Retreat Day with Ajahn Karuniko

I've received this from one of our Sangha members about a meditation retreat day over in Southampton in September if you are interested, contact me as I'm co-ordinating transport. Book soon on hampshirebuddhistsociety@gmail.com.

Our Visit to Cittaviveka, Chithurst Buddhist Monastery

Last Sunday a group of us from several of the Buddhist groups on the island travelled to the mainland to visit Cittaviveka, the Buddhist Monastery at Chithurst. 
 

The nuns meditation hall and khuti at Āloka. The khuti is also used by visitors.

Down by the lake in the centre of the wood..............................................

"In the spring of 1978, one of those small miracles happened that stop the mind's rational expectations. Keeping to the apparently pointless routine of going out for alms every day, as prescribed by Ajahn Chah, Ajahn Sumedho encountered a lone jogger on Hampstead Heath whose attention was arrested by the bhikkhus’ appearance. This jogger had acquired an overgrown forest in West Sussex called Hammer Wood, out of the wish to restore it to its former glory – but he also understood that this was work for more than one man and one lifetime. Although not a Buddhist, he had the openness of mind to appreciate that an order of forest monks might be the perfect wardens for his woodland. Subsequently, he attended one of the ten-day meditation retreats that Ajahn Sumedho held at the Oaken Holt Buddhist Centre near Oxford, and later made an outright gift of the forest to the Sangha. This marvellous act of generosity did of necessity involve a lot of legalities, as local bye-laws prevented the construction of any permanent structures on forest land, so in this situation the Sangha gratefully accepted the invitation to stay instead at Oaken Holt for the ‘Rains’ of 1978 and let the Trust sort things out.

Early in 1979 Ajahn Chah was invited to England to see how his disciples were making out; it was also about this time that George Sharp (Chairman of the English Sangha Trust), hearing that a large house near Hammer Wood was up for sale, agreed to purchase it. This was Chithurst House, and its purchase was a gamble that did not meet with unanimous approval. Buying the property had necessitated selling the Vihara and the adjacent town house whose rent had provided the basis for support for the Sangha – in order to purchase an unsurveyed and ramshackle mansion. In May, Ajahn Chah arrived, somewhat disturbed by rumours of his disciples’ activities, to find a monastic community that actually had nowhere to live. The new owners allowed the Sangha to use the Vihara for a couple of months to receive the Venerable Ajahn and to effect their move. In this atmosphere of insecurity, Ajahn Chah added one more doubt by intimating that he was going to take Ajahn Sumedho back to Thailand. While the Sangha members watched their minds, he went off to America for a visit and there was nothing else to do but go ahead. On 22nd June 1979, having bundled as much as they could into a removal van, the Sangha left London for Sussex."

From How the Buddha Came to Sussex by Ajahn Sucitto

Wightlink, The Buddha and Mars

Living here on the island there is one thing that unites all residents and that is the exorbitantly high cost of the ferries and of the companies involved Wightlink comes in for particular criticism.

Next Sunday we are getting together again with the Newport Zen group to travel over to the mainland and visit Cittaviveka, the Buddhist Monastery at Chithurst near Petersfield. Two months ago we attemped to book our usual mini bus onto the 9:00 Sunday sailing from Wightlink's Fishbourne terminal over to Portsmouth only to be told that the boat was full! (We have been told by someone in the know that it's because the bus has to be on the lorry deck and it's too much trouble to fit it in, although this has never been a problem before).

As a result we are having to take three cars over, incurring three crossing charges instead of one!

When you couple this with the news that NASA has discovered water on Mars you can understand Rupert Besley's cartoon in this weeks Isle of Wight County Press!

A Great Day at Chithurst Buddhist Monastery

Yesterday we got together with the Newport Soto Zen group for a day out at Cittaviveka, the Thereavada Buddhist Monastery at Chithurst over on the North island.


We seem to have left the rain behind on the island and enjoyed a beautiful, bright sunny day only catching the rain when we came back home! The monastery was an oasis of calm and peace with the only sounds those of bird song and the occasional high flying aircraft.

