Abhayagiri News

Your Life Is Your Teacher: Working with Uncertainty

2008-11-19T01:12:40-08:00

All thoughts were on the presidential election whose outcome during the 5:00 pm informal tea that began the November 4th Sanghapala First Tuesday Gathering in Berkeley was both uncertain and provoking much anxiety. By the time the formal part of the evening began at 7:30 pm, it seemed highly likely to those who had just returned from rushing to their cars during the break to hear the election results that the Democrats were on their way to victory. As we drove home at the end of the evening, the verdict of the people was all but certain, according to the analysts. Accompanied by Ajahns Pasanno, Sudanto, and Karunadhammo, Ajahn Amaro used the election uncertainty and the apprehension surrounding it as the occasion to look at the benefits of using these and related mind states as a teaching tool, in contrast to our tendency to seek relief from them.

In his Dhamma talk, Ajahn Amaro went straight to the core of the matter, referring to the state of not knowing (whether it’s the election result or something else) as a troublesome state. Our tendency in the face of doubt is to escape to a state of certainty, which then fills up the space left by doubt. For example, in the face of uncertainty, the mind may sink into dredging up stories about all the ways things can go wrong, which leads to anxiety and fear. When this happens, sometimes even a threat, though menacing, is certain and therefore can be more comfortable than not knowing. Another way to wrestle with uncertainty is to make plans for all the outcomes we can envision, whether it’s our love lives or our retreat lives. Still another is to generate lists of things to do, which impart a sense of tangibility. Such strategies are very common behaviors in humans.

Ajahn Amaro repeated a story from Ajahn Chah about the monks in Thailand who spent nights meditating alone in the forests, which were populated with large animals like tigers that the monks feared were more than willing to take an easy meal where they found it. One can easily imagine the anxiety levels rising when the nighttime forest sounds began, all the more when it was so dark that nothing could be seen. One coping strategy was to take a light inside the mosquito netting in which they sat. While the light illuminated nothing farther away than the netting, which would by itself be no barrier to a prowling tiger, nonetheless there was an illusion of safety and security.

Fortunately, the Buddha’s teachings include ways to work with doubt and uncertainty that are more fruitful in the long run (that is, after a sufficient period of assiduous practice), if not immediately on the first try. In fact, most of us already have been introduced to these tools, beginning with reflection on the Three Marks of Existence (impermanence, unsatisfactoriness, and no inherent self-existence), which we use as aids for studying the mind. Studying the mind with some objectivity, of course, requires the ability to step out of our mental and emotional lives and look at them from a bit of a distance as an observer rather than a victim, a skill that in my experience takes some practice. In this way, our lives become our teachers as we progress in the ability to look at, in this case, negative experiences arising out of uncertainty as in fact our friends that provide support to our spiritual endeavors.

During tea-time, for example, in answer to a question about how to hold anxiety arising out of the election uncertainty, Ajahn Amaro noted that the worst thing is to get caught in mental scenarios. Instead, it is far more fruitful to focus on the physical sensation associated with anxiety, which often enough is “not really that bad.” This is a way of being in the present moment. At this point, Ajahn Pasanno added that, when this focus is attained, one can then move to relaxing around it, gradually loosening layer by layer. It is easier to do this for physical sensation than for thoughts and emotions.

Ajahn Amaro pointed out that the Buddha attributed the negative feelings arising out of uncertainty to our ingrained source of “self,” which then wants to fix the feelings. The alternative is to regard the feelings as objects for investigation rather than somehow “ours.” Then the dropping of self-investment in the feelings reduces the sense of threat. Just as we are challenged to recall and turn toward old age, sickness, and death rather than fleeing or suppressing these messengers, so we are counseled to turn toward uncertainty. When we are able to do this, a feeling of liberation arises.

In the end, we are confronted yet again with the inexorable fact of change in both the physical and psychological worlds. If we notice that change is intrinsic to everything, then sooner or later we understand that no single thing can make us permanently happy, though in the midst of a pleasant experience, this understanding may not immediately come to mind. One way to work with pleasant experiences, mentioned by Ajahn Amaro during tea-time, is to take them to their logical conclusion. “If I just got this, I’d never want anything else ever again.” At this point, the fantasy collapses as we realize “Yeah, right! Not in this lifetime!”

The Buddha mind of awareness is comfortable in the midst of an uncertainty in which not only does everything change, but one cannot even say at any instant exactly what something is. If one takes a clock apart, it is no longer a clock, although all the pieces remain. So, asked Ajahn, where does the “clockness” come from? What is it? Applying the same question to our sense of self, we are left with the realization that our self identity is nothing more than a convenient convention, because we cannot in fact ever actually locate the selfness.

