Category Archives: Life in the Saffron Forest

Life in the Saffron Forest: Chapter 18

Posted on February 28, 2021 by Robin

Speak­ing of funer­al chant­i­ng reminds me of Luang Pi Mahā Sing, the leader of our gang of novices. I don’t know where he dug up such riv­et­ing and amus­ing tales. Once he told the sto­ry of a Chi­nese man named … Con­tin­ue read­ing →

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Life in the Saffron Forest: Chapter 16

Posted on August 30, 2020 by Robin

Some exam­in­ers are extreme­ly strict; if one makes even the slight­est mis­take, one is not let off the hook. There is a sto­ry that one exam­i­nee trans­lat­ed the ear­li­er pas­sage as ‘a bird goes through the air.’ The exam­in­er replied: … Con­tin­ue read­ing →

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Life in the Saffron Forest: Chapter 17

Posted on September 17, 2015 by Robin

An excerpt from Sathien­pong Wanapok’s book ‘Life in the Saf­fron For­est’ on the var­i­ous kinds of funer­al chant­i­ng per­formed by the monks. Con­tin­ue read­ing →

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Life in the Saffron Forest: Chapter 15

Posted on November 26, 2014 by Robin

A chap­ter from Sathien­pong Wanapok’s book ‘Life in the Saf­fron For­est’ on the Pali exam­i­na­tions at the Roy­al Park. Con­tin­ue read­ing →

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Life in the Saffron Forest: Chapter 14

Posted on April 21, 2013 by Robin

Sathien­pong Wanapok’s descrip­tion of the Bud­dhist monk who kept ascetic prac­tices but thought he was supe­ri­or to oth­ers. Con­tin­ue read­ing →

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LIfe in the Saffron Forest: Chapter 13

Posted on February 24, 2013 by Robin

A descrip­tion by Sathien­pong Wanapok of his life as a novice monk in Thai­land, and the prac­tice of chant­i­ng and keep­ing ascetic obser­vances. Con­tin­ue read­ing →

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Life in the Saffron Forest: Chapter 12

Posted on February 3, 2013 by Robin

An account by Sathien­pong Wanapok of the impor­tance of alm­sround in Bud­dhism and a con­tem­po­rary sto­ry about com­pe­ti­tion for alms­food in Thai­land. Con­tin­ue read­ing →

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Life in the Saffron Forest: Chapter 11

Posted on January 20, 2013 by Robin

A descrip­tion by Sathien­pong Wanapok of var­i­ous duties that Bud­dhist monks are oblig­ed to uphold, and the var­i­ous ill­ness­es that Bud­dhist novices were prone to suc­cumb to. Con­tin­ue read­ing →

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Life in the Saffron Forest: Chapter 10

Posted on July 8, 2012 by Robin

In the Saf­fron For­est, the one thing that was the same for the monks and novices was the pro­ce­dure of con­fess­ing offences, which the novices called ‘redeem­ing one’s virtue.’ 

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Life in the Saffron Forest: Chapter 9

Posted on June 8, 2012 by Robin

An account of the Bud­dhist monks at Wat Bahn Huay in Thai­land prepar­ing for the Vas­sa – the annu­al Rains Retreat. Con­tin­ue read­ing →

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