respects to him and hear his advice. They traveled by foot from
locations all around the region, some, quite far away. Everyone
came by foot, except for the elderly and women who, unaccus-
tomed to hiking, hired ox carts to take them to the monastery. The
dirt track extending from the main district of Phanna Nikhom
to Ban Nong Pheu was about twelve miles long, following a path
that cut straight up through the mountains. Following a more cir-
cuitous route around the base of the mountains, the distance was
about fifteen miles. Those unaccustomed to hiking would never
make it if they took the direct route, since there were no vil-
lages along the way where they could find food and shelter. The
more circuitous route had only a few villages, spread far apart; so
it wasn’t very convenient either. Monks traveling to see Ãcariya
Mun went on foot, there being no road to Ban Nong Pheu that
was suitable for motorized traffic. What public transport there
was in those days went along the main provincial highways, and
then only infrequently. Latecomers usually missed their ride and
wasted a whole day waiting for the next one.
DHUTANGA MONKS PREFERRED traveling by foot. They found riding
in vehicles inconvenient, since they were usually crowded with
people. A dhutanga monk considered hiking from place to place
simply another aspect of his meditation practice. Once he deter-
mined which mountain range or forest he wanted to head for, he
focused on his practice and started his journey as though he were
walking in meditation and the forest trails were his track. He
did not fret about where the next village might be or whether he
would reach it before dark. He resolved to walk until dusk, then