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Spring Work Bee #2 – July 7th

Join us for our second spring Work Bee on July 7th at 8:30 am to help prepare Tisarana for Luang Por Sumedho’s upcoming visit.

We are sprucing Tisarana up for Luang Por Sumedho’s arrival to Tisarana on the 11th with his attendant Ajahn Asoko. We’ll be planting trees, gardening, landscaping and doing grounds maintenance. The shared potluck meal will begin at 11:30 am, and after the meal we’ll continue working until 4:30 pm or later. Things to bring:

  • willing hands
  • possibly a dish for the meal
  • partial shade flowers that deer don’t like to eat

… Read the rest

Ajahn Candasiri’s Schedule

Ajahn Candasiri will be in Canada and the US for a few weeks and she’ll be giving some teachings in Ontario:

One of Tisarana’s longstanding friends in the Ajahn Chah tradition is the nun Ajahn Candasiri, who ordained as a Sīladhārā with Ajahn Sumedho in 1983. You can see a brief biography of her here.

The Ajahn in visiting North America this year and will spend a few days at Tisarana. We’ve scheduled her to give the Vesak Dhamma talk on 18 May.

Other scheduled public Dhamma talks by Ajahn Candasiri that we have heard about include:

… Read the rest

Ajahn Candasiri for Visākha 2019

A Special Dhamma talk on a Special Day

Visākha Puja or simply ‘Vesak’ is a traditional Buddhist holiday observed on the first full moon in May. It commemorates three important events: The Buddha’s birth, his enlightenment, and his passing away.

Tisarana’s 2019 Vesak celebration will be held on Saturday, 18 May. The event will start around 10:45 with taking the five precepts, a blessing and a rice pindabhat, followed by a meal offering. In the afternoon around 1:30PM there will be a short sitting meditation and then a special Dhamma talk offered by our friend and visiting nun, Ajahn Candasiri of Amaravati monastery in England. (More on Ajahn Candasiri’s teaching schedule here)

If you’ve never been to a Vesak celebration before, well, you’re in for a treat. Think of a big pot-luck communal meal with a couple hundred like-minded friends and strangers all happily participating, followed by an inspiring Dhamma reflection.

If you are bringing any food for the potluck, please arrive by 10.30 AM at the latest. The meal will be offered by 11.15 and the sit will commence at 1.30 PM.

All are welcome!


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Photo Book 2018 print copies

Order a hard copy of last year’s photo book.

We’re planning to place an order for several more hard copies of the 2018 Photo Book. You can see and download an on-line version of the book here.

If you would like to purchase one or more copies of the book in printed form (approximately $82 before discounts) you can ‘ride along’ our planned order. Please fill out this form and submit it by 01 May to add your name to the bulk order. Once we have all responses we can get a firm price and our office volunteer will contact you about payment and shipping.
… Read the rest

Development Plans for Tisarana’s new Dhamma hall.

As our community grows and expands, the need for a larger space dedicated to meditation, silence and teaching has become apparent. To address this need, a building sub-committee, headed by Ajahn V and Adam Mackenzie Smith, our architect, was formed. Over the past year, the building committee has made significant progress developing plans for a new Dhamma hall.

As a result, we have seen design plans and a new model displayed in the house. Taking this further, we have now added a new page on our website detailing our vision to help bring these plans to fruition. Please click here to view the page about our development plans.

Our architect and the building committee have envisaged that the new hall will hold 150 people (expandable to accommodate up to 200) with much needed washroom facilities during large events. This hall will also be connected to the other buildings, providing easy access.

We invite you to visit our website for more details, to take the virtual tour and view our interactive site plan. We are grateful for all the encouragement and support received from our community, both local and overseas. Do enjoy our new Dhamma hall web-page and feel free to participate in any way you may wish to support this project.… Read the rest

Vesak Day of Meditation (Sat, May 19th) & Vesak Celebration Day (Sun, May, 20th)

Saturday, May 19th, 2018, will be observed as a day-long meditation retreat to commemorate the upcoming Vesaka Puja Day (May 29th, 2018).

8.45 AM: Arrive & be seated

9 AM to 11 AM: Readings on the life of the Buddha & Meditation

11.15 AM: Potluck dana

1.30 to 4.30 PM: Readings on the life of the Buddha & Meditation

Sunday, May 20th, 2018 has been scheduled as Vesak Celebration Day at Tisarana.

10.30 AM or earlier: Arrive & be seated

10.45 AM: Rice Pindapath

11.15 AM: Potluck dana

1.30 PM: Chanting, Meditation & Dhamma Talk by Tahn Ajahn Amaro

Registration for these events is NOT required and all are welcome to attend. Contributions are welcome for the potluck dana on both days.… Read the rest

Saturday afternoon with Ajahn Amaro.

Tisarana Buddhist Monastery is honoured to welcome Tahn Ajahn Amaro, Abbot of Amaravati Buddhist Monastery, who is visiting us from Hertfordshire, England.

The public meditation this Saturday (May 12, 2018) at Tisarana will be lead by  Tahn Ajahn Amaro. The afternoon will start with a group meditation at 1.30PM followed by a Dhamma Talk and Q&A.

On Sunday (May13, 2018) Tahn Ajahn Amaro will lead the public meditation retreat at Sati Saraniya Hermitage. Please click here for the programme.… Read the rest

Receive a printed copy of “Stillness Flowing”

How To: Post a “ship-to-self” mailer to Tisarana for book shipment

These are instructions for domestic shipment of the book “Stillness Flowing – The Life and Teachings of Ajahn Chah” (Pub. 2017, Panyaprateep Foundation) from Tisarana monastery in Ontario to destinations within Canada. To receive a copy of the book you can purchase and send to Tisarana a shipping pouch (aka a “mailer”, or “poly bubble mailer”) which has been pre-addressed to yourself, with postage pre-affixed. When we receive this one of our volunteers will put a copy of the book inside and drop it off at the post office on our next town trip. As of March 2018 the cost for supplies and postage is about $30 or less.

Procedure
This entire process can be done at any Canada Post office, though the supplies can be acquired elsewhere if desired. You need to purchase two items, a “mailer” and an “envelope”. Please note these two terms. You will use the envelope to post the mailer to Tisarana. Thereafter, Tisarana will use the mailer to send you the book.

… Read the rest

Happy New Year!

Dear Friends,

Another winter has taken the stage at Tisarana. We are sorting out firewood, putting gravel and grit on our walking paths, making sure the portable generator is ready for any ice storms that might interrupt our power from the grid, and generally making sure that we are secure for the winter. Soon the Tisarana community will begin its annual 3-month retreat. From the 6th of January until the end of March we will put away our various projects and move to a more inward and solitary lifestyle. The Saturday meditations will still take place as usual and there will be at least one bhikkhu available at meal times should anyone want to visit and exchange thoughts, questions and inspirations about the Buddha-Dhamma.

I shall be travelling in Asia from the 10th of December until the 20th of January. My first stop is in Kuala Lampur to visit with friends in Malaysia. I will then be teaching my first retreat in Singapore with friends I met last year. Finally I have the good fortune to spend a few weeks in Thailand to pay respects to my elders, renew old acquaintances and participate in the annual memorial meditations and ceremonies dedicated to Ajahn Chah at Wat Nong Pah Pong in North East Thailand.… Read the rest