We had a very good turnout from the West Wight and it was a real pleasure to see how much those Sangha members who had not been before enjoyed the experience. 

The Rapidly Developing Bhikkhuni Sangha

Regular readers will know that we have been committed supporters of full female ordination within all Buddhist traditions and have had a particular interest in supporting full Bhikkhuni ordination within the Thai forest tradition of Ajahn Chah. The nearest monastery to the West Wight is Cittaviveka - Chithurst Buddhist Monastery which is part of the network of Thai forest tradition monasteries in the West and we regularly join up with the Newport Soto Zen group to travel over to the mainland and visit the monastery.

I recently received an email from the Alliance for Bhikkhunis and they mention their new website http://www.bhikkhuni.net/ which is well worth a visit (especially the library). Also on the site they catalogue all the Nunneries for fully ordained Bhikkhuni that are now available since that first "controversial" ordination in Perth. It has become an impressive list so I've reproduced it here......... (guess where's missing!) ...................................

Australia

Bodhinyana Monastery
Ven. Brahmavamso Bhikkhu, Abbot
216 Kingsbury Drive
Serpentine, Western Australia
6125 Australia
Dhammasara Monastery
203 Reen Road
Gidgegannup, Western Australia
6083 Australia
Sanghamittarama
40 Chesterville Drive
East Bentleigh, Victoria
3165 Australia
Santi Forest Monastery
Ven. Sujato Bhikkhu, Abbot
100 Coalmines Rd
Bundanoon, New South Wales
2578 Australia

Cambodia

Panna Vihara
Phum Samroun Teav, Abbess
Sangkat Krang Tnuoung, Khan Dangkor
Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Canada

Sati Saraniya Hermitage
Ven. Medhanandi Bhikkhuni, Abbess
1702 McVeigh Rd. RR #7
Perth, Ontario K7H 3C9
Canada

Czech Republic

Karuna Sevena
Ven. Visuddhi Bhikkhuni
Slezská 3
796 01 Prostejov
Czech Republic
Find us on Facebook

Germany

Anenja Vihara
Ven. Sucinta Bhikkhuni, Abbess
Morgen 6, Rettenberg
87549 Germany

India

Bhikkhuni Viharas in Maharashtra

Indonesia

Ven. Santini Bhikkhuni
1. Dharma Rt 1/RW1 Kp. Cigalukguk
Ds. Cobodas, Maribaya,
Lembang Bandung, Indonesia

Nepal

Dhammamoli Project
Ven. Dhammavijaya Bhikkhuni
c/o Friends of Dhamma Moli
P.O. Box 628
Yellow Springs, OH
USA 45387

New Zealand

Sati Arama Buddhist Centre
262 Otaha Rd
RD 2
Kerikeri 0295
New Zealand
NZ Bhikkhuni Trust
(in process of establishment)
Adhimutta Bhikkhuni,
J. Hill, S. Weerasinghe, A. Hoffmann
c/o nz.bhikkhunitrust@gmail.com

Sri Lanka

Ayya Khema International Meditation Centre 
Ven. Kusuma Bhikkhuni, Abbess
82/1A Stratford Avenue, Krullapona,
Colombo 6, Sri Lanka

Sakyadhita Training Center
President Ranjani de Silva
No. 50, Alwis Perera Mawatha
Katubedda, Moratuwa, Sri Lanka

Dambulla – The Golden Temple
(bhikkhuni training, education & ordination facility)
Bhante Sumangala Sangha Nayaka, Thera
No. 130 Kandy Road, Dambulla,
Sri Lanka

Thailand

Wat Songdhammakalyani Temple
Ven. Dhammananda Bhikkhuni, Abbess
195 Petkasem Hwy
Muang District
Nakhon Pathom 50160
Thailand
Nirodharam Bhikkhuni Arama
Ven. Nandayani Bhikkhuni, Abbess
127 Mu 6
Tambol Doi Kaew, Amphoe Jomtong
Chiang Mai 50160
Thailand
Suan Siridhamma Center
Ven. Poonsirivara Bhikkhuni, Abbess
109/1 Mu 10
Ban Paewn, Amper Ban Paew
Samut Sakorn 74120
Thailand

