy to life. Meditation teaching is widely available in Thailand for Thais and visitors alike. There are meditation centres around the country, either related to Buddhist temples or privately owned and focused more on well-being than on spiritual issues.”
From the abridged version of the same brochure:
“Meditation is part of Thai life, and it is not necessary to be Buddhism to benefit from it. It can be applied to daily life, aiding concentration and leading to a state of calm. Each year Thailand has attracted visitors from all over the world who wish to discover the secret of the peaceful and meditative lifestyle. Meditation teaching may range from English day classes at centers and temples in Bangkok to intensive, month-long courses at tranquil forest retreats in rural provinces.”
In contrast, an article from the Bangkok Post in 2006 discusses actual experiences of meditators. Here we don’t see the focus on stress-free living or a calm mind but that meditation can be hard work. This article is now available on the Thailand Travel Tours Website:
“Today, it’s {Chiangmai} ranked among the top of Asia’s most livable cities list and an increasing number of Chiang Mai’s Buddhist wat, or monasteries, are drawing in more and more Westerners seeking introductory classes on Buddhism and meditation retreats. A growing number of farang (Westerners) are forsaking the more traditional spas and venues that offer massage, Thai cooking and yoga classes for Buddhist studies classes in English and Thai meditation retreats that run from one to 21 days or longer.”
One person interviewed for this article said: “Here you eat, sleep and meditate—that’s it. They push you.” “The daily interviews are helpful, he said, but the practice is tough with lots of ups and downs.”
Another person interviewed said: “It was very difficult, I wanted to leave at three times. I was surprised how hard it was—the simplicity of it was frustrating.”
There is quite a contrast stated here between the promotion of meditation in Thailand and the actual experiences. The ultimate rewards of meditation can be a more calm and strong mind, however, to get there takes much effort and determination. The focus of the promotion of meditation, however, is only on these rewards and benefits of meditation over time.
In the Tourism of Thailand literature, the forest meditation retreats are depicted as tranquil and the focus of the retreats is said to be well-being rather than anything ‘spiritual’ or ‘religious.’ Thus the promotion of meditation emphasizes the health benefits for the mind and body and the peaceful and tranquil surroundings available for this practice in Thailand. Meditation is thus the antidote to modern living and the symptoms of it manifested by mental illnesses and stress. Meditation is said to provide the balance needed for hectic lives.
The article from The Bangkok Post discussing the retreat experience, however, separates meditation from other offerings for tourists in Thailand such as experiencing Thai cooking, massage, and yoga. Thus here meditation is seen as not a typical tourist experience that provides relaxation and calm but a significant investment of time and energy. The retreat described in this article is in the style of Ajahn Tong practiced at Wat Rampoeng. This is a strict method and some participants do not end up completing the course, and of course many others do with much benefit in relation to the hard work exerted.
Thus we have two poles of discourses surrounding meditation. Of course meditation retreats can beboth calming and hard work but which aspect is emphasized is significant. Tourist promotional literature obviously will enhance the peaceful aspects and venues like the Bangkok Post will be less idealistic. It is important to notice the different interpretations of meditation as part of understanding Buddhism in modernity. Pop culture references to Buddhist meditation also make it seem as something wholly peaceful and calming and this can be confusing for the beginning meditator. But one just has to try it for oneself to see what meditation is for them: a tranquil experience or hard work—or most likely a lot of both.
Buddhist Travel in Thailand: Initial Thoughts
Doing a bit of Buddhist travel in Thailand myself, I got to thinking about the business of Buddhist tourism and if there are any resources about it. Of course there are package deals to places like India and Bhutan to see all the holy sites, but there are also resources for those wanting to go on meditation retreats and find their own path.
For Thailand there are a number of websites (here and here) and even an online and print guidebook about meditation centers and temples to visit. A major part of tourism in Thailand obviously involves Buddhism. However, some people go more deeply into this than others. Some tourists are interested in the understanding the country itself so want to know how Buddhism and society relate in Thailand. They go to the monk chats and visit temples. Others are interested in meditation and come because of that—caring primarily about the meditation instruction the country offers. So from day trips to famous temples to doing a meditation retreat to becoming a monk or nun—there is much variety to Buddhist travel in Thailand as well as opportunities.
Types of Opportunities:
1) Visiting wats= At certain wats there have emerged programs for tourists and those curious about meditation and the monks’ life. Especially in Chiangmai where there is a large force of young monks learning English at the MahaChulalongkornrajavidyalaya Buddhist University, the monk chat program has been popular. As well some wats, such as Wat Srisuphan, offer two hour instruction in meditation to give a taste to beginners.
2) Meditation retreats= Since the revival of vipassana meditation (thought to have begun by Mahasi Sayadaw of Myanmar beginning in the 1950s) meditation retreats for Thai Buddhists have been popular. International visitors as well wanted to have instruction and many wats now offer a separate section for English-speakers. In some wats this depends on one or two English-speaking teachings being in residence, but some wats have more of a permanent program.
3) Living the life= If a commitment is sincere or one is already a part of a Thai community, one can also become an ordained member of the Thai sangha. The first Euro-Americans were ordained in Thailand in the 1950s and in the 1970s this became a little less rare, especially within the forest tradition of Ajahn Mun and Ajahn Chah. Because of this there are wats that have a history of ordaining English-speakers such as Wat Pah Nanachat.
Thus there is a spectrum of Buddhist travel opportunities and a spectrum of commitment and interest among travelers in meditation and Thai Buddhism. The deeper and more extended the encounter with Thai Buddhism the more exposed one is to the many aspects of the religion, not just meditation.
Those who ordain, however, are interested in meditation of course, but are willing to be a part of the whole life of Thai Buddhism. They chant, go on almsround, teach lay people, and are a part of the wat community. Even though, as witnessed by more than a few Buddhist memoirs (Phra Farang, Life as a Siamese Monk, Noble Friendship), there sometimes comes a period of doubt where aspects of Thai Buddhism make some Euro-Americans question their choice to ordain. This is resolved by either accepting the beliefs and practices of their community, beginning a new Buddhist community in one’s home country, or disrobing. (see my article on this topic)
For all of these long or short-term Buddhist travel opportunities, the interest is manifested through both groups. International visitors expressed their curiosity and interest and Thai Buddhists helped to set up programs to meet these demands.