Taking it all in, we see ourselves floating in a vast sea of unpredictability, even if we are in a monastery. Coming to our aid is the fact that behind the ego clinging to anything smacking of some certainty, there is a quality of heart that sees this search as a source of suffering, not a cure. So, the heart relaxes, a sense of ease arises, and we are open to the way things are, attuned to the moment, and able to adapt to change. Of course, to live in this way is very demanding. To dethrone the tyrannical ego, suggested Ajahn, we can instead treat it as a once powerful political leader who has lost power and is sent off to end his or her days in a nice bungalow on the beach with a glorious title but no power.

Having dispatched the tyrant, a sense of trust and belonging replaces fear. We need neither a plan nor an insurance policy to keep us safe because we can make choices from a place of wisdom. We can find security in something more profound than certainty; namely, the freedom that comes from accepting change.

The next Sanghapala First Tuesday Gathering will be on December 2, 2008, at the Berkeley Buddhist Monastery (2304 McKinley Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94703).

Memorial services for J.

2008-11-17T22:48:26-08:00

As you know, our friend J. passed away this past Monday after a nearly year-long battle with cancer. The end came more quickly than expected, as J. had lost a lot of weight and was unable to fight off a case of pneumonia. He was hospitalized in Ukiah for his final three days, and monks and lay friends from the monastery community were with him around the clock. J. was a solitary person, and we are unaware of any family.

J.'s body was cremated on Thursday, and two memorial services are planned for the near future. The first will be held on Thursday, November 20, at Abhayagiri Monastery. The meal will be offered at 10:30 am in honor of J. Afterwards, there will be a ceremonial dismantling of J.'s camp in the woods and the placing of a portion of his ashes upon the shrine he built at his camp as well as the scattering of ashes in "J.'s Garden," the vegetable garden he lovingly tended for the last three seasons.

A second memorial service will be held on Sunday, December 7, at 9 am, also at Abhayagiri Monastery. The service will include chanting and the placing of a portion of his remains on a new memorial shrine to be established in the forest at Abhayagiri. Friends are also welcome to place flowers or other mementos on this small outdoor shrine. Following the ceremony will be the meal offering at 10:30 am. In the afternoon is the regularly scheduled Upasika Day, with the program beginning at 1 pm. (For more on the program, visit Upasika Program)

All of J.'s friends are invited to attend either or both of these memorial services. And please pass along this information to others who may not have already heard.

Kind regards,
Dennis Crean

Monastery Friend Dies

2008-11-11T21:31:54-08:00

On Monday, November 10, 2008 Abhayagiri’s close friend and neighbor, J., died after a year-long period of treatment for cancer.

Almost anyone who has visited Abhayagiri since the summer of 2002 would have met J. He lived on the mountainside across the road from the monastery and dedicated his time to coming here and helping us with the upkeep and development of Abhayagiri. He had skill in a wide variety of practical things, from cooking to gardening; forestry work to building steps… the list is nearly endless.

During the past few years J. derived great pleasure from creating and tending a vegetable garden up at Dennis Crean’s house. J. would use the food compost from the monastery to feed and nourish the garden, and then bring back copious amounts of vegetables to feed and nourish the Abhayagiri community!

J. first discovered that he had cancer during the summer of 2007. He underwent surgery in early 2008 and recovered well. During this past summer he developed a secondary tumor which was of an aggressive nature and inoperable. He became very weak and on Friday, November 7th, while in the nearby town of Ukiah for a scheduled doctor’s appointment, he needed to be admitted to the hospital. During those few short days in the hospital J. was assisted and kept company by many Abhayagiri Sangha members, both ordained and lay, until his body quietly and peacefully died.

Abhayagiri Monastery feels an enormous amount of gratitude for having had J.’s presence here for so many years—he will be missed. Dennis Crean, who spent much of the last days of J.’s life with him, wrote an email to close friends just hours after J. passed away. Dennis has kindly allowed us to include that email, the text of which is included below.

Friends,

I just got home after nearly 24 hours at the hospital. It's been a long day for many of us.

I'm sad to report that today was J.'s last. He passed away peacefully at 6 p.m., surrounded by his friends.

Last night turned out to be fairly uneventful for J. under the circumstances. Four of us sat with him throughout the night. He surpassed everyone's expectations and continued to breathe steadily, albeit with a few rough patches, on into the morning. He seemed to be comfortable and didn't show signs of real pain or distress. Probably the worst part was a fever that reached 103.6 degrees. The very kind nursing staff helped reduce the fever with ice packs and showed up every few hours to wash him and change his position.

