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Entering Winter Retreat for 2019…

Starting on 1 January 2019, The Tisarana community will enter the three-month Winter Retreat. Please be aware that the community will be practicing noble silence. As such, talking and conversations with the monastics and retreat crew will be limited.

In addition, until 31 March, Tisarana monastery will not be hosting overnight guests. However, the monastery will continue to be open to day-visitors.

Also, our usual Saturday afternoon program will be suspended and will resume in the spring when the retreat is over. We will continue to offer a Dhamma talk as usual on Lunar Observance evenings starting at 7:00PM. Please consult our calendar for specific dates.

We wish thank all of our supporters for this wonderful opportunity to deeply cultivate formal practice.… Read the rest

Tisarana Welcomes the New Year (2019)

Come celebrate New Year’s Eve at Tisarana.

On Monday, December 31st, we will be holding a special puja starting at 7:00pm, which will include chanting, meditation and a Dhamma talk. Following the evening puja, there will be a relaxed get-together on our new property to greet the New Year.… Read the rest

The Eight Worldly Winds

Tan Khemako explains how suffering as a result of praise and blame, pleasure and pain, fame and obscurity, and wealth and poverty, the Eight Worldly Winds, is entirely optional. He shows that the key is learning to let go of the mind’s tendency for grasping by developing wise reflection in order to see things as they really are. (Talk recorded at Tisarana on 30 November 2018. Duration 33:38)… Read the rest

New Year’s message from Ajahn Viradhammo

Dear friends,
It is the 22nd of December and I am at a monastery near the city of Mae Hong Son in Northern Thailand. At breakfast this morning the temperature was 19C, that’s plus, and the birds were singing their hearts out. I’m here at this forest monastery, 50km from Burma, at the invitation of Ajahn Cagino, the Dhammagiri foundation and Dhamma friends from Singapore who support this monastery and often come to visit. This evening we shall begin a 7-day retreat. 


Among our forest monasteries, Ajahn Cagino has created a unique space for the practice of wisdom and compassion. It is a forest monastery, an orphanage and retreat centre set among rural villages and extensive forests. Some 12 years ago Ajahn Cagino was walking tudong in this area and came across an orphaned boy. Must do something. He contacted his sister in Malaysia  who organised funds for this boy to be cared for. On subsequent visits Ajahn Cagino came across more kids in need so supporters bought a house, people were employed, volunteers gave their time and so it grew.

The lower part of the monastery has 60 children in residence, the upper part for monks has 20 bhikkhus, many visiting from Wat Pah Pong who have just returned from tudong.… Read the rest

You Sit in the Fire

Ajahn Viradhammo explores the difference between awakening to the various emotions that arise and in seeing them from a perspective of idealism. By letting go of idealism and simply being with any type of mind state, even states like anger and self-criticism can be known with compassion and a sense that they all belong. (Talk recorded at Tisarana on 17 October 2018. Duration 37:37)… Read the rest

Stop

Ajahn Viradhammo expounds the benefit of learning how to stop when we come to a difficult experience, and just be with the full knowing of that reality, instead of looking for some kind of distraction. By repeatedly practising this way, he shows that this is the path to liberation. (Talk recorded at Tisarana on 9 October 2018. Duration 31:43)… Read the rest

Renewal

In one of the many topics talked about during a discussion with lay guests, Ajahn Viradhammo gives some history on how the Ajahn Chah tradition came into existence and developed into one of the most successful traditions from Thailand. He mentions some of the problems of how Buddhism was being practiced, namely being mixed with other beliefs. This led to a necessary renewal which meant going against the way people practiced Buddhism. (Q&A recorded at Tisarana on 20 August 2018. Duration 1:07:56)… Read the rest

Tisarana Photo Book for Summer 2018

The Tisarana Community is pleased to share our photo book for the Summer of 2018. You can view the photo book online, download it or request a print copy. A French version is also available.

View Online

Download PDF

Ordering a Print Copy

If you would like to order a print a copy from the printer:

  1. Create an account on the Pikto website (the printer).
  2. Send a request to receive a copy of the project you want.
    (English Project ID: 45458160, French Project ID: 45772920)
  3. Wait for Pikto to reply (this may take a few days).
  4. Add the project to your cart.
  5. Checkout.
… Read the rest

The Field of OK-ness

Venerable Khemako points out that even in near perfect conditions, our minds can be subject to habit patterns that cause sadness, misery, anger, and so on. Referring to the Buddha’s advice in the Discourse on Not-Self, he explains how every moment is an opportunity to develop a wholesome habit pattern, and create kamma that leads the mind on a path from suffering to happiness.

(Talk recorded at Tisarana on 15 November 2018. Duration 43:04)… Read the rest

A Reading of the Cosmos

Ajahn Sucitto explores the value of the Dhamma Vinaya as laid out by the Buddha. By letting go of the grasping at individuality, he shows how respect and learning to live within a community are conditions leading to a harmonization with something larger than conventional reality.

(Talk recorded at Tisarana on 17 September 2018. Duration 37:20)… Read the rest