Meditation Retreat Rundown: Wat Chom Tong
I spent 10 days at the International Meditation Center located within Wat Chom Tong from September 6th-16th. I learned much about Buddhism in Thailand, meditation, and myself. It is strange to be a researcher and a meditator, but I am hopeful that I can integrate the two. Even if I had only been there to meditate, I would be noticing aspects of Thai Buddhism and comparing Thai Buddhists to the international visitors anyway. I come at Buddhism from this intellectual perspective almost naturally but through meditation more intensely I have learned to balance this with experience. During this 10-days I was a serious meditator and my interviews with the teacher were exclusively about my practice. However, I did participate in Thai Buddhist rituals outside of meditation such as giving alms, attending evening and morning chanting, participating in the morning and evening wan phra (Buddha day) activities, and renewing the 8 precepts on wan gon (day before Buddha day). And throughout the day I was noting and comparing the Thai Buddhist meditators with my colleagues back at the International Center. Only after the closing speech by the teacher of the International Center, did I discuss my research project in depth. Therefore I was able to find a balance and thrive as a meditator and researcher in Chom Tong.
The village of Chom Tong is about an hour drive from Chiangmai city. Much of Chom Tong’s economy is derived from this famous meditation temple. Vendors with clothes, food for alms giving, drinks, toiletries, and amulets are all set up for the convenience of the many tourists and meditators who come through. Nearby are shops with meditation accessories such as white clothes and meditation mats as well as devotional accessories like Buddha statues, candles, incense, monk baskets (sanghathan), and monks’ robes.
Wat Chom Tong is a large complex consisting of the traditional jedi (pagoda), main Buddha image hall (bot) and other function halls with Buddha statues. There is a relic from the top of the Buddha’s head housed here. Unusually it is located not within the jedi, but within the bot and is taken out for cleaning and viewing usually twice a year at the beginning and end of the rains retreat. But within the grounds of the wat is also a large meditation center. Ajahn Tong Srimangalo is the abbot of this wat and has a history of teaching meditation. Therefore this is a wat with good instruction in vipassana meditation, set up specifically for learning the technique, and has rooms available for both Thai and foreign meditators. Aside from places to sleep the meditation center also consists of two meditation halls or dhamma salas where morning and evening chanting also takes place, a kitchen, cafeteria, and convention center.
Groups of Thai people come in the hundreds with their companies to learn meditation, monks are sent here from around the country to bring back the technique to their home wat, and more locally, Thai people come with their husbands, wives, mothers, daughters, or even alone to live at the wat and practice. Thai meditators visit with one of about 8 monks who teach meditation once a day in the afternoon for further daily instruction.
The International Center consists of a small complex of buildings down one of the alleys from the main area of the meditation center. There is a building consisting of 5 rooms, an interview/practice room, office, and small library, and across the street is a meditation hall specifically for the international visitors. This was all created using foreign student donations. The foreign students have English-speaking teachers, either the Director of the international center, Khun Thanat Chindaporn, and Associate Director, Kathryn Chindaporn, or if they are teaching abroad, Jonathan from South Africa. The foreign students meet with their teacher in the morning around 8-9AM for the daily interview and additional instruction. Otherwise the schedule for international and Thai meditators is similar: wake up at 4AM, eat breakfast at 6AM, optionally give alms at 7AM, eat lunch at 11AM. In between there is much time for meditation or other activities such as attending the chanting, doing laundry, buying items in the town, visiting the main temple and making offerings. But the idea is that one will practice a lot of meditation.
Considered an enlightened being by many Thais and foreigners, Ajahn Tong created a method of vipassana (insight) meditation adapted from Mahasi Sayadaw of Burma. This technique focuses on awareness with a de-emphasis on concentration. Theravada meditation in general consists of some combination of both concentration and vipassana practice. The Ajahn Tong method is at one end of the extreme by focusing mostly on vipassana with only moment-to-moment concentration being developed. Other schools of thought develop concentration to a higher degree before introducing vipassana. But since vipassana is regarded as the way to freedom from suffering—de-emphasizing concentration is considered by some to be the quickest way to this goal. The basic course for the international meditators is about 21 days although some people can do it faster or take longer depending on their previous practice. One practices sitting and walking meditation for increasing amounts of time. In both sitting and walking one has an exercise of momentary concentration while cultivating awareness of and noting external events such as hearing and seeing or internal thoughts and feelings.
The International Meditation Center of Wat Chom Tong is a separate community from the Thai meditation center: separate but within the wat at the same time. This tension made for a striking comparison between Thai and International meditators and how they view meditation and Buddhism. Many Thai meditators come to live at the wat to make merit through practicing meditation, hearing the dhamma, and participating in ritual activities. They speak to their monk meditation teacher for a set period of time and sometimes in groups. But this is adapted for Western sensibilities. English-speakers at Wat Chom Tong have the teacher available to them individually for as long as they need and can speak to them at any other time if they are having problems. Many English-speakers question the teacher and the rituals—not understanding the basic Buddhist worldview or the benefits of meditation. Thus for the international center, the key is adaptation and reinterpretation of the method of teaching for this group.
A key part of this adaptation is focusing primarily on meditation instruction and negotiating with the student about other aspects of Thai Buddhism. International visitors can participate in rituals such as renewing the precepts or alms giving if they are interested. But it is emphasized that it is up to the individual and there is no pressure to participate. Thus if one decides to meditate in one’s room for most of the day, then the only interaction they will have with Thai Buddhists is eating in the cafeteria and taking the precepts at the beginning and end of one’s time at the center. In other cases, one could give alms, meditate, chant, and participate in wan phra (Buddha day) celebrations with Thai Buddhists. Thus each student has to negotiate this tension between absorbing Thai Buddhism and meditating.
