🌞Dhammagiri News #125 Wed 16 October 2024 |
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Sun 20 Oct End of Rains Retreat / Pavāraṇā One Day Full Moon Retreat
Aj Dhammasiha & Ajahn Moneyyo Attending Kaṭhinas Wed 06 Nov Arrival Ajahn Naen Sudhīro Sun 17 Nov Robe Offering Ceremony Mon 18 Nov to Wed 05 Dec Visit by Bhante Jinaratana Fri 29 & Sat 30 Nov Visit by Ajahn Geoff Ṭhānissaro & Ajahn Keng Khemako 05 Dec to 18 Jan Ajahn Dhammasiha in Singapore, Malaysia & Thailand Small Stupa Finished and Being Shipped from Thailand Translation Blessing/Sharing Merits & 'Tips for New Meditators'
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Dear Supporters and Friends of Dhammagiri, Thanks to your generous support, we were able to spend a quiet, harmonious and meditative rains retreat here at our hermitage - our heartfelt anumodanā to everyone who offered requisites, food and support! It is amazing that one can still live the life of a Forest Monk 2,500+ years after the Buddha, and in a country with only about 2.5% Buddhist population, thousands of kilometers distant from the original middle country, like we are able to do here at Dhammagiri. However, this quiet period is coming to an end tomorrow with our Pavāranā ceremony, and there's a lot of inspiring eternal activity going to happen in the Kaṭhina season - buckle up, it's going to be a long scroll to reach the bottom of this email 😉 |
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Pavāraṇā One Day Full Moon Retreat Sun 20 October
We will have our Pavāraṇa full moon retreat program at Dhammagiri this Sunday 20 October. Mahā Pavāraṇā full moon is the official end of the rains retreat ('vassa'), and what better way of honouring that occasion, than with a day of taking refuge, observing precepts, chanting and listening to Dhamma, and cultivating meditation?
🌝 🌜 🌚 🌛 🌝 🌛 🌚 🌜 🌝 🌛 🌚 🌛 🌝
Sun 20 October
Pavāraṇā One Day Full Moon Retreat
End of Rains Retreat
08.30 am
Arrival of Participants
for Precept Ceremony
09.00 am
Taking of Triple Refuge & 8 Precepts / 5 Precepts
and Guided Meditation
10.00 am
Arrival of Participants for Almsoffering
Preparing for Almsoffering
10.30 am
Almsoffering, Anumodana & Shared Meal
11.50 am
Dhammatalk on 'Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta', the Buddha's first formal discourse
01.00 pm
Break / Walking Meditation
01.30 pm
Chanting of Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta /
Silent Meditation
02.30 pm
Break / Walking Meditation
03.00 pm
Chanting, Guided Meditation
& Short Dhamma Reflection on Four Noble Truths
05.00 pm
End of Program
NB: It is possible to participate only for parts of the program, but please arrive at least 15 min before the session starts.
12.00 noon and 03.00 pm sessions will be livestreamed on our youtube channel.
They will also be audio recorded amd published on our
podcast
🌝 🌜 🌚 🌛 🌝 🌛 🌚 🌜 🌝 🌛 🌚 🌛 🌝
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Aj Dhammasiha & Aj Moneyyo Attending Kaṭhinas
Ajahn Dhammasiha will be at Bodhipāla Monastery, Adelaide, from evening Sat 26 October to noon Fri 01 November for their Robe Offering Ceremony. He's looking forward to meeting Ajahn Nyanadipo & Sangha, and seeing the latest developments at that young but strongly growing monastery
Ajahn Moneyyo will visit Bodhisaddha Monastery, Wilton near Sydney, from evening Fri 01 to noon Tue 05 November. The only time he's been there was only one night together with Luang Por Tong Daeng, so he's looking forward to spending a couple of days with Ajahn Varadhammo and local Sangha for their Kaṭhina Robe Offering
Ajahn Dhammasiha will attend the Kaṭhina at Buddha Bodhivana Monastery, Warburton near Melbourne, from evening Sat 09 to noon Tue 12 November. He's looking forward to meet the growing Sangha there; Luang Por Kalyano has ordained several junior monks recently
Zeph will accompany our two Ajahns on their journeys, to allow him to get introduced to other monks and monasteries of our tradition in Australia.
