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Community

The last few months of 2005 were characteristically eventful, with work projects being consolidated and completed, as well as a number of teaching events taking place both in the monastery and within the wider community. During the fall months, Ajahn Prateep and Anagarika Minh An spent many hours each day hunting for a mysterious water leak that was draining the supply to our tanks. Ajahn Sudanto and a crew of helpers also spent many hours working up in the forest, building a new water softening shed and helping Kathy Lewis to build a new meditation platform for Casa Serena guests. As the days grew shorter, the crews would often continue working in the forest in the dark, having begun in the early afternoon. Meanwhile, down at the Dhamma Hall, Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Amaro would be giving readings from Bhikkhu Bodhi’s new anthology of the Buddha’s teachings, and engaging in question-and-answer sessions with the rest of the community.

In early fall, the fourth annual two-day bicycle pilgrimage from Spirit Rock Meditation Center to Abhayagiri Monastery took place, with a visit to the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas. The bicycle journey combined aspects of a recreational cycling event with those of a pilgrimage. Many challenges faced the riders during this 150-mile ride, including a wide variety of hills between Marin and Mendocino counties. The riders were supported by a large volunteer crew. During the two days there was time for meditation and Dhamma teachings as well, with Ajahn Amaro and Anagarikas Aaron and Minh An following along in the monastery van and meeting the group at various points along the way. The last and final stop was Abhayagiri Monastery, where the riders were met by Ajahn Amaro and other members of the monastic community, and took part in a closing ceremony of chanting and blessings.

The day after the bicycle pilgrimage, Ajahn Amaro, Ajahn Sudanto, and Tan Satimanto attended the 11th Annual Monastic Conference, together with over 30 other monastics from different Buddhist traditions. The event, held at Shasta Abbey in Mt. Shasta, California, was originally conceived by Page 2 of 6

a group of Western nuns of the Gelugpa Tibetan tradition and has evolved into a much-cherished opportunity for Buddhist monastics living in the West to meet and share their practices and experiences. It is both an occasion for old friends to reconnect and for others to meet for the first time.

This year’s event was comprised of nuns and monks of fifteen different lineages, including Soto Zen, Chinese Ch’an, Gelugpa and Nyingmapa Tibetan lineages, two varieties of Vietnamese Zen, and both Sri Lankan and Thai Theravada - a grand and colorful array of robes and streams of knowledge and experience. The gathering is mostly designed to be an opportunity to meet and support each other, rather than being filled with academic expositions, however there were a number of presentations on this year’s theme of “Practice,” which included an offering from Ajahn Amaro on the Dhutanga,or “austere” practices.

Ajahn Brahmavamso (affectionately known as Ajahn Brahm), an English monk, disciple of Ajahn Chah, and abbot of Bodhinyana Monastery in Perth, Australia, stayed with us for three days in November. Having come to the U.S. on a tour sponsored by the publishers of his recent collection of stories and teachings, entitled Who Ordered This Truckload of Dung?, Ajahn Brahm took some time out to “spend Thanksgiving with family,” as he put it. On his way to the monastery he stopped by the Angela Center in Santa Rosa to see Ajahn Amaro, who was leading the annual retreat, which by all accounts was a treat for everyone there. At the monastery he had time to reconnect with Ajahn Pasanno and meet with the community, answering Dhamma questions and offering a much-appreciated talk. It was a lively and joyous three days.

On December 9, Anagarika Aaron formally requested the Going Forth, or Pabbajja, as it is called in the Pali language, in a ceremony held after our regular evening puja. After completing a year in training as an anagarika, he decided to make a further one-year commitment to being a samanera, or novice monk. Many members of his family came to the monastery Page 3 of 6

to witness the occasion (including his step father, who arrived unexpectedly, having ridden his motorbike all the way from Tucson, Arizona), as did a large group of lay supporters from different locations—creating a warm and supportive atmosphere. Ajahn Pasanno led us through the formal proceedings, carefully explaining each section and conveying both the literal and symbolic meaning of the chanting and the gesture of going forth. After the exhortation had finished, the ajahns revealed Aaron’s new name, Thitabho, meaning “one of unwavering radiance.”

Ajahn Prateep left Abhayagiri in November in order to help Ajahn Nyanadhammo and the Sangha at Wat Pah Nanachat prepare for the WAM (World Abbots’ Meeting), which was to be held there in January. It was felt that his skill in building and construction would be supportive to the Wat Pah Nanachat community at this time, since there was a plan to build some new kutis and washroom facilities before the large gathering of senior Western monks arrived. He intends to return to the community in spring of this year. Pamela Kirby completed her year as caretaker of Casa Serena in October. We thank her for her diligence and care in making Casa Serena a conducive place for lay women to practice. Anagarika Kevin also left the community early this year; we wish him all the best for the future and extend our gratitude to him for his wide ranging service to the monastery.

Tan Jotipalo returned to the monastery in early December, having spent the better part of 2005 living at Arrow River Forest Hermitage in Thunder Bay, Ontario. As many are aware, he also spent several months accompanied by Austin Stewart on a pilgrimage heading north up the Mississippi River. They both became ill, however, and the pilgrimage, which had been rich with many blessings, insights (and challenges) had to come to an end sooner than it was hoped.

