🌞Dhammagiri News #121 Mon 19 February 2024 |
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New eMail Service for Dhammagiri News
Ajahn Vajiro 23/02 to 05/03
Magha Puja One Day Retreat Sun 25/02
Pics, Vids & Audio Ajahn Dhammasiha Travels
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Dear Supporters and Friends of Dhammagiri,
'Tinyletter' (owned by 'Mailchimp') is closing their newsletter service end of this month, 29 February. They simply delete it all, including the complete archive of old newsletters. They do not provide any option, not even for payment, to somehow continue or transfer the service. Quite disappointing, but there's nothing we can do about that, except migrating to a new email newsletter service.
As our own Dhammagiri website already includes an option for an email newsletter service, moving to that one is the natural choice.
I've already added all your email addresses to the new service, and I'm sending this same newsletter twice: First from 'Tinyletter' as always, and a second time from the new service.
If things work as intended, you should have two copies of this same newsletter in your inbox (or spam/promotions box).
One from 'Tinyletter', the other from the new service provider.
(Lay out a bit different, but same content)
The official sender email for our newsletter is still dhgnews@posteo.co
However, as usual with newsletter services, the 'technical sender' is actually different. Therefore, our new newsletter may easily end up in your spam box: If you can't find the new version in your inbox, please check your spam/promotions box!
Adding dhgnews@posteo.co to your adress book/contacts may also help.
From 29 February, you will only receive our newsletter from the new service.
One advantage of new format is that it seems to provide better layout and formatting options - at least once I get my head around it 😯, and know how to actually use all these fantastic new options 😉
Until then, please bear with me and possibly strange typos or weird formatting 🤨
Of course, as has always been the case, you can unsubscribe any time by clicking the link to 'change your email preferences' at the bottom of every newsletter.
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Luang Por Vajiro 23/02 to 05/03 Ajahn Vajiro will be visiting Dhammagiri from Friday 23 February to 05 March. If you like to meet him, just join for any of our regular programs during that time 😊 The main event will be Magha Puja One Day Retreat on Sunday 25 February (see details below). However, there's a few days where Luang Por and the other monks will have the meal outside on an outing, and no monks will be at the monastery:
Wednesday 28 February the monks will be on an outing to the ocean
Tuesday 05 March, 10.30 am, we will offer dana to Ajahn Vajiro and the 3 resident monks at the airport, international departure hall check in area, under the palm trees - everyone welcome to join If in doubt, you can always check the calendar on our website for the latest info.
Luang Por has been at Dhammagiri several times before, and has been very supportive in the early days of our project, helping us to connect with the wider Ajahn Chah sangha in Europe. His presence was particular helpful in 2009, when he provided much needed encouragement to aquire the property 10 Ben Varden at the foot of the hill. |
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Ajahn Vajiro served as the second monk at Amaravati Buddhist Monastery for many years, supporting his teacher Luang Por Sumedho in looking after the large community, and with various administrative duties. Since 2018, Luang Por has been the founding abbot of Sumedharama Monastery near Lisbon, leading the development of the first Ajahn Chah monastery in Portugal. Sumedharama Website |
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🌝 🌜 🌚 🌛 🌝 🌛 🌚 🌜 🌝 🌛 🌚 🌛 🌝 |
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Magha Puja Sun 25 February One Day Full Moon Retreat with Luang Por Vajiro 08:30 - 9:00 am
Arrival of participants at Dhammahall
Silent Meditation
09:00 - 10:00 am
Taking Refuge in the Triple Gem
Observance of 8 or 5 precepts
Guided Meditation
10:00 - 10:30 am
Preparation of food for Almsoffering
10:30 - 11:45 am
Almsoffering
Anumodanā & Blessing
Shared Meal
11:45 - 1:00 pm
Dhamma Talk on Magha Puja,
"Spontaneous Meeting of 1,250 Arahant Disciples"
01:30 - 2:30 pm
Chanting including Ovādapāṭimokkha
Silent Meditation
03:00 - 5:00 pm
Evening Chanting
Guided Meditation
Short Dhamma Reflection
It is possible to participate only for parts of the program, but please be seated in the Dhammahall at least 15 minutes before start of sessions, and maintain noble silence in consideration of those meditating all day |
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🌝 🌜 🌚 🌛 🌝 🌛 🌚 🌜 🌝 🌛 🌚 🌛 🌝 |
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This Magha Puja Sunday we will also launch the first release of our brand new Dhammagiri T-Shirts with Tiratana Symbol and 'Buddhaṃ Dhammaṃ Sanghaṃ Saraṇaṃ Gacchāmi' printed on the back. As this is one of the most eagerly anticipated fashion events of 2024 😉, and we've got only 100 shirts for the first release, make sure to join us on Magha Puja - We'll give out only one shirt per person, as long as stocks last! (If there's strong interest, we may print more) There's more info on the 'Tiratana' symbol of Triple Gem on our Dhamma Reflections blog here. |
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Māgha Pūjā is also known as 'Sangha Day', and is one of the most important full moon days in the Buddhist calendar.
