[Ashram] Thmo Duk (Schiffsfelsen), Aural, Cambodia, អាស្រម ថ្មទូក ស្រុកឪរ៉ាល់

[Johann]

[ភាសាខ្មែរសូមចុចទីនេះ ]

Ashram Thmo Duk អាស្រម ថ្មទូក

Phum (village) Aural (2, middle), Srok (Distrikt) Aural, Keit (Province) Kampong Spey, Cambodia.
Offical adress:
Village Sray Gan ភូមិស្រែកិន
Commone Trobeang Cu ឃុំត្រពាំងជោ
District Oral (Aural) ស្រុកឪរ៉ាល់
Province Kampong Spey ខេត្តកំពង់ស្ពឺ

For logistic and general contact look Wat Sambo Antait វត្តសំពៅអណ្តែត

Is a small cave, about 500m from the Village road, on the foot of the western mountain range.

Proximatly coordinates , 50m+/- (google)

This small hermitage, which can be merely seen as ownerless, came into being in the war times of the 1970-80ties as the villagers, affraid that the coming Khmer Rouge will destroy the Village monastery (which actually happened). A hand full of villagers carried the Buddha images here under this Rock assembling to hide them under risk of their lives from being destructed.

Later, beginning at about 2008, the old kammatthan monk of the Village, who arrived in the 90ties here, used this place for his meditation retreats and started to make the cave a little more protected against rain, water and wind. The last small buildings have been made in 2014.

Since Vassa 2016 (2559) there is now also a water tank (1m³), which should, when used modestly, allow to stay the whole year here. (Rainwater from the roof stone) There is a crossing at the Village street in the east, going south 400m, a stream carrying water all over the year, but very frequented by villager and not that proper to take a bath. In the south, also about 500m through the forest, the is a lasting smaller side stream and a waterfall.
There is also a small kuti, in front of the cave, under the flying erected stone which also should provide a "save" storage place for the given items of daily use for practicing monks and there is a solar panel (60W) and also an device avaliable, for Dhamma Dana work and study, for monks.

If Atma is not or no more present here, one should ask for either Upasaka Chanroth (a Lay person devoted to transcript the Khmer Tipitaka translation), or the village priest, Ta Ghun, or the young Abbot, Bhante Sophorn, of the Wat (monastery) called Wat Sombok Andeit (turtle nest) 2km south.
If the Kuti has come into being including door and lock, one (if a serious practicing layperson) should get hand over the key(s).

Addition: a key is now hold by Upasika Sophorn for any cases.

Attached are the pictures (google map).

Pictures of the Ashram, Aural and impressions of living, can be found in this gallery.

* Sophorn:  karuna hopes the small corrections didn't change the actual meaning of Bhante 

កន្លែងពិសិដ្ធ ដែលស្ថិតនៅដាច់ដោយឡែកពីគេ ហើយដែលមើលទៅហាក់ដូចជាកន្លែង ដែលគ្នានម្ចាស់កម្មសិទ្ធមួយនេះ បានកកើតឡើងនៅក្នុងសម័យសង្គ្រាមក្នុងអំឡុង ឆ្នាំ ១៩៧០ ដល់ ១៩៨០ ជាងបន្តិច ដោយសារតែនាក់ភូមិ ខ្លាចពួកពុលពត នឹងបំផ្លាញកន្លែងនេះចោល។ ទៀតសោធ អ្វីដែលពួកគេបានភ័យខ្លាចនោះ ពិតជាបានកើតឡើងពិតមែន។ នាក់ភូមិបាន យករូបចម្លាក់ព្រះពុទ្ធបដិមាករជាច្រើនអង្គ មកដាក់តំរៀបគ្នានៅក្រោមថ្មរូងនេះ ដើម្បីការពារ ពីការពីការបំផ្លិចបំផ្លាញផ្សេងៗ។

ក្រោមមក នៅដើមឆ្នាំ ២០០៨ ព្រះសង្ឃមួយអង្គដែលគង់នៅក្នុងភូមិនេះ ហើយបាននិមន្តមកដល់កន្លែងនេះអំឡុងឆ្នាំ ១៩៩០ បានប្រើប្រាស់រូងមួយនេះដើម្បីធ្វើជាកន្លែង តាំងសម្មាធិ ហើយចាប់ផ្តើមសង់រូងនេះ អោយមានការលក្ខណៈធនទៅនិង ភ្លៀង ទឹក និងខ្យល់។

