A Tradition of Expertise
Ajahn Viradhammo explores how we learn by engaging with and accepting the way reality is presenting itself to us. We thereby become more competent in whatever it is we are applying ourselves to.… Read the rest
Kathina at Tisarana: Sunday, November 8, 2015
Dear Friends:
We are happy to let you know that arrangements are well under way for the Kathina celebration scheduled to take place at Tisarana monastery at 10am on Sunday November 8th. The lay members of the Board of directors heartily invite friends and supporters of the monastery to participate in this happy and auspicious occasion.
This year’s Kathina ceremony will be held at Tisarana monastery in the large white tent on the front lawn. The tent will be enclosed and several heaters will be operating to keep everyone warm.
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Programme for the Kathina Ceremony
Date: Sunday November 8, 2015, 10am
Location: Tisarana Buddhist Monastery
10:00 am: Arrival, preparation and receiving of food offerings (potluck meal)
10:30 am: Opening Pūjā, Welcoming remarks from Ajahn Viradhammo, Taking Five Precepts, Paritta Chanting, Formal offering of food to the Saṅgha
11:00 am: Invitation of laity to join in the meal
1:00 pm (approximately): Opening remarks by a member of the Tisarana board of directors, Kathina Ceremony and Offering of Kathina Robe and requisites, Dhamma Talk by Ajahn Viradhammo, Closing Remarks by Ajahn Viradhammo
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For more information about Kathina, the potluck meal, and how you can participate, please visit the Tisarana monastery Kathina webpage here.… Read the rest
Caught by the Color of Experience
Ajahn Viradhammo uses the theme of color to explore how we are confused by the sense or color of our mental impressions. To free ourselves from this delusion, we learn how to use discernment to give ourselves an edge on the knowing quality of our experience.… Read the rest
Kathina at Tisarana: November 8, 2015
Each year since the time of the Buddha, at the end of the three-month Rains Retreat, lay people who support Buddhist monasteries have gathered to celebrate the completion of the retreat and offer the monastic community gifts of robe cloth and requisites that will be useful for the coming year. The cloth is cut, sewn and dyed by the monks that same day to make a robe to offer to a member of the monastic Sangha.
This 2,500-year-old tradition is still carried on here in the West, initiated by a lay supporter or group of supporters who request to organize the preparation and formal offerings. Kathina is a significant and joyful occasion that’s emblematic of the rich relationship between lay people and monastics, a connection characterized by deep bonds of friendship and commitment to mutual support. The core values that are celebrated by the Kathina tradition are those that make living together in harmony possible; qualities like generosity, patience, joy, kindness and empathy.
2015 is the third year that a Kathina is being held for the Sangha at Tisarana Buddhist Monastery. This year’s Kathina will have eight bhikkhus in attendance and is being sponsored by the lay members of the Tisarana Board of directors.… Read the rest
The Willingness to Awaken to Discontent
Ajahn Viradhammo explains how we can use discernment to awaken to the Noble Truth of suffering. Ajahn uses the pali word lakkhana (mark or characteristic) as a way to understand the role discernment plays in exploring discontent.… Read the rest
The Buddha as a Car Mechanic
The Buddha is likened to the role of a car mechanic rather than being in the role of an abstract theoretician. A car mechanic explores the problem, realizes what is broken, fixes it, and then might teach someone what was done from that very real basis of experience. This is opposed to a very theoretical position that is not based on actual experience. Ajahn Viradhammo also focuses on the difference between discernment and criticism in this talk.… Read the rest
One Size Does Not Fit All – Q & A
Ajahn Viradhammo answers questions from the laity during an informal tea time session at Tisarana. Themes include letting go, ego development, navigating though sense distractions, developing paramis, generosity, self-thinking, present moment awareness, interest and curiosity, noticing cessation, dealing with anxiety, heart practice, a definition of practice: letting go of self view, being aware of only what we are conscious of, attainment and goal seeking, etc.… Read the rest
Samanera Khema’s Bhikkhu Ordination on Sunday, October 11, 2015 at 1:00 pm
On Sunday, October 11 at 1:00 pm, Samanera Khema will take full ordination (Upasmapadā) and become a Bhikkhu under the preceptorship of Luang Por Vīradhammo. All are welcome to attend.
There will be a pot luck meal at 11:00 am. The ceremony is planned to take less than one hour and will be followed by a Dhamma talk given by Ajahn Vīradhammo. This will all take place in our large outdoor tent at the monastery. In addition to the tent, canopies will be available in case there is a large attendance.… Read the rest
The Smell of Donuts
A talk by Luang Por Viradhammo: Our minds are stimulated by so many experiences that we are not given enough space to reflect on the nature of Dhamma. We are consistently being drawn outward by our tendency to move toward external experience and may find it difficult to maintain awareness due to this outgoing tendency. Themes also include: Buddhism as a religion, idolatry verses symbology, and how paying attention is one of the more valuable qualities of our practice.… Read the rest
Submitting to the Reality of the Egg
Luang Por Viradhammo speaks about the need to harmonize with our experience of reality rather than fighting against this reality, wanting it to be different, believing that is it different, or trying to force it to be other than what it is. Whether good or bad, our experience of reality is what we have to work with and what we can choose to learn from.… Read the rest