United States

Aloka Vihara
Ven. Anandabodhi Bhikkhuni & Ven. Santacitta Bhikkhuni
1632 48th Avenue
San Francisco, California
USA 94122
Aranya Bodhi Hermitage
Ven. Sobhana Bhikkhuni, Prioress
PO Box 16
Jenner, California
USA 95450
Awakening Truth and Shakti Vihara
Amma Thanasanti Bhikkhuni
15 Columbia Road
Colorado Springs, Colorado
USA 80904
Dhammadharini Vihara ”Women Upholding the Dhamma”
Ven. Tathaaloka Bhikkhuni, Abbess
5010 Grange Rd
Santa Rosa CA 95404
Tel: (707) 583-9522
Email: santarosa.vihara@gmail.com
Dhamma Cetiya Buddhist Vihara
Ven. Gotami Bhikkhuni, Spiritual Director
91 De Soto Road
Boston, Massachusetts
USA 02132-6005
Great Determination Hermitage
Ven. Madika Bhikkhuni, Abbess
P.O. Box 204
Stewart, Ohio
USA 45778
Karuna Buddhist Vihara
Ayya Santussika
279 Aviador Ave.,
Millbrae, CA 94030
Lotus Meditation and Education Center
1446 Summitridge Drive
Diamond Bar, California
USA 91765
909-861-1582
Mahapajapati Women’s Monastery
Ven. Gunasari Bhikkhuni, Abbess
P.O. Box 587
Pioneertown, California
USA 92268-1738
Minnesota Buddhist Vihara
3401 N 4th Street
Minneapolis, Minnesota
USA 55412-2617
Samadhi Buddhist Meditation Center
Ven. Bhikkhuni Sudarshana
5908 67th Avenue
Pinellas Park, Florida
USA 33781

Vietnam

Khemārāma (Tịnh An Lan Nhã)
Abbess: Bhikkhuni Susanta (Như Liên)
Add. Thon Quang Thanh, Xa Nghia Thanh, Huyen Chau Duc, Tinh Ba Ria Vung
Tau, Vietnam
Email: nhulienbl@gmail.com
Suññatārāma (Ni Viện Viên Không)
Abbess: Bhikkhuni Viditadhamma (Liêu Phap)
Add. Xa Toc Tiên, Huyên Tan Thanh, Tinh Ba Ria Vung Tau, Vietnam
Email: lieuphap@gmail.com

Earth Day & Cittaviveka

As today is Earth Day I thought that this extract from the latest newsletter from Cittaviveka Buddhist Monastery near Chithurst, was appropriate.

Here at Cittaviveka we have come through a long hard winter with a very good sense of inner warmth and harmony. Outer warmth was in short supply, and for people living in the forest the weather was challenging – to put it mildly! However the three-month retreat was made convivial by people coming from USA, Canada and Australia as well as from UK, in order to support and participate in the atmosphere of this Dhamma-refuge. Together with a resident community of twenty, spread out between Rocana, Chithurst House and Hammer Wood, that made for a situation of good companionship with adequate individual space.

Hearing of people's suffering through economic and climatic causes, as well of as the loss of animal life, is a reminder of how vulnerable we all are to forces that seem beyond our control. Moreover, that Dhamma-practice is grounded on life on this planet; the only one that has ever been found that can support us. Over the last decade we all become painfully aware that human carelessness and misuse of the earth and its creatures is a prime reason for climate change; and that might make such winters the norm. This is kamma – the principle of cause and effect. When we reflect on cause and effect in our lives, we should consider that all material things really come from and belong to the earth. Humans can't create water, soil, minerals and animals. So how do we use its gifts? Do we take just what we need, share what we have and try to give something back (such as through planting trees, or through supporting charities)? Also whatever we dispose of has to go back to the earth, rivers, ocean and air sooner or later: do we just dump poisons and plastics into our own food supply? 