The other dimension within this tension is foreigners’ understanding of Thai Buddhism. To me, the most obvious misunderstanding from foreign meditators is the idea of merit. The international visitors observe the stray, starving cats and dogs along the alley of the center and wonder why they receive no food when the monks receive abundant amounts of food each morning. Obviously different Thai Buddhists have different perspectives on making merit. However, for many Thai Buddhists giving to someone who is considered to be an enlightened being such as Ajahn Tong gives one more merit than giving to animals. Ajahn Tong is considered to have a bigger field of merit that one can share in by being in his presence, listening to him, and giving to him. This doesn’t mean that Thai Buddhists never give to animals but it explains why Ajahn Tong gets many donations every morning. Clearly the ideas surrounding giving and merit are very different for the international visitors.
Another interesting issue brought up by the differences between Thai and foreign meditators is the category of religion. Some of the international visitors expect to practice meditation only, and are very sensitive about participating in Buddhism as a ‘religion.’ They are wary of bowing to Buddha statues, making offerings to monks, taking the precepts in a formal ceremony. Thus Buddhism as a religion for this type of international meditator consists of ritual, ‘cultural’ activities, hierarchies, and faith. They came to Thailand with the idea that Buddhism was not a ‘religion’ but a ‘way of life’ that consisted of meditation and teachings of the Buddha that one can accept or not. Thus they are resistant to Buddhism as a ‘religion’ and just want to meditate whereas Thai meditators, of course, wouldn’t think twice about participating in the temple activities.
Because of the interpretations highlighted above, in Wat Chom Tong and other international centers in Thailand, the English-speakers and the Thai meditators remain in separate communities. There is a separate program and space for English-speakers interested in meditation and Buddhism and it is up to the individual if he or she wants to make the effort to become a part of the Thai meditation community.
I will be posting more about the issues brought up here in posts focused specifically on individual themes. Hopefully there will not be too much repetition! I think it is useful to describe the retreat and research ideas that emerge in general at first and then post more in-depth later. Readers, please let me know if you like this format—I have about 6 or 7 longer retreats to attend so I can tweak the presentation of these experiences.
The 5 Levels of Meditation Options for English-Speakers in Thailand
I have found that there are 5 different types of meditation offerings for English-speakers in Thailand. I will list them from most individualized practice to most group-oriented practice.
1) With some Thai language skills or a person with Thai language skills willing to help, an English-speaker can find a kuti or hut to occupy at a number of meditation centers and temples in Thailand. This type of retreat offers no instruction—one meditates for as long as desired in the style one is used to practicing.
2) The next level is slightly less individual, where one meets once a day with a designated teacher, and may also be able to hear a daily dhamma talk by the same teacher. The rest of the time is dedicated to meditating but one can do this in a meditation hall with a community of English-speakers so this can feel less private.
3) The next level offers many group activities together for a period of 10-20 days. The schedule is set for everyone to come and go at same time, and to participate on most activities together.
4) Level 3 is similar to level 4 but for a shorter period of time such as 1 to 2 nights. All activities are done in a group here and the focus is on beginning to learn how to meditate.
5) Level 5 is not a retreat but a local sangha meeting. For one night a week, there are short meditation sittings, possibly also a dhamma talk, run by a local expat community of interested participants. There are also temples which host an hour or two of English-language meditation instruction a couple of nights a week. Monks who have learned to speak some English instruct in the basics of meditation.
I am the most focused on studying the more group-oriented practices. It is most beneficial for me to study places that have an infrastructure and program in place for English-speaking meditators. Level one, the most individualized practice, is only for people who have their own meditation practice already, and want to focus on that in a committed way. I would rather study the exchange of knowledge and information—the teachings about meditation that are being transmitted and this is done in levels 2-5. I am starting off by going to level 2 meditation centers like Wat Chom Tong and Wat Rampoeng. They have programs in place for teaching—but one is left alone for a majority of the time. Places like Wat Suan Mokkh and Wat Kow Tahm, are in level 3, and have more group-oriented practices where people get together for activities such as yoga, dhamma talks, and set group meditation times. Wat Suan Dok and the International Meditation Club exemplify level 4. They are one-two night retreats that give beginning instructions on how to meditate and all activities are done as a group. Level 5 is similar to sittings one would find in meditation centers in Western countries. These are English-speaking sanghas, such as Little Bang in Bangkok and Green Papaya in Chiangmai that have developed recently. They come together about once a week for hour to hour and a half sittings and social gatherings. The other option in this category are temples which have meditation instruction in English. This may not have the same community feeling as the people who come are usually more transient and the presentation is usually the same. But this is a good chance to learn to meditate in a temple setting by a Thai monk. Wat Prathat Doi Suthep and Wat Srisuphan in Chiangmai offer these short instruction periods.
Because of these varying levels, the more intense level of instruction can lead to what one of the founding members of the Green Papaya Sangha in Chiangmai, Steve Epstein, calls ‘dharma burnouts.’ These are people who practiced by themselves with minimal instruction, either level 1 or 2, but were not quite ready to take this step. Because of this dharma burnouts search for group-related activities instead of individual practice, and seek to meditate within levels 3, 4, and 5. Yet some more experienced meditators seek out level 1 if they want to be totally isolated and level 2 if they want minimal instruction. But many beginners are not ready for this and benefit from group activities and a larger amount of instruction. This is why there is this range of levels of meditation practice. A large number of people from various backgrounds and experiences with meditation can be accommodated in Thailand.
Although I think there is a need for more level 4 types of instruction. A number of people just starting to get interested in meditation that I have talked to ask me if I know of any mini-retreats to get a taste of what meditation is all about. I tell them about Wat Suan Dok but for working people this is not feasible. Weekend meditation retreats would be ideal for some beginners but this level of instruction takes much more effort and planning than the others. For the Wat Suan Dok retreat, there were a number of monk-student instructors, a center donated for these retreats, transportation from Wat Suan Dok to the retreat center, kitchen and cleaning staff. Thus this type of retreat takes more work and administration than accommodating a few people at a time and only instructing in meditation as needed.
Therefore English-speakers in Thailand interested in meditation have a number of levels of instruction to choose from. It is important to choose carefully and think about what level of instruction and group practice one needs. There are many lists of meditation possibilities in Thailand such as the popular Guide to Meditation Temples in Thailand and Joe Cummings’ The Meditation Temples in Thailand: A Guide, and the recent downloadable pdf about Meditation Temples in Southeast Asia. These are important to spread contact information and addresses. But there are many different types of meditators so an organization by level of practice would be helpful for people looking for a particular kind of experience.