The same scenario unfolded for much of Monday. His fever was down. His pulse gradually weakened by the afternoon, and his breathing became much shallower. Several other community members spent good chunks of time with J., and there were several chanting sessions for him. He received a lovely bouquet (thanks, Gabiya!). Around 5:30 p.m. and in anticipation of heading back to the monastery after 2 days or so at the hospital, Ajahn Pasanno led some Paritta chanting for J. There were about 8 of us present with him. J.'s breaths become noticeably less frequent during this time. After the chanting ended, a nurse was unable to measure his blood pressure because it was too low.

As we discussed plans for spending another night at the hospital, we thought that J., being the private fellow he is, might actually like a short bit of time to himself. He'd not been alone for a few days. So a couple of us told him we would all leave the room for a while to give him some space. (Although he remained unconscious throughout the entire day, we figured he could hear us on some level). Ajahn Pasanno re-entered the room only a couple of minutes later, but within even that short span, J. had already seized on his moment of solitude and breathed his last breath. It was 6 p.m.

For the next half hour we sat quietly with J.'s body and did some more chanting. We then notified the nurse and doctor, who declared him deceased. The hospital staff had already agreed to allow us time to clean and dress him and to offer funeral chants. We slipped him into his jeans and flannel shirt. We put on his "trademark" round wire-rim glasses, his amulets, and his mala beads. More community members arrived from Abhayagiri, as did a few other local lay friends. We chanted for J. and spent some time with his body. At around 8:30 it was taken to a nearby crematorium. Once those folks sort out all the paperwork with the county officials, we'll be notified of the cremation time, although there will likely be only a couple of hours notice.

While no details have yet been set, there will surely be some sort of memorial service for J. at Abhayagiri. We'll be sure to post more information once it becomes available.

Thanks for all your kind words and moral support from out in the wider world. I'm sure J. was just as touched by the generosity shown to him by all of his friends as we have been by his own generosity to us over the nearly seven years he's been in our midst. Personally, I was very inspired by the love shown to J. by the monastery folks (ordained and lay supporters), and I truly felt the warmth that results when a community gathers to care for one of its own in his time of vulnerability.

Kind regards,
Dennis

Free as the Open Air

2008-11-04T20:29:24-08:00

Our monastic Sangha had the privilege to welcome new members to the community this previous week. Samanera Kaccana undertook the bhikkhus' precepts on Sunday, October 26, while only 3 days later we had Samaneras Subharo, Dhammavaro and Suvaco. These three novices travelled by car to Abhayagri all the way from Birken Forest Monastery, up in British Columbia, Canada. Never before had Abhayagiri had so many monk ordinations in the same week. I was fortunate enough to attend both of the ordinations, so I will take this opportunity to share some of my thoughts and impressions from the first of these ordinations, Samanera Kaccana's.

I will begin with Samanera Kaccana's ordination. S. Kaccana is a 31 year old who lived in California for over ten years before arriving at Abhayagiri. As with all the novices who ordain here, he first trained as an anagarika for a year and then was under the novice precepts also for a year, training for the day when he would ordain as a monk. As a layman, Kaccana excelled in the academic world, obtaining a Ph. D. for his research into potential applications of low-field MRI.

His ordination was to take place at 4:00 pm at the the open air Dhamma platform. In the morning, several monks helped to prepare the space – placing a variety of flowers on the shrine, laying out the mats, and setting out chairs for the visiting laypeople who were expected to attend.

The Dhamma platform was set up beautifully. Unadorned, without the flowers and candles, it has a stark sobriety to it. The Buddha image is a life sized one, made of bronze with a dark copper finish and housed in an open walled, wooden roofed section of the west side of the platform. He is seated cross legged, holding his hands in the Dhammacakka mudra, the mudra symbolizing the rolling of forth the Wheel of Dhamma, with his eyes serenely downcast. The image is soothing and inspiring, yet serious and powerful. We placed flowers, candles and incense holder on the shrine, which all helped soften and brighten the shine. This Buddha image is especially fitted to have overlooking an ordination ceremony.

By 4:00 pm the monks assembled together and took their assigned seat. We had a special guest joining us, the Venerable Heng Sure from the Berkly Buddhist Monastery in California. He is an original disciple of the most Venerable Master Hua, founder of the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas here in Ukiah. A westerner perhaps a bit over 50, he was dressed in a flowing tan colored robe, with a pale-yellow shoulder wrap. He sat at the front of the platform, right near the shrine next to Ajahn Pasanno. Venerable Heng Sure has been a monk for over 30 years, and is a close friend of the Abhayagiri community.

Next to Venerable Heng Sure sat Ajahn Pasanno, the official preceptor for Samanera Kaccana. Seated in front of these two, were the remaining group of monks, lined up in parallel rows on both sides of the preceptor, with a space between the two rows wide enough to allow the novice to come forth into the Sangha and perform the ceremony.

