In the early days of the Thai forest tradition, the monks lived with a lot of difficulty. They wandered with their bowl, robes, and other requisites and frequently lived at the foot of trees. Theirs was a life exposed to the dangers of the elements. They were also exposed to the dangers of wild animals and various non-human beings. At a certain point, the stories of these various bhikkhus were written down. What can come through in reading them is not just the difficulties they faced, but they way they persevered with faith. When faced with a life threatening difficulty, they seemed to reflect on the nature of kamma. In particular that if it was their time to die as a result of making bad kamma, then they would accept that fate. However, the message came through was that it may very well not be their time to die. In this case, the fear that was arising was merely a delusion. They also had a strong faith in the possibility of attaining Nibbāna and their own ability to attain it through effort.
Most people will not encounter wild animals in the same way as these monks. However, the principles that underlie their stories can be applied to almost any Dhamma practice. One of the most important of these principles being that whatever type of suffering one faces, it's possible to overcome it. The Buddha's teaching is capable of overcoming all types of suffering, if one perseveres with conviction.
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