It commemoreates the occasion of 'Sāvakasannipāta', a spontaneous gathering of 1,250 Arahant disciples, which happens at least once in the lifetime of each Buddha. In the case of our Buddha Gotama, the Sāvakasannipāta took place at the full moon in February:
1,250 bhikkhus gathered spontaneously, without any prior arrangement, in the Veḷuvana ('Bamboo Grove Monastery') at Rājagaha, where the Lord Buddha was staying on that night All these monks have been ordained by the Buddha personally, with the famous injunction "Ehi Bhikkhu, svākkhāto dhammo, cara brahmacariyaṃ sammā dukkhassa antakiriyāyā ti" ("Come monk, the Dhamma is well expounded, live the holy life to make an end of all suffering") All of them are 'chaḷabhiññā' Arahants who have attained the six higher knowledges, and they arrive by means of their psychic powers It is the full moon night of the constallation Māgha, and the Buddha recites the 'Ovadapātimokkha' in their presence
The Ovādapātimokkha is justly famous as a concise summary of the complete practice leading to awakening, expressed in only 16 lines of verse:
"Abstain from any evil deed,
accomplish what is good and true,
and fully purify your mind -
That is what all the Buddhas teach.
Enduring patience is the best
of all ascetic practices;
The best of everything at all
is called Nibbāna by the sage.
If you cause harm to anyone
you can't be called a genuine monk!
Refrain from harming and abuse,
and strictly keep the Buddha's rules;
Be moderate when taking food,
and dwell alone in solitude
devoted to the Higher Mind -
That is what all the Buddhas teach." (Dhammapada Verses 183-185, trsl by Aj Dhs) [Arial 18] |
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Travel Pics, Videos & Audio Here's a little photo album with pics from Ajahn Dhammasiha's recent travels to Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore: Scroll mode default with descriptions visible on hover/single tap; One-pic-per-page-view on click/double tap; Full screen no descriptions on second click/second tap. |
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Here's a very sonorous recording of the Evening Puja at Luang Por Tong Deang's monastery, including the 'Anatta-lakkhana-sutta' (Not Self Characteristic), the second formal discourse of the Buddha: |
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New Year's Eve Chanting at Luang Por Tong Daeng's monastery - very powerful, sonorous, and with strong female chanters, too. This is only an audio recording, but I had to put it up on Youtube, as Spotify likes to delete podcasts which their bots classify as 'music'. I've added a slideshow of pics from Wat Doi Phra Jao Ton Luang, to make it visually a bit more interesting. |
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Very lively Q&A Session with DAYWA Young Adults Group in Singapore at Wat Palelai: |
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Youtube playlist of videos of stupas, shrines and relics, where I hope to share with you at least some of the Dhamma inspiration I received there. I've recorded five 'Short' videos (< 1 min) with fitting chanting in background, plus one 12 min video of Luang Por Tong Daeng's monastery. |
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Looking forward to seeing many of you for Magha Puja and Luang Por Vajiro's visit, And hoping that we manage to move to the new newsletter service without losing too many of our valued subscribers! With Mettā & Muditā Ajahn Dhammasiha |
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Discover MoreClick on Links below: |
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