The Monk on the Farm

• In Event: 193. Temple and Community: Social Complexities

Abstract

The Buddha admonished members of the Sangha not to dig the earth because of the possibility of harming life in the soil. Monks receive their food from lay donations, in part so that they do not have to farm, accepting whatever people offer them. Yet a small number of monks in Thailand recognize that what the farmers in their community grow impacts the quality of their lives. Most farmers participate in commercial agriculture, growing cash crops and buying their daily rice. Many live in a perpetual cycle of debt, and are exposed to harsh agricultural chemicals. In this paper I focus on a monk in Nan Province who established a model integrated agriculture farm behind his temple to demonstrate an alternative to the farmers in his community. Phrakhru Somkit Jaranathammo received a Master’s in Biology as a monk, and works closely with several non-governmental and community organizations in his efforts to help farmers shift their methods from cash-cropping to a sustainable form of agriculture. He created a cooperative among fifty farmers to support each other’s transition to integrated agriculture. He also helped the village women’s association revive traditional weaving using natural dyes. I explore the ways in which Phrakhru Somkit articulates his agricultural work as an essential aspect of being a monk and serving his community.

Author

• Susan M. Darlington, Hampshire College