The Phenomenon of Forest Monks’ Meditative Practices in Thai Society

Abstract

This article examines the phenomenon of forest monks’ meditative practices in Thai Buddhism based on a comprehensive historical, philosophical, phenomenological, and sociocultural analysis. Particular attention is paid to the role of key teachers in the dissemination of this phenomenon (Ajahn Sao, Ajahn Mun, Ajahn Chah, and others), meditation methods (samatha, vipassana, thudong), and the influence of the natural environment on the development of ascetic discipline. The contemporary social and cultural significance of forest monks is analyzed, including their contributions to environmental conservation, as well as their interaction with governmental and community institutions. The article argues that the combination of strict asceticism, adherence to the Vinaya, and flexible responses to urban challenges enables the forest tradition to remain relevant in the 21st century. Forest monasticism is shown to be a holistic cultural complex – a system of symbols, norms, and bodily practices that ensure the reproduction of Thai society’s cultural identity and the production of cultural meanings in the context of global transformations. The relevance of approaches from cultural ecology, symbolic anthropology, and ritual theory to the analysis of forest tradition is emphasized.