Welcome to Dhammadharini Sat July 20th for Dhamma Day Asalha Puja & Vassa Entry Ceremony at Dhammadharini Monastery
❧ Dhammadharini Monastery
Join the Dhammadharini Bhikkhuni Sangha and friends in commemoration of Dhamma Day, and the invitation for the Bhikkhuni Sangha to enter Vassa, on the evening of Saturday July 20th in-person at Dhammadharini Monastery.
DHAMMA DAY (Sinhala: Esala Poya; Thai and Khmer: Āsāḷha Pūjā; Pali: Āsāḷha Puṇṇamī) is also known as Wheel Turning Day, or Dhammacakka Day. This full moon day commemorates several highly significant events in the Life of the Buddha, including: First, the conception of the Bodhisattva, the Buddha-to-be (Patisandhi). Later, his marriage and coronation as crown prince (Rajabhiseka). Then, his Great Going Forth and entry into Samana life as a Seeker (Abhinekkhammana). And finally and most importantly to all of us: as a fully Awakened One (Samma Sambuddha), his first successful teaching: "Setting into Motion the Wheel of the Dhamma" (Dhammacakkappavattana).
IN-PERSON JULY 20th FULL MOON This special Dhamma Day community gathering at Dhammadharini Monastery on Saturday July 20th falls on the Āsāḷha Full Moon on July 20th-21st, which marks the start of Vassa (the following day, July 22nd) for our Dhammadharini Bhikkhuni Sangha and much of the Theravada Buddhist community worldwide. At this event, our lay community leaders of Dhammadharini Support Foundation DD SF wish to invite our whole community of friends and supporters to join in offering the “Invitation to Enter the Vassa” (Vassa Arādhana) to the Dhammadharini Bhikkhuni Sangha at Dhammadharini Monastery. This is the formal invitation for our monastics to dwell, practice and teach at our Dhammadharini Monastery in Penngrove in the San Francisco North Bay (which is stewarded and owned by DD SF with a mortgage), and at our Aranya Bodhi Forest Hermitage on the Sonoma Coast (the long-term 'gift of use' of which is offered by dear Dhamma friend Jill Rayna and stewarded by DD SF), for the 2024 CE / 2568 BE Vassa.
All supportive and well-wishing friends of our local and greater Dhammadharini Sangha are welcome to join in offering the "Invitation to Enter Vassa" together. You are also warmly invited and welcomed to join our monastic community in undertaking a personal practice commitment (vassa adhiṭṭhāna - which may be translated as "determination" or "resolution") for the three months of the Vassa together, whether in-person or online, from near or far away. This year, the sangha has chosen "PRACTICING FOR PEACE: In a World on Fire" as its theme for Dhamma teaching and personal practice and cultivation and development of ethics, meditation, and wisdom (the Three Trainings of Sila, Samadhi and Panna). You may choose a personal practice commitment for the three months of the Vassa (vassa adhiṭṭhāna) in line with this theme.
If you fill in your adhiṭṭhāna bodhi leaf and send it to us, whether signed or anonymous, it will be shared for others to see and appreciate on Dhamma Day, July 20 - you may share these with us by texting +1 707-583-9522 or emailing to the monastery.
ONLINE JULY 21st FULL MOON Dhammadharini will offer additional teachings on these themes on the Sunday July 21st Full Moon online programs:
Further introducing the practice theme and personal practice commitments for Vassa, during the Sunday morning program (register here to join), and
Teachings on the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta during the Sunday afternoon Sutta study (register here to join)
The day after the Full Moon, on July 22nd, our Dhammadharini Bhikkhunis will formally enter the Vassa (Vassa’upanāyanā) and make their own Vassa Adhiṭṭhāna at both our monastery and hermitage Dhammadharini locations.
We invite all of you to join us in this noble effort and share the joy and the merits of practicing, learning, serving, and supporting the Bhikkhuni Sangha, throughout this year’s Vassa. Ways you can pledge and offer support during the Vassa are below.
Warm welcome to join us for this wonderful day of community, Dhamma sharing, generosity, and celebration!
