The Mission:

The Susima project is to provide Bhikkhus and Machees of the Thai Forest tradition the support and requisites to maintain the Buddha’s sasana.

Simply put, …”so long as there is an arahant in this world, there’s still a continuation of the Buddha’s sasana.”

This Susima project is very specific in two important points.

The first is the path of practice. It must be well proven that that anyone who sincerely put in the effort to reach nibbana, will gain it.

  • That path of practice can be found in the lineage of the founder of the Thai Forest tradition, LuangPu Mun.
  • The way of the path to practice can be found in the Susima sutta (Samyutta Nikaya SN 12.70)

The second important point is an “ideal” environment to practice.
An “ideal” environment must provide seclusion.

  • Seclusion from society, which means only necessary interactions with the public following the Bhikkhu’s monastic rules.
  • Seclusion from keeping company with other Bhikkhu’s.
  • Seclusion from luxury articles of modern day living.
  • That environment is a hilly forest with just kutis and outdoor toilets.
  • Water is necessary but electricity is an indulgence.
  • When there’s electricity there comes the attachments that comes with electricity and that will inevitably multiply.

The Buddha explained the four conditions conducive to mental development:

  1. Ahārasappāya : food conducive to mental development.
  2. Utusappāya : suitable weather as on mountain where the weather is not too stuffy.
  3. Puggalasappāya : suitable company of people.
  4. Āvāsa sappāya : suitable place.

The Thai Forest Tradition is summarised in this quote from Than Ajahn Maha Bua :
“This is the Lord Buddha’s teaching – rukkhamūla senāsanam, retreating into the forests and mountains. After ordaining as a monk, one should go and live under the shade of a tree, in the forest, in the mountains, …These are places conducive to the practice, where one will not be disturbed. Your practice there will progress comfortably, smoothly and well. There you should practice diligently and with perseverance for the rest of your life!”

This Susima project aims to purchase hilly forest and turn them into “ideal” environments for practice exclusively for Bhikkhus and Machees of the Thai Forest tradition and those who wish to enter that monastic order.

The other necessary requisites is a Sala for meals times and that would require a separate area not more than 4km from the Bhikkhus hilly residences.

There cannot be a compromise in the environment for practice as there cannot be a compromise in the path of practice. This is the Susima’s project commitments.

Reasons for starting Susima project:

a) Setup ideal environment for forest monks to practice throughout their lives.
b) Attract Malaysian Theravada Dhammayut forest monks living in Thailand to live in Malaysia to practice and to benefit the locals
c) Ideal environments so that locals will ordain in Malaysia, train, practice and live in Malaysia.
d) The above applies to machees as well.

The land:

a) description of the terrain and size of land for the Sangha.
b) possibility of fencing the area and introducing Sambar deers.
c) replanting rubber trees with other hard wood or fruit trees

Wat:

a) (1-2acres) less than 4km away
b) bulidings at wat would consists monks sala, lay people sala with kitchen, store rooms for sangha dana, toilets for monks, toilets for lay people.
c) designs of salas, etc.

Kutis and meditation platforms at monks forest residences:

a) pictures and design of kutis
b) pictures and design of meditation platforms.
c) Pana (afternoon snack) kutis.