For a Buddhist ordination to be valid in the Theravada tradition, the Buddha required that ten monks had to be present to serve as witnesses to the procedure. But as the teachings spread further afield from the original Middle Country in North-East India, he made an allowance for the Sangha to conduct the procedure with only five bhikkhus. While Redwood Valley California would certainly count as an “outlying area further afield”, we are fortunate enough to actually have over ten bhikkhus who can participate in the ceremony. We had in all 12 bhikkhus who participated.

By the time 4:00 rolled around, the sun had dropped low enough to begin cooling the forest. It filtered through the leaves and lighted up the forest floor and the Dhamma platform in patches. With the monks kneeling and with hands in anjali, Ajahn Pasanno lighted the candles and incense, and we all bowed three times to pay respects the the Triple Gem. The ceremony began.

It began with the monks chanting the parittas, a set of auspicious chants that monks often do to bless an activity. Ajahn Amaro took the microphone, and chanted in solo an exquisite invitation to the devas and all forces of goodness to come, listen and rejoice in what is about to take place. After he was done, all the monks joined in together and chanted rhythmically, hypnotically, those ancient verses composed to praise the Triple Gem, and to recall to mind the teachings of the Buddha.

When that was done, the ceremony proper began with the aspirant retaking his novice precepts as a way of clarifying his current status before asking that the Sangha grant him the higher ordination. There are two “kammavaca bhikkhus” - monks who are designated to formally announce to the Sangha that this particular novice has requested the higher ordination, and with the Sangha's approval, they will question the candidate publicly about his qualifications. For today's ceremony, the kammavaca bhikkhus were Ajahns Amaro and Sudanto.

There is a lot of chanting in this ceremony, both from the candidate and from the kammavaca bhikkhus. The chanting is done in Pali, the original language that the Buddha spoke. Far from giving the ceremony a sense of empty, outdated formality, it leant to the ceremony a gravity and authority, a sense that we were taking part in an ancient tradition. This very ceremony indeed has been passed on from teacher to pupil and on to his pupil, and so on, all the way through 2500 years.

The questions that are asked of candidate are only about a dozen, and are all yes or no. They clarify definitively whether or not this novice is eligible. A few or the questions are “Are you free from debt?”, “Do you have your parents permission?”, “Are you a full 20 years of age?”, “What is your name?” and “Who is your preceptor?”

The scriptures explain that in ancient times there was a monk who, being shy and bashful, was so nervous when questioned before the Sangha that he was unable to answer the questions properly. So the kammavaca bhikkhus and the aspirant are first to stand outside the boundary of the seated monks, and do a trial run. Then, if all goes well, the kammavaca monks return to the seated assembly and call in the novitiate to enter into the Sangha's midst.

Before the official questioning begins, the preceptor will check to make sure that the novice has his bowl and robes – the primary possessions of a bhikkhu. These requisites are of special significance to a monk, being symbolic of his renunciation. In the suttas, the Buddha often praises the bhikkhu who goes off to wander through the forests and villages with nothing but his bowl and robes, likening him beautifully to a bird that flies from place to place burdened by nothing but his wings.

So Ajahn Pasanno reached forward and touched Samanera Kaccana's three robes and bowl in turn, saying in Pali: “Ayam sangathim (this is your outer robe)”, to which Kaccana replied: “Ama Bhante (yes, Venerable Sir)”, and so on with his bowl and other two robes. All the while, Ajahn Pasanno was giving a running commentary for the sake of the visiting laypeople, explaining the significance of the words he was saying and the purpose of them.

At this stage, Ajahn Pasanno gave a talk on the four requisites of a monk. The four requisites, he explained, are what the Buddha allowed as the bhikkhu's minimum standard, something that we use as a reflection as to what we strive to be content with. The first is discarded robe cloth. (In the Buddha's days, this referred to cloth that was used to wrap dead bodies in and could be freely picked up in charnel grounds). The second is food gathered from wondering for alms. The third is the root of a tree for shelter, and the fourth is easily acquired natural medicine (which in the Buddha's days, was fermented cows' urine, considered to be medicinal and freely obtainable). Ajahn Pasanno explained that, of course, the Buddha allowed us to accept what is offered, whether they be requisites fine or coarse, but we should reflect on these four requisites and remember that that is what our standard is. This is a very helpful reflection for us to develop contentment with whatever it is we are offered, or wherever it is that we must stay.

Having given this talk to the novice Kaccana, the kammavaca monks were now ready to question him officially. One on each side of the preceptor, they solemnly began chanting in perfect unison words that, to the uninitiated, may have been incomprehensible, but which were rich with significance and beauty to the one who can follow.