*Picture from Photo Gallery of Wat Suan Dok Monk Chat Website.
English-Speaking Sanghas in Bangkok
In Bangkok there are a number of English-speaking communities interested in Buddhism. I have to speak of these sanghas broadly because some people consider themselves meditators, some Buddhists, and some are just getting a taste of what this is all about. I think the most interesting issue for foreigners in Bangkok interested in Buddhism is this sense of community. Nearby and throughout the country there is a wide-range of retreats to choose from, but within the city limits there are few opportunities for long-term retreats. Thus in Bangkok there are different kinds of communities forming that are more connected than isolated meditative retreat settings. I don’t know of any purposefully organized English-speaking sanghas in the Theravada tradition in other cities such as Chiangmai (if anyone knows of any please comment or email me). I would venture to say that Bangkok has the most expat residents within the country so this is where one would find a more stable community. It is not going to be as stable as communities of Western Buddhists that are more rooted and where people have lived most of their lives, but it has a kind of stability that is not easy to find elsewhere in the country. I visited two such communities during this trip and will continue to investigate this issue of English-speaking sanghas in Bangkok.
The Little Bang Sangha is the newest organization in Bangkok for English-speakers interested in Buddhism. They are a welcoming community—I know because I shared a buffet lunch with them as well as attended a weekly rains retreat dhamma talk. This informal lunch gathering included the core members of the group, which is connected by and through Phra Cittavamso. These members have formed a warm community centered on this British monk. Phra Pandit, as he is also called, is getting his PhD in Buddhist Psychology from the Mahachulalongkorn Buddhist University in Bangkok and lives at Wat Paknam. He formed the Little Bang sangha 3 years ago. This is the third year he is giving a weekly series of talks during the rains retreat and this is something the Little Bang sangha looks forward to every year.
Phra Cittavamso and the other members emphasized that this is one of the only English-speaking sanghas in Bangkok. Many of the members couldn’t find any kind of expat Buddhist communities, therefore they decided to form their own and named it Little Bang. The members discussed various other options in Bangkok that they had tried and found that Little Bang was something special, with a variety of activities, such as social gatherings, retreats, and dhamma talks. This sentiment is also emphasized on the Little Bang Blog run by Phra Pandit: “Setting up the talks takes a huge effort. Usually monks stay in their temples, and only go out to teach if they are invited by a particular group. In Bangkok there are no such groups. The WFB {World Fellowship of Buddhists} and Wat Maha Taht provide some meagre dhamma in English, but nothing concrete or really regular. If we want a group, we have to do it ourselves.”
The social gatherings of the Little Bang community provide the group with an opportunity to discuss living in Bangkok and of course, ideas about Buddhism and Buddhist practice in Thailand. This is an intellectual and lively community where issues such as Buddhism in modernity— if Buddhism can be seen as a religion, but also not a religion, finding the core of Buddhist teachings, how Thai ‘culture’ is mixed with Buddhism— are debated. It is a place to share experiences of going on various retreats, visiting various wats and teachers, and getting advice on where to go next. The Little Bang sangha is also interested in reading scholarly books about Buddhism and were aware of the new scholarship on Thai Buddhism.
The Thursday night rains retreat dhamma talks is another lively event, with the Planet Yoga room, where the talks are held, being almost filled. The Planet Yoga people offer this space for free. The mats have been bought with donations from Little Bang sangha. Donations also go to give money to speakers for travel and to buy microphones and other equipment. Phra Pandit hopes to get a center at some point too. They will soon host speakers affiliated with Thai Buddhist communities such as Ven. Jayasaro, who is part of the lineage of Achahn Chah as well as Steve and Rosemary Weissman of Wat Kow Tahm.
Another English-speaking community in Bangkok surrounds another key figure in transmitting Dhamma teachings in English, Acharn Helen Jandamit. She is a long-time practitioner and teacher of Vipassana meditation who is resident in Bangkok. Acharn Helen first came to Thailand in the mid-1970s. Wat Buddhapadipa, a Buddhist temple in London, recommended that she received further guidance at Section 5 of Wat Mahadhatu in Bangkok. Once there, she was asked to teach the English-speakers who came to the temple and who wanted to learn about meditation. She worked for more than 20 years with the monks at Maha Chulalongkorn Buddhist University (MCU) (which is situated within Wat Mahadhatu) to provide Vipassana meditation instruction and information about Buddhism in English. In 1974 she co-founded the International Buddhist Meditation Centre (IBMC) that is now part of MCU. It ran talks, lectures, discussions, and weekend retreats in English. In 1994 she converted her residence into the private meditation centre called The House of Dhamma. The community at The House of Dhamma today consists mostly of expats. Acharn Helen finds that many Buddhist communities offering instruction in English do not last very long because non-Thais find it problematic to get long-term visas.
Acharn Helen notes that there are several places in Thailand for people who already know how to meditate, but not many for people who need guidance in English (or other languages). There are a few temples that have some monks who can give basic instruction to tourists, usually on an irregular basis.
She observes that it is difficult for non-Thai-speaking communities, interested in Buddhism and Buddhist meditation, to last long, unless there is some other kind of connection for the group, such as ethnicity. She noticed that there used to be an interest from teachers in international schools in Thailand but now they usually leave after 2 years, so this group is transient. In the past, Non-Thais interested in Buddhism were able to stay in Thailand for a longer period and the ones who came were dedicated to practising meditation and learning about Thai Buddhist culture, but now many people who come are ‘spa types.’ They tend to be interested in one or two-day retreats that are focused on relaxation, rather than an intense period of Vipassana practice. Acharn Helen regards these shorter retreats as good tasters or ways-in to practising meditation. At The House of Dhamma, she teaches individual and small group sessions for Vipassana practice and Buddhist theory, and at the Young Buddhists’ Association of Thailand (YBAT) centres, she teaches both weekend and longer retreats.
