💐🙏 Anicca vata sankhara...💐🙏 Remembering our beloved Dhamma friend Diane Sherman (Apr 1942 - Nov 16th 2022)

[❧ Dhammadharini Monastery]

Dear Venerable Monastics and Dhamma Friends,

...Aniccā vata sankhārā...

Please join us in sending off our dear Dhamma friend, long-time member of our Dhammadharini community and deeply dedicated practitioner, Diane Sherman, aka "Dhamma Diane," with much mettā and many blessings - she entered the great transition on Wednesday (Nov 16th), at the age of 80 - the same age the Buddha was when he passed into final Parinibbāna. It was her monthly Dāna day.

Diane was an incredibly dedicated, and important, member of our community for years - many of you may know her from her regularly attending our events both in person and online since we've offered these, or from her role in leading our regular weekly programs online while the monastic community was in our 3-month-long Winter Retreats for the past two years during COVID. Diane's earlier teachers, Ruth Denison and the Pa-auk Sayadawgyi, had both encouraged her to teach.

Diane's close Dhamma friend Annaneia offered the following message about being with Diane at the end of her life:

"Dear Friends,

Diane died this [Wednesday] morning at 10:12 AM. Her caregiver called me at 9:30, and I was able to get to Diane's house before she passed.

I had about 15-20 minutes to chant refuges for her. She looked at me for about 10 minutes while I chanted, then she looked straight ahead, took 3-4 shallow breaths and was gone.

Her home health aide, Edith, who fortuitously was scheduled for this morning, and whom Diane just loved, helped me bathe her and lay her body out. There was such care and respect during this process. She looked so beautiful and peaceful afterward. For those of you who would like Diane's last photo, send a request, and I will send it.

Diane was so grateful for all the support she received from her kalyanamittas far and wide. Her dying process was longer than anticipated, and it provided important time for her family and she to be at peace, and for her to practice to the end.

It was a privilege to participate in Diane's death journey. May we all have the benefit of such loving kindness from our kalyanamittas and family when our time comes.

With much metta,

Annaneia"

Members of our Dhammadharini monastic community including Ayya Sobhana and Ayya Brahmavara, and local Dhamma friends, had been visiting Diane very regularly since her diagnosis with cancer two months ago, for chanting, for Dhamma conversation, and just to sit in meditation together.

Diane, who greatly appreciated the Pa-auk Sayadaw's teachings, and spent much time with him during his five Vassas spent nearby at the Green Valley Forest Refuge (formerly Paauk Tawya Vipassana Dhura Hermitage), had a chance to speak with and receive Dhamma advice and blessings from the Sayadawgyi personally live online via Zoom, in support of her great transition.

The timing of Ayya Suvijjana's return to us allowed her to be with Diane, together with Ven Kaccayana, Ven Dhammavara and Samaneri Satima, in the hours very soon after her passing.

Ayya Niyyānikā, who knew Diane well, and has just emerged from a month-long retreat in Canada, offered these worlds today:

Warm greetings to all Diane's friends,

Thank you Annaneia for sharing about Diane's last moments.

Beth Upton led a 30 day retreat in Canada that ended the morning of 16th. Ayya Ahimsa and I attended. Beth asked one of the retreatants to put Diane's name on the Metta List every day. So each evening her name was read out and we shared merits and extended Metta to her.  I put Annaneia and others specifically on the list several times and also Diane's family and all touched by her life.  

Diane was brought up as a model during the retreat of how to meet death well in Dhamma.  May we all practice so diligently and with such wisdom.

With kind care,

Ayya Niyyānika

Ayya Mettajivi and Ven Dhammanusari who are on pilgrimage in Bodhgaya together now, are offering traditional 7-days Theravada Buddhist funeral chanting and blessings for Diane in Bodhgaya, the site of the Buddha's great awakening.

Ayyas Mettajivi and Dhammanusari Chanting Dhamma Reflections for Diane in Bodhgaya

Here at Dhammadharini, we intend to offer a memorial service for Diane in our outdoor Sālā pavilion at Dhammadharini Monastery, and perhaps some time to remember Diane online together for those who can't come in person. More information will be shared as it comes into existence. 

You are warmly invited, as is common in Theravāda traditions for those who are kalyanamittas, to offer to offer your "patipatti puja" to Diane by thinking of sharing the merits of your practice with her after your meditation time; after reading, reciting or contemplating the Buddha's teachings; or after doing something good, kind and generous. Local friends are warmly welcome to stop by for meditation at our monastery Sālā, where a memorial photo of Diane has been placed with flowers.

The Girimānanda Sutta was a favorite of Diane's. Last week Ayya Sobhana gave a talk for Buddhist Insights, in which she spoke about examining the Girimananda Sutta in the light of death - this talk was directly inspired by the time which Ayya Sobhana spent with Diane, as she neared the end of her life. This sutta is a powerful teaching for those who are close to death, or who know that they will die.

We wish dear Dhamma friend Diane the highest happiness, peace and freedom of Nibbāna; or if there is any Path work remaining for her, we wish her all blessings in expediently doing so, in the noble Way of the Buddhas.

As phenomena grow clear to the spiritual one — ardent, in her deep meditative absorption — her doubts all vanish when she discerns phenomenon with its cause.

As phenomena grow clear to the spiritual one — ardent, in her deep meditative absorption — her doubts all vanish when she penetrates the ending of requisite conditions.

As phenomena grow clear to the spiritual one — ardent, in deep meditative absorption — she stands, turning back the army of defilements, like the sun, illumining clear sky.

-- the Buddha, Bodhi Suttas 1-3 (Thanissaro, adapted)

💐💐💐🙏🙏🙏💐💐💐

Aniccā vata sankhārā, uppādavaya dhammino...

Uppajjitvā nirujjhanti, tesam vūpasamo sukho.

All conditioned things are indeed impermanent, rising and passing away...

When this rising and passing also ceases, this then is the highest peace and happiness.

 

Memorial in Dhammadharini Monastery Meditation Hall

With these thoughts of peace and kindness,

the Dhammadharini Community

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Dhammadharini Monastery

6791 Sturtevant Dr., Penngrove CA 94951

tel or text: +1 707.583.9522

email: dhammadhari...@gmail.com

more info on the web @ dhammadharini.net