After A LOT of reading, reflecton, discussing and thinking (too much thinking!) i'm currently in the process of dicthing the Lamrim meditation techniques I was originally taught in the Tibetan tradition. Why? Because i've found it increasingly impossible to practice one set of a traditions meditation whilst at the same time disagreeing with some of its concepts and ways. In this case Tibetan Buddhism. I have also come to realise that it's not possible for me to continue to 'mix' the traditions up and practice a mix of everything. It has only lead to me being totally and utterly confused. Now I think it's better to find the tradition which you feel most comfortable with and stick to it. Of course at the same time be totally open minded and respect all the other traditions, but don't mix them. This is my new opinion. I have been gradually leaning much more towards the Therevada tradition and in paticular can absolutely relate to the Thai Forest movement. In Asia, Buddhism plays a central role in social life. Monasteries are often seen in cities, and such urban locations serve as the centers of scholastic learning. Monks often receive their education in monasteries and earn the rough equivalent of "graduate degrees" in the studies of Buddhism. This highly intellectual approach is characteristic of the larger urban monasteries generally. Yet it was reaction against this backdrop which led to the simpler life associated with the Forest tradition, which again as the name suggests includes monasteries situated far away from urban areas, usually in the wilderness or very rural areas of Thailand. You see this is what I encountered whilst travelling, especially in Laos and Thailand. Many of the novice monks seem to just get sent to the monastaries to get a decent education and then leave in there early twnties to go to university or into work. I also met more than the odd couple of smoking/drinking monks. Now to me that is pretty absurd. And coupled with the lay people outside the Wats selling the birds in cages (Karma for sell!?) I really started to wonder just what has happened to buddhism and what would buddha think of all this. Because of this abstract tendency in urban monastic life, some monks believed the original ideals of the Sangha had been compromised. The Forest Tradition is, then, primarily an attempt to reach back 25 centuries, to the time of the Buddha himself to reclaim the old standards of discipline, an attempt to stave off perceived corruption of the monastic life. Exactly when the movement began is not clear, but it is believed to have existed for quite some time, undergoing a revival led by Ajahns Mun Bhuridatta and Sao Kantasilo Mahathera. This sounds great to me going back to the 'grass roots', the basics, the real essence. the Forest tradition in part is a reaction against a highly intellectual approach to Buddhism, the Dhamma is studied in a much simpler fashion. Members of the tradition, like those found in Zen, are widely known for their suspicion of any attempt to convey the Dhamma in an overly intellectual fashion. The Forest tradition, again like Zen, favors a more direct approach to understanding the Dhamma in everyday life. Yet it places a great deal of value on meditation, and followers of the tradition are also generally perceived to be excellent meditators. This sounds perfect for me. The emphasis of experience over the intellectual study of suttas, coupled with the Therevadin aspect of going back to the original teachings. Does anyone here practice according to the Thai Forest tradition? Are there any books or anything online that gives teachings related to the traditions techniques in meditation? Anything by Ajahn Chah would be great. There is a lot of teachings from him scattered around on the net but something more concise would be much more helpful. Many thanks to you.
