Dhutanga

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Dhutanga ( Pali , literally “purification means”, in Thai : ธุดงค์ - Thudong ) is a group of thirteen ascetic “exercises” that are most often observed by the so-called forest monks of the Buddhist Theravada tradition (see: Thai forest tradition ).

Although the Buddha has spoken out against self-mortification as a means of attaining enlightenment, he nonetheless encouraged the monks to practice certain ascetic exercises, which he called dhutanga , in order to convert obstructive attachments - such as laziness, indolence, pride and overestimation of oneself - into Simplicity, humility, restraint, vigilance.

In the sutras one or the other exercise is mentioned here and there, but nowhere do the following 13 exercises appear together in one place. The Buddha's praise for these exercises can be found across the entire Pali canon and is mentioned more specifically in the comments. Only Buddhaghosa has them in Visuddhi-Magga summarized ( Ref : Nyanatikloka, 1999):

  1. The practice of wearing a ragged garment (wearing robes that are patched together from discarded garments; rejecting ready-made robes donated by believers.)
  2. The exercise of the wearer of three robes (possessing and wearing only three robes - lower robe, upper robe, two-layer robe.)
  3. The exercise of the chunk collector (nutrition only from food that is collected during the pindabat or alms walk, rejection of invitations from lay people.)
  4. The exercise of the "door-to-door walker" (no house may be left out on the alms walk or only certain houses, e.g. rich households, may be visited.)
  5. The practice of the "once eater" (only one meal per day, refusal of further food that is donated before noon.)
  6. The practice of the pot feeder (feeding only from food that is in the alms bowl and no use of dishes and cutlery. Alms food is consumed by hand)
  7. The practice of "refusing to eat later" (rejection of further food after you have started your meal)
  8. The practice of forest ascetic (living in the forest, not in a village or town, away from any distractions.)
  9. The practice of the tree ascetic (living under a tree without the protection of a roof.)
  10. The practice of living in the open air (living in the open air with no roof over your head.)
  11. The practice of cemetery asceticism (living on or near a cemetery, cremation site, or burial site.)
  12. The exercise of being satisfied with each camp (satisfaction with whatever sleeping place one has been given.)
  13. The constant sitter exercise (life without lying down - standing, walking or sitting is permitted.)

Of these 13 exercises, one or more of them may be practiced for a short or long period of time.

In his explanation of the exercises, Buddhaghosa also differentiates in 'Dhutanga-niddesa' between different degrees, loose, moderate and strict, and gives precise descriptions.

“For the ascetic practicing morality should take on himself the purification exercises as vows in order to achieve those virtues, such as lack of needs, frugality, etc., through which the purification of the morality discussed above comes about. For if through the water of such virtues as frugality, frugality, Entsagungsstrenge Solitude effort of will, temperance, etc. flushed clean of stains, will regain its morality perfect sincerity, ... "(Vis.M. II ( ref : palikanon.com) )

swell

literature

  • Kamala Tiyavanich: Forest Recollections . Silkworm Books, Chiang Mai 1997, ISBN 974-7100-40-1
  • Stanley Jeyaraja Tambiah: The Buddhist sanits of the forest and the cult of amulets . Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 1987, ISBN 0-521-27787-6
  • Middle of the Middle Way , a discourse by Bhante Thanissaro useful for understanding the “Middle Way” and asceticism.
  • " Nyanavimala Mahathera ", stories and biography of a German Dhutanga monk in Sri Lanka.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Numerous stories and mentions in discourses, Dhammapada commentaries, and Jataka stories [1] .
  2. ↑ German translation of Nanamoli Bhikkhu