The Path

My usual morning schedule is to meditate early in the morning. However, as those of you who have read the previous blog know, these days from 4am to 5:15am I am journeying down the path from my hut on the mountain to the main hall where we meet for almsround. This activity, as well as the fact that it requires considerable mindfulness and concentration to negotiate, in the dark and sometimes rain, the twists and turns and continuously changing conditions, means that the experience of the path is very much in my mind.

It also occurred to me that journeying on a physical path has close analogies to journeying on the spiritual path. Thus, for example, on my early trips down the path I made quite a few wrong turns. I then noticed that this usually happened when I was paying too close attention to my immediate steps in order not to hit a rock, step into a dip or misplace my footing. The problem was that I was not taking into account the intermediate shape of the path, its numerous twists and turns.

On my next journeys I took this into account but still made a few wrong turns. Reflecting upon this I realized that I also needed to consider the ultimate direction of the path as it went up over the plateau heading south and down the valley heading west in order to arrive at the hall in the southwest. Thus in order to keep to the right path it required keeping in mind the three aspects of immediate steps, intermediate direction and ultimate end of the path.

It seems to me that it is also necessary to keep these three aspect of the path in mind while traveling the spiritual path as well. Sometimes we may become over-focused on our immediate practice -- the proverbial, 'Live in the present moment' syndrome. This is all very well, however, as we are enjoying the immediate gratification of that strawberry ice cream, what are the intermediate effects of over-eating or the long-term effects of increased cholestrol?

Sometimes we may become over-focused upon the intermediate goal. We plan to go to Burma for a month-long intensive retreat in order to get our meditation practice together. However, what about that immediate thought of greed for mental peace in the mind right now? Or what will be the long-term effect? Will this give a boost to our spiritual practice or is it a 'spiritual holiday' acting as a substitute for everyday practice? What is the ultimate aim of spiritual practice? Where is it ultimately heading?

Thus, if we can keep some perspective on all three of these aspects of the path then they can support each other in helping us arrive at a more balanced and integrated approach to spiritual practice.

I have learned a few further lessons recently while journeying down the mountain. A few mornings ago I had my most difficult journey as it was raining and windy. While I am aware that rain makes the rocks extra slippery I was not prepared for the fact that the rain also made the path especially hard to see as well. The composition of the path is a combination of dark-coloured rock and light-coloured sand and pebbles. The rain, however, had darkened the light-coloured portions so it was more difficult to distinguish the constantly changing contours. Thus straining to see the way, being extra wary of slipping and holding the umbrella which was buffeted by wind on the exposed rocky plateau and caught on branches through the forests, I had to depend more on my memory of how the path weaved through the landscape then attend to the path directly. I then made several wrongs turns. I realized that this was due to following my assumptions of how I thought the path should go. Yes, how often have we gone astray by following our false assumptions? Of course, we often need to rely upon assumptions, but perhaps we forget that they are only assumptions and not the real thing. Then we only know them as false after the mistake.

The other lessen I learned this morning was that when I was following a way which was more easily walkable I often wandered off the marked path. The direct path is often not always the easiest. And while a few easier steps off the main stream can relax the journey, we need to be alert that we are not wandering off too far from the right way.

Tomorrow I will be following a different path as I will be going for alms at the village beside the Mekong River for some weeks. Fortunately the almsround begins much later at 6:30 am, nearly 1 1/2 hours after dawn. This is a relief since, even though it is much shorter, the path down is much steeper and difficult. This also includes having to literally crawl down three very rustic ladders (with round steps and no hand rail). The climb back up again carrying a bowl of food on an empty stomach will be great for the appetite.

Oh look! There is a hand rail.

Rainy Season Retreat in Thailand

This year I am spending the Rainy Season Retreat at a remote branch monastery of Wat Pah Nanachat called Wat Pah Poo Jom Gom. It is situated two hours drive NE of Ubon city next to the Mekong River. A place some 10 kms away has been promoted at the most easterly point of Thailand.

