meditation. There was very little shade, but he paid no atten-
tion to the sun’s searing heat. The environment truly seemed to
make the long journey easier for him. On his shoulders he car-
ried his bowl and umbrella-tent, the personal requisites of a dhu-
tanga monk. Although they appeared cumbersome, he didn’t feel
them to be burdensome in any way. In truth, he felt as though he
were floating on air, having relieved himself of all concern about
the monks he left behind. His sense of detachment was complete.
His mother was no longer a concern for him, for he had taught
her to the best of his ability until she developed a reliable, inner
stability. From then on, he was responsible for himself alone. He
walked on as he pondered over these thoughts, reminding him-
self not to be heedless.
He walked meditation in this manner along paths free of
human traffic. By midday the sun was extremely hot, so he would
look for a pleasant, shady tree at the edge of a forest to rest for
awhile. He would sit there peacefully, doing his meditation prac-
tice under the shade of a tree. When late afternoon came and
the heat had relented somewhat, he moved on with the compo-
sure of one who realized the dangers inherent within all condi-
tioned things, thus cultivating a clear, comprehending mind. All
he needed were small villages with just enough houses to sup-
port his daily almsround and, at intervals along his journey, suit-
able places for him to conveniently stay to practice that were far
enough from the villages. He resided in one of the more suitable
places for quite some time before moving along.
Ãcariya Mun said that upon reaching Dong Phaya Yen forest
between the Saraburi and Nakhon Ratchasima provinces, he dis-
covered many forested mountain ranges that brought special joy
jacob rumans
(Jacob Rumans)
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