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Ajahn Sudhīro Arrival 06/11 Ajahn Sudhīro finally got his visa approved, and is booked to arrive at Dhammagiri on Wed 06 November after the meal. After 5 months of processing, and him missing out on joining us for vassa, our visa executive Lakmini contacted Immi and requested expedited processing. Next day they approved, and even gave us 13 months instead of one year (lol), perhaps because they felt sorry for their slow processing 😉 Ajahn Naen Sudhīro hails from Ubon province, the very heart of the Thai Forest Tradition, and birthplace of Ajahn Mun and Ajahn Chah. Ordained by Ajahn Mahā Amon, he has completed 20 vassa as a bhikkhu, and has experience living in the West from a previous 2 year stay at Bodhinyanarama Monastery, Wellington, NZ. In the picture above you see him in the shrine room of the monastery he is currently based in, Wat Doi Mongkolsathan near Chaing Mai, the same monastery Ajahn Khantiko usually lives in when staying in Thailand. We look forward to welcoming him! |
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Robe Offering Ceremony Sun 17 November The Kaṭhina season is traditionally the time when both lay community and monastic sangha cooperate in a grand ceremony meant to mark the end of the yearly retreat period. It is long considered as one of the most auspicious times in the year to make merit ('puñña' = good karma), when the laity present robes and other requisites to the Sangha in a joyful spirit, full of appreciation for the monks' resolute striving in their meditation during the rains retreat. For this years Robe Offering Ceremony, we have invited monks from Buddha Bodhivana Monastery, Warburton near Melbourne; Bodhisaddha Monastery, Wilton near Sydney; and Bodhipala monastery near Adelaide. As usual, we have a representative of one of our various national communities leading the proceedings - this time it will be our Vietnamese community again. We're expecting 9 monks to be staying for two nights - we count on your support with transport etc. to make them all feel welcome 🙏 and comfortable 😇 at Dhammagiri. On Saturday 09 November, we we'll have a working bee to get the monastery spick and span for the large visiting sangha 🧹🧽👩🌾 All contributions much appreciated. |
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Sunday 17 November Program Robe Offering Dhammagiri:
09.30 am Arrival of Participants, Preparing food for Almsoffering
10.15 am Almsround & Shared Meal
11.45 am Triple Refuge & 5 Precepts Robe Offering Ceremony Anumodanā & Blessing Invitation to Teach Dhamma Dhammatalk Formal Request to Recite Paritta Invitation to Devatā Paritta Chanting by Sangha
02.00 pm End of Program
Please note there will be no 3:00 pm Meditation session The Event will be livestreamed on our Youtube Channel Financial donations at the event will be dedicated to our Stupa Project
(our little Chedi is finally finished and is being shipped from Thailand, see below)
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Buddhaṃ Saraṇaṃ Gacchāmi. Dhammaṃ Saraṇaṃ Gacchāmi. Sanghaṃ Saraṇaṃ Gacchāmi. Dutiyampi, Buddhaṃ Saraṇaṃ Gacchāmi. Dutiyampi, Dhammaṃ Saraṇaṃ Gacchāmi. Dutiyampi, Sanghaṃ Saraṇaṃ Gacchāmi. Tatiyampi, Buddhaṃ Saraṇaṃ Gacchāmi. Tatiyampi, Dhammaṃ Saraṇaṃ Gacchāmi. Tatiyampi, Sanghaṃ Saraṇaṃ Gacchāmi. |
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Bhante Jinaratana at Dhammagiri 18/11 to 05/12 After spending vassa in Georgia, USA, helping to establish a new Forest Monastery in the tradition of Pah Auk Sayadaw near Atlanta, Bhante Jinaratana is back in Australia, and has kindly accepted our invitation for a two and a half weeks visit. You may wonder why he's arriving the day after our Robe Offering, however, the reason is simply that we're chock-a-block for the ceremony with currently 9 monks expected to attend. We'll invite Bhante to do several of our regular teaching sessions, especially on the weekend 23 & 24/11. We're looking forward to hearing from him personally how the Forest Tradition is developing in Dixie 🤠 |
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Ajahn Geoff Ṭhānissaro & Ajahn Keng Khemako visit Dhammagiri Fri 29 & Sat 30/11 We are very honored that Ajahn Thanissaro and Ajahn Keng Khemako found time to visit Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage, Brisbane, Australia, from 29th to 30th November 2024. This is an excellent opportunity for the supporters of Dhammagiri to meet with them and benefit from their Dhamma teachings, that they will share with us during their travels in Australia.
Ajahn Geoff Ṭhānissaro is the Abbot of Metta Forest Monastery in US, and Ajahn Keng Khemako is the abbot of Santi Forest Monastery in Malaysia. They will be accompanied and assisted by another Mahāthera from Wat Metta, by Ajahn Dhammadharo, and by two male lay disciples
Planned Program at Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage Friday 29/11: 10:30 am Almsoffering & Shared Meal 11:50 am Dhamma Discussion with Ajahn Ṭhānissaro
Saturday 30/11: 10:30 am Almsoffering & Shared Meal 11:50 am Dhamma Discussion with Ajahn Ṭhānissaro 05:00 pm Dhamma Discussion with Ajahn Keng 07:00 pm Dhamma Talk with Ajahn Ṭhānissaro
The main sessions will also be live cast on our Youtube Channel |
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Ajaan Ṭhānissaro & Ajahn Keng in younger years, taken from Santi Forest Monastery's website |
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Ajaan Ṭhānissaro (Geoffrey DeGraff) is an American monk of the Thai Forest Tradition. After graduating from Oberlin College in 1971 with a degree in European Intellectual History, he travelled to Thailand, where he studied meditation under Ajaan Fuang Jotiko, himself a student of the late Ajaan Lee. He was ordained in 1976 and lived at Wat Dhammasathit, where he remained following his teacher’s death in 1986. In 1991 he travelled to the hills of San Diego County, USA, where he cofounded Metta Forest Monastery together with Ajaan Suwat Suvaco. He became abbot of the Monastery in 1993. He has published a large number of Sutta translations, Dhamma books and Dhamma talks on his website: https://www.dhammatalks.org For a long time, I have admired Tan Ajaan Ṭhānissaro for a very rare combination of outstanding skills: He has ecellent knowledge of the teaching of the Buddha in it's original language Pali, and has translated a large proportion of the Sutta Piṭaka into English, all of that work accessible for free distribution on his website.
