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The Pali term "abbhokásika" means "the one who has the habit to dwell on a bare and unsheltered spot".
"abbhokása" = "the fact to dwell on a bare and unsheltered spot"
When this practice is conveniently done, with constancy and diligence, with the determination of not breaking it, we say that there is "abbhokásikaýga" (state of mind of the dwelling on a spot bare of everything).
For adopting this dhutaýga, it is convenient to pronounce the following phrase whether in Pali, whether in the language of one's choice...
«chandañca rukkhamúlañca pa†ikkhipámi, abbhokásikaýgaµ samádhiyámi.»
«I renounce to roofs and trees, I will train into dwelling on spots situated outdoor and devoid of any shelter.»
According to restrictions, there do exist three kinds of practitioners of the abbhokásika dhutaýga:
The bhikkhu who is a noble practitioner of the abbhokásika dhutaýga never take shelter under the shadow of anything (tree, wall, etc.) Provided he remains on a spot devoid of any shelter, he can however spread out one his robes like a tent, and put himself under.
The bhikkhu who is an intermediate practitioner of the abbhokásika dhutaýga can stay under the shadow of a tree, but not at the foot of a tree. He can also stay under the shadow of a mountain or a house.
The bhikkhu who is ordinary practitioner of the abbhokásika dhutaýga can build up for himself a little shelter by means of large leaves (just for enjoying a bit a shadow), instal himself under an overhanging cliff (so as to provide himself with some shadow and a shelter against the rain), under a coated clothe making it waterproof, or in a little shelter left behind by some peasants.
By doing so, the abbhokásika dhutaýga is not broken.
By practising the abbhokásika dhutaýga, we can benefit with the following advantages...
Remark: the practice of a dhutaýga alone enables one to understand its advantages.
From the moment a practitioner of the abbhokásika dhutaýga settle down (with the intention remain on that spot) on a sheltered spot, like a building having a roof, at the foot of a tree, etc., he breaks his dhutaýga.
In the texts of the "aýguttaranikaya", it is told: «The abbhokásika dhutaýga cannot be broken owing to the fact of staying under a roof. It is convenient (to the practitioner of this dhutaýga) to proceed under a roof in order to listen to the dhamma or to satisfy various needs. However, by staying under a roof at the time of dawn, the dhutaýga is broken.»
It is quite proper that a bhikkhu who practises the abbhokásika dhutaýga enters under a shelter or even a building having a roof and walls, if his intention is to listen to a teaching, or for satisfying various needs related to monastic life (uposatha, pavárašá, etc.) In such case, the dhutaýga is not broken.
After having entered in a símá so as to perform the uposatha (for example), if it rains when the uposatha is completed, it is convenient that the bhikkhu who practises the abbhokásika dhutaýga remains in the símá. He can wait inside until the rain ceases or calms down.
If we invite such a bhikkhu to come to give a teaching under a roof, he can very well do it without breaking his dhutaýga. Once his teaching is over, he must only return to a spot situated outdoor. He is also authorised to enter a dining room, a kitchen, or a house into which a donor wishes to offer him something to eat (on a seating spot or in his bowl).
It is convenient that a bhikkhu who practises the abbhokásika dhutaýga enters under a shelter for giving or receiving a dhamma teaching only at the allotted time for that. As soon as these duties are achieved, he must proceed back outside.
Such a bhikkhu can also enter under a roof when it is to the sake of carrying over a furniture or something else situated outside or inside of a monastery, when he travels along with a bhikkhu having more seniority than himself and he carries his belongings (bowl, double robe...), or when it starts raining. If the bhikkhu with whom he travels doesn't have any belongings, he can however enter under a shelter while it rains. When he has the intention to enter under a shelter, he can proceed to it, but without making haste; he must proceed to it by walking as usual. He will be able to stay there until the rain calms down, then, he must proceed outside (if only "a few drops falls", and he won't have to stay under a shelter). As soon as it stops to rain, the bhikkhu must remain outdoor.
Thus, to the bhikkhu who practises the abbhokásika dhutaýga, have just been mentioned the only exceptions for which he is authorised to stay under a roof.
These above mentioned points also concern bhikkhus who practise the rukkhamúla dhutaýga. For that reason, bhikkhus who practise the rukkhamúla dhutaýga, when it rains, when there is something to do (to give one's seat, etc.), they do practise in the same way as the practitioner of the abbhokásika dhutaýga does.
The bhikkhu who practises the abbhokásika dhutaýga is totally spared of countless domestic, economic and human duties, to which are constrained people living inside of their house, along with children, etc.
The abbhokásika dhutaýga ideally corresponds with the life of a bhikkhu.
A bhikkhu who practises this dhutaýga doesn't even have to worry to find and keep up a place for his lodging. Having the stary sky as sole roof, he easily gets rid of idleness and torpor. Free like a stag, his mind enables him to speed up and ease the realisation of the dhamma. By remaining outside, he always stays on a serene and silent spot. Pursuant to that, he can easily and without delay realise some jhánas or magga phalas.
For these reasons, bhikkhus endowed with wisdom do practise the outdoor dwelling, on spots devoid of anything, that is to say the abbhokásika dhutaýga.