Can we refrain from using plastic bags and bottles for example? Can we learn to live more lightly? The monastic training of contemplating the requisites as offering enough shelter, clothing, food and medicines to protect us against the elements, seems a very relevant reflection. And that we use these so that we can practise for awakening: because it is through a lack of wise reflection, personal modesty and conscience and concern that our home planet has been put at risk. Mind is the origin of the world.

Note - Calendar Changes

For those of you following event dates on our Island Buddhist Calendar page, our Autumn Retreat Day has been rescheduled to the 14th of October. This is because there is a trip to Cittaviveka, the Buddhist Monastery at Chithurst, on Sunday the 21st of October, the original date for the retreat.

Note - New Talk by Ayya Anandabodhi

There is a new talk posted in our Audio Section, Renunciation by Ayya Anandabodhi who is resident at the Aloka Vihara in San Francisco. This is a, as yet small, community of ordained Bhikkhunis.

This seemed an appropriate choice of talk following our recent visit to the Buddhist Monastery at Chithurst. The nuns community there has been steadily diminishing in the wake of the controversy over Bhikkhuni ordination.

Cittaviveka Visit and The 2nd Annual International Bhikkhuni Day

Yesterday a group of us from the West Wight Sangha got together with the Newport Soto Zen Buddhist group for a day trip to Cittaviveka, the Buddhist Monastery at Chithurst. It was, yet again, a wonderfully peaceful and enjoyable day.

Most of the Cittaviveka Sangha were attending upasampada (full ordination) at Amaravati and thus were not at Chithurst while we were there. We were not, therefore, able to gauge for ourselves how things now are for the nuns community but this extract from the Forest Sangha newsletter by Sister Candasiri gives a good glimpse of the current situation.

"The Buddha often used similes from nature to illustrate basic truths of human existence. In that spirit we could liken the result of what has happened for our nuns' community in recent years to a plant that has undergone a severe pruning. Since 2008, over half of the nuns have left, including a substantial proportion of theris (nuns of over ten years). Some have disrobed, others have simply left the lineage to practise independently as ten-precept nuns or to pursue Bhikkhuni Ordination and training.

While such decimation could well have wiped out our Sangha altogether, the faith and determination of the remaining Sisters. together with the enormous sense of encouragement and good will - both from our monastic Brothers and from countless lay friends - seems (so far) to be enabling a sense of regeneration within our tiny community."

Coincidently, I have recently been in contact with Josephine Snell, who is a committee member for International Bhikkhuni Day and who has provided the following "flyer" for the event.

 Alliance for

Bhikkhunis

 

The 2nd Annual International Bhikkhuni Day is on Saturday 29th September 2012,

from 9am - 5pm, and in the UK a meeting will be held at

The Buddhist Society, 58 Eccleston Square, London SW1V 1PH.

Guest Speaker: Bhikkhuni Visuddhi

The Bhikkhuni Day is a global, grassroots effort, sponsored by the Alliance for Bhikkhunis           (http://www.bhikkhuni.net). On this day, supporters gather at various venues around the world, to celebrate their spiritual legacy, learn about the history of prominent Buddhist women, meditate and raise funds to support bhikkhunis, via a meditation pledge-a-thon.

UK meetings are being co-ordinated by Josephine Snell (details below), who can be contacted for further information. All those who would like to attend the London meeting are very welcome. Those who would like to attend but who live too far away, are encouraged to set up a local meeting of their own, and can contact Josephine for details on how to do this.

