The Buddha in the Jungle

This is a book which I : (i) looked forward to reading (after reading the favorable reviews), (ii) wasn't sure about the quality of the book half-way through reading it, but (iii) was convinced that it is an important book upon finishing the final chapter. Broadly, it is a book about Thai Buddhism in a historical and cultural context. It attempts to relate what Thai Buddhism was like before state-led reformations (which began during the rule of King Mongkut, 1851-68) changed the institution. The story told is very subtle - it discusses, amongst others, the role that monks played in the local Thai society during this period. The method that the author employs is very peculiar - the book reads like a personal narrative that is sourced from personal interviews (with senior surviving monks), written recollections by monks as well as 'farang' diarists. This approach, which I thought was almost akin to an oral history is, I think, inevitable given the form and availability of the information on the subject. This approach also makes the book very readeable and appealing as it manages to impart to the reader the feeling of how the past feels like. Stories surrounding the sometimes supernatural feats of monks wandering in forests adds a 'folklore' dimension to Buddhism as practised by Thais that I think is not often conveyed. The stories about individual monks were the ones I enjoyed reading the most. I cared less about 'farang' writings even though their observations sometimes proved informative. Not all the book is centered around Thai Buddhism. For example, the author discusses views on the status of women in Thai society towards the end of the book (chapter 43). The book is partly a social commentary about how Thai Buddhism and society have changed. I sense a tinge of sadness about these changes but the author does not quite say it outright whether the past reforms were mistakes. This is quite understandable, given the sensitivity of the issue due to the exalted status and high esteem in which past and present Thai kings are held. One of my favourite chapter is the last one - the tale of a Dutchman who stole a jade Buddha statue from a forest, only to return it later and to ultimately find the true meaning of life (as a Buddhist monk). The last few words of this chapter (uttered by the Dutchman) was, for me, very memorable: "All our European haste and disquiet has fallen away from me. I have come to realize that quite equanimity is the highest good that we can achieve in this life". Tiyavanich certainly knows how to choose her words very well. This is a book which I read and savoured slowly - one to two chapters daily, every night, before I slid into pleasant dreams. Tonight, upon finishing the book, I lament the fact that I will need to find another good read tomorrow night.

This is a book which I : (i) looked forward to reading (after reading the favorable reviews), (ii) wasn't sure about the quality of the book half-way through reading it, but (iii) was convinced that it is an important book upon finishing the final chapter. Broadly, it is a book about Thai Buddhism in a historical and cultural context. It attempts to relate what Thai Buddhism was like before state-led reformations (which began during the rule of King Mongkut, 1851-68) changed the institution. The story told is very subtle - it discusses, amongst others, the role that monks played in the local Thai society during this period. The method that the author employs is very peculiar - the book reads like a personal narrative that is sourced from personal interviews (with senior surviving monks), written recollections by monks as well as 'farang' diarists. This approach, which I thought was almost akin to an oral history is, I think, inevitable given the form and availability of the information on the subject. This approach also makes the book very readeable and appealing as it manages to impart to the reader the feeling of how the past feels like. Stories surrounding the sometimes supernatural feats of monks wandering in forests adds a 'folklore' dimension to Buddhism as practised by Thais that I think is not often conveyed. The stories about individual monks were the ones I enjoyed reading the most. I cared less about 'farang' writings even though their observations sometimes proved informative. Not all the book is centered around Thai Buddhism. For example, the author discusses views on the status of women in Thai society towards the end of the book (chapter 43). The book is partly a social commentary about how Thai Buddhism and society have changed. I sense a tinge of sadness about these changes but the author does not quite say it outright whether the past reforms were mistakes. This is quite understandable, given the sensitivity of the issue due to the exalted status and high esteem in which past and present Thai kings are held. One of my favourite chapter is the last one - the tale of a Dutchman who stole a jade Buddha statue from a forest, only to return it later and to ultimately find the true meaning of life (as a Buddhist monk). The last few words of this chapter (uttered by the Dutchman) was, for me, very memorable: "All our European haste and disquiet has fallen away from me. I have come to realize that quite equanimity is the highest good that we can achieve in this life". Tiyavanich certainly knows how to choose her words very well. This is a book which I read and savoured slowly - one to two chapters daily, every night, before I slid into pleasant dreams. Tonight, upon finishing the book, I lament the fact that I will need to find another good read tomorrow night.

Dr. Kamala Tiyavanich's latest book,"The Buddha in the Jungle," is a wonderful collection of fascinating tales, rich in the exotic beauty and mystery of 19th century Buddhist Thailand. From the horrors of the charnel grounds to the quiet serenity of tropical forest shrines, Dr. Tiyavanich's stories of Buddhist practioners and saints will captivate, inspire and teach the reader. A native of Thailand and a Buddhist practitioner in the Thai Theravada trdition, Dr. Tiyavanich writes in her characteristic style of detail and clarity, making this scholarly work fresh, exciting and easily accessible to every reader. I found this book to be a joy to read and I highly recommend it to anyone with an interest in Bhuddism.

...."I recommend this book to anyone who harbors one of more of the following persona: The historian who enjoys pouring over colonial memoirs which detail exotic places and scenes of west-meets-east-for-the-first time;the ethnographer tracking wisdom traditions as expressed in lifestyles of rural villagers; the armchair thrill-seeker who longs for hair-raising jungle adventures; and the spiritual aspirant hoping to meet realized practitioners who are the living embodiment of the Buddha's teachings."

This is a fascinating book for those interested in Buddhism or Thailand or just a good read. It is a wonderful collection of accounts of Thai monks in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Their encounters with ghosts, elephants and snakes, and all manner of people provide a slice of rural life in times past. The views of Westerners in Siam at the time provide additional perspectives. Old photographs, engravings, and maps complement the stories. Highly recommended.