They informed the monks that Kaccana was seeking higher ordination and will now be questioned in front of the Sangha. Then they got up on their knees, bowed down once to Ajahn Pasanno, sat down again and began the questioning. Thereafter, they announced again that Kaccana has requested the higher ordination, and that he has been questioned, that he has passed the questioning and that if any monk objects to his ordination, they should speak now. This chanting part is repeated three times, to make sure that there are no objections. Meanwhile, there is a monk checking that the Pali chanting of the kammavaca is perfectly correct, for any mistakes might invalidate the ordination. Finally, there is the announcement: Kacanna has requested the ordination, he has passed the questioning, and the Sangha is in agreement. He is now a monk. The entire Sangha at this point lets out a celebratory “sadhu!”, meaning “it is excellent!”

The venerable Kaccana was then told by Ajahn Pasanno to sit comfortably. Ajahn Pasanno still had a duty to do as the preceptor, and that is to review the four requisites and to make clear the “four things never to be done by a bhikkhu”. The four requisites were briefly gone over (having been explained previously), and the four things never to be done were explained in more depth. These four things constitute the most serious offenses that a monk can commit, and upon committing any of them, he is immediately no longer a bhikkhu. Even though he still wears the robe and tries to pass himself off as such, in truth, kammically we may say, he is a layperson. He is, as Ajahn Pasanno chanted “no longer a samana (lit: seeker of peace), no longer a son of the Sakyan (an epithet for the Buddha)”. These four things are 1) having sexual intercourse 2) stealing 3) murder a human being and 4) consciously lying about one's spiritual attainments or psychic abilities. It is very important that a bhikkhu understands clearly these four offenses. All other offenses can be rehabilitated, either through confession, or, if more serious, through an act of probation. These four offenses however can not.

Up to this point, the ceremony felt solemn and gracefully serious. Ajahn Pasanno had done a wonderful job in explaining the rituals to the laity, without sacrificing the ritualistic mood of the ordination and the sense that this was about an initiation into a new way of life for Novice Kacanna.

But we finished on a slightly different note. Venerable Heng Sure was asked to give some reflections to bring the ceremony to a close. His style was relaxed and fluid. Even his “Namo tassa...” before the talk had a musical hint to it and mirrored the overall mood of his reflections. He told a number of interesting and amusing stories, all inspiring in one way or another. One that sticks out in my mind was about how his brother had invited him once to come and visit him at work. Fascinatingly, his brother worked at the Pentagon, and Venerable Heng Sure was uncertain how he would be received by the workers at the nation's defense headquarters. Would he be let in the door? Would he be taken seriously? How would it go?

Apparently, he arrived at the Pentagon, and as he passed through security he found people treating him with great respect. He would walk down the hallway, and as a guard or soldier was walking the other way, the guard or soldier would stand to one side and and salute as the Venerable Heng Sure passed. It was as though, Venerable Heng Sure explained, there was a recognition and respect for the discipline involved in the robes, and some kind of respect for the virtue that was contained within that discipline. The power of virtue and discipline, he explained, is something that is communicated to others automatically, simply through us being committed to it.

And so the ceremony concluded. The monks offered some chanting to Venerable Kaccana, as a way of blessing him and congratulating him on this noble step. I found myself absorbed into the sound of the ancient chants, feeling my voice meld into one with the others; grateful for this opportunity we have to be monks, and delighted to have another one join us in this effort to walk in the footsteps of the Buddha.

Three days later, there was another ordination ceremony, this time involving the three novices from Birken Forest Monastery. These are beautiful ceremonies, worth seeing, worth trying to understand their meaning, worth trying to understand the intention that would make one ordain in the first place. Much could be written on that topic, but that will have to be saved for another article.

Seven Inner Qualities to Treasure

2008-11-03T13:42:33-08:00

In the quadrennial presidential elections, many Americans seem to place a higher value on the outer personal qualities of the candidates than on their policies and positions on the issues of the day. In his teachings, the Buddha frequently stressed the value of inner qualities for those on the path toward awakening. Accompanied by Ajahn Karunadhammo and Sampajano Bhikkhu, Ajahn Pasanno used the occasion of his Dhamma talk at the October 7 First Tuesday Sanghapala Gathering in Berkeley to look at the benefits of one such set of inner qualities, the Seven Treasures.

