Cambodian Forest
Monks
The Forest Tradition is still practiced
today in some regions of Cambodia, such as Phnom Sruoch in Kampong
Speu, Phnom Tbeng in Preah Vihear, and Phnom Bokor in Kampot. These
places are as popular now as in the past among Forest Monks and
white-robed ascetics.
The forest monk of Cambodia, known as lok
thudong, was a potent protector, adept, or a
“magician.”
In Cambodian Buddhism, the monk is expected to apply himself to the
Trisiksa (threefold practices), of sila
(morality), Samadhi (meditation), and panna
(wisdom), also gantadhura (study-traditions) and
vipassanadhura (meditation-traditions). The monks
practiced the two dhuras according to local traditions,
but not in a formal centralized manner. They studied Pali, Dhamma
and Vinaya, on palm leaf manuscripts under the guidance of a
dhammacarya (Dhamma-teacher), who could be a monk or a lay
teacher. The monk practiced vipassanadhura whether
individually in the form of Samadhi kammatthana, or in
group retreats usually during the Rains Retreat
(vassa).
The Thudong monk, or forest monk, way of life includes certain
ancient traditions that emphasize (1) Presence and attention to
observance days; (2) discussion of Dhamma on observance days; (3)
Meditation (bhavana) on a daily basis; (4) destroying the
impediments; (5) searching for suitable places for meditation; (6)
searching for Kalyanamitta (teacher); (7) Learning the 40
khammathana meditation subjects.
The thirteen dhutanga (ascetic practices) are practiced by
forest monks in Cambodia, though now the austere practices are no
longer as prevalent as before. The civil war in Cambodia was
devastating to the forest monks tradition of Cambodia. Also, young
men often become monks to attain an education or escape poverty,
and are not interested in the ascetic practices and meditation
traditions today.
“According to Cambodian beliefs, this type of monk is called
Thudong (Lok Tudong) if they live in the forest, mountains, or far
from the cities. People believe that Tudong monks are obliged to
practice austerity, one of which is to be honest, and as a result
of that are protected from harm if they encounter by chance any
wild animals such as tigers, elephants, or poisonous snakes. Thanks
to purity in practice and conduct they are assisted and protected
by the divinities and ‘honest’ spirits (neak saccam). Also, if
practice Thudong, one must have a calling and must renounce the
world, paying no heed to one’s own life.”
Traditionally, the thudong monks would gather at a well-known wat
which specialized in meditation and study under a specialized
meditation teacher. They practiced either samathakhammatan or
vipassanakhammatan.
Sometimes the practice of Samadhi happened in the forest wilderness
or in the mountains far from cities, calm and quiet places
conducive to the practice of vipassanadhura.
In traditional custom, the three-month Rains Retreat was dedicated
to meditation; not retreats throughout the year as is the practice
today. Wat Ang Praleung in Oudong District, Kompong Speu, was one
such meditation center formerly covered with dense forests, the
abode of many kinds of wildlife such as elephants and tigers.
However, the jungle cover has disappeared and meditation can no
longer be practiced there today.
Samadhi (concentration) as Khmer tradition defined it, means “not
falling into carelessness, concentrating one’s mind, and collecting
one’s thoughts.”
“Samadhi aims at purifying one’s mind, making every effort to
eliminate all defilements attached to one’s self which is the enemy
of pure sila. Samadhi is generally not structured like
kammathana (analytic meditation) as even concentrating
one’s mind for ten to fifteen minutes is regarded as basic Samadhi,
until Tacapancakakamatthana and
Paccavekkhana."
"Kammathana is a very complex and sophisticated activity compared
with Samadhi, focusing mainly on controlling one’s emotions.
Kammathana consists of Samathakammathana and
Vipassanakammathana. Samathakammatthana is
defined as simple and basic meditation that aims to cultivate the
mind and avoid defilements such as kamachanda (sensual pleasure).
Vipassanakammathana is more detailed and practiced to improve one’s
understanding, freeing onesself from defilement, including
attachment to aggregates. Sometimes Samadhi and Kammatthana are
combined in one word.”
Samadhi is of two kinds:
1) Lokiya samadhi – a kind of concentration for
puthujjana (ordinary people) and
2) Kokuttara sammadhi - a king of meditation for people of
higher aspiration (sotapanna, sakadagamin, anagamin,
arahant).
