SEWING ROBES
It is part of the basic training of a forest monk, to be able to sew and repair one’s robes. Sewing robes also fosters a number of important Dhamma qualities e.g. mindfulness, patience, helpfulness etc.
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MAKING DYE FOR ROBES
At SBS we make dye for robes either from the heartwood of the Jackfruit tree, or from the bark from Pakau tree. Both methods result in a similar shade of brown, typical for monks of the (Thai) forest tradition. Depending on the source material the boiling process may last between 6 – 24 hours.
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FIRING BOWLS
According to Vinaya rules, a bowl must be fired before it can be used. This also changes its color from shining/sparkling silver, to grey or even black (depending on the method and temperature used).
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MAKING BROOMS
As the saying goes “A new broom sweeps well”. It is one of the skills of a forest monk, to be able to make a good broom, which not only makes sweeping forest paths more efficient, but also makes the monk independent from commercially manufactured brooms.
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