Dhammadharini Year in Review

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Dhammadharini

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Dec 2, 2009, 7:25:05 PM12/2/09
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Dear friends of Dhammadharini,
 
of the old Dhammadharini Vihara, of the Bodhi House and of our new Aranya Bodhi Awakening Forest Hermitage,
 
This past year has been an amazing one of great transition and moving ahead for our Dhammadharini sangha.
 
In the past five years of existence, our community has supported the monastics and retreatants at Dhammadharini Vihara, the first Theravada Buddhist Women's monastic residence in the the Western United States, which has been a home to bhikkhunis (fully ordained women monastics), samaneris (women novices) and anagarikas (aspirants to monastic life) from both Asia and the West: Sri Lankan, Thai, Burmese, German, Canadian and American.  Until closing its doors on April 30th, our Vihara was also retreat home and host to many women of all ages and nationalities seeking a place of retreat and of peace and solitude with the monastics, as well as a place of service for those with the wish to have a way to contribute their support to the women's monastic Sangha, that in its revival in the world, and in its birth on North American soil, it may flourish and thrive. 
 
It was one year and six months ago that mountain forest land was offered by a beneficient donor on the Sonoma Coast.  This land, the development of which began just over one year ago, is now well in the first stages of the process of becoming our Aranya Bodhi Awakening Forest Hermitage, the first Theravada women's monastic hermitage in North America inspired by the Forest traditions of Buddhism.
 
With the long-dreamed of land for an off-the-grid hermitage offered, the call came from amongst local friends in the Fremont area where our women monastics have lived these past years, for them to not always be so far away and inaccessible as on the Sonoma Coast.  Hearing this call, and with great sympathy and compassion in their hearts, two friends came forward in offering their East Bay homes as a new "in the Bay" place of women's monastic residence.
 
As you know, Liz's home, now known as The Bodhi House, was the place that, with the tremendous loving efforts of lots of friendly volunteers in addition to Liz and family, was transformed into what is now a meditation hall as well as dana and Dhamma sala, a small monastic enclosure and office, and a library/resource center - all regularly open to visiting monastics, the local neighborhood people and Dhamma friends from both near and far,
 
All of this has been accomplished by all of our efforts together. Congratulations!  This is not an ordinary acheivement.
 
It has been a tremendous year in terms of  movement forward for our women's monastic community as well as in moving ahead with the initial development of our offered hermitage land.
 
In addition to the move from Dhammadharini Vihara to the Bodhi House, in this past year, together we have:
 
 
Opened the road and cleared the landings for our new hermitage land commons areas
 
*  Hosted and supported a bhikkhuni and samaneri for Winter Retreat time at Dharma Creek
 
Discovered drinking water springs on our hermitage land
 
Worked in volunteer teams on renovating and repairing 3 donated trailers for the hermitage and moving them up to the hermitage land
 
* Participated in Monastic Interreligious Dialogue (MID) with Benedictine and Trappist monastics
 
Contributed to the publication of the forthcoming mainstream MID book "Green Monasticism" (due out in March of 2010)
 
* Participated in supporting the Council of Thai Bhikkhus in the USA through Child Protection Committee work and publications
 
Hosted bhikkhunis to come together from around the country for the very first North American Bhikkhuni Training Retreat time - on our monastic hermitage land
 
*  Formed Aranya Bodhi Hermitage Committee and developed hermitage website www.aranyabodhi.org  as well as making teams researching microhydro and solar options for hermitage off-the-grid powering
 
* Participated in Loung Por Liam's and Ven Bhikkhu Bodhi's teaching tours
 
* Supported bhikkhuni presence, samaneri training, and monastic aspirant's retreat during the Vassa at the Bodhi House
 
* Offered meal dana on pindapat (neighborhood almsround), at the Bodhi House, at the hermitage and outside venues
 
* Participated in teaching Vassa-time moral/ethical education and meditation instruction of temporary samaneras and maechees youth retreat at Wat Buddhanusorn
 
Provided art history and historical textual support for the making of the PBS documentary "The Buddha" (due out in Spring 2010)
 
* Offered nearly daily monastic Anumodana Dhamma reflections, talks and support in the practice, both in person around the meal dana, as well as by phone and email
 
* Offered meditation group gatherings, sutta study and discussion groups, one day retreats and individual retreat opportunity for the lay community during the Vassa
 
* Given Dhamma talks and teachings at local Bay Area Buddhist temples, churches and insight meditaiton centers
 
*  Supported bhikkhunis and samaneris participation in the Western Buddhist Monastic Conference on Monasticism & the Environment
 
* Given organizational support and hosting to the first Bhikkhunis' Teaching Tour of Southern California offering Dhamma talks, retreats and an introduction to the Women's Monastic Sangha
 
and throughout the whole year ~
 
****  Supported the development of the Bhikkhuni Sangha around the world independantly and in conjunction with the Alliance for Bhikkhunis in India, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Canada and Australia
 
 

      ~ * * * ~    A N U M O D A N A     ~ * * * ~     

 
 
Your contributions of your time, energy, good will, needed supplies and materials, and financial support have gone a long, long way.
 
Whatever you wish to contribute during this Season of Giving will be dedicated by Dhammadharini to what is most needed in supporting our women's monastic community and its activities, including: monastic health care, ongoing basic hermitage development, the small maintenance costs of the Bodhi House, and insurance - that all of our monastics, lay volunteers, drivers and board members be protected and well cared for.
 
If you wish to make a holiday time contribution, donations may be made online through Network for Good on our website or checks may be made out to Dhammadharini and designated for either "whatever is most useful," "monastic health care," "the hermitage project," etc.  We honor your wish.  Dedications may be made.  Just let us know if you would like to make a dedication in your gift giving. 
 
Please remember, in your holiday gift giving, our monastics do not receive, handle or keep cash money, blank checks or credit/debit cards.  They may accept and use phone cards and tickets for transportation, as well as food and drink cards.  
 
If you would like to make a non-monetary donation of useful supplies, please check our Useful Things List online at: http://bodhihouse.blogspot.com.
 
Of course, your contribution of your goodwill, of your practice, of your wise and generous speech and of all of your efforts are most important.  Everything you give and share in kindness and generosity is important and benefits all of us - this is the basis of the life of what is "Dhammadharini".
 
Wishing you peace, joy and all wholesome delight in the Dhamma in this holiday season,
 
All your friends and the monastic Sangha
of Dhammadharini
 
 

May you be well, happy and peaceful,

May you grow in wisdom and enlightenment,

and flourish in the Dhamma

 

 

Peace & Goodwill

to All

 
-
Links
 
 
 
Mailing Address
 
Dhammadharini
c/o The Bodhi House
4196 Bidwell Drive
Fremont, CA 94538, USA

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