Bhikkhunī Visuddhi was born in the Czech Republic. She practiced as a Buddhist for many years until she left for Sri Lanka in order to ordain as a nun. In 2003 she obtained the Samaneri Ordination. In 2006 she trained for 9 months in Taiwan at the English Buddhist College of the Fo Guang Shan Temple to prepare for the higher ordination. In 2006 she ordained as a bhikkhunī in the Tzu Yun Temple in Taiwan and returned to Sri Lanka. In 2008 she practiced in Germany in the Anenja Vihara and since 2009 she has been involved in various Dhamma activities in Europe – mainly in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Every winter she returns to her home temple in Sri Lanka to her teacher and Bhikkhuní sangha. She also regularly spends time in a Buddhist monastery of Thai forest tradition in Switzerland – Dhammapala.

Josephine Snell

(AfB committee member for International Bhikkhuni Day)

Email: josephinebarton@hotmail.co.uk            Mobile: 07786 516035

Trying to Contact Sister Tithameda

There was a recent "comment" posted on the item Sister Thitamedha to Disrobe because of the "Five Points". As the correspondent is hoping that sister Tithameda reads the communication, I thought that posting it here will make it more visible, good luck Liz.......

Dear sister Tithameda, although you may not be known by this name now. It is Liz writing to you and I would be glad to hear from you. If you read this and want to get in touch, - you have my email address. Otherwise I wish you well in whatever endeavour you undertake and may you be always blessed with peace and full of the loving kindness which you once extended to me.

Much Love,

Liz

This comment was added yesterday.............

Dear Sister Thitamedha I think you are now known as Irena. The comment above is a real coincidence as I also wanted to contact you to wish you well in all you do.
metta, Veronica

Calls for Female Religious Equality Spread

Following on from our story of the 1st Annual International Bhikkhuni Day it's interesting to note the increasing number of calls for the ordination of women priests within the Roman Catholic church. Just as within the Thai Forest tradition of Buddhism, women have been ordained in the Catholic tradition of Christianity against the dictat of each institution's leadership.

More than 150 Roman Catholic priests in the United States have signed a statement in support of a fellow cleric who faces dismissal for participating in a ceremony that purported to ordain a woman as a priest, in defiance of church teaching.

There has been a “Call to Disobedience” issued in Austria in June by more than 300 priests and deacons. They stunned their bishops with a seven-point pledge that includes actively promoting priesthood for women and married men, and reciting a public prayer for “church reform” in every Mass.

In Switzerland, Markus Buechel, bishop of the diocese of St Gallen, has said there was huge pressure on the bishops to discuss women's ordination. "We can no longer evade it," he says.

And in Australia the Catholic Bishop of Toowoomba, William Morris, has been effectively sacked by Pope Benedict XVI over doctrinal disobedience for his support for ordaining women priests and other liberal reforms.

Back in the States, just as within the Forest Tradition, people have gone ahead and by-stepped the restrictions by just doing it! The RCWP is an organisation of Catholic women priests, in their own words they are "an international movement within the Roman Catholic Church. The mission of Roman Catholic Womenpriests is to primarily spiritually prepare, ordain, and support women from all states of life, who are theologically qualified, who are committed to an inclusive model of Church, and who are called by the Holy Spirit and their communities to minister within the Roman Catholic Church."

Women and the Forest Sangha Re-Vamp

For those of you who have been following the Bhikkhuni controversy, I recently received news from Thanissara that the Facebook site "Women and the Forest Sangha" has undergone a re-vamp..........

Subject: Upgrade of Women and Forest Sangha according to Face Book requirements.
Dear members of Women & Forest Sangha group,
This is a brief message to inform you that we are upgrading the group, in alignment with the current requirements of Face Book.

In the process of doing so, the admin of this group have decided to change the name of the group to 4-Fold Sangha.

We shall be posting the remit of the new group very soon for your interest. We are also open to your feed back once the new remit is posted.

We hope you feel welcome to stay with the group as we continue our journey of exploration regards the application and integration of the Buddha-Dharma in our challenging times.

Wishing you much peace,
on behalf of the admin team,
Thanissara

A Fortnightly Reflection

For a while now I have been receiving regular "Dharma emails". One such comes fortnightly on the new and full moons. It is by Bhikkhu Munindo and the verses used in this fortnightly Reflection are taken from, 'A Dhammapada for Contemplation'. Thought that I would start to post them here as well......

