Winter Retreat Uposatha Program offered by Ven. Ayya Tathaloka Theri: Jan 13 to Mar 28 (with special guest speaker Leigh Brasington Mar 13)
Dhammadharini Sangha
Dear Venerables and Dhamma friends,
Our monastery and hermitage feel like calm and tranquil oasis in the great storms of samsara, as we transition into our yearly Winter Rains Retreat time, with a full week of much needed rain here in Northern California.
As we become more quiet, we settle into the winter darkness of the Northern Hemisphere, coming into closer touch with nature. We begin to enter into the preserved teachings of our late world class Dhamma and meditation teacher, the venerable Ayya Khema, also among the first group of those from both East and West to bravely join together in receiving full ordination as a Bhikkhuni.
During the holidays and on our Sanghamitta Day on Dec 26th, Dhammadharini’s founding teacher, Ven. Tathaloka Theri, recently began speaking with us about the Buddha’s teaching on the great benefit of the Uposatha lunar observance. The Uposatha is something like a pre-Christian Buddhist sabbath--for householders as well as monastics. This practice is advised by the Buddha himself in one of the earliest Suttas, "To Dhammika."
Ayya Tathaloka expressed encouragement for everyone who can to join in undertaking a practice commitment together during this year's winter retreat--from near and far, wherever you are--to touch into and regularly experience our refuge in that Island of the Buddha-Dhamma made of the Sangha to be our solace, guide, encouragement and support. As a way of connecting as one great community in our dedication to the practice and to insight, awakening and liberation in the Buddha's Way together during this time. In support of this, she will offer fortnightly Uposatha moon day teachings throughout the winter retreat to those who join in the practice commitment together. We invite you to commit to a practice for this time -- this could be as small or as large as you wish -- whether you join in the Uposatha together or not. If the inspiration arises in you, and your life circumstances allow, you are warmly welcomed to follow along with the Dhammadharini community for the full retreat, listening to the same audio teachings we will be practicing with, and joining our online teachings together.
Please register here to participate in the Uposatha online teachings together.
An invitation to draw near ~ Since the Buddha’s time, on the Full Moon and New Moon days, monastics and householders have gathered on the Uposatha. In Theravada Buddhism of South and Southeast Asia, in Sri Lanka the monthly full moon Uposatha days are called Poya, and in Thailand the weekly Uposatha days (including the lunar quarters, as well as the full and new moons) are called Wan Phra.
On the Uposatha Days, the Bhikkhus and Bhikkhunis recite their precepts and listen to Dhamma talks, and the Upasakas and Upasikas (dedicated lay practitioners) “draw near,” undertaking the Refuges and Eight Uposatha Precepts for one day. The Eight Uposatha Sila precepts include the Five Precepts, plus three renunciate precepts of not eating after noon, abstaining from sexual activity, and abstaining from entertainment and adornment. Wearing simple pure white clothing, the person observing the Uposatha has a daylong retreat, a sabbath, or at least a specially dedicated observance day, spending the day in sustained mindfulness, periods of meditation, listening to Dhamma teachings. It is a chance for those with strong affinities for the monastic life, but dedicated to life in the world, to regularly join and partake in important elements of the monastic life individually and together with like-minded practitioners.
In this time of pandemic, we can keep the commitment and support one another together online, through generating and holding this intention, and gathering in the morning and/or evening of the Uposatha Days together.
On the morning of each New Moon and Full Moon Uposatha, our venerable Ayya Sucitta will offer the Three Refuges and Eight Uposatha Precepts at 8:30am Pacific time (the Uposatha precepts automatically expire at dawn the following morning.)
On the evening of each New and Full Moon Uposatha, Ayya Tathaloka will offer time of meditation live together, together with a Dhamma talk, and time for live Q&A and Dhamma discussion together.
We welcome you to share in Dhammadharini’s winter retreat by joining for practice on the Uposatha lunar observance days:
Join online at 8:30am with Ven. Sucitta Theri to undertake the Three Refuges and the Uposatha Eight Precepts, noting Uposatha precepts automatically expire at the next dawn. (During Ayya Sucitta’s personal secluded retreat time, Ayya Sudhamma will serve as our guest teacher offering the Refuges and Uposatha Precepts.)