A very full Mekong River taken from Poo Jom Gom  cliff; Laos is on the left bank, the golden Buddha is south of the monastery. 

While the monastery proper is only about 40 acres in extent, a number of bamboo huts and cave dwellings are scattered over several hundreds of acres of National Park in an area of exceptional natural environment consisting of a series of sandstone plateaus eroded into exotic formations by rain and wind. And now with the monsoon rains the area has turned into labyrinth of streams, creeks, ponds and pools. Unfortunately photographs cannot do justice to the extraordinary diversity and uniqueness of the environment.

 One of the bathing pools on the path up to the upper plateau.

While residing here last winter I had stayed in a hut and cave next to the main stream running through this part of the park. I thus thought this time to be more adventurous and stay in one of the caves on the upper plateau. As I have experienced over the years: 'It is very hard to find a good cave'. My first choice turned out to be too hot for comfort with poor ventilation. I thus resorted to the very large 'Tea Cave' nearby. This cave, being a long rocky overhang has very good ventilation, however, due to it being just below a large plateau has almost continuous waterfalls. This is great for bathing, however, not very peaceful!

The 'Tea Cave', with one of the six waterfalls in the background.

Fortunately, a hut is located nearby between the massive rocks left from the collapsing sandstone ledge. Once the grass roof was repaired I then moved there
 in order to have some quiet rest from all the falling water.

The hut nestled in a flat space between massive rocks. During heavy rains three streams converge on the walking path.

The cave and hut are over one hours walk from the main hall. Thus at 4 am I set off in the dark with an extra light, umbrella, drinking water and my mobile phone in case of accident or obstacle and make my way towards the hall for almsround at 5:40am.

Their are two main routes down. The most straightforward one is down the valley, however, this involves some very mindful scrambling over rocks in several places, crossing several streams over slippery rocks and fording the main stream which can quickly become a torrent. The other route, with only one patch of rock scrambling and one stream to cross, has other challenges as it weaves and winds across the plateaus over a variety of terrain. This requires a constant vigilance to be aware simultaneously of each immediate step and the next direction the path takes. However, since this route is mostly open and expansive, this is the one I usually take, even after losing the path on several occasions. The weak link on this route is the foot bridge over the gorge. Fortunately it has been once again repaired after numerous washouts over the years. It now has a metal walkway and strong cables for handrails. Due to the large amount of rocky outcrop the area is exceptionally prone to flash flooding. A week after I arrived we had a two-hour long deluge which sent the stream through the gorge to over the level of bridge handrails. Fortunately though, as quickly as it floods, it also recedes. Near the bridge is a small shelter to await the water level to recede enough for a safe crossing.

The foot bridge over the gorge.

Four monks and three lay women are resident here at present, and we are exceptionally well cared for by the Sompan and Yupin family and Por Chalerm who come every day to cook extra food.

Visit to Bali, Indonesia
On June 30th I arrived in Bali at the invitation of Ven. Vijaya and his family. Ven. Vijaya is a native of Bali who ordained eight years ago in Burma with Sayadaw U Pandita. After one night in Denpasar we travelled to Ven. Vijaya's mother's native village of Baturiti, 45 km north of Denpasar on the main road to Singharaja. We arrived in time for the meal offering followed by a ceremony to bless the creation of the new Buddha Image for the recently constructed Dhammadana Vihara.

Ven. Vijaya's mother and family are planning to build a meditation centre adjacent to the temple and also to create a forest monastery nearby on the edge of the village. The village is in the hills at 800 meters elevation with very comfortable temperatures, although it is said to get as low at 15C in August.
We resided in Baturiti for four days in a small Sangha residence of several 'luxurious' bamboo huts (with attached running water bathroom) in the local Chinese cemetery. Very conveniently the ceremony hall next to the crematorium served as a sheltered meal-serving area and lodging for the two lay men residing with us.
Ven. Vijaya had already resided here for one Rains Retreat and taught the supporting Buddhist families to offer food during the traditional almsround. Thus at 9am we made our way along the busy street where some 30-40 people of all ages waited to make offerings. Needless to say there was abundant food offered, so much so that we need four attendants to help transport the offerings back to the residence.