NEW MOON - Monday 6th December 2010

There is no tension
for those who have completed their journey and have become free from the distress of bondage.

Dhammapada verse 90

There is a path and we have a journey to take. The goal is freedom from the experience of being bound by habits. If we try too hard, grasping at the idea of the goal and bypassing the reality of this moment, we merely generate stress. If we don’t try at all, losing ourselves in sense stimulus over and over again, we only generate more stress. Knowing the right amount of effort takes skill. And it is a skill we can develop: we lose our balance, but instead of habitually judging ourselves, we get more interested in the lesson before us.
Practising with the right amount provides the optimum chance of completing the journey.

(Bhikkhu Munindo was born in Te Awamutu, New Zealand in 1951. He received bhikkhu ordination (upasampada) first under the Venerable Somdet Nyanasamvaro in 1974 and then under the Venerable Ajahn Chah in 1975. He came to the UK after 5 years in training monasteries in Thailand.
After several years at Cittaviveka Monastery in Chithurst, West Sussex, he moved to Devon where he led the community in establishing the Devon Vihara. In 1990 he became senior incumbent at Aruna Ratanagiri, Northumberland, UK.)

Photos of Chithurst Monastery

Yesterday, Sunday, we were going to visit Cittaviveka, the Buddhist Monastery at Chithurst. Unfortunately we had to cancel as Wightlink could only get us on the 8:00 a.m. ferry and the numbers able to make that time were too few to justify the cost.

However, while Googling alternative dates I came across some excellent photos of the monastery by Simon Tupper, they can be seen at http://www.simontupperphotography.co.uk/#!doc/vstc6=monks pictures 13 to 20). Switch to full screen mode (F11) to really enjoy them.

Ajahn Sucitto on the Nuns’ Situation

The following is taken from the Cittaviveka Newsletter August 2010 and is Ajahn Sucitto's thoughts on the Nuns’ situation at Chithurst and within the wider "Western" forest tradition.

"The unfortunate news regarding the nuns is that our two senior nuns have left or will be leaving the community. Ajahn Thitamedha revised her plan to live as a nun outside this community to one of disrobing altogether. Ajahn Kovida has decided to leave Cittaviveka in November, spend some time in Burma and then take up life as a solitary nun in Britain. Many of you will have read their farewell letters and are understandably shocked or saddened by this news, especially as they point to perceived problems in the community dynamic. It’s a sensitive area, and because rumours and interpretations abound, I offer a few thoughts for consideration. To speak in general terms, each of us requests permission for the Going Forth and entrance to this lineage after careful consideration, and many choose to leave it after a similar process. The sense of how needs, aims and directions change is part of the changing nature of spiritual life. This is nothing new; nor is the sense of loss and disappointment that occurs, especially when a monk or nun of long-standing leaves the group. To my knowledge, even amongst senior monks, more have left our group than now remain. To address the nuns’ situation more specifically, I will speak from my own limited understanding of the situation. It seems to me that at this time our lineage sits at the edge where a conservative Asian tradition meets
a liberal Western one, and that brings with it the crunch point of gender equality - which is the aspired aim of the West, but which is in direct contradiction to the fact that in all Buddhist monastic lineages, the male line is held to be ‘senior’ to the female. Seniority is a way of forming line-ups and protocols within a group, to avoid competition or jealousy - so that who goes first is not a matter of who’s wisest, but who’s senior. This too is nothing new here, and it is so much the standard that to change that would require broad Sangha consent.

