initely not a safe place for visitors to remain overnight. When
visitors came, Ãcariya Mun had the villagers build a very high
bamboo platform – high enough to be beyond the reach of any
hungry tiger which might try to pounce upon the sleeping person.
Ãcariya Mun forbade the visitors to come down to the ground after
dark, fearing that a tiger would carry them off and devour them.
He told them to carry up containers for their toilet needs during
the night. With so many vicious tigers there at night, Ãcariya
Mun refused to allow visitors to stay long. He sent them away
after a few days. These tigers were not afraid of people – espe-
cially not of women – and would attack if given the opportunity.
On some nights when Ãcariya Mun was walking in meditation by
the light of candle lanterns, he saw a large tiger boldly stalk a buf-
falo herd as it went past his area. The tiger had no fear of Ãcariya
Mun as he paced back and forth. Sensing the tiger, the buffaloes
instinctively headed for the village. Nevertheless, the tiger was
still bold enough that it continued to follow them, even while a
monk walked close by.
Monks who trained under Ãcariya Mun had to be prepared
for anything, including the possibility of death, for danger was all
around the various places where they practiced. They also had to
give up any pride in their own self-worth and any sense of supe-
riority regarding their fellow monks, thus allowing for a harmo-
nious living situation as if they were different limbs on the same
body. Their hearts then experienced a measure of contentment
and, untroubled by mental hindrances, their samãdhi quickly
developed. When a monk is constrained by living under certain
restrictions – for example, living in a frightening place where the
food is limited and the basic requisites are scarce – his mental
jacob rumans
(Jacob Rumans)
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