News Updates, Page 16

Dear friends,

Ajahn Punnadhammo, the abbot of Arrow River Forrest Hermitage, is looking for a steward to stay at his monastery. The hermitage is located in Northern Ontario, fifty miles southwest of Thunder Bay, with 92 acre of land in a beautiful mixed forest.

This year Ajahn is short handed after having had some cancellations of stewards. If interested, please write him at: arfh@xplornet.com

This week Bhante Rahula is visiting Tisarana Monastery, arriving June 10 and departing June 17. He will be invited to give the June 11 Saturday afternoon meditation session and Dhamma talk beginning at 1:30 pm (at Tisarana) as well as the June 12 Sunday evening meditation session and talk beginning at 7:00 pm (also at Tisarana). If Bhante Rahula is unavailable, Luang Por Viradhammo will offer one or both of these talks in his stead.

Bhante Rahula was born in Southern California as Scott Joseph DuPrez in 1948. He ordained as a novice Buddhist monk in 1975 at Gothama Thapovanaya, in Kalupaluwawa, Sri Lanka and had his upasampada (Bhikkhu) ordination at Wat Thai Los Angeles in May, 1979. From 1986 until 2010, Bhante Rahula lived at Bhavana Society Forest Monastery in West Virginia, USA along with Bhante Gunaratana. He is now traveling indefinitely and on an extended teaching tour.

You can find out more about Bhante Rahula by visiting his blog site at: http://bhanterahula.blogspot.ca/… Read the rest

Dear friends,

In case you missed the first announcement we wish to remind you that Tisarana will hold it’s annual Vesākha Pūjā on Sunday, May 22.

Vesākha Pūjā commemorates the Buddha’s birth, enlightenment, and passing away.

The commemoration will begin with the taking of the 5 Precepts at 10:45 am under the large outdoor tent (conditions permitting).

At 11:15 am the monks will receive the meal danā (a potluck lunch).

At 1:15 pm, after everyone is finished eating and the dishes have been cleaned, we will reassemble for blessing chants, a short sitting, and a Dhamma talk by Luang Por Vīradhammo.

Everyone is welcome to attend for all or part of the day.… Read the rest

Ajahn Punnadhammo, from Arrow River Hermitage in north west Ontario, is visiting Tisarana this week and will offer a Dhamma talk Thursday night, May 12th after the 7:00 pm pūjā and meditation.

Ajahn will also hold a tea time question and answer session on Monday evening, May 9th, beginning at 5:00 pm.

Ajahn Punnadhammo is Canadian, born in Toronto in 1955. In 1992, he was ordained in Thailand as a bhikkhu (Buddhist monk) in the Ajahn Chah tradition.

Ajahn began studying and practicing the Dhamma in 1979 under Kema Ananda, the founder and first teacher at the Arrow River Center. Between 1990 and 1995 he spent most of his training time in Ubon Thailand at Wat Pah Nanachat, the International Forest Monastery of Ajahn Chah. In 1996 he took over as the abbot of Arrow River Hermitage and has been there ever since. Currently Ajahn is finishing a book on beings from the ten-thousand-fold universal system (brahmās, maras, devas, asuras, yakkhas, gandhabbas, nāgas, petas, and the like).

Please join us this week if you have time to stop by.… Read the rest

Dear friends,

Tisarana will hold it’s annual Vesākha Pūjā on Sunday, May 22. Vesākha Pūjā commemorates the Buddha’s birth, enlightenment, and passing away.

The commemoration will begin with the taking of the 5 Precepts at 10:45 am under the large outdoor tent (conditions permitting).

At 11:15 am the monks will receive the meal danā (a potluck lunch).

At 1:15 pm, after everyone is finished eating and the dishes have been cleaned, we will reassemble for blessing chants, a short sitting, and a Dhamma talk by Luang Por Vīradhammo.

Everyone is welcome to attend for all or part of the day.… Read the rest

Join us for a garden work bee on Saturday, May 7th beginning at 8:30 am. Bring your gardening gloves and tools! We’ll work for about three hours and the meal will begin at 11:30 am. A meditation, followed by a Dhamma talk will begin at 1:00 pm.… Read the rest

During the spring, summer, and fall (April 1 to November 6), the meal will be offered at 11:30 am.

The Saturday afternoon program (meditation and Dhamma talk) will henceforth begin at 1:30 pm rather than 1:00 pm in order to allow sufficient time for post-meal clean-up.… Read the rest

Dear Friends,

I have just returned from a most inspiring journey to India and Thailand. The trip to India was on invitation from Luang Por Sumedho to join him on pilgrimage to the Buddhist holy sites. Bodhgaya, Sarnath, Lumbini and Kusinara — the place of Enlightenment, the first teaching, birth and Parinibbana — these places bring forth devotional feelings of deep gratitude and inspiration to anyone who has practiced the way of the Buddha. Being on pilgrimage with my teacher and good friend, Luang Por Sumedho was obviously very special and will inform and energize my life for many years to come. As you can well imagine I am deeply grateful.

The time in Thailand allowed me to get my teeth fixed, get a new pair of specs but most importantly a new Buddha image for our proposed meditation hall. This was organized by the Thai embassy and I had a chance to see the wax image while I was in Bangkok. It is very beautiful and I am more than pleased with the artist’s work. Included in this post are some photos. The image will be cast in bronze on the 19^th of March at the factory in Nakhon Pathom north of Bangkok.… Read the rest

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 8^th. 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

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