Green mountains, like clouds,
So bright and beautiful
With clear cool clean water;
Full of green weevils
Fantastic to see.

This poem belonged to Vanavaccha Thera who was the son of Vacchagotta of Kapilavastu city. Once the Buddha visited Kapilavatu city, Vanavaccha followed the Buddha into the city and was asked by other monks how live in the forest was. He expressed the feeling in a brief, simple but powerful poem. 

My body is at home.
My mind is in the forest.
While I am sleeping,I can go.
Enlighten one
Has nothing to interrupt.

This poem belong to Novice Sivaka, the nephew of Vanavaccha Thera . He was ordained and lived with his uncle in the forest.

Many monks of Buddha liked to live in the forest such as Mahakassapa Thera. Not to linker with company is one of the Buddha's teaching. The big wide forest was the proper place for meditation to defeats the evil desires. The Buddha always suggested "there under the big trees there, the empty house. You should practice meditation, do not underestimate so that you will not be sorry later, these are my teaching."

The book Visuddhimagga compared the persons who practiced their mind and went into the forest to find peacefulness to the hinding tiger who are waiting waiting to catch a deer. "The hiding tiger was waiting to catch a deer for food is like the great practice of Buddhist men who have great wisdom. Who will go into the forest to find the great Arahant."

At the bamboo bush

I sit and eat.

I see aggregate: birth and death.

I return to the mountain and forest

To find the solitude.

Gosala Thera said this poem. He learned the meditation which suited him from the Buddha and went to practice in the Sanu Mountain not far from his home. His mother always gave food to him. He said this poem the day he ate the food from his mother. While he was eating and considering, he had the flashing idea about aggregate : birth and death. So he got up and went back to Sanu Mountain and Meditated until he was enlightened to be Arahant.

CREDIT: THE SONGS OF ARAHANTS BY SATHIENPONG WANNAPOK

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