ចាប់តាំងពីរដូវវស្សា ឆ្នាំ ២០១៦ ព.ស ២៥៥៩ មក នៅទីនេះមានធុងផ្ទុកទឹកចំរុះ 1m³ ចំនួនមួយ ដែលអាចផ្តល់ទឹកឲប្រើប្រាស់រយៈពេលមួយឆ្នាំពេញ បើប្រើប្រាស់សន្សំសម្ចៃ។ ហើយទឹកភ្លៀង ដែលហូរពីលើដំបូលថ្ននេះ តែងតែហូរទៅក្នុងប្រឡាយមួយ ដែលស្ថិតនៅ ខាងកើតភូមិ ដែលហូរមិនចេះដាច់រយៈពេលពេញមួយឆ្នាំ ហើយអ្នកភូមិតែងតែប្រើប្រាស់ ទឹកនៅក្នុងនោះ លើសពីនេះទៅទៀត គឺដើម្បីងូតទឹក។ នៅទិសខាងត្បួង ឆ្លងកាត់ព្រៃ ប្រហែលជាប្រវែង ៥០០ ម៉ែតពីភូមិ យើងឃើញមានប្រឡាយតូចមួយទៀត ដែលហូរមិនចេះដាច់ និងទឹកជ្រោះមួយផងដែរ។

នៅខាងមុខរូងថ្មនេះ ក៏មានកុដិមួយដែរ ដែលស្ថិតនៅក្រោមថ្មដុះ ដែលត្រូវបានប្រើ សម្រាប់ធ្វើជាកន្មែងដាក់គ្រឿងប្រើប្រាស់ប្រចាំថ្ងែ ដើម្បីប្រគេនដល់ព្រះសង្ឃគ្រប់ព្រះអង្គ ហើយក៏មាននៅផ្ទាំង solar ទំហំ ៦០ វ៉ាត់មួយ រួមទាំងឧបករណ៏សម្រាប់រៀនធម៍របស់លោកផងដែរ។

បើសិនជាអាត្មា មិនគង់នៅទីនេះទេ សូមពុទ្ធបរិស័ទទៅរក ឧបាសក ចន្ទ រត្ម័ ឬក៏អាចទៅរក តាអាច្ចា តា ងួន ឬ ឧបាសិកា សោ ភន្ទ័ នៅវត្ត សំបុកអណ្តើក ចំងាយ ២ គីឡូម៉ែត ទិសខាងកើត។

បើសិនជាកុដិលោកត្រូវបានចាក់សោរ សូមមេត្តាប្រគល់សោរ ដើម្បីកុំឲមានភារៈពេលក្រោយ។

* Johann : Translation into Khmer generously given by Upasaka Senghour .

(Contact Neigbor in the south (plantation owner)
PM Upasaka ជឿន , Choeun 097 20 80 333).

[Johann]

Its a kind of paradise in these days now for Kammathana, Forest or Tudong monks and practitioners and in its kind not easy to find in Cambodia.
The village street to next about 50 houses along about 1km of the middle settlement of this long village, is about 500m through the forest.There is no official street up here and the way goes along cart roads and about 50m above the nearby houses along foot paths into the cool forest.
About 1.5 km to the north is the next settlement, with about 150 houses and 2 km south are the other parts of the village.
People here are merely lumberjack and run small rice farmings, some work on their plantages.

Dhamma knowledge is very low and there are very less really devoted and informed people. Although people told that a monk was never able to stay here, because it was not possible to get enough almsfood, since more than 6 months it was never a problem and mostly even more than enough.

It's also a very silent area since people are not used to make one festival and ceremony after another and also from the northern and southern monastery no noise  is usual. People are also not that strongly addicted to music and parties.

The only noises are natural and, of course, wood cutting and diesel carts.
Since about Juli observed, the most looging is befire and till the middle of the raining season. Most quietely is the harvest time in December, when even all kinds of bigger wild animals come close to the ashram.