Another crucial point is that men and women experience and relate to the world in distinctly different ways. Over time, these differences can bring with them a frustration that we’re not on the same wave-length, and interpretations that so-and-so is not following the agreed-upon norms, or that so and-so isn’t listening or is out of touch. In situations when a man and a woman live together, I’d imagine that these issues can get sorted out (though not always), because of the intimacy that is part of the commitment to live with a chosen partner. When such issues occur amongst 25 people, who haven’t chosen to live in a close relationship, and who are in many ways barred from forming one, and who incline towards silence and solitude, resolving these differences is a major challenge. Some feel that more dialogue is needed; greater separation is also a considered option - either through
creating another vihara, or, regrettably, through a more complete leave-taking. At Cittaviveka we have attempted to give the Rocana Vihara a good degree of autonomy, with the nuns being in charge of their routines and internal governance. Recently this has extended to having meal offerings for the sisters down at Rocana on the last Friday of each month (you are all very welcome to make offerings there to the sisters). We are also establishing an inter-monastic committee to look into how sharing these wonderful places can become smoother. Naturally after all the time and effort that’s gone into establishing a training for women in the west, I’m keen to find a satisfactory resolution."

Womens Equality Keeps Ruffling Up Those Feathers

In the past we have not had many comments on our various postings and as a result I've been a bit remiss in checking if we've had any recent ones and moderating them. So I was quite surprised to find that we had a whole crop, the vast majority of them in relation to postings on the issue of Bhikkhuni ordination.

The split has been almost 50/50 between supportive comments and those taking offence. Several of the comments have been in the form of people taking the opportunity to wish the sisters well and are attached to the following posts....
Sister Kovida to Leave Chithurst
Sister Thitamedha to Disrobe because of the "Five Points"

As to the "adverse" comments I will let you make up your own minds, all I will say is that most of the commentators don't appear to have read the actual posts very carefully. One correspondent, Freethinker, states "Please do not make out that this is a gender and discrimination issue, because it is not. It is a Thai cultural issue....."
well, that's all right then.

These comments can be found on the following posts....
More on "Nun" Ordinations at Amaravati (plus a good riposte!)
Our Visit to Cittaviveka (there's also a nice one there, thank you Medhina)
A Visit to Chithurst & a Letter from Perth
More Bhikkuni News - not good (I just couldn't "let that one go")
All Change at Amaravati, I Wonder Why? (Interesting to point out that this entire post is a repeated report from Thanissara so the comment seems just a tadge off the mark).

The comment on the post "Vandalism at Chithurst" is just beneath contempt.

I repeat.........

"It is Not the purpose of this site to campaign on political issues, however as a Buddhist site we will continue to promote peace and the welfare of all beings by any appropriate non-violent means".

Vandalism at Chithurst

Apparently the night after Sister Thitamedha disrobed a brick was thrown through the door of the Chithurst Dhamma Hall. The assailant then hammered on the door of Ajahn Sucitto's kuti before driving off hurriedly in a car. Fortunately nobody was injured in the attack.

From Chithurst

Sister Kovida to Leave Chithurst

Sister Kovida, a senior nun at Chithurst Buddhist monastery, is to leave because of the situation and difficulties for nuns within the Thai Forest tradition. Here is her letter explaining her reasons..........

Dear All,

I hope you are all well and coping well enough.

I am writing sadly to share some more news....After much soul searching I have come to a place where I now feel the need to move on from our community. I have decided to leave in November when I go to Burma for a month. I still feel very committed in my heart to being a nun so do not intend to disrobe. I imagine this will not come as a complete surprise to you as some of you know I have been wavering.

The whole series of developments over the last 2 years has been very difficult and challenging for many of our whole community, lay and monastic. In my 15 years as a nun the idea of leaving these communities hadn't seriously occurred to me until last Vassa.

Since then I have inquired into that impulse to find what feels most true. Over these past months I have gradually come to a deeper sense of important areas personally and collectively which we struggle to address as a monastic community. The result of not addressing these areas feels like it to leads to a breakdown in communication and relationship which then makes clearing of misperceptions harder to acheive.

It feels essential to me to be receptive to what arises as best I can, and then listen and respond. Of course I don't always manage this as you well know, but it has been and still is what I most want to develop.

I feel very very sad but also clear in my heart about this step and I will miss you all very much and will definitely stay in touch.

