NEWS

Western Buddhist Monks Find Spiritual Joy in the Sri Lankan Wilds

By Jnan Nanda | | Buddhistdoor Global

Sri Lanka has long attracted Buddhist monastics and scholars from around the world with its rich Buddhist heritage and resources. While the nation’s monastic centers and universities are renowned hubs of Buddhist education, the island’s forest hermitages are also high on the list of attractions for those seeking to practice and study Buddhism. Recently, two Western monks have taken to social media to express the spiritual joy of living in the beautiful wild hills of the island’s Central Province. Thaniyo Thera from South Africa and Nyanamoli Thera from Serbia, both of whom have received higher ordination, have built kutis (small monastic huts) for their simple harmonious living. When contacted by Buddhistdoor Global, Ajahn Nyanamoli stated: “There was nothing here when we came—no buildings, no water, no paths. We built the hermitage ourselves.” He explained that they had built the hermitage gradually, keeping everything simple and without harming the beautiful natural surroundings, with the help of two local laymen, as some Vinaya rules prohibit the monks from digging the soil themselves. The retreat, dubbed “Hillside Hermitage,” is located in the Knuckles Mountain Range, a three-hour drive from the city of Kandy. After a number of failed attempts to find a suitable hermitage, Ajahn Nyanamoli was led to this place by devotees who came to know the wish of the two monks. Upon seeing the isolated, pristine environment, amid tall, old-growth trees, Ajahn Nyanamoli immediately decided this was the right place. As the mountain range is a biodiversity hotspot that includes a protected rainforest, the two monks are very fortunate to be living in such an environment, where they can also meditate regularly.