During the break between tea and the more formal evening proceedings, Ajahn Pasanno watched a portion of the presidential debate between candidates John McCain and Barack Obama that was being held that evening in Nashville, Tennessee. Finding the debate uninspiring, Ajahn told his audience, he turned to reflecting on what it is that is worthy of our attention, on what it is that we can treasure as we make our way through life, and on how we make our decisions about what these are. Ajahn cited the Seven Treasures as things indeed worth paying attention in these difficult political and economic times. With a little searching, I found that these treasures appear in the Anguttara Nikaya 7.6, Dhana Sutta (Treasure), Thanissaro Bhikkhu’s translation of which is available online at Access to Insight. The final verse reads:

These, monks, are the seven treasures.
The treasure of conviction,
the treasure of virtue,
the treasure of conscience & concern,
the treasure of listening, generosity,
& discernment as the seventh treasure.
Whoever, man or woman, has these treasures
is said not to be poor, has not lived in vain.
So conviction & virtue, confidence & Dhamma-vision
should be cultivated by the wise,
remembering the Buddhas' instruction.

These qualities are treasures because we can feel their benefits when we live by them. Ajahn Pasanno recapitulated the Seven Treasures in contemporary terms:

(1) Faith and conviction help guide us in making life decisions with increased confidence. The Buddhist basis for faith and conviction is learning via experience that all things are conditioned, that what comes to us is the result of cause and effect (kamma). We learn that beneficial and wholesome actions are associated with happiness, well being, peace, and clarity of mind, characteristics that easily trump the restless, agitated, confused mental states associated with unskillful actions, however attractive they may have seemed to be in the moment. Faith and conviction in the Buddha and Dhamma that proceed from this understanding provide a stronger refuge than the “worldly” refuges we often seek out when we feel insecure.

(2) Virtue involves recognizing the value of living with the fundamental values of integrity and non-harming based on the Five Precepts. Living in this way helps build a sense of trust toward others and toward us from others. Moreover, it provides a foundation and anchor for how to live our lives that is further strengthened when we are able to find others who live by the same principles. According to cause and effect, we can tell when we are acting in a virtuous way by how we feel: actions based on integrity and non-harming make us feel good; the mind comes to a place of well-being and brightness.

(3) Conscience (shame) and (4) concern (fear of wrong-doing) are closely connected. Conscience arises when we sense that our actions are not appropriate, so that our sense of self-respect is threatened, whereas concern is rooted in respect for others. In either case, we are motivated to refrain from, to step back from unskillful actions. The feeling is something like “I really don’t want to do that.” As with the previous treasures, these qualities help us build a strong foundation for living in the complex world that characterizes human existence.

(5) Wise learning (listening) means to hear teachings that stimulate reflection. After noting what it is we are interested in and pay attention to and pondering what it is that is worth making the effort to learn, we discover a desire to learn more about the Dhamma teachings. In pursuing this aim, Ajahn recommended “going to the source” to learn the fundamental teachings of the Buddha. Two books that provide an entrée into this literature are The Life of the Buddha, translated and arranged by Bhikkhu Nyanamoli, and In the Words of the Buddha, edited by Bhikkhu Bodhi.

(6) Generosity includes both the common meaning of sharing and the less common one of relinquishing. Sharing material things with others and providing service and assistance to others imply a sense of how society (i.e., people living together) can work effectively as well engendering a sense of connection with others. At the same time, the attitude of generosity benefits us personally with, once again, a brighter mind. Relinquishing means giving up selfish habits, giving up what I need in favor of benefiting others. In the process, we simplify our lives by relieving ourselves of the self-imposed burden that comes with always putting ourselves first (“I don’t have to carry that around anymore”).

(7) Wisdom and discernment help us see what is skillful, what is beneficial for my well-being and that of others in contrast to what will lead to suffering. At the same time, we learn to see that when suffering arrives, like everything else it is impermanent and will change. With this insight we can overcome the fear that “I can’t bear this anymore” because we know that it is just a passing perception not based on anything fixed, solid, and eternal. This realization gives rise to a spaciousness in our minds and frees us from the suffering.

It was in part an evening of sevens, for during the informal tea that came earlier in the evening, Ajahn Pasanno also reviewed the sevenfold classification of Noble beings (i.e., those on the path) in terms of their dominant faculties, in contrast to the more familiar four stages of enlightenment based on the fetters (samyojana) tying us to the samsaric wheel of existence that have been relinquished. In this scheme, which is found in verses 14-21 of Majjhima Nikaya 70 (At Kitagiri), there are seven types of individuals:

Those fully liberated by wisdom from the taints (craving for sensual pleasure, craving for existence, and ignorance) that sustain the wheel of existence:
• Those liberated in both ways (includes abiding in the formless realms)
• Those liberated by wisdom without abiding in the formless realms
Those partially liberated from the taints by wisdom but have more work to do:
• A body witness (includes abiding in formless realms)
• One attained to view without abiding in formless realms
• One liberated by faith without abiding in the formless realms
Those not yet liberated from any taints but have the five spiritual faculties (faith, energy, mindfulness, concentration, and wisdom):
• A Dhamma-follower
• A faith-follower

The benefit of this scheme, for me, is that it takes account of our various inclinations and talents, so that we don’t all have to follow precisely the same path.