As Achahn Helen has noticed from her many years teaching meditation in Bangkok, it is difficult to form such communities because of the transiency of the occupants. What is needed are core members with no plans to leave and then larger groups of people who visiting for shorter periods of time. Another problem of transiency is the teachers. Foreign monks often go back to their home countries because of constant visa problems in Thailand. Thai monks who can speak English also get moved around a lot and are in constant demand for their time. Perhaps with young Thai monks knowing more and more English this will change. Lay foreign meditation teachers as well move around and might not have a permanent location. Therefore a center or community can be strong for a few years and then suddenly disappear once one person decides to leave. What is needed is an infrastructure that can support English-speaking sanghas and centers of meditation.
In comparing these communities with those I am most familiar with in America, similar problems arise, but not to such an extended degree. Vipassana or Insight Buddhist sanghas and retreat centers in America began in the 1970s and also began with a small number of dedicated participants. Slowly there was a growing number of teachers with increasing levels of popularity through books and other kinds of media. Communities like the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, MA, and Spirit Rock, in Woodacre, CA. now attract people from all over the country for their retreats and have a well-established name and teachers. They have an administration, infrastructure, and benefactors to maintain the centers for a long period of time. Wendy Cadge has written about the sangha at the Cambridge Insight Meditation Center in her book Heartwood. She found that even though most of the activities are silent meditation there are also other activities and ways to get to know people, and thus community has developed. In Thailand there is obviously a much longer history of Buddhism, but not that much longer a history of spreading the teachings to foreigners, so the situations can be comparable.
For future investigation in Bangkok I will be visiting the short retreats held twice monthly by the International Meditation Club led by Tony U-Thasoonthorn. He offers weekend retreats twice a month. The website focuses on the scientific findings of meditation to improve health and lifestyle and meditation is seen as a universal teaching and one doesn’t have to be a Buddhist to take advantage of the benefits. If anyone has attended these retreats, again, please contact me. The YBAT Center as well is useful because it has retreats throughout the year. However, these are all separate retreats where it might be difficult to form a community—but this is possible. I could not make it to the Office of Vipassana Meditation, Section 5, at Wat Mahathat but I heard their offerings are not as extensive as they used to be. I also heard that the World Fellowship of Buddhists (WFB) only does one dhamma talk every month so they do not help in fostering any kind of community or outreach about Buddhist meditation.
There is much variety of meditation offerings within Bangkok and in the surrounding areas. There are dhamma talks, weekend retreats, and meditation instruction for a few hours as tasters. Further afield there are meditation centers where one can spend 10 or more days in vipassana meditation. Thus there are more light-weight meditation offerings but also hard-core intensive practices. This spectrum of offerings is important for the dialogue about meditation. Thai Buddhists and expats interested in communicating about meditation in English are introducing a wide variety of options so that a wide range of interests can be met.
International Buddhist Meditation Center- Wat Mahathat
Wat Mahathat has a history of teaching and developing meditation techniques. This is where Phra Ajahn Tong studied vipassana meditation, in accordance with the four foundations of mindfulness, for one year. He was chosen as the representative of the Sangha in Northern Thailand. Thus there was an exchange program where monks could learn more about meditation and this was based in Wat Mahathat. This temple is a large part of the history of the popularization of meditation in Thailand. It is the primary center of meditation studies in Bangkok and thousands of foreigners have been to their courses since they began in 1998.
Thus this temple is part of the early history of the story I am trying to tell about meditation serving as the link to the international community. This temple is part of the history of exchange with Mahasi Sayadaw and his technique of vipassana meditation using the four foundations of mindfulness. Vipassana meditation in Thailand and Burma became popular within the Buddhist world before it became a way to engage foreign visitors. Meditation serves as a good vehicle for this because, as it is often argued, one does not have to be a Buddhist to feel the effects of meditation. This has been and will continue to be debated. It stems from the idea that meditation is a ‘universal’ practice, and not ‘cultural.’
At Wat Mahathat there is also an International Buddhist Meditation Center (IBMC) where one can hear talks and go on retreats. It was founded over a decade ago by Vorasak and Helen Jandamit (Ajahn Helen teaches at the House of Dhamma) in association with high-ranking monks of Mahachulalongkorn Buddhist university, in order to help English-speaking people understand Buddhist meditation and provide information on Buddhism in Thailand. They also have a Vipassana Meditation Center on the grounds of Wat Mahathat that offers a meditation class in English everyday from 1-4PM, and there is a talk on meditation topics from 8-10PM. On some Saturdays there is also a talk and guided meditation from 3-5PM. As well one can do a regular retreat there where one has to keep the eight precepts and wear white. Current information about places to learn and practice meditation is available here as well. The IBMC also publishes and distributes books about Buddhism, has a list of meditation centres, and puts out a newsletter.
The Role of Buddhist Organizations in Promoting Meditation to Foreign Visitors
In Thailand, there are organizations that have a long history of engagement with Buddhists outside Thailand as well as a more recent history of promoting Buddhist meditation and other activities. These organizations are not for profit and help Thai Buddhists and others understand developments and meditation opportunities in Thailand. These organizations provide the infrastructure to promote Buddhism internationally and provide opportunities to explain the religion to those who might not yet know about it and are curious. One of the main aspects of Buddhism that is part of this explanation to foreigners is meditation. I will be studying how meditation becomes the link to help foreigners understand Buddhism and the implications of this. One of the consequences that I have discovered already is that Buddhism is portrayed as a ‘way of life’ that one can practice meditation in a secular way without being a Buddhist.
The World Fellowship of Buddhists (WFB) is such an organization that promotes Buddhism internationally. It was created in 1950 at an international meeting of Buddhists in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The Fellowship seeks to represent the common interests of Buddhists all over the world, regardless of sect. Currently the main office is located in Bangkok, as the past three presidents of the organization have been from Thailand. Their main objectives are to establish regional centers of Buddhist practice, maintain these centers in order to disseminate the teachings of the Buddha, and act as a directing and coordinating authority amongst international centers. In order to complete these objectives the WFB holds annual conferences at locations throughout the Buddhist world. At the headquarters in Thailand, the WFB holds Dhamma talks, meditation classes, and lectures, mostly on the first Sunday of every month. The headquarters publishes a quarterly journal, the “WFB Review,” which has wide-ranging articles on Buddhist topics. I will attend some of these classes and lectures for the public and talk to some of the members of this organization about the importance of meditation as a way to spread Buddhism internationally.
