A very different book came across the reviewer’s desk
this week. Monk in the Mountain (ISBN 978-974-7512-57-1, published by Tam
Song Ta Meditation Sanctuary, 2007) is a question and answer book with a
profound difference.
The book has been written by Ajahn Sumano Bhikkhu, an
American Buddhist monk who has been living in a cave in Thailand for over 19
years. During that time of personal contemplation, he has not cut himself
off from the world as we know it. In fact he uses a battery powered lap-top
computer and is aware of the big world ‘out there’ even if he does not
wish to be part of it. However, it is his experience of ‘our’ world that
makes his answers so pertinent to today’s troubled questioners. By the
way, ‘Ajahn’ means teacher, ‘Sumano’ means good heart and
‘Bhikkhu’ means one who is striving to come to the end of the world.
Ajahn Sumano Bhikkhu is a ‘thudong’ monk, one of the
wandering monks who live in the forests and are involved in deeper
meditative practises, following very strictly the 227 rules as set by the
Buddha himself.
Ajahn Sumano Bhikkhu admits to fear in living in his
cave, which he shares with lizards, scorpions, bats, rats and the occasional
hungry, rat-starved cobra. This type of existence is a far cry from his
previous life in America, growing up in Chicago, university, law school,
marriage, divorce and a business. He was in his mid-30s when he began his
search for spirituality, eventually ending up in his personal cave and is
now 67 years of age.
The book stems from his compiling the questions he has
been asked, both directly and via email (monk [email protected]), and then
publishing the questions and answers in book format. I wonder if the Buddha
ever imagined his teaches could be discussed over the internet?
Being himself mortal, worldly experienced and devout in
his beliefs, the answers he gives to the questions are obviously slanted
towards Buddhist beliefs, especially that of ‘karma’, that very deep
concept that is a linchpin in Buddhism.
By page 38, Ajahn Sumano Bhikkhu is teaching (not
preaching), stating, “At the root of all the animosities that arise
between different tribes, different cultures lies hidden their firmly
established sense of righteousness. That is, simply stated, their
unsubstantiated belief system. Belief that is unrelated to Truth.” He then
carries on, “From the perspective of Buddha-Dhamma … If we see the world
from fact, we would see that all beings are brothers and sisters in aging,
illness and death. That’s not belief; that’s Truth.”
The subjects covered in the questions and answers are
varied, but do relate to life and living in today.
At B. 495 it is an inexpensive trip into the deeper
thoughts of a Buddhist mind. Though not personally a Buddhist, I found this
book very thought provoking, and since we have chosen to live in a
predominantly Buddhist country (as has Ajahn Sumano Bhikkhu) it behoves us
to try and understand a little more about our hosts, and at the same time
perhaps understand a little more about ourselves.
