dhutanga practices are, after all, designed to counteract the kile-
sas, so people from all walks of life should try their best to make
use of them for this purpose. The dhutangas comprise qualities of
Dhamma so supremely profound that it is difficult to fully com-
prehend their true magnitude.
I myself do not have as comprehensive a knowledge and
understanding of the dhutanga practices as I should, but in my
own unsophisticated way I have tried my best to do justice to
them. I hope you will forgive my shortcomings in this regard. In
truth, the dhutangas are so profoundly subtle it would be virtu-
ally impossible to fully elaborate on all their outstanding qualities.
They have the capacity to take someone, who is truly devoted to
their practice, from the basic levels of Dhamma all the way to the
highest ariya levels. In fact, no Dhamma attainment is beyond the
scope of the dhutangas. As a teacher, Ãcariya Mun always led his
disciples in observing these ascetic practices, right until the last
days of his life. Only when his strength was completely exhausted
did he let go of them, along with his physical body. Clearly the
dhutangas are essential practices for those intending to purify their
hearts of all vestiges of the kilesas – this truth is undeniable.
I shall refrain from giving a detailed explanation here of
each ascetic observance with its distinctive merits and impor-
tance. Anyone interested in looking into them can uncover these
attributes for themselves. You may discover a degree of subtlety
that proves to be more beneficial to you than simply reading
someone else’s explanation. I have been looking into these prac-
tices since my early days as a dhutanga monk and I continue to
gain good results from them to this day. I have always considered
them an essential part of my overall practice. Anyone intent on
jacob rumans
(Jacob Rumans)
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