meaninful sign

meaningful sign: all around Ajahn Chah's monasteries are signs which contain his short but powerful messages

meaningful sign: this one by the Lord Buddha

forest path

meaningful sign

at the crossroads

more forest (and kuti)

Kuti in the forest

more forest (kuti too)

new meditation sala at Wat Nanachat. Compared to Wat Nong Pah Pong, the international monastery is more 'foreigner-friendly'... and I came across four German lay-people while there!

the forest at Wat Nanachat is huge...I heard it takes an hour to just walk the circumverence of the forest!

Journey to Wat Nanachat (the International Monastery, branch monastery of Ajahn Chah's forest tradition). Suprisingly, the landscape in the area is quite dry and yellow...like somewhere in the desert!

the prepared food is then set on tables, and monks, nuns, lay-people (in that order) come collect whatever they want to eat, buffet style.

when the monks return from the alms round, the tradition is to re-offer the food again. This is done by a lay-person who assists the monks in receiving the food

the food offered are separated and then prepared by the nuns or volunteer helpers

monks returning from 'binde-bad' (alms round). The monks set off barefoot at around 4.30am, going to nearby villages for offerings from the locals.

morning light

Shrine built after Ajahn Chah passed away. Inside is an altar dedicated to the venerable. On the altar are many crystal-like stones, which have remained after the venerable was cremated.

The Wat Nong Pah Pong animal farm! With ostriches, peacocks, rabbits, doves...and even a crocodile (or two).

more forest

giant bamboo...they creek and dance in the wind

many cockerels and hens and chicks run freely around the forest

more forest

monks use the bark of jackfruit tree to dye their robes. By boiling the bark for a long time, you get a concentrated orange-coloured dye, which also has a sweet fragrance. All done by hand

forest well: back when there was no tap water, the resident monks had to fetch water daily from this well

kuti with robes hung out to dry

forest meditation place

another kuti

some patches of the forest are full of ancient bamboos, jumbled and towering above one another

another kuti

kuti hiding in the deep forest

forest way

a more modern kuti--everything is built by the monks living at the monastery

forest path

Kuti (wood hut) in the Wat Nong Pah Pong forest where the venerable Ajahn Chah lived

forest enlightenment

forest journey

Wat Nong Pah Pong

Entrance to Wat Nong Pah Pong

Day Sixteen: 22 January 2006

7.29
Bags packed, ready and waiting for the friend to pick me up. Still have a lot of luggage, but a little lighter. I guess I must still learn how to let go, how to drop things I do not need. And I don’t just mean clothes. Unsure what it is that is making my bags so bulky and heavy. Perhaps that’s how we go through life: carrying with us so much junk that are actually of no real benefit, but only help to slow us down and tire us on our journey.

Another step ahead, another country, another city. But wherever I may go and be, I (hopefully) take with me mindfulness,
and a peace of mind.

RGN-BKK: sun set from the plane

RGN-BKK: sun set from the plane

Day Fifteen: 21 January 2006

6.54
Final full day to practice. Should be diligent, determined and concentrated—not just today, but everyday and every moment I can. If I can get up for breakfast, why can’t I get up to practice? If I can groom myself for one hour a day, why can’t I use the same amount of time to groom my mind?

20.20
Final few hours at this centre. Just walked around once around the forest, ‘left, right’, ‘left, right’, and wished all beings peace and metta.

No regrets coming here. Though the stay was two weeks, it feels short now. The sayadaw said next time I should stay two months!

Many things I have learnt; about the Buddha’s teachings, about new techniques of meditation, about mindfulness, and perhaps also a little realization of the true nature of all phenomenon. But most of all, I discovered myself and saw myself (without the ‘self’) as a being with much anger, delusion, troubled thoughts and a mind which wanders. That enough is worth learning, reflecting in need of more observation.

My only hope is that once I leave here, I can bring my practice and what I’ve learnt with me wherever I go. May I remember, may I realise. May I not forget the valuable treasures and truths I discovered here. May I continue my practice and continue to trail down the path which rids the mind of defilements and suffering. And may I share the treasures with all beings so that they too can lessen the baggage they carry.