Attached are some pictures. The way up, the entrance and Kuti in errection, view to the west and northwest (Aural mountain), new water tank and bath room.


user:johann:gallery:archiv2016:20161204_050_800x600.jpg

user:johann:gallery:archiv2016:20161204_060_800x600.jpg

user:johann:gallery:archiv2016:20161204_062_800x600.jpg

user:johann:gallery:archiv2016:20161204_063_600x800.jpg

user:johann:gallery:archiv2016:20161204_064_800x600.jpg

user:johann:gallery:archiv2016:20161204_070_800x600.jpg

user:johann:gallery:archiv2016:20161204_071_800x600.jpg

user:johann:gallery:archiv2016:20161204_073_800x600.jpg

user:johann:gallery:archiv2016:20161204_074_800x600.jpg

user:johann:gallery:archiv2016:20161204_075_600x800.jpg

[Johann]

There are as good as no violent or harmful animals, nearly no Mosquitos (2-5, h in the morning and evening), even the red forest ants do not bite here in this Deva Forest cave. Of course there are also snakes but never much busy with others than their hunt.
If the current familie is not caught by snakes another time, the is usall a male and femal mouse and youngsters living in the cave and if no light in the night, bet and vampire might have season at night. Last are always up for the mouses blood. 2-4 Frogs, leaving at 5pm and comming back at 6am may be taken care of and till yesterday tousands of gods lizes which have stangely disappeared over night.
Beginning from the ancestorfestival in vassa, the are the so called dunk ants which are very into eating and biting everything, so from this time till the dry time is winner, there are many night when it is impossiple to sleep on the floor without some protection water in plates in between.
In December a clan of wild monkey from the western mountain visits the place (do not feed any animal or keep any food and dirt in this area of the cave)

All in all a very peaseful Deva and Savaka retreat place.

Attached some pictures of the caves insight.


user:johann:gallery:archiv2016:20161204_076_800x600.jpg

user:johann:gallery:archiv2016:20161201_045_600x1068.jpg

user:johann:gallery:archiv2016:20161204_077_600x800.jpg

user:johann:gallery:archiv2016:20161204_078_600x800.jpg

user:johann:gallery:archiv2016:20161204_079_800x600.jpg

user:johann:gallery:archiv2016:20161204_100.jpg

[Sophorn]

 

[Johann]

Villagers would not disturb and come very, very seldom, sometimes wood cutter find this place seaching for trees to cut but are generally respectful. In the raining season after planting the rice till harvest children and villager would lead their cows an buffalos here up the mountain. Aside the bells and sometimes a cow coming up, not much disturbances and villagers stay in respectful distance.

Generally the elders if the villagers and all others have informal agreed that this should be a protected area only for the use of its animals and forestmonjs around the cave. Offical ways are not set but a garnt from the village chief that the has nobody certain attachment to this place and that my person is at this time free to do and prepare what ever my person thinks that it is useful for its purpose.

There had been also a tudong protecting blocking of even the smallest tendency to make this a usual punna (merits) and visiting place, like arguing against buildings an street and buddhist flaggs, when ever people come to such ideas. Its good to keep that also in this way and point on the tudong rules of accepting things and food. It also keeps the place peaceful and clean, so that the Devas might not run away from here.

Since there is nevertheless a lot of work for even this small buildings and maybe a small second kuti for a secound monk an practicing visitors, every kind of support  best by hand (carry up cement and sand) to make this a conductive place for all future followers of the Buddhas Forestmonks, is more than wellcome since hand and harmless work, little by little.

[Johann]

Atma raised ausnahmsweise his head while going from the sothern Monastery back to the cave to give some impressions of land and people aaound.

1. Short after the forest behind the monastery and short before the nearby setteling (one of this maybe 4 or five km long commune)
2. Normal house of this mosty wood cutting people. The style (very low) tells that the owner might be of Sui (a ethnic mountain group) origin.
3. One of the villager in this poor sattlement next the monastery. Actually very devoted, only one son 14 years old, mostly only wild potatos to eat.
4. Lamberjacker from all over the country, here along the way, next the nearby plantage in the south of the cave.
5. It takes about 4 Days to clear such a field with a big maschine. Its made for the youngest child of the plantage owner.


user:johann:gallery:archiv2017:20170112_004-480x360.jpg

user:johann:gallery:archiv2017:20170112_005-480x360.jpg

user:johann:gallery:archiv2017:20170112_006-480x360.jpg

user:johann:gallery:archiv2017:20170112_007-480x360.jpg

user:johann:gallery:archiv2017:20170112_008-480x360.jpg

[Johann]