The WFB also publishes the series called “A Guide to Buddhist Monasteries and Meditation Centres in Thailand.” This series is now in its fourth edition. The current WFB President, Phan Wannamethee, writes in the forward to this book that its objective is to help those seeking knowledge about places in Thailand where Buddhist meditation is taught. This book has helped me in developing my project, and understanding the places where meditation is taught that reaches out specifically to foreigners. Through projects like this, the WFB seeks to aid foreigners in understanding Thai Buddhism as well as experiencing the meditation aspect of it.
The Young Buddhists’ Association of Thailand (YBAT) is affiliated with the House of Dhamma. They offer meditation retreats in English on a regular basis either for the duration of a weekend or ten days at the headquarters of YBAT. YBAT came into being at the end of the WWII and is primarily concerned with promoting Buddhism for the youth. Its activities include arranging regular lectures and discussions on the Dhamma, issuing publications on subjects dealing with Buddhism in general, and sponsoring meetings of the young on the platform of Buddhism. I will visit the YBAT headquarters and library and learn more about this organization as well as do a weekend retreat at the House of Dhamma and understand their connection with YBAT.
The Thai Tourism Authority (TAT) also promotes meditation as a part of Buddhist tourism. To capitalise on the trend and a growing number of inquiries, the Tourism Authority of Thailand recently produced a guidebook, which lists places of Buddhist learning throughout Thailand.
The TAT promotes the practice of meditation as beneficial to everyone, not only Buddhists. It is portrayed as peaceful and a way to increase concentration in daily life. Life in the world is seen as overwhelming and meditation in Thailand is one solution to this problem. It is interesting to contrast how the TAT characterizes meditation with the way the International Meditation Centers do. Some retreats, such as the one run out of Wat Suan Dok, characterize meditation as beneficial in similar terms. Other retreat centers and monasteries, especially within the forest lineage, would like to say the opposite—that meditation is not relaxing, but difficult and one should be prepared not for tranquility but hard work.
Research on Wat Pah Nanachat
“Foreign Buddhist monks Under the Lineage of Phra Ajahn Chah: A Case Study of Wat Pah Nanachat, Ubon Rathchathani,” by Pratibha Pabhasrawong, Master’s Thesis, Thammasat University, 2002, is the only work I know of that directly engages with the fieldwork that I will be doing in Thailand. As this is the case, I will give some information here about how the ideas and arguments presented in this work relate to my project.
Pabhasrawong did fieldwork at Wat Pah Nanachat in 2001. The author participated in the monastery’s activities and interviewed many of the foreign monks affiliated with the temple. I will be using a similar method of participant-observation and interviews. Pabhasrawong also used questionnaires to obtain information both from foreign monks and the Thai community. As I root myself firmly in the humanities I don’t see myself doing any questionnaires right now.
The author gives information on Ajahn Chah’s life and teachings, the history and development of Wat Pah Nanachat, and the attitudes and characteristics of the foreign monks as well as the attitudes of Thai lay Buddhists towards them. Pabhasrawong distinguishes a ‘Traditional’ or ‘Popular’ Buddhism from the approach of Ajahn Chah, which is labeled as, ‘Practical Buddhism.’ ‘Traditional’ Buddhism deals with rules, rituals, and ceremonies whereas ‘Practical’ Buddhism focuses on meditation and the teachings of the Buddha. The author finds that Euro-Americans were attracted to this style of teaching and were put off by what they saw as ‘superstitious’ practices within ‘Traditional’ Buddhism. Pabhasrawong’s main argument is that foreign monks have integrated well into Thai society, that Ajahn Chah attracted them through his simple and direct teaching style, and the Thai Buddhist lay community looks to the foreign monks as a great source of merit. The author finds that Wat Pah Nanachat has brought increased interaction among monks and the surrounding community, has helped to spread the teachings of Ajahn Chah as well as propagate Buddhism in Thailand abroad.
My fieldwork will not only be at Wat Pah Nanachat but I envision this monastery being an important part of my work now and into the future. Pabhasrawong studied the interaction between the foreign monks and Thai Buddhists and the foreign monks integration into Thai society, and I am interested in this as well. The author is interested in the attraction of Ajahn Chah to foreign monks and their interaction with the rest of the Thai lay Buddhist community. I think this is a good start to the research that needs to be done on this interaction and of course, Wat Pah Nanachat is an ideal place for studying this.
I would like to go deeper though, in my research, and understand the reinterpretations and hybridity that is occurring as a result of foreign monks interacting with Thai Buddhism. I will not only be looking at integration within Thai society but widen the lens to understand these foreign meditation retreats’ role within the international Buddhist community. I will analyze the expectations and motivations of foreign meditators and more committed foreign Buddhists in Thailand, the teachings that interested expatriates and tourists are receiving, and the information they are bringing back to their home countries. I am interested in this cultural exchange and the hybridity that emerges through these international meditation retreats and international monasteries. This kind of research, of transnational links and communications, is becoming a popular topic within humanities and especially within Buddhist studies. Pabhasrawong has researched some interesting aspects to this phenomenon but there is much more to be done, and I hope to contribute to this emerging sub-field.
Mini-Retreat: Wat Suan Dok
The “Meditation Retreat Workshop” offered through Wat Suan Dok (See my article if curious about this program) occurs every Tuesday-Wednesday and every last week of the month extends into Friday, discusses the basics of meditation, and is open to anyone until space runs out.
Before this retreat begins, all participants are treated to an ‘Introduction to Buddhism’ by the founder of the program, Phra Dhammavaro. I believe the talk is similar each time, and when I went in late July, 2008, he gave a highly rationalized interpretation of Buddhism. He stressed that many of the things we may have seen in Thailand, such as spirit houses and statues of Hindu gods, are not Buddhism. He showed pictures and repeated “This is not Buddhism.” He told us that Buddhism is not a religion but a way to live your life. His message was that anyone can practice meditation and follow the Buddha’s teachings and one doesn’t have to be a Buddhist. Despite his belief in the ability to maintain one’s own religion, Phra Dhammavaro still emphasized that within Buddhism one doesn’t have to believe in gods or have any belief at all. Instead Buddhism is based on reason and empirical evidence, and allows one to decide for oneself.
