people were familiar with the routes. Since the villagers seldom
made long treks to visit one another, the trails were often over-
grown and obscured by undergrowth. Anyone unfamiliar with
this network of trails had to be very careful not to take a wrong
fork and get lost in the densely forested terrain. One might well
end up in an area where there were no settlements at all. The dis-
tance between some communities could be twelve to fifteen miles
of uninterrupted jungle. Such lengthy trails required special cau-
tion, for any traveler who lost his way would almost surely end up
spending the night in the wilderness without any food. Besides
that, he might never safely find his way out unless he chanced
upon a hunter who pointed him in the right direction or con-
ducted him back to the main trail to his destination.
Harsh Training Methods
Dhutanga kammaååhãna monks were motivated by their great
enthusiasm for Dhamma. They regularly endured many hard-
ships: in their wandering lifestyle, in their living conditions, and
in their mode of practice. It was difficult for them to find an excel-
lent teacher like Ãcariya Mun, a teacher capable of training them
in the authentic way, thus bringing joy to their practice. When-
ever they met him, they were as excited as small children greet-
ing their parents. The devotion and affection they felt combined
to give them a feeling of complete confidence in him. Their lives
and well-being were placed solely in his hands. Dhutanga monks
naturally tended to have immense faith in their teacher, revering
him so much that they would willingly give up their lives for him