Ajahn Viradhammo answers questions about how to relax when there is tension in the mind and body and also talks about dealing with anger by being aware of it and understanding instead of focusing on it as an object to get rid off.… Read the rest
Ajahn Viradhammo speaks about how desire is frustrated when we cannot get what we want. If we allow this experience to be a teaching for ourselves we can learn how to transcend both the unwholesome desire and the suffering that is arising out of not satisfying it.… Read the rest
Abhayagiri’s Firefighter Stories: From Ajahn Jotipalo:
About the “Loop Trail” I asked the crew from New Mexico how it was fighting the fire. They had been on the property for about 5 days. They said it was the weirdest thing, like the monastery refused to burn. They said one evening (probably the day Timothy Luke was forced to leave Mt Tabor, and he reported seeing 200 foot tall flames on the ridge) that 10 battalions (20 to a battalion) were out on the loop trail fighting the fires coming down from the ridge. They reported that the fires got down to the loop trail but the fire wouldn’t cross the trail. They said it was like the monastery refused to burn, and none of them could explain it. They reported their hair sanding on it’s end and then the fire reversed itself and went back up the mountain. Everybody was kind of freaked-out, as they had never seen anything like this. I asked several of the other crews about their experience and they all reported about this.
Ajahn Jotipalo of Abhayagiri Monastery in California posted this news tonight after having visited the property today and talking with the fire crews there:
“We just got back from the property. About as good of news as we could have hoped for. There are still about 100 personnel on the property, as fires are still smoldering, but it appear no structures were damaged, except maybe a bridge or two on the “loop trail” – which we should rename the “Sacred Loop Trail” Or “Dhamma Protectors Trail” more on that later.
More soon about stories talking to the fire fighters. We are staying at CTTB (City of Ten Thousand Buddhas) tonight, LP Pasanno is giving a talk, S Tissaro is staying at the monastery, to look after water and be of service if he firefighters need answers.” 19:45 16Oct2017
Ven Khemako talks about the 40 traditional techniques used to develop concentration and focuses on Anapanasati.… Read the rest
Sirimedho Bhikkhu (formerly Peter Pauls) was born in Ontario to a Mennonite family and raised in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. After returning to Ontario, his spiritual search took him on a pilgrimage to India and a couple of long retreats at the Insight Meditation Society (IMS). This culminated in a strong desire to ordain. Unfortunately, during this time he became chronically ill. After many years, during which he visited Tisarana and forest monasteries regularly, he recovered well enough to pursue ordination. He took on Anigarika precepts at Tisarana on January 5th 2017, ordained as a Samanera (novice) on December 15, 2017 in Chennai, India and was accepted in to the Bhikkhu Sangha on September 16, 2018 with Luang Por Viradhammo as Preceptor.… Read the rest
Amarasiri Bhikkhu (formerly Siddarth Deepak) was born and raised in Chennai, India. His education and career led him to live in many parts of the world. Venerable Amarasiri moved to Toronto in 2009 and attended a Vipassana retreat in the Goenka Tradition where he was inspired by the teachings and practice of Theravada Buddhism. On his very first visit to Tisarana, his interaction with Ajahn Viradhammo impacted Ven. Amarasiri to commit to Theravadin Monastic life. He subsequently took Anagarika precepts on the 29th of November 2016, Samanera Precepts on 20th September 2017 and was accepted into the Bhikkhu Sangha on September 16, 2018, with Luang Por Viradhammo as Preceptor.… Read the rest
This is from a past talk on the occasion of an anagarika ordination. Ajahn Viradhammo talks about the meaning of monastic life and all that it entails.… Read the rest
On Sunday October 8th, the Tisarana community will celebrate the end of the Rains Retreat by offering the Kathina cloth to the monastic community. The event will be held at the monastery (1356 Powers Road, Perth ON) and will start at 10.45 AM, followed by the meal blessing and a meal. At 1 PM, the ceremony of offering the Kathina cloth will take place followed by a Dhamma Reflection given by Luang Por V.
We are delighted that Ajahn Punnadhammo from Arrow River and Venerable Suneetha from Ottawa are joining us this year. We look forward to the gathering on Sunday. Please ensure that you arrive well before 10.15 AM if you are offering dana for the pot-luck meal. Please allow time for parking, getting to your seats and we ask that everyone is seated by 10.40 AM in order to start the event. Help with breaking up and cleaning up after the event will be greatly appreciated.… Read the rest
The Directors of the Board of Tisarana Buddhist Monastery invites all members of good standing to attend the Annual General Meeting (AGM) scheduled on Saturday, October 21, 2017 at 1.30 PM. Please note that the public meditation normally scheduled for Saturday afternoons will be cancelled on the 21st of October due to our AGM.… Read the rest
