Exploring the Thai Forest Tradition: A Buddhist Monastic Sect

Buddhism has a history spanning more than two millennia, and a diverse array of sects and traditions have developed since its founding. In the 20th century, a new branch of Theravada Buddhism emerged: the Thai Forest tradition.  
 
The Thai Forest tradition garnered mainstream popularity in Thailand and now has followers across the globe. Let’s do a deep dive into this fascinating tradition, including its history, foundational figures, and core principles. 

  What Is the Thai Forest Tradition? 
 
The Thai Forest tradition is one of several branches of the Theravada school of Buddhism, which is practiced in Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka. Theravada means “the Doctrine of the Elders” and this tradition is firmly rooted in the oldest Buddhist scriptures, the Pali Canon. Theravada Buddhists are expected to strictly follow the Buddha’s original teachings and monastic discipline. 
 
Within Thailand’s diverse Theravada Buddhist tradition, monasteries serve multifaceted roles, ranging from chanting and ceremonies to study, healing, and meditation. However, the Thai Forest tradition is unique in its unwavering commitment to following the Buddha’s monastic rules.  
 
The Thai Forest tradition places a major emphasis on meditative practices and guides its practitioners on the path of discipline, renunciation, and meditation to attain the inner truth and peace expounded by the Buddha. Forest monastics live austere lives with minimal possessions, which they believe helps simplify their minds and allows for a direct exploration of the root causes of suffering. 
 
Forest monastics frequently interact with the lay community and rely on them for material support. They provide teachings and spiritual inspiration in return. These monks are governed by a set of 227 rules, including celibacy, limited eating times, and an aversion to handling money. Forest monks also engage in a tradition called “tudong”, in which they wander across the countryside on foot to foster simplicity and joy and subdue mental impurities. 

The Founding Father of Thai Forest Buddhism: Ajahn Mun 
 
The roots of the Thai Forest tradition are as old as Buddhism itself, as both the Buddha and his early followers regularly spent time in the forest as a form of monasticism. However, the contemporary Thai Forest tradition was founded at the turn of the 20th century by Thai monk Ajahn Mun and his teacher, Ajahn Sao.  
 
These two founding fathers of the contemporary Thai Forest tradition sought to spark a return to the pre-sectarian monastic and meditative Buddhist practices, which they thought had been corrupted by the 19th century in Thailand.  
 
Ajahn Mun was ordained as a Theravada monk in 1893 and initially practiced kasina meditation at Wat Liap before transitioning to walking meditation to cultivate body awareness. He eventually left Wat Liap to wander through Northeast Thailand, where he struggled to maintain mindfulness and concentration before finding a way to control his mind. 
 
He then began walking towards Bangkok, where he met with a childhood friend named Chao Khun Upali to discuss methods for developing insight. He left to wander again, dwelling in caves before going back to Bangkok to continue their discussions on developing insight. He would go on to achieve the noble Buddhist level of “non-returner” during a critical illness while dwelling at Sarika Cave. 
 
Upon his return to Northeast Thailand, Mun began teaching and founded the modern Thai Forest tradition. However, this new approach faced resistance, as it challenged the culturally predominant views of Buddhism at the time.  
 
Core Practices of Thai Forest Buddhism 
 
The Thai Forest tradition is differentiated from other branches of Buddhism by various unique teachings and practices. 
 
Kammatthana Meditation—In all branches of Buddhism, the purpose of meditation is to reach Nirvana, which is the “blowing out” of the attachment and suffering of the mind. In the Thai Forest tradition, awareness of this state cannot be described and can only be achieved through the cultivation and practice of meditative concentration. Monks in the Forest Tradition focus their meditative journey on what Ajahn Mun termed the five “root meditation themes”: the hair of the head, the hair of the body, the nails, the teeth, and the skin. As practitioners advance, they focus on classical Buddhist themes, including the 10 recollections, contemplation of foulness (asubha) to combat sensual desire, expressions of goodwill (brahmaviharas) to counter ill will, and the four satipatthana for deep concentration. Mindfulness immersed in the body and mindfulness of in-and-out breathing play pivotal roles in this tradition, serving as primary themes for meditators to concentrate on within the broader framework of recollections and frames of reference. 
 
Monasticism—Thai Forest monasteries typically follow a daily routine, including hour-long morning and evening chants, which are followed by an hour of meditation. Monks leave to collect alms from laypeople around 6 a.m. each day. Dhammayut monasteries, like Wat Pah Nanachat monks, have a single daily meal. After the meal, monks engage in anumodana, a chant expressing gratitude for offerings and acknowledging the generosity of the lay people. Thai forest monks regularly go on retreats called Dhutanga, where they wander the countryside, practice asceticism, and rely on alms from laypersons they come across on their journeys.