The gathering is planned for Saturday, July 20th, 5pm - 7pm, and will include:
Dhamma reflection on Practicing for Peace
Chanting of the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta (Turning the Wheel of Dhamma) (English, chanting text here)
Time for community reflection on our practice determinations for the upcoming Vassa
This event will be held outdoors in the sīmā in our monastery garden's open-air Sālā redwood pavilion. We invite your mindfulness and your respect, lovingkindness, and support, for all members of our community who continue to take COVID precautions.
Everyone is welcome whether or not you register, but it is helpful for us to know to expect you, and then we can send you final event details before the event.
We invite everyone to join us for Dhamma & Meditation teachings throughout Vassa, which this year is July 22nd through the October 17th full moon three months later. During that time, the community plans teachings and times of communal practice on the Full Moon and New Moon Uposathas as well as several half-day retreats.
You may register your interest here to receive information as it becomes available.
Our lay community leaders of Dhammadharini Support Foundation wish to invite all lay Dhamma friends and supporters of our Dhammadharini Bhikkhuni Sangha to join together in supporting the Bhikkhuni Sangha's Sanghika Vassa with Dhammadharini this year.
Dhammadharini was the first to support and host Bhikkhuni Sanghika Vassa in North America in 2010, and continues to be one of the only places in the Americas where the Theravada Bhikkhuni Sangha is gathered together practicing and teaching during the Vassa, performing all Bhikkhuni Sangha Vinaya Kammas: from Vassa Entry, to Bhikkhuni Patimokkha Recitation on the fortnightly Uposathas to Bhikkhuni Sangha Pavarana upon completion of the Vassa.
If you are local, you may invite any number of members of the Bhikkhuni Sangha to come to your home for Meal Dana, or to your neighborhood for pindapata/pindacariya alms round.
Locally or from afar, you may offer prepared food or groceries and supplies in person or by online order to the monastic community. You may give local grocery or restaurant gift cards of any amount. Or read more about how to join in the ongoing weekly hot meal and groceries dana program stewarded by our Dana Coordinator, Mr. Lal Senanayake.
You may offer Parikkhara Dana of Useful Requisites directly to the Bhikkhunis in person at the monastery and hermitage, or by mail-order from near and afar.
You may join in volunteer service from afar, or offer in-person volunteer Dana such as monastic rides, caring for the monastery garden and hermitage forest, or joining a committee - Dhammadharini is a volunteer run community!
You may offer a one time or regular financial donation through the Dhammadharini Support Foundation DD SF which is the steward (kappiya-karika) of the Dhammadharini Bhikkhuni Sangha.
Save the Date for Dhammadharini's Bhikkhuni Sangha Kathina on Saturday, October 26th
At the conclusion of Vassa, we look forward to reconnect with Dhammadharini community in the Kathina celebration on October 26 with the traditional robe cloth offering by recently-retired-president of Dhammadharini support foundation, Susie Kliks. You are most welcome to offer additional cloth or robe or any other requisites for the Kathina as a gesture of welcome and support to the Bhikkhuni Sangha going forward. Since ‘Kathina’ is a community generated event, if you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to contact Susie at Srisak...@gmail.comYou may contact the monastery or DD SF to learn more about any of these opportunities. Please let us know if you have questions.
Wishing all our Venerables and Dhamma friends and supporters an excellent and auspicious "Wheel Turning" full moon, May the wheel of the Dhamma turn in our lives!
With much metta,
Dhammadharini Sangha Ven. Acarini (Ayya) Tathaloka Mahatheri, Ven. Acarini (Ayya) Sobhana Theri, Ven. Acarini (Ayya) Brahmavara Bhikkhuni (joining from afar), new bhikkhunis Ven. Kaccayana Bhikkhuni, Ven. Dhammanusari Bhikkhuni, Ven. Dhammavara Bhikkhuni, Ven. Vandana Bhikkhuni, Ven. Thavira Bhikkhuni, Anagarika Mittakhanti, Nekkhamma Romona...and more Vassa-practice-period Anagarikas and Nekkhammas still to come...