After this presentation we were driven to a beautifully kept meditation center with impeccably clean rooms. Upon arrival we were given a meal of pad thai and then headed into an evening meditation instruction. We were briefly introduced to the methods of walking, sitting, and laying down meditation. At one point during the sitting meditation we were told to close our eyes, and then the lights were turned off. When we were told to open our eyes, all of the hall’s candles had been lit, and the room looked beautiful. I think this may have been orchestrated to make the foreign meditators think how beautiful and peaceful meditation can be. I think this because Phra Dhammavaro stressed that meditation should be relaxing. He said one can do meditation even for five minutes a day to ‘recharge’ and ‘check in,’ and this would create a less stressful lifestyle. He repeated that our lives were very scattered and too busy. He suggested that if we take meditation into our lives, everything would be more peaceful.
In the morning, the monks told us that exercise was good to do before meditation so we wouldn’t feel sleepy. Then they asked a participant to come lead the group in a short yoga routine. It would be inappropriate for monks to lead us in an exercise routine but it was a surprise that one of us was expected to be able to do this spontaneously. No one volunteered until William, my husband, offered to lead. He was training to be a yoga instructor at that time. After this we did a morning meditation practice that consisted mostly of laying meditation. The monks told us that we needed to rest after our short period of exercise.
Next we were given some rice to donate to monks to simulate an almsround experience. After eating a delicious breakfast, we broke up into groups for some discussion about our meditation experiences with the monk assistants. These monk assistants have a good command of the English language and are part of MahaChulalongkorn Buddhist University, Chiang Mai Campus, which is located on the Wat Suan Dok grounds. Our group discussed the types of meditation we liked best and how we felt about each type. I was surprised that many members of our group claimed to have experienced many benefits of the meditation practice after such a short time. They already felt much more peaceful, relaxed, and resolved to integrate what they learned into their daily lives. Our monk assistant was pleased and validated each comment, while adding his own experiences.
After the discussion session Phra Dhammavaro ended the retreat by telling us about his new projects. He intends to establish a forest meditation retreat available for foreign meditators as well. This retreat will not be as introductory. He hopes to structure it so that meditators can come for a week or two, and stay in kutis with no electricity or showers. In my research I will discover the motivations behind both this new project and this meditation basics retreat/workshop. This mini-retreat is certainly an interesting alternative to the more strict ones available throughout Thailand and shows that retreats of all kinds for all different levels of commitment are accessible to foreigners. A larger variety of meditation instruction continues to be offered, and this one caters to beginners– those who are not yet ready for ten or more days of unstructured meditative days. It will be interesting to see if this trend continues, if more temples will offer short workshops and retreats for busy travelers and ex-pats looking for something not so intense.
This relates to recent discussions in the buddhoblogosphere and elsewhere, where it is debated if meditation should be something that can fit into daily lives, or if the practice needs to be more structured and intense to have any affect and maintain some of the ‘integrity of the early teachings.’ I am not yet sure if this conversation is happening among Thai Buddhists but it is clear that both presentations of meditation practices are offered. This shows that Buddhists internationally are experiencing at least some of the same issues as the tradition encounters modernity.
Getting a New Style: Experiences of a First Time Retreatant
While visiting the heavily touristed Wat Prathat Doi Suthep on Suthep Mountain in Chiang Mai, my husband and I noticed the International Buddhist Center, with a sign offering meditation retreats. Inside the small library, an English-speaking layperson approached us and checked the availability to participate in a retreat. We learned of our options: foreigners can meditate for a full course of 21 days, an advanced review for 10 days or a shorter course depending on individual schedules. The room, two meals per day and meditation instruction are all offered free of charge, with donations graciously accepted. My husband and I decided we would like to try this unique experience, and opted to stay at the beautiful, 700 year-old, mountainside temple for ten days, as we thought this would allow us enough time to receive adequate meditation instruction without incurring mental overload. Having a sporadic meditation history, I began to realize I was not prepared for this undertaking; yet after being in this Buddhist country for over a month, I was ready for a real challenge. In Thailand, with all of this enthusiasm for Buddhism, my perception of how long I could meditate somehow changed. My husband and I probably wouldn’t have done such an intense retreat in America. This was a totally new level of dedication. While planning, we didn’t think about the luxuries we would have to forgo, but instead focused on the material things we would need. We were required to wear white clothing, so we began scouring markets, bargaining for any plain white clothes we could find. We also needed countdown timers— these would come in handy to time our individual meditation sessions.
Arriving at the temple, we were shown to our separate rooms. My room was empty except for some blankets piled up on the floor to be made into a simple bed. Linoleum with a design of clouds and sky lined the 8×10 ft. floor. One light surrounded by cobwebs hung from the ceiling. We received a small orientation to the meditation areas along with an introduction to the meditation techniques. At the front of the meditation hall there were several statues of the Buddha while the other three sides were lined with windows. Long carpets stretched the length of the hall— carpets that I walked back and forth on countless times during walking meditation sessions.
We were initiated into temple life by taking the precepts all meditators are required to keep while staying in the retreat center. In addition to the usual five precepts for a layperson (no killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, or drinking alcohol and other intoxicants), we had to keep three extra ones: refraining from oversleeping, overeating, and beautification. This meant that we should not sleep more than six hours at night, not eat after noon and not wear any makeup or jewelry— just the white clothes. There were hardly any mirrors around anyway. After showering, I would usually just check with William to see if my hair was sticking up anywhere.
When the alarm clock sounded at 4:30AM on my first full day at the temple, I didn’t want to go back to sleep. I was anxious to leave the hard floor and meet my husband on the pre-dawn terrace overlooking the city. Throughout the day we had two small meals before noon, listened to a dhamma talk by the teacher, chanted with monks in the main hall during dawn and dusk, and reported to the teacher for further instruction and questions.