6. One of the left properties on the way. The house and possessing was long untouched, but once one begins to destroy and steal all lose fear in doing such. Since there are a lot of press ids all over the flor, it might be that the owner was somehow not very beloved by the authority here and the house was merely left like if somebody did run away.
7. One of the little shops in the nearby village sattlement of the cave. The place where the wifes often spend their days with talks.
8.Cows are back in the villages paddies.
9. The Village street and some newer and bigger houses in between.
10. Buffalows would be leaded home in the late afternoon, right next to the way west into the forest to the cave.



user:johann:gallery:archiv2017:20170112_009-480x360.jpg

user:johann:gallery:archiv2017:20170112_011-480x360.jpg

user:johann:gallery:archiv2017:20170112_012-480x360.jpg

user:johann:gallery:archiv2017:20170112_013-480x360.jpg

user:johann:gallery:archiv2017:20170112_164930.jpg

[Johann]

1. A shelf, a copy of the Tipitaka could be put here
2. The silent building site. About 2 m2 floor and the walls are missing.
3. But it has already a door.   


user:johann:gallery:archiv2017:20170108_164832.jpg

user:johann:gallery:archiv2017:20170121_017-480x640.jpg

user:johann:gallery:archiv2017:20170121_018-480x640.jpg

[Johann]

The son of the plantage owner south of the cave, spontaneously donated about 8kg old cement, having heared from a attentive worker, that Atma is out of cement, as she saw him walking, carry an empty bag, and asked him of what he might look for.

On this occation, Atma also likes to share the merits of a others in the last 5 month till now, for the water tank and the small kuti and other small works.

The young Abbot of Wat Sombok Andeit (south Monastery):
9 bags of cement, some nails, small ax, and other small things
The Novices:
carry about 10 bags, 4 bags of cement sand and helping one afternoon
Upasika Sophorn:
about 25 bags sand
The schoolteacher of the village:
2 bags of sand, lending a Kübel, Kelle and Säge
The shop owner in the near norther settlement:
about 30dag nails, seeing Atma collecting nails on the street
About 8 cow browsing kids:
carry about 2 bags of sand up to the cave while making a break in a spontaneously medi-instruction
Upasaka Chanroth: carry about 6 bags of sand, helping 1/2 day on the building side.
The wife of the village chief, spontaneously, seeing novices carry sand:
2 bags of sand
The village chief:
Giving Atma the possibility: "Ven. Sir may build what ever he likes here. I will take responsibility for it."


Many other villager, who always helped in carry things up when seeing Atma carry something heavy in the village, not to speak of the many who provided Atma enough food and also drinks on his daily alms round, which made it possible to make physical work.
Many for encouragement and also declarations of willingness to support, when ever coming in hearing about it.

Anumodana!

It is now possible to continue a little. To finish the Kuti would require about 3 bag cement and about 0.5 m3 Sand (60 bags), which maybe could be found on forest roads around the cave.


user:johann:gallery:archiv2017:20170129_021-480x640.jpg

[Johann]

Vorgestern, als Atma im Wat Schildkrötennestplatz (Südkloster) eine Gelegenheit füf Strom und Arbeit am Tipitaka genutzt hat, hatte wohl jemand vier Säcke Zement zur Hölle gebracht. Erst in der Dämmerung zurück, hatte Atma dieses nicht bemerkt, da es vor das Kuti gelegt wurde. Er wunderte sich nur über Fahrzeugspuren bis zum Ende der Befahrbarkeit. Morgens, es regnete immer noch (Ende Jänner! die ganze Nacht), nach der Rückkehr von der Almosenrunde sah er die Säcke.
Nach Nachfragen im Kloster, bei Abt und Priester, würde ihm gesagt, daß Uasika aus Boh Chentong (höchst wahrscheinlich, Upasika Lay), diese über einen Dorfbewohner im Süden, der sie einst transportiert hatte, gesendet hat, und der Fahrer ihr bescheid gab, dass er Atma nicht antraff.

Sadhu!

Der davor gegebene Zement des Plantagenbesitzers und übrige Sand, wurde noch in etwas Decke und Wand verarbeitet.

Für jeden praktizierenden sollten (wenn die Dinge keine Füsse bekommen), von Seife, Zahnpaster,Freuerzeug, Batterie, Taschenlampe... bis Wasser (etwa noch 500l im Behälter und zwei Reservekanister im "Keller", Liege, Matte, Mosquitonetz... alles für einen angenehmen Verbleib da sein.