Since we were already on the road north, one afternoon we journeyed over the mountains to the oldest Buddhist Monastery in Bali, Brahma Vihara, outside of Singharaja on the north coast. This is a very ornate structure of stone with many carved figures and a newer addition with a small imitation of the Borobadur stupa. This monastery has for many years been used as a venue for meditation retreats by Burmese monks and at the time a Burmese monk was leading a retreat for young people.
On Friday morning we traveled to Studio Bhavana, Sanur for the meal offering and to reside for the weekend of teaching there and at Shakyamuni Vihara in Denpasar. I gave a very well-attended talk to the Buddhist Youth Group at Shakyamuni Vihara, another to the Buddhist Women's Group at Studio Bhavana and then the Sunday morning Dhamma Talk at Shakyamuni Vihara.

The remaining few days of my visit we were very generously hosted in Ubud at the home of one of Ven. Vijaya's friends. There we had Dhamma discussion with various people and two short but much-appreciated meditation sessions.
Before my departure on July 10th, Ven. Vijaya's extended family offered the meal and expressed their appreciation for Dhamma teachings and the opportunity to serve the Sangha. It is very inspiring to see such devotion to Dhamma, and such commitment to generosity, morality and meditation as exemplified by Ven. Vijaya's family, and also by the many devoted Buddhists in Bali.
Many fruitful conditions are already present in Bali. Hopefully the Buddhists there will continue to practice the Dhamma for their increasing welfare and that of all sentient beings.

(Photos 1 & 3 by Sila Tejakalyani, photo #2 by Ko Khema)

I am presently staying at Cittarama in Kuala Lumpur and depart tomorrow for Denpasar, Bali for 10 days, returning to Bangkok on July 10th.

While in Bangkok I will be giving the following talks:
July 11: Aetas Hotel on Rama IV Rd; 6:30-8:30; www.littlebang.org
July 12: 6:30-8:00; "Spiritual Practice with Non-Self"; Suan Moke Bangkok BIA, Vachirabenjatas Park., Nikom Rot Fai Sai 2 Rd, Chatuchak, Bangkok; +66 2936 2800; www.bia.or.th.

Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage, Kholo, Brisbane, Australia
I have been here for over two weeks now. After som initial adjustment to the new situation, I have settled into my usual routine of formal meditation, physical exercise and study - developing spiritual practise in terms of body, mind and spirit/emotion.
There is also a fair amount of teaching/talking which adds another dimension to the practise as well.
I am staying in te Mahathera Room (with a heater for the 10C nights) next to the library. This has given me some incentive to do some editing on the series of talks on the Five Hindrances which friends in Victoria and Vancouver, British Columbia have diligently transcribed, and which may eventuate into another book. This has been a source for my study as well as stimulating some themes for deeper reflection.
The hermitage is in a very quiet, rural setting bordering a huge area of conservation land and a National Park. From the top of the hill there are expansive views of the forested hills of the D' Anguilar Range with patches of Lake Manchester to the west. The main vegetation is dry eucalypt forest which unfortunately is fairly homogenous and notably unexciting. Presumably the area was previously logged as almost all the trees are between 10 and 20 meters high and so evenly spaced that one suspects they have been deliberately planted. Only in the vallies are there trees towering to 30+ meters. However the homogenity of the flora is offset by the diversity of the fauna, especially the exotic bird ife common to Australia. There is continuous bird song of the most unusual variety, from the more familiar twittering and chirping of smaller birds to the screeching and squacking of a range of parrots and cockatoos. And of course there is the outrageous sqaucking laughterof the kookaburras which never fails to bring a smile.

Greetings and welcome to Tiradhammo's Ramblings.
The main purpose of this blog is to notify friends of my whereabouts during my ramblings about the world, and also to share some of my mental ramblings on Dhamma topics and my experiences at the various places I visit. Hopefully this will be of use.

I am presently at Bodhinyanrama Monastery near Wellington, New Zealand.