To close the evening, we were reminded that the annual Thanksgiving Retreat will be from November 21–30, at the Angela Center in Santa Rosa, CA. Abhayagiri Monastery and the Sanghapala Foundation invite you to join Ajahn Amaro and friends for a 10-day retreat over the Thanksgiving holiday. The theme for this year's retreat is contentment and gratitude. For details and registration information, please see the News and Announcements page on the Abhayagiri Web site. The next Sanghapala First Tuesday Gathering will be on November 4, 2008, at the Berkeley Buddhist Monastery (2304 McKinley Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94703).

Community Work Day at Abhayagiri

2008-11-02T19:31:37-08:00

The 2nd Sunday of the month is coming up soon on November 9th, so it’s time for Abhayagiri’s Community Work Day. This is a monthly event which occurs throughout the year from April to December.

This month’s work day will focus on an exciting new project that we have begun here, installing a mini hydro-electric system that will provide a good source of eco-friendly winter electricity—a time of year when our solar-electricity systems are less productive. The plan is that this will enable the monastery to heat more of the cabins using electric heaters, as opposed to heaters running off of propane gas.

The next phase of this project involves carrying PVC plastic pipes into the forest at Cool Oaks, where the system-infrastructure starts. Cool Oaks is located along the Loop Trail here at the monastery. Another task on that day will be painting the same type of pipes, which will be carried into the forest on a later date. The painting will take place down at the main compound of the monastery and, perhaps, at a location up at the end of the road further up the mountain.

So whether you are someone who likes walking our trails, or the more stationary task of standing and painting, we have something to suit many peoples’ inclinations.

The day commences at 7.30 am with the morning work meeting, during which a Dhamma reflection will be offered by one of the co-abbots. The work period begins shortly thereafter and continues until near the meal-offering which is served at 10.30 am. The afternoon work period will commence at about 1.00 pm, also with a work meeting and Dhamma reflection, and end at about 4.00 pm.

Please come and join us if you wish. There are tasks for people of all abilities and levels of energy and no need to let us know you're coming—just turn-up on the day!

Anyone wishing to stay overnight at the monastery should contact the Guest Monk using our contact form on the Abhayagiri website at http://www.abhayagiri.org/index.php/main/contact/C72

Thanksgiving Retreat - Contentment & Gratitude

2008-10-30T15:52:24-08:00

Abhayagiri Monastery in Redwood Valley, California and the Sanghapala Foundation invite you to join Ajahn Amaro and friends for a 10-day retreat over the Thanksgiving holiday. The theme for this year's retreat is Contentment & Gratitude. We will create a monastery environment during our time together, and we offer you this opportunity to explore the Dhamma in a setting that differs somewhat from a typical meditation retreat. We will all live the monastery life, following the Eight Precepts, taking only what is offered, and attempting to reflect on our every activity as part of our practice. This will include noble silence, morning and evening chanting, sitting and walking meditation, a work period, and daily Dhamma talks and teachings.

The retreat will be held from Friday afternoon, November 21, through midday Sunday, November 30, 2008, at the Angela Center in Santa Rosa, California. The closest airports are Oakland and San Francisco, with shuttles available to Santa Rosa. Because of the length of this retreat and the adherence to the Eight Precepts, you must previously have sat at least one five-day meditation retreat. Retreatants are requested to attend the entire retreat, from the opening taking of the Precepts on Friday evening to the closing ceremony on the final Sunday morning.

Accommodation is double-occupancy dormitory-style rooms, and the facility is wheelchair accessible. We are unable to accommodate any special dietary or environmental needs. We will eat a light breakfast and, in keeping with this monastic tradition, the daily meal (vegetarian) is eaten before noon; there is no evening meal. Incense and candles are used at the morning and evening chanting periods. Space at the Angela Center is limited to 75 retreatants.

The retreat will be offered solely on dana (freewill donations); there is no set fee. Due to the difficulties caused by the increasing number of late cancellations in recent years, however, a deposit policy has been instituted. A refundable registration deposit of $100 is now required to register for this retreat. For those who attend the retreat or who cancel at least 30 days in advance, the deposit can be refunded upon request or it can be offered as a freewill donation to Abhayagiri Monastery. The deposit cannot be refunded to those who cancel after October 21. Out of respect for others, please register only when you can make a clear and wholehearted commitment to attend.

To register, please download registration form and post to address provided.

