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News Updates, Page 13

100 years: A letter from Thailand by L.P. Viradhammo

Subject: 100 years

Dear friends,
I am at Dhammaram in Bangkok, room 5, LP Sumedho is downstairs talking with Ajahn Amaro and the sangha from Amaravati, Ajhn Kongrit is packing a box with Yom Meechai for sending to the UK and Ajahn Panyasaro is crocheting a cover for my watch. We were all on the same flight from Ubon this afternoon and so it’s a good time to reflect on the Wat Pah Pong gatherings, our monastic legacy and our close friendships with each other. It has been a warm and heartfelt gathering of our community.
I am sure you have seen pictures from the great gatherings at Wat Pah Pong. The numbers are impressive: 6500 lay people in tents on the grounds of Wat Pah Pong, 1050 monks registered with over 100 western monks and the siladharas from Amaravati, on the final day one estimate was that a total of 2000 monks(?) and 30,000(?) lay people took part in the circumambulation around LP Chah’s stupa.
More than the numbers is the the sense of dignity and reverence that flowed throughout this beautiful gathering. Just before the circumambulation LP Sumedho gave a talk in the big sala to the laity while LP Pitoon spoke at the uposatha hall to the assembly of monks.
… Read the rest

2018 Ajahn Chah Memorial Day

Every year on 16 January we observe a special puja to remember the life and teachings of Luong Pu Chah, the founder of our ordination lineage and teacher of Ajahns Sumedho, Pasanno, Viridhammo and many other of the senior teachers in our larger community of monasteries, including Tisarana, Abhayagiri, Amaravati. The senior monks of our lineage usually attend a Sangha meeting at Wat Pah Pong in NE Thailand where the annual memorial is held and participate in the ceremonies there.

At Tisarana on 16 January we will have a puja at 7:00 PM (chanting followed by meditation) and a Dhamma talk. All are welcome.… Read the rest

Entered Winter Retreat

The Tisarana community of monastics and lay supporters has entered the 2018 3-month  Winter Retreat. The resident community and retreat crew will be conducting ourselves in Noble Silence as much as possible. We thank all our supporters for this wonderful opportunity to cultivate deep practice.

From now until 31 March we will not be hosting overnight guests, although we are always open to day-visitors. Also our usual Saturday afternoon program is suspended, it will resume in the spring when the retreat is over. We will continue to offer a Dhamma talk as usual on Lunar Observance days at 7:00PM.

Happy Winter!  – Khemako… Read the rest

Ordination: Anagarika Peter becomes Samanera Sirimedho

Peter’s ordination: 15 Dec 2017 –  email message from Luong Por Viradhammo:

Peter is now officially Samanera Sirimedho. We had a simple Pabajja ceremony this morning and Sirimedho is radiant in his new robes – happy fellow. I’ll try to get some photos to you shortly. 
The ordination took place in Chennai, India with Luong Por Sumedho as preceptor.
… Read the rest

Ven. Khema wanders away

In our monastic training tradition a monk spends his third year “abroad”. Tan Khema completed his 3rd rains retreat (Vassa) in October. Today he left to visit family and friends before heading to Bodhivana Monastery near Melbourne, Australia, where Ajahn Kalyano is the abbot.  The community at Tisarana wishes safe travels and good faring for Tan Khema.… Read the rest

Abhayagiri’s Firefighter Stories

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.

I tried to thank every crew member I could, and S Tissaro has photos of me crying and hugging these guys!
20:02 16Oct2017
… Read the rest

Abhayagiri Survives the Redwood Fire

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

… Read the rest

Come to Kathina, Sunday Oct 8th.

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

Notice of the Annual General Meeting – Saturday October 21, 2017.

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