between himself and the virtuous qualities he aspires to attain.
He must never permit pride to grab possession of the moral and
spiritual virtues he cultivates within his heart. Otherwise, dan-
gerous fangs and daggers will spring up in the midst of those virtu-
ous qualities – even though intrinsically they’re a source of peace
and tranquillity. He should train himself to adopt the self-effacing
attitude of being a worthless old rag until it becomes habitual,
while never allowing conceit about his worthiness to come to the
surface. A monk must cultivate this noble quality and ingrain it
deeply in his personality, making it an intrinsic character trait as
steadfast as the earth. He will thus remain unaffected by words of
praise, or of criticism. Moreover, a mind totally devoid of conceit is
a mind imperturbable in all circumstances. Ãcariya Mun believed
that the practice of wearing robes made from discarded cloth was
one sure way to help attenuate feelings of self-importance buried
deep within the heart.
Living in the forest. Realizing the value of this dhutanga
observance from the very beginning, Ãcariya Mun found forest
dwelling conducive to the eerie, secluded feeling associated with
genuine solitude. Living and meditating in the natural surround-
ings of a forest environment awakens the senses and encourages
mindfulness for remaining vigilant in all of one’s daily activities:
mindfulness accompanying every waking moment, every waking
thought. The heart feels buoyant and carefree, unconstrained
by worldly responsibilities. The mind is constantly on the alert,
earnestly focusing on its primary objective – the transcendence
of dukkha. Such a sense of urgency becomes especially poignant
when living far from the nearest settlement, at locations deep in
remote forest areas teeming with all kinds of wild animals. In a
jacob rumans
(Jacob Rumans)
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