He has excellent knowledge of Thai, too, and has translated teachings from several of the most outstanding masters of the Thai Forest Tradition, like e.g. Luang Ta Mahā Boowa, Ajahn Lee Dhammadharo, and Ajahn Chah.
His book 'The Buddhist Monastic Code I & II' is the standard reference on the Vinaya (rules of discipline for Buddhist monks and nuns), making him the leading Vinaya expert in English language.
He had very close personal contact and guidance in meditative Dhamma practice by two outstanding master of the Forest Tradition, Ajahn Fuang and Ajahn Suwat
However, I've never been able to meet Tan Ajaan personally, and I'm looking very much forward to finally getting that opportunity 🙏🙏🙏 😊 |
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Ajahn Keng Khemako is a Singaporean monk of the Thai Forest Tradition. He was ordained in 1987 under the recommendation of Ajahn Thanissaro. One of his main teachers was Luang Pu Jia Cundo, a first generation disciple of Ajahn Mun. He received the title of Chao Khun in 2012, and is now the leading monk of the Dhammayuttika tradition for Singapore and Malaysia. Currently, Ajahn Keng is the Abbot of Santi Forest Monastery (Malaysia) and the Abbot of a hill-tribes forest monastery in Om Koi, Chiangmai, and President of Palelai Buddhist Temple (Singapore). I have stayed at Tan Ajahn Keng's Singaporean monastery, Wat Palelai, repeatedly, but only while he was away. Glad I finally get a chance to pay respect to him! 🙏😊
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Ajahn Dhammasiha Travels 05/12 to 18/01 Mon 30 Dec eve till Sun 05 Jan morning
LP Tong Daeng, Wat Doi Phra Jao Ton Luang
Sun 05 Jan to Sat 18 Jan
LP Anan, Wat Marp Jan
Dhammaram Bangkok
Wat Pah Nanachat, LP Chah Ngan
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Hilltop Stupa Finished and Being Shipped Our heartfelt anumodanā to Luang Por Thanong & team in Thailand 🙏🙏🙏, who have kindly manufactured a stupa according to our design, which we modelled on the appearance of the side towers of the Mahābodhi Temple, Bodh Gaya, India. A big anumodanā also to Ajahn Kongrit 🙏😊, who took on initiating and coordinating this project, despite his numerous duties as the new abbot of Lokuttara Vihara, Norway. The Mahābodhi Temple marks the location where the Buddha attained Supreme Awakening. We wanted our little chedi to appeal to all the different backgrounds of our multinational community, which is why we use features of the Mahābohdi Temple, originally built in the Gupta style some 1,500 years ago, falling back on the unifying Indian origin of all existing Buddhist traditions. |
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Our stupa is now finally finished, and in the process of being shipped from Thailand. Other than the events and visiting Ajahns in the Kaṭhina season, preparing a suitable site for our little chedi on the hilltop of Dhammagiri is now our first priority project. The image above is only a working draft to give you some idea what it's meant to look like, details may differ and are still being worked out. We will dedicate financial offerings received at our Robe Offering Ceremony 17 November to this project and associated works. |
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'Translation Anumodanā & Sharing Merits' 'Tips for New Meditators' With the vassa passing quiet and harmoniously, with excellent conditions and generous support, I found some time for publishing two new articles on our 'Dhamma Reflections' blog: On special request, I've prepared the Pali text as well as an English translation of the daily anumodanā, blessing and merit sharing chants we do every day at the almsfood offering at Dhammagiri.
Included is also a new audio recording of the regular chanting; and an existing one with Ajahn Amaro leading. that includes the extended version for sharing good karma with departed relatives and friends
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I've got to go, night falls, and tomorrow will be the last day of the retreat - anumodanā from me, Ajahn Moneyyo, and our resident guests Krys & Zeph for the prodigious support we have received from you during this vassa. Looking forward to seeing you at Dhammagiri for the many inspiring events coming up this Kaṭhina season. Mettā & muditā Ajahn Dhammasiha |
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