Despite the partial routine of the mediation retreat, I found it difficult to structure my day. I soon realized that I had to be self-motivated because no one was watching; there were no meditation leaders or scheduled sessions. At first I tried to stick to a goal of meditating 5 hours per day, but soon I let this go and just did what felt right. Eventually I began to actually want to meditate— it was a relief just to concentrate on the moment. In my attempts to meditate in America I had never practiced long enough to gain any long-term benefits. But in this retreat I certainly had ample time and began to hope I could gain some level of insight. If I needed a break, I could walk around the shopping areas of this touristy temple and check out the souvenirs, but this often felt ‘worldly’ and in opposition to what I was trying to gain. Other foreign tourists often gave us curious looks, their counterparts dressed in white walking slowly in a meditative daze. Gradually this routine sunk in and we became used to the simple but difficult meditator’s lifestyle. At one of his dhamma talks, our teacher, Phra Buddhayammo, compared his experiences adjusting to the monkhood to our experiences at this temple.
He said, “Maybe you thought you couldn’t do this at first; maybe you thought you would need to have dinner and coffee, and a soft mattress, but soon after only a couple of days, you can adapt and enjoy the benefits of the simple life.” He concluded, “I think, maybe, this much better. You can get a new style!”
The morning and evening chanting became the highlights of our day. We received a Pali chanting book, Romanized and translated, so we could easily follow along. Our teacher encouraged us to attend the daily chants saying, “This temple very old. Maybe you get the good energy from the history.”
Before and after the chanting there were often blessings and donations from laypeople, so we were able to observe Thai monastic interactions and learn about monks’ daily lives. The abbot always smiled at us and sometimes spoke to us after the chanting was finished. He told the foreign meditators about the cat with the furious meow that often attended the chants.
“This cat is 16 years old, he won’t be quiet! Oh well, nothing can do.”
“That cat must have good karma,” I whispered to William.
Another daily highlight, while brief, was the report to the teacher. This meeting could take anywhere from five minutes to over a half hour for some people.
During my reports, I often asked about my lack of progress, “When will I be able to go deep inside?”
During his dhamma talks Phra Buddhayammo constantly praised meditation because, “You can come deep deep inside. I think, very wonderful, yes?” During the reports, he repeatedly told me to be patient, and although at the end of the retreat I was still waiting for an insight, I did feel like I gained a higher level of concentration.
Although it is not recommended that people talk during the retreat to other meditators, this was often not observed. Some people came and went quickly, never speaking to anyone, but some were friendlier and collected everyone’s email addresses, promising to keep in touch as if in summer camp. We were all obviously curious about each other. I wanted to know their reasons for being there, taking on such a rigorous and atypical venture. No one talked during meditation or near the retreat center areas, but usually at night, on the beautiful terrace overlooking Chiang Mai, after the chanting, people discussed their motivations for coming, their backgrounds and their travels around Thailand and Southeast Asia. One younger monk involved with the center often joined these conversations.
Two of the meditators were ex-pats living in Thailand with Thai wives. A South African young man and an older Dutch man had both done more intense retreats but had lost the calm they developed, so they came to practice in the isolated environment of Doi Suthep. They spoke about the strangeness of Thai rituals they had observed during their weddings and home blessings. They thought the lucky numbers and lucky directions that their wives believed in were inconvenient and silly. But like many foreigners they could connect with the mental aspects of the tradition such as meditation.
A woman from Honduras asked us what other retreats we had done in Thailand, as if we had been on an extensive circuit exploring Thailand’s best offerings. She described the different retreats she had joined, stressing the level and quality of instruction, and named Doi Suthep as one of the better experiences because of her good relationship with the teacher. She was thinking of becoming a Buddhist nun and felt Western countries had it all wrong. She would rather experience the simple monastic life of the monastery. Others came just for the experience of living in a temple and interacting with monks. A young Canadian female tourist came to Thailand because she was inexplicably fascinated by Thailand, especially Thai Buddhism. She had some meditation experience and enjoyed learning more about monks’ lifestyles and Buddhist teachings. Another young Canadian woman did no meditation; she just stayed in her room watching DVDs on her computer for a few nights and left earlier than she had intended. A young woman from Holland was traveling around Asia and had just completed a yoga retreat in Bali and wanted to try a meditation retreat as well. Sadly, she had to leave early due to unexplained allergies. Maybe it was the slew of dogs and cats roaming the temple grounds. A young Irishman had had enough of late nights drinking with his buddies and took this meditation retreat as a further symbol of his renunciation of that lifestyle.
Meeting these people made me think of the other tourists we had encountered during our trips throughout Thailand and Laos. These tourists spoke of going to the southern islands, the beach scene, the cheap beer, and other products they were able to acquire at bargain prices. The people who chose to take part in Buddhist travel and learn about Thai Buddhism as well as themselves, on the other hand, were experiencing a different level of tourism all together. Being proud of cheap finds in Thailand and relaxing on beaches seemed antithetical to what the meditation retreats offered to foreign tourists.
On our 10th and last day, we left after lunch, wanting to eat as much of the delicious vegetarian food as possible. I have to admit that I was happy to reenter the world, eat after noon, and wear makeup and colorful clothes. In fact, I went straight to the salon for a haircut and pedicure. It was too easy to reintegrate and forget the lifestyle I had just left. The restrictions of the 8 precepts faded rather quickly and it was all too effortless to get back into the hectic pace of the non-meditator’s life. Only after I left Doi Suthep did I realize how easy I had it there— no worries about spending money, choosing foods, or how to fill my time.
After reemerging into the world I kept hearing more about meditation retreat opportunities for foreigners. Buddhist tourism is becoming an important way to connect with the international community. Many foreigners may be interested in participating because Thai Buddhism seems like something mysterious and inexplicable, with monks in colorful robes everywhere they turn. Many tourists were surprised to see monks using cell phones or in malls— as if they were not modern people, but a holdover from ancient times. Monks were photographed at all of the temples, especially when they were involved in religious ceremonies; it seemed that photographing them was like capturing a moment lost in time. Yet by talking to monks and observing their lifestyles, the mystery begins to peel away. Indeed, the meditator from Honduras said she had come to realize that the monks, nuns, and priests from all traditions are “people like you and me, just trying to get by.”
