10 / 13 · Dwelling
Living in the open air
Dwelling without a roof or tree overhead.
- Author
- Dhutanga.org Editorial Team
- Review
- Doctrinal review pending
- Tradition
- Theravada, with comparative notes
- Published
- Last reviewed
- Pali name
- Abbhokāsikaṅga
- Group
- Dwelling
Meaning
Abbhokāsa means “open space”. The practitioner refuses both roofed dwellings and the shelter of trees.
How it is practised
The practitioner lives and meditates in the open, using, for instance, a robe to form a simple covering. The commentary allows entering buildings for purposes such as listening to the Dhamma or attending to the sick.
Grades of strictness
The grades differ in whether rock overhangs, the edge of trees or simple structures may be used for shelter.
Benefits described in the tradition
- Freedom from the obstacle of dwellings
- Mobility, like a deer
- Energy and wakefulness
When the observance lapses
The observance lapses when the practitioner goes to live under a roof or at a tree root.
Context today
This practice depends strongly on climate and safety. It should never be imitated casually; exposure to weather carries real health risks.