With metta…

RGN-BKK: sun set from the plane

RGN-BKK: sun set from the plane

RGN-BKK: sun set from the plane

RGN-BKK: sun set from the plane

Day Fourteen: 20 January 2006

9.05
Final Interview

Very important is to obsever the mind—note the wandering mind, note the thinking mind, note the lusting mind, note the intending mind. whatever you do, note the mind. IF you can do that, then the noting of bodily sensations and the hindrances to practice should be easy to note.

Realise the law of cause and effect. When there is anger, the mental cause results in bodily sensations as you described. When there is pain, the bodily sensation results in mental agitation, restlessness and desire to end the pain. This is the law of conditionality.

In daily life, continue with the practice you have learnt here. This is not the Goenka method: you can practice anywhere and in any condition. Aim to be mindful of every thought, of every intention, of every action. Aim to practice at one hour of sitting, walking and/or standing. When you lie in bed, practice lying meditation, and you can fall asleep easier. Do metta meditation everyday before each sitting to calm yourself and send loving-kindness to all beings.

Be mindful and practice whenever the opportunity arises. Whether in the car, on the plane or walking, there are many moments to calm and watch your mind. You will notice that what made you worry or angry before will be less troubling if you watch your body and mind processes.

Whether at work, at home or in daily life, note everything that goes on inside of you and note everything that is affecting you from outside. You will feel happier, lighter, healthier, and more at peace. Even if this body ages and falls ill, your mind will be healthy and still vital and full of life.

Practice every opportunity you have to be mindful and to note the mind. It will help you wherever you are and in whatever you do.

Living is practice, and every waking moment gives you countless opportunities to practice. experience yourself and realise yourself the teachings of the Buddha and Dhamma.

20.05
Just sat almost two hours without changing posture. Such concentratin: ‘Rising, falling’; ‘sitting, sitting’; ‘(hands) touching, touching’.

A few moments I felt drowsy and nodded up and down, but I continued with more vigour, and carried on with renewed concentration. Even the loud creaking insects or the squealing dogs didn’t bother me. And there were much fewer mental distractions too.

Just note this is impermanent. Don’t cling onto this elation and joy at having sat this long and at having had deep concentration. For all will pass, all is unsatisfactory, all is beyond this I-personality. For this is the Dhamma, this is the nature of all phenomenon and all experiences.

Mind like curious puppies

curious puppies, like the mind


clinging on



playful and naughty

clinging on

playful and naughty

Day Thirteen: 19 January 2006

9.18

In a matter of one hour sitting, the fog, the thick dense veil which clouded the forest, the path, and the day, had cleared. And what a glorious morning it is.

10.21
What is the sensation of anger?

It is heat, it is raging vibrations throughout your body. It is constant streams of sparks in the chest. The arms feel bloated, as if they are many times the normal size; the head feels dizzy. The heart races and pounds vigorously. The upper body tingles with heat and vibrations and the chest feels such oppression from within.

A rush, high on adrenaline, like going down the slope of a roller coaster. And what a kill it is to be addicted to such a high…A kill of my mind, a kill of peace, concentration, and that compassionate ‘me’ I thought I possessed.

19.55
As I sat, there was a strong itching sensation on my forehead. I mindlessly moved my hand to scratch, and as I did I felt it. And I felt regret. Should have known, that mosquito that had beeen irritating me inside my net was on my forehead. And I scratched it to death!

Though it was dark, I could see my finger was soiled with blood, and my conscience dirtied with guilt. Had I broken one of the precepts? There was no intention, just mindlessness. And it cost a life, however small and irritating, still a life.

I quickly sent metta to it, hoping the mosquito would quickly turn into a higher being, now that it is free from suffering. I wished it could in another life learn the Triple Gems and liberate itself once and for all from rebirth and suffering. But still my body and mind felt itchy and agitated for many moments.

After the sitting I took a look at the mosquito. a dried up corpse, a mangled mess of twisted legs and body. Soon to become dust and disappear.

first light