Ajahn Pasanno left Abhayagiri in late December for his time of sabbatical (see page 13) and also to take part in the gathering at Wat Pah Nanachat and the CALM pilgrimage (see page 7). Page 4 of 6

Around the same time, Ajahn Amaro, Ajahn Sudanto and Debbie Stamp also left for Thailand. Ajahn Amaro and Ajahn Sudanto took part in the above events, and also had an opportunity to reconnect with old Sangha friends from around the world, such as former Abhayagiri residents Tan Thanuttaro, who has been living in Thailand for the last little while, Tan Achalo, who has been staying with Tan Ajahn Anan (a much respected disciple of Luang Por Chah) at Wat Marp Jun, Tan Hasapañño, who is currently staying at the secluded Wat Dtao Dum on the Thai-Burmese border, and Tan Phasuko and Tan Nyaniko, who met the group in Bangkok and went on to Wat Pah Nanachat. Both ajahns reported having a very fruitful and nourishing time, particularly in terms of the qualities of kalyanamitta (noble friendship) and a sense of communality and harmony within the wider Sangha. Debbie also took part in the bus tour and other activities, and will be spending February and March on retreat at Wat Boonyavat, the monastery of Tan Ajahn Dtun, also a highly revered disciple of Luang Por Chah.

During this year’s winter retreat, the monthly talks at Berkeley Buddhist Monastery have been led by Fred (Santideva) Kral, Kathryn Guta and Rev. Heng Sure. The retreat itself has been supported by an excellent crew— Michael Dietzel, Bruno Casolari and Lee Mintz staying for the full three months, with Alex Perotti staying for the first month and Catherine Direen staying for the last. Their selfless giving and harmonious nature have benefited the community greatly over this time.

Teachings

From September 16 to 19 Ajahn Amaro and a group of six Abhayagiri residents made the journey to Tucson,Arizona, to receive three days of teachings from His Holiness the Dalai Lama. The teachings were centered around the eighth chapter of Shantideva’s Bodhicharyavatara (The Bodhisattva Way of Life), an eighth-century Sanskrit text. Ajahn Amaro joined a panel of other Western Buddhist teachers in offering eveningsession commentaries on His Holiness’s teachings. Much gratitude goes to Samanera Thitabho’s family, who generously offered lodgings and hospitality to five of Page 5 of 6

us during this time.

Abhayagiri once again hosted the annual Spirit Rock Teen Retreat from September 2–4. Fifteen teens and nine adults were here this year, with both new and old faces in attendance. The group was led by Heather Sundberg, leader of the Spirit Rock Family Program and longtime supporter of the monastery. The group’s stay included following the Eight Precepts, and activities ranged from silent meditation, chanting, and Dhamma discussions to hikes on the land, solitary forest meditation, and communal work. Ajahn Amaro once again participated in the Mind and Life Dialogues, held in Washington, D.C., in November 2005. The topic was “The Science and Clinical Applications of Meditation,” reflecting the growing interest in meditation within modern medicine and biomedical science that has arisen over the past thirty years. Ajahn gave a presentation on the Buddha’s teaching of the Four Noble Truths and the Discourse on the Two Arrows (S 36.6), which was reportedly well received and much appreciated by those present. From November 18 to 27, Ajahn Amaro and Taraniya led the annual Thanksgiving retreat, held at the Angela Center in Santa Rosa. Aside from Ajahn coming down with a severe cold and missing out on the last few days, the retreat went very well, and it was a rewarding and valuable time for all.

Ajahn Pasanno co-led a yoga and meditation daylong with Cator Shachoy in early December. The subject was “Mindfulness of the Body,” and the day of teachings drew from Ajahn Pasanno’s experience practicing with the Buddha’s teaching on the First Foundation of Mindfulness and Cator’s training in Iyengar yoga and Buddhist meditation. Also in December, Ajahn Amaro led a daylong retreat at Spirit Rock on the theme of “Entering the Silence,” and then went on to the Insight Meditation Center in Redwood City to offer some Dhamma reflections and to have an informal tea with the children’s Dhamma group there.

Development

This year the monastery began its long-awaited construction of the final buildings belonging to the first phase of a four-phase building plan. The first of the buildings to go Page 6 of 6

up was the Cloister duplex. There were many monks and lay supporters who gave their time and effort to make the construction of this building go smoothly. We have almost completed the construction of the two new buildings that will form part of the cloister area. One is an office complex, while the other consists of much needed bathrooms and a resting room with disabled facilities. They will hopefully be completed and ready by the end of March 2006.

The community is also currently planning the construction of two new elders’ cabins. One of these cabins will be built for Ajahn Pasanno, while the second will be built for visiting elder monks. It is hoped that one of the same design will be constructed for Ajahn Amaro in 2007. In addition, one cabin of simpler design will also be built this year. We have designated the sites for these and begun preparing the locations in order to begin construction in the spring.

—The Sangha