Über den Verbleib der noch nicht gegebenen Solaranlage, kann Atma keine Auskunft geben. Chanroth ist nach Auskunft des Priesters nach Phnom Penh aufgebrochen.

Wer immer wünscht hier dieses Kuti für bettelnde Wandermönche und Praktizierende als Eigentumslos fertig zu bauen und die diversen Sanierungsarbeiten zu tun, tut sicherlich ein gutes, so lange er nicht mit einer der Gruppen, ob Laien, Mönche, Behörde... kooperiert und für Interessen und mit Verbindlichkeiten dieses tut.

Atma möcht nun all diese Dinge, Materiell und geleistet, auch im Sinne der vielen Spender und Unterstützer den vier Personen der Noblen Sangha widmen und aufgrund fehlendem Vorhandensein der Savaka Sangha und nicht selbst, bis zu einem höchst unwahrscheinlichen Treffen, alleine neben Händlern im Dhamma und Wirtschaftskopien, es nicht fruchtvoll zu tragen vermag, zu nichts anderen, als zu einem Hausmeister eines aus dem Haus gezogenen Besitzer verkommen würde, überläßt er die Dinge ohne physischen Empfänger der Fügung, jenen, die es entgegennehmen und nutzen können, mit Freude und Zuversicht, als Bedarfsmittel am Pfad zur Höchsten Befreiung, zum Wohle aller Wesen.

Devas und Nichtmensch hier, sind, wie viele einfache Leute hier, den Drei Juwelen und jenen, die einen geraden Weg gehe, sehr gewogen. Sogar Wünschen, möge es zum Schutze alles Wesen des Walders hier, in der Trockenzeit stets regnen, sodaß die Wälder nicht auch noch brennen, wenn sie davon hören und Möglichkeit haben, nach. Weder an Schutz noch an Bedarfsmittel vermag es dem Dhammika hier fehlen.

Möge dieser Platz, mit all seinen Beschützern und Bewohnern, gesehen und ungesehen, stets, sollange es bestehen mag, ein Platz bleiben, wo das Einfache Verbrauchen der Güte der drei Juwelen, den Buddha als Führer habend, und Verderbnis, Verkömmenheit, kein Einzug gewährt wird.

Mit der Kraft und Güte des Buddhas, des Dhammas, und der Sangha, die dem Buddha gut und rechtens folgt, möge der Platz mit all seinen Bewohnern und Gästen, beschützt und behütet sein. Mögen Besucher und Bewohner stets die Güte ihrer Beschützer und Gönner erkennen, und nie aus Unwissenheit diesem Bann Schaden an tun.


user:johann:gallery:archiv2017:20170204_024-480x640.jpg

user:johann:gallery:archiv2017:20170204_023-480x360.jpg

user:johann:gallery:archiv2017:20170204_161936.jpg

[Moritz]

Sadhu! Sadhu! Sadhu!

[Maria]

 
Wunderschön gebaut !!!

[Johann]

Upasika Lay hat Atma gerade angerufen, und sich erkundigt, ob der Zement angekommen ist.
Sadhu!

Sieht so aus als hätte Atma eine Menge zu verarbeiten und Sand hat er a m Weg südostlich der Höhle drei Tage zuvor entdeckt.

[Johann]

Wunderschön gebaut !!!

Packe Maria Kind und Kegel ein, so Sie alle gern Wandern und mit dem Dorfpriester ab auf dem Berg Aural. Am Besten gleich mit Sophorn mitfliegen. Klima zur Zeit sehr angenehm, wie Hochsommer in den Voralpen, noch ist alles relativ Grün, noch keine Waldbrände und wenig Insekten.
Gibt nicht viele, die schon auf dem Berg waren. Sollange da noch Wald ist.
Kann er nur jeden Naturliebhaber empfehlen. Dorfbewohner bringen die Gäste gerne unter, oder Sie nächtigen in der Höhle vor und nach dem Aufstieg. Die Guides sind geübt, auch wenn sie sich nur mit Zeichensprache verständigen. Fällt ihnen nie schwer die Devas, ob nun hohe oder einfache Leute sicher zu begleiten.
Wenn dann noch Kraft, wären da noch einige Zentner an Sand hochzuschleppen, am Fuß gegenüber dem Berg. 

[Sophorn]

 

Sadhu. Sadhu. Sadhu.

Karuna freut sich über den "Fortschritt", wenn auch zugleich beschämt.