xivthe heart and thus demolishing all bridges linking the mind to the
cycle of repeated birth and death. Kammaååhãna, with its empha-
sis on meditative development, and dhutanga, with its emphasis on
the ascetic way of life conducive to intensive meditation, compli-
ment each other perfectly in the noble effort to transcend the cycle
of rebirth. They, along with the code of monastic discipline, are the
cornerstones on which the edifice of a monk’s practice is erected.
Both the letter and the spirit of this ascetic life of meditation
can be found embodied in the life and teaching of Ãcariya Mun.
From the day he first ordained until the day he passed away, his
entire way of life, and the example he set for his disciples, were mod-
eled on the principles incorporated in these practices. He is credited
with reviving, revitalizing, and eventually popularizing the dhutanga
kammaååhãna tradition in Thailand. Through his life-long efforts,
dhutanga monks (or kammaååhãna monks, the two are used inter-
changeably) and the mode of practice they espouse became, and still
remain, a prominent feature of the Buddhist landscape there.
Ãcariya Mun was especially gifted as a motivator and teacher.
Many of the monks who trained directly under his tutelage have dis-
tinguished themselves by their spiritual achievements, becoming well-
known teachers in their own right. They have passed on his distinctive
teaching methods to their disciples in a spiritual lineage that extends
to the present day. As a result, the dhutanga kammaååhãna mode of
practice gradually spread throughout the country, along with Ãcariya
Mun’s exalted reputation. This nationwide acclaim began to escalate
during the last years of his life and continued to grow after his death
until he came to be considered a national “saint” by almost unani-
mous consent. In recent decades, he has gained recognition beyond
the confines of his native land as one of the 20th century’s truly great
religious figures.
Ãcariya Mun’s life epitomized the Buddhist ideal of the wan-
dering monk intent on renunciation and solitude, walking alone