..续本文上一页ePalace Landing), a very quiet and secluded area where Phra Ajaan Singh and Phra MahaPin were staying along with about 40 other monks and novices. While there, I went to listen to their sermons every night, which gave rise to two feelings within me: When I thought of my past, I”d feel ill at ease; when I thought of the new things I was learning and experiencing, I”d feel at peace. These two feelings were always with me.

　　I became friends with two other monks with whom I stayed, ate, meditated and discussed my experiences: Ajaan Kongma and Ajaan Saam. I kept at my meditation all hours of the day and night. After a while I talked Ajaan Kongma into going off and wandering together. We went from village to village, staying in the ancestral shrines, until we reached my home village. I wanted to let my father know the good news: that I had met Ajaan Mun, that this was the life I was looking for, and that I had no intention of ever returning to live out my life there at home. I had once told myself, "You”ve been born a person: You”ll have to work your way up to be better than other people. You”ve been ordained a monk: You”ll have to try to be better than the monks you”ve known." Now it seemed that my hopes were being fulfilled. This is why I went home to tell my father: "I”ve come to say goodbye. I”m going for good. All my belongings I”m handing over to you. And I”m never going to lay claims on anything of yours." Although I hadn”t made a firm decision never to disrobe, I had decided never to let myself be poor.

　　As soon as my aunt heard the news, she came to argue with me: "Don”t you think you”re going a little too far

　　" So I answered her, "Look, if I ever disrobe and come back to beg food from you, you have my permission to call me a dog."

　　Now that I had made a firm decision, I told my father, "Don”t worry about me. Whether I stay a monk or disrobe, I”ll always be satisfied with the treasures you”ve already given me: two eyes, two ears, a nose, a mouth, all the 32 parts of the body. It”s an important inheritance. Nothing else you could give me could ever leave me satisfied."

　　After that, I said goodbye and set out for the city of Ubon. Reaching Wang Tham (CavePalace) Village, though, I found Ajaan Mun staying in the forest there, so I joined him, staying under his guidance for quite a few days.

　　This was when I decided to re-ordain, this time in the Dhammayutika sect (the sect to which Ajaan Mun belonged), in order to make a clean break with my past wrongdoings. When I consulted Ajaan Mun, he agreed to the idea, and so had me practice my part in the ordination ceremony. When I had it down pat, he set out — with me following — wandering from district to district.

　　I became extremely devoted to Ajaan Mun, because there were many things about him that had me amazed. For instance, there were times when I would have been thinking about something, without ever mentioning it to him, and yet he”d bring up the topic and seem to know exactly what my thoughts had been. Each time this happened, my respect and devotion towards him deepened. I practiced meditation constantly, free from many of the worries that had plagued me in the past.

　　After I had stayed under Ajaan Mun”s guidance for four months, he set the date for my reordination at Wat Burapha in the city of Ubon, with Phra Pannabhisara Thera (Nuu) of Wat Sra Pathum (LotusPond Temple), Bangkok, as my preceptor; Phra Ajaan Pheng of Wat Tai, Ubon, as the Announcing Teacher; and Ajaan Mun himself as the Instructing Teacher, who gave me the preliminary ordination as a novice. I was reordained on May 27, 1927, and the following day began to observe strictly the ascetic practice of eating only one meal a day. After spending one night at Wat Burapha, I returned to the forest at StonePalace Landing.…

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