Jul 2 Dhamma Talk "Treading the Path to Freedom" with Bhante Jayasara at DM Tues Night + Sangha Gathering for Vassa

[❧ Dhammadharini Monastery]

Greetings friends,

After a very quiet weekend at our monastery and Aranya Bodhi Hermitage, our Dhammadharini community is back from GCB11 - the 11th Global Buddhism Conference in Berkeley. All photos here are from GCB11 or just before.

One of our Dhammadharini co-residents shared:

"I really enjoyed this weekend! - everyone I talked to seemed to be having a positive experience. And Ajahn Brahm is of course always delightful, and there were some really excellent panel discussions. 

I really appreciated the diversity of traditions and ideas - I haven't spent that much time around monastics from other traditions. While I am very happy with the tradition I'm in, it was also interesting to hear other perspectives and ways of talking about things. And it seemed like a lot of connections were being made between people. 

And now back at our monastery and hermitage we are full up! It's now just one fortnight before the Vassa begins...

We've been joined by Bhante Jayasara from the Bhavana Society Forest Monastery in West Virginia for a brief visit: Bhante is offering meditation and a Dhamma talk on "Treading the Path to Freedom" - a purely Buddhist theme for Independence Day. All welcome. The program is from 7-8:30pm at Dhammadharini Monastery in Penngrove.

Ven. Bhikkhu Jayasara with diverse Buddhist Sangha at GCB11

We've also been (re)joined by Ven. Dhammananda Theri from Vietnam, who is returning to us this time from Texas where's she's been most of the time since we saw her at our 2018 Kathina. We are delighted we will have two theris (senior bhikkhunis) at Dhammadharini Monastery this Vassa!: Ayya Dhammananda and Ayya Sobhana. As well as two theris at our Aranya Bodhi Hermitage: Ayya Tathaloka and Ayya Sucitta. This is a great boon for us.

Ven. Bhikkhuni Dhammananda Theri with Ven Mettajivi and Sangha

We've been joined anew by a venerable from Korea via Thailand, Sikkhamana Bu Young Varanyani. Sr. Varanyani was practicing in Burma as a ten-precept thilashin nun (sayalay) and then ordained as a sikkhamana (probationary novice) at Nirodharam Bhikkhuni Arama in Thailand led by renowned bhikkhuni teacher Phra Ajahn Nanthayani. We warmly welcome Sikkhamana Varanyani to Dhammadharini for the Vassa. 

Sikkhamana Varanyani at the Theravada Bhikkhuni Association of North America tent at GCB11

Also, Ven Mettajivi Bhikkhuni, a Khmer bhikkhuni from Vietnam via Lowell Massachusetts, who joined us nearly three months ago, will be continuing her training with us during this Vassa, with more time for meditation retreat in the first half the Vassa and also for Bhikkhuni Vinaya Studies in the second half. As far as we knew, Ven Mettajivi is the first Cambodian Khmer bhikkhuni, but Ajahn Brahm said he heard there are more! To be continued...

Ven. Mettajivi Bhikkhuni with the theris 

all holding the newly arrived Bhikkhuni Patimokkha Fourth Edition:

 Ven Dhammananda Theri, Ven Karma Lekshe Tsomo and Ven Sobhana Theri

Another very special returning presence for this year's Vassa is Ayya Suvijjana. There's no photo, because she's not back with us yet. She has six months sabbatical this year, and is away on retreat at Arrow River Hermitage in Thunder Bay Canada, returning July 11th. This Vassa, she will have three months solid of silent secluded retreat at our Aranya Bodhi Awakening Forest Hermitage on the Sonoma Coast. Then this winter, she will have further retreat time at the Forest Refuge in Barre MA. 

Friends, please mark your calendars: we will be celebrating Dhamma Day (Thai: Asalha Puja/Sinhala: Esela Poya) on July 14th. On the same day the "Invitation to Enter the Vassa"--Vassa Aradhana will be offered by Achala & Jayagoda Family and Sameera & Kodagoda Family who have together pledged to offer the Kathina to the Bhikkhuni Sangha upon the successful completion of the Vassa at Dhammadharini Monastery on Saturday October 19th. 

On Dhamma Day July 14th, the eve of the lunar anniversary of the Buddha's own "great going forth" as a seeker under the Asalha full moon, our good friend Tracy Van Zandt plans to cut off her hair, don the white robes and request the Eight Anagarika Precepts & Training, and Anagarika Kaccayana plans to request the next step -- the "Going Forth" (Pabbajja) and the Ten Novice Precepts of the "Samana in Training" (Samanera/Samaneri). 

All are welcome to join us on this special day.

Anagarika Kaccayana and Tracy Van Zandt with Dhammadharini Sangha and Ajahn Brahm on the day of his first --surprise!-- visit to Dhammadharini Monastery

Thanks to everyone who made the 11th Global Buddhism Conference "After Mindfulness" such a meaningful and memorable time.

Sharing the blessings of this time full of Dhamma and Sangha treasures,

Dhammadharini Sangha

Photos above thanks to Marlai Ouch and Drhandy Inthisan, final photo thanks to Lal Senanayake. Thanks also to Lal for driving Ajahn Brahm to us! 

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Dhammadharini Monastery

6791 Sturtevant Dr., Penngrove CA 94951

tel or text: 707.583.9522

email: dhammadhari...@gmail.com

more info on the web @ dhammadharini.net