I am deeply grateful for the Teaching and Training and what I have learned from living together within this vehicle which has so many blessings.

with much love and gratitude,
Sister Kovida

Our Visit to Cittaviveka

As reported in a previous post "A Visit to Chithurst and a Letter from Perth" the West Wight Sangha and the Newport Zen group got together for another visit to Cittaviveka, the Theravada Buddhist monastery just outside Chithurst. We were privileged to have Ajahn Succito, the abbot, lead the lay forum. It was the first time that he had done so and as he said, "I aught to find out what it's all about"!

Earlier he had explained the reason for the sudden appearance of numerous "safety" signs everywhere, the monastery had been inspected by the local council! Apparently they had been "missed" so the council was catching up on "health and safety" big time. Part of this was that the monastery is now classed as a "catering establishment" and as a result we were all asked to take any uneaten food home with us!

As Ajahn said "life's too important to take seriously".

On a "serious" point the nuns were noticeable by their absence, at the midday service I counted thirteen monks and anagarikas whereas there were only two nuns plus two female anagarikas.

On the following Friday some of us travelled into Newport  to join with the Soto Zen group for a day retreat led by Rev. Alicia, the new Prior at Reading Priory. Within this tradition gender specific titles are not used, all monastics are monks with the title Reverend and the head of a priory is a Prior!

A Visit to Chithurst & a Letter from Perth

I have just come across this letter from Ajahn Brahm to Thanissara which she has kindly forwarded and posted on the "Women and the Forest Sangha" group. The mention of Ajahn Sucitto is an interesting coincidence as this past Sunday the West Wight Sangha again joined forces with the Newport Soto Zen group to travel over to Chithurst where, for the first time, the lay forum was lead by Ajahn Sucitto himself, a real privilege and joy (more to follow on that).

Dear Thanissara, I have just read your excellent article in "Present", but would like to correct a couple of minor points. Bodhinyana Monastery in Perth was never a member of the "Elders Council", I was never invited to any of their meetings, nor was I ever informed of what they discussed or agreed upon. This council was made up of senior monks from Amaravati, Chithurst, Harnham, Devon Vihara, the Swiss monastery, the Italian monastery, Abhayagiri and Bodhinyanarama in New Zealand. This was because Bodhinyana Monastery in Perth began when Ajahn Chah sent Ajahn Jagaro to Australia. It was a direct offshoot of Wat Pah Pong. It did not originate as an offshoot of Amaravati/Chithurst, and so was never under Ajahn Sumedho. This was why we were never part of the "Amaravati Group". For this reason, the Sangha in Perth felt no obligation to consult with this council prior to the Perth Bhikkhuni Ordinations last year. That I did personally inform Ajahn Sumedho and Vajiro about the ordinations about 10 days' beforehand was out of courtesy, not obligation. However, I did consult the Thai Elders Council (Mahatherasamakom) through its leader, Somdej Pootajarn. He famously told me three times in response to my direct question on Bhikkhuni ordination in Australia that "Thai Sangha Law does not extend to the West". I also consulted with Phra Prom Gunaporn (Phra Payutto), probably the most esteemed scholar currently in Thailand, and he advised to act compassionately. A copy of his letter is posted on Ajahn Sujato's Blog. I also consulted with the head of Mahachulalongkorn Buddhist University, Phra Dhammakosajarn, but he declined to reply.The oft repeated charge against the Perth Sangha of non consultation is a myth. Lastly. I was organising the 2009 WAM. When I asked for subjects to discuss, only Ajahn Sucitto gave any suggestions. All the other Theras supplied nothing. It was myself who suggested that we discuss Bhikkhuni Ordination at the WAM. No-one else showed any interest. Once I discovered in November about the Five Points, I realised why none of these monks were interested in discussing Bhikkhuni Ordination. All is well in Perth. The Sanghas are thriving, the lay supporters are growing in numbers, and tonight I give my first talk in Bangkok since the Perth Bhikkhuni Ordinations. With Mega Metta, Ajahn Brahm