The Rains Retreat (Vassa)has begun
During this time Buddhist monks and nuns remain in a single monastery to focus more on mediation, solitude and contemplation of the Dhamma. This Vassa we have 14 people who have committed to saving for the three-month period. The regular rains retreat teaching program for the resident community is as follows:
Monday 7:30am: meditation interviews
Tuesday 7.30am: Sutta class
Wednesday 7.30pm: Chanting and Dhamma talk
Friday 7.30am: Sutta class
Saturday 7.30pm: Meditation teachings and chanting
In addition, each resident is given the opportunity to spend two weeks by themselves in complete silence and solitude, with their meals brought to them. But don't despair, the rains is not all about running away and hiding, because we've also got:
Open Days
This vassa we have three open days which all are welcome to attend. This gives the community a chance to share the beauty of our monastery with all.
The Open Days for this Vassa are:
5th of August, and the 2nd and the 30th of September.
Schedule.
10:00am - Arrive
11:00am - Monks and Nuns go for alms-round, food offering and shared lunch.
12:30 - Guided meditation and Dhamma talk
1:30pm - Tour of the land, a great time to see how the monastics live.
3:30pm - Tea and informal chat.
Please bring a vegetarian dish to share with everyone.
General News
Bhikkhuni Congress
Santi FM has been at the forefront of promoting the establishment of the bhikkhuni lineage in the Forest Tradition. Now Bhante Sujato has been invited to speak in Hamburg at the '1st International Congress on Buddhist Women's Role in the Sangha'. This important event is sponsored by HH the Dalai Lama, held by the University of Hamburg. The aim is not merely to discuss the issues one more time, but to agree on a model for the re-establishment of the bhikkhuni lineage in all three traditions. Bhante Sujato will be speaking on the topic of 'Sects & Sectarianism'. The problem he addresses is whether the monastic lineages that exist today - Theravada, Dharmaguptaka (East Asian) and Mulasarvastivada (Tibetan) - are compatible and able to perform ordinaton together. It appears that these monastic lineages descend from a closely-knit group centered around the forest monasteries of Mathura around the time of Asoka. For general information about bhikkhunis, check out the resources assembled by the ASA bhikkhuni committee.
A Bhikkhu's blog
Check out the writings of Ajahn Punnadhammo. He's an old friend of Bhante Sujato from his early days in Thailand, and shares an outspoken passion for real Dhamma.
Ven Tapassi's higher ordination
The 11th of July was the higher ordination of Ven Tapassi. Ajahn Brahm came from Perth to conduct the ordination.
This is the second time Santi has conducted higher ordination, the most solemn and important ritual in monastic life. The achievement of ordaining local people as local monks confirms the success of Santi Monastery in one of its central goals: the ongoing presence of a Buddhist monastic Sangha practicing according to the strict Vinaya standards of the Forest Tradition, developing meditation, studying the Dhamma in its fullness, serving the community, and striving for Nibbana.
Melanie Becomes an anagarika
Melanie Fritz has joined the community at Santi. The advent of the anagarika Ceremony was on the 23rd of May, just before the Dhamma talk on a Wednesday night . Mel is a kind person who all ways has a mature attitude to things at the monastery! Hailing from New Zealand we are all glad she has the aspiration to ordain here at Santi.
Eva is an anagarika
On Sunday 6 May we had our first Women's Day. The most auspicious of events was the Anagarika Ceremony for Eva. Eva is well known to all those who have been to Bhante Sujato's teachings in Sydney: she's the loveable little old lady who asks the naughty questions. Now she'd living full time at Santi and keeping us all full of metta.
Bhante Sujato's India trip
In Feb, Bhante Sujato went to India to attend the Pali Tipitaka Chanting Ceremony organized by The Light of Buddhadharma Foundation International, held under the Bodhi tree in Bodhgaya. About 300 Theravada monks from various countries attended. Bhante Sujato gave three talks, on ethics, samadhi, and wisdom, underneath the Bodhi tree. While there he took part in forming a management committee for creating the BuddhaVision Bhikkhuni Training Center, to be set up in Bodhgaya.
While away he visited his teacher Ajahn Maha Chatchai in Bangkok and invited him to visit Santi. He also took the chance to visit his home monastery of Wat Pah Nanachat in Thailand.
Bhante Sujato has committed to return to India for the chanting ceremony on the same dates next year (12-24 Feb), and hopes to organize some monastics and lay people to accompany him on this wonderful trip.
Vietnamese fundraiser
On Sunday 26 November the Sydney Vietnamese community held a fundraising event for Santi's meditation cave. Like last year's mammoth effort, around 1000 people attended the dinner, auction, and musical performances generously donated by some of Sydney's top Vietnamese musicians and singers. The total funds raised exceed $100 000! Tremendous thanks are due to the main organizer Gia Hue, his wife Tam Ngan, and especially to Ven Thich Bao Lac of Phap Bao Temple and other Sangha members who lent their support.