There are three parts to Samadhi: 1) citta – mind as
focus; 2) sila – moral endeavor as its root; 3) forty
kammathana
In addition to the 40-kammathana as meditation subjects,
Cambodians also meditate on (1) ten palibodha
(impediments); (2) four jhana; (3) five-step
jhana; (4) five nivaranadhamma (hindrances); (5)
five vasi (mastery states); (6) six carita (types
of temperaments).
Vipassana forms as taught in Burma (Goenka, Mahasi) are widespread
in Cambodia today. Traditional practices are not widespread, though
they continue in certain places, mostly in remote and inaccessible
places such as Wat Kamphaeng (Battambong) and Wat Phnom (Stung
Treng).
The attitude toward meditation practices in contemporary Cambodia
are ambivalent. Some say vipassanadhura is needed in Cambodia,
although others think it is only an individual practice and not in
the common interest.
Many recognize that vipassana raises social consciousness in a time
of moral-social crisis, such as a present decline in morality due
to war and western materialism, leading to vice including sexual
misconduct, drunkenness, drug addiction, gambling, joining gangs,
leading to social instability. Meditation can contribute to the
common good by helping to solve these social problems. People who
practice meditation cultivate self-awareness of body, speech and
mind. The custom in Cambodia of temporary ordination (Buos Abrum)
includes meditation teachings for young men.
The Khmer-Lao wandering monks were revered by the traditional
people as especially potent “fields of merit” or powerful spiritual
presences. In their bodies, they contain potency, vitality. The
sacred knowledge (Dhamma) is held in their bodies, through
memorization of chants and ceremonies, and observations of
precepts.
The memorization of gata is more
than simply magic spells. It is the inward transformation that
comes from learning “by heart” – “embodying” – the words of the
Buddha, Dhamma. The chants, words, teachings give “protection”
(paritta) – invulnerability. The invulnerability and
protection of the Dhamma is Nibbana.
“…It is based on a kind of ‘equilibrium theory’ of the notion of
the body. They believe that a person’s physical and spiritual
health depends on the soul (khwan) being settled inside the body in
a stable condition. Men who possess panna (wisdom) dhamma,
therefore, are people who not only generate layers of wisdom/dhamma
but also maintain balance between external knowledge and internal
souls.” [Hayashi Yukio, Spells and Boundaries.]
Knowledge is built up in layers within the body – for example
through traveling to distant places, pilgrimages, visiting gurus
(teachers), ordination as Buddhist monks who have time and
opportunity to accumulate attainment – Enlightenment.
Monkhood is attainment of knowledge as experience, knowledge is
power.
Traveling masters (lok thudong) have attained much more potency and
knowledge (vijja), and are able to influence and benefit others.
The adept must have not only rational knowledge, but be attained,
i.e. be transformed by that knowledge, be virtuous by observing the
Buddhist precepts. The adept maintains balance between mind and
external objects (equanimity, equilibrium). He is able to embody,
incarnate, enlightenment.
These were not written scriptures. They were spoken sounds in
Khmer-Pali. They were heart-to-heart (mind-to-mind) transmissions.
Theravada Buddhist monks are united not by a written scripture, but
by a chanted sound.
In the body of the adept thudong monk, this sacred knowledge
(enlightenment) can cross boundaries, is portable. The Lao Ajahn
Lee, for example, was a deeply informed by this “potency” vitality
aspect of Buddhist practice.
Phra Paisal, abbot of Sukhato Forest Monastery in Chaiyaphum
Province of Thailand criticized the modern attitude that dismisses
the ancient traditions. He criticized that modern-rationalist
Buddhism has a lot of information, but lacks the sacred (saksit).
This word saksit comes from Sanskrit sukti meaning status and
siddhi (power). As Phra Phaisal explains, “The sacred here refers
to that which is beyond the five physical senses, and it is
inaccessible and unexplainable by more rationality, but which,
nonetheless, can be attained or realized by the mind. It is a
quality of power that those who access it can receive and benefit
from. It is a refuge or security for those who believe. Its
dynamism is beyond social codes and is comprehensible to the
untrained mind. The ways to realize it are diverse, just as there
are many ways of conceiving of it.”
http://santidhammo.blogspot.com/2011/11/cambodian-forest-monks.html