Forest Path - Amaravati Buddhist Monastery

learning forest dhamma 155
are almost non-existent. When I think about this it makes me want to
practise even harder.
Cultivating the Sublime Mind
A second theme penetrating many aspects of our practice is the diligent
development of sãla, mettà and wholesome, radiant states of
mind. As Buddhist monks, the primary precept guiding our relation
to the world is harmlessness. Expressed in a positive way, this
means the cherishing of all life. Interestingly, living in a wild environment,
this also functions as our greatest protection. Giving great
importance to our sãla, and actively practising the brahma vihàras of
mettà, karunà, mudità and upekkhà gives us a skilful method to work
with fear.
Dealing with the wild animals is not a matter of bravado or machismo.
Asserting a self against nature only gives rise to conflict.
Instead, we learn through the cultivation of mettà to emanate a kindness
that gives no footing for fear to arise. Indeed, in the forest we
can study how fear and love are like darkness and light — the presence
of one drives out the other. In the forest we are instructed not to
go out and look for wild animals, nor to shun them. We just attempt
to look at whatever comes our way with equanimity. When we face
wild animals with mettà and succeed in letting go of fear, we can unearth
a deep Dhamma treasure buried beneath the fear. This can
open us up to a new taste of freedom and ease. It is a common theme
in the poems written by monks and nuns at the time of the Buddha:
“I am friend to all, companion to all,
sympathetic to all beings,
and I develop a heart full of mettà,
always delighting in non-harming.”
(Theragàthà 648)
Holding to the principles of non-violence and harmlessness, a
bhikkhu trains to not lift a finger to harm another sentient being,
even in self-defence. Of the 227 major training precepts in the
Buddhist Monastic Code many cultivate a respect for animal and
plant life in the most refined ways. Monks are prohibited from
digging the earth, trimming foliage, or uprooting plants. Drawing
drinking or bathing water from the creek, we must carefully check