Dedicate yourself to ethics, Dhamma and meditation practice throughout the day.
Join online at 7pm-8:30pm with Ven Tathaloka Theri for meditation, Dhamma talk and Dhamma discussion for 5 out of the 6 Uposatha evenings during the winter retreat time. (During Ayya Tathaloka's time of secluded retreat, Leigh Brasington will lead this program - March 13th). Leigh Brasington is a transmitted meditation teacher in Ayya Khema's lineage, and has co-led retreats with her teachings for the past 20 years.
During our Winter Retreat, our Dhammadharini community will be practicing with teachings from the late most venerable Ayya Khema. You are welcome and invited to follow along with these teachings and join in the practice together. This document shows the schedule of talks we’ll be using and provides links so all who would like to can stream or download the audio. You can listen and join in the practice together on the same schedule as our Dhammadharini monastic community, or on your own schedule.
These are the Uposatha observance days:
New moon Wednesday January 13
Morning Refuges and Uposatha Precepts: Ayya Sucitta
Evening Meditation, Dhamma teaching and discussion: Ayya TathalokaFull moon Thursday January 28
Morning Refuges and Uposatha Precepts: Ayya Sucitta
Evening Meditation, Dhamma teaching and discussion: Ayya TathalokaNew moon Friday February 12 (East Asian Lunar New Year aka Chinese New Year)
Morning Refuges and Uposatha Precepts: Ayya Sudhamma
Evening Meditation, Dhamma teaching and discussion: Ayya TathalokaFull Moon Friday February 26 (Sangha Day Magha Puja / Mahapajapati Parinibbana Day)
Morning Refuges and Uposatha Precepts: Ayya Sudhamma
Evening Meditation, Dhamma teaching and discussion: Ayya TathalokaNew moon Saturday March 13 (Guest teacher)
Morning Refuges and Uposatha Precepts: Ayya Sucitta
Evening Meditation, Dhamma teaching and discussion: Ayya Khema’s disciple meditation teacher Leigh Brasington
Full moon, Sunday March 28 (End of Retreat Blessings & Dedication Day)
Morning Refuges and Uposatha Precepts: Ayya Sucitta
Evening Meditation, Dhamma teaching and discussion: Ayya Tathaloka
Ayya Khema Books:
- All of Us (Beset by Birth, Decay and Death)
Twelve Dhamma talks on practice, given on Parappuduwa Nun's Island, Sri Lanka. - (To Be Seen) Here and Now
Ten Dhamma talks from a meditation retreat at Pelmadulla Bhikkhu Training Centre, Sri Lanka.
courtesy of Dhammadharini
![Tathaloka Theri_Dhammadharini 18 Oct 2020 [Adhittahana Resolution].jpeg](https://groups.google.com/group/dhammadharini/attach/36d736aa6e07c/Tathaloka%20Theri_Dhammadharini%2018%20Oct%202020%20%5BAdhittahana%20Resolution%5D.jpeg?part=0.3&view=1)
Friends of Dhammadharini
Dear Dhamma friends -
We look forward to having you join us for our upcoming Uposatha program, on tomorrow Wednesday January 13th. This is the first of six Uposatha programs offered during our winter retreat. This program will have two parts, led this week by our venerables Ayya Tathaloka and Sucitta:
8:30am PST: Join Ven. Sucitta Theri to undertake the Three Refuges and the Uposatha Eight Precepts.
7pm-8:30pm PST: Join Ven. Tathaloka Theri for meditation, Dhamma talk and Dhamma discussion.
The times given are in PST = Pacific Standard Time, please see the Time Zone Converter to find your local time.
You may join the program by Zoom:
Join Zoom Meeting: Winter Observance Days with Dhammadharini
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Meeting ID: 894 6292 7664
Passcode: 7692 = POYA
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With metta,
Friends of Dhammadharini