Two Upcoming Bhikkhu Ordination Ceremonies

2008-09-29T15:51:25-08:00

In late-October Abhayagiri Buddhist Monastery is planning to hold two bhikkhu ordination ceremonies, with four samaneras formally requesting upasampada, or higher ordination.

On October 26th, Abhayagiri resident, Sāmanera Kaccāna, will have his higher ordination, and on Thursday, October 30th, Sāmaneras Subharo, Dhammavaro and Suvaco—three sāmaneras (novices) from Sītavana (Birken Forest Monastery in B.C. Canada)—will request their higher ordination.

Sītavana is a branch monastery in the Ajahn Chah tradition, with the community there led by Ajahn Sona, and is located in central British Columbia, Canada.

The ceremonies are scheduled to take place here at the ordination platform in the forest at Abhayagiri Buddhist Monastery, with Ajahn Pasanno acting as preceptor. They are scheduled to take place in the early afternoon, with the precise time yet to be determined. Please check this page closer to the date of the ceremony for more details.

Everyone is welcome to participate in the meal offering prior to the ceremony, which takes place at 11.00 am. Those wishing to attend this event are recommended to arrive in good time to allow for the necessity to shuttle people up the mountain in the monastery four-wheel-drive vehicle. Late-comers will have to walk up!

Reflecting on One’s Birthday: Who Is It That Is Born?

2008-09-03T08:16:11-08:00

From time to time, some of us find ourselves crossing over the line that separates wise reflection from the intellectual speculation about the self that the Buddha more than once in the Suttas condemned as “the thicket of views, the wilderness of views, the contortion of views, the vacillation of views, the fetter of views.” During the informal tea that begins the monthly Sanghapala First Tuesday Gathering, Ajahn Pasanno, provided a crisply worded criterion for making the distinction between what is fit for our attention and what is not when he summed up a discussion, paraphrased here, with “It’s that simple! Wisdom is knowing what’s beneficial and what’s not, so that one does not invest time and energy in things that are not beneficial.” In his Dhamma talk to the gathering, Ajahn Amaro then used the occasion of his birthday to speak of the clear seeing that follows turning away from views about the self and toward our true nature. On this occasion, Ajahn Karunadhammo, and Cāgānando Bhikkhu also traveled with Ajahns Amaro and Pasanno to the Berkeley gathering.

Ajahn Amaro began by reminding his listeners that conditioned as we are by the ways of the world, the Dhamma is for us “a tough nut to crack.” For example, the Buddha, immediately after his awakening, doubted that anyone would be able to penetrate the Dhamma, even with his guidance, and was therefore inclined not to begin teaching. As recorded in the short Pāli chant “Requesting a Dhamma Talk” that constitutes the formal invitation to teach, it took a prayerful plea from the Brahma god Sahampati, who argued that there were some beings with “but a little dust in their eyes” who would benefit in order to override the Buddha’s reluctance. Today, we are the beneficiaries of his change of heart. What we need to do at the start is realize that the task is a difficult one but also the most worthwhile one a human can undertake.

With this background established, Ajahn Amaro opened his discussion by joking that he had just that day turned 52, so “I’m playing with a full deck now.” More seriously, he encouraged each of us to use the occasion of our birthday as an invitation to reflect on the meaning of our birth. Such reflection leads first to gratitude. Those beings born in the human realm experience the reflective mind of a god and the physical body of an animal, a fortunate circumstance that gives us mixture of joy and sorrow in our lives and the ability to reflect on their meaning. To seal the point, Ajahn reminded us that Buddhas are always born in the human realm. So gratitude to one’s parents flows naturally when one realizes the marvelous opportunity to awaken that one has been given by being born.

Maintaining the balance between joy and sorrow is equally important as we pass through the early stages of life. It is an enormous advantage to grow up in a healthy environment without too many challenges, struggles, and difficulties. Ajahn Amaro recalled the recent teenage retreat at Abhayagiri where 15 young people exposed to a weekend with no dinner, no TV, no iPods, no computers—no fun—wanted nothing more but to come back for more. But, fortunately for many of us, whatever our early life experiences may have been, we can take advantage of the principle buried within the observation that how we begin has an enormous effect down the line; namely, the quality of attention we give to how we start out any undertaking is all-important. It is an aspect of the Right View that heads the Eightfold Path leading to the extinction of suffering. Ajahn quoted the Buddha: “Just as the lightening of the sky is the forerunner of the rising of the sun, so too is Right View a forerunner of waking up.” Beginning with Right View leads to actions in accord with the Dhamma, even down to beginning the breath on which we focus our attention.

To illuminate Right View, Ajahn Amaro recalled his teacher Ajahn Sumedho, who taught that Right View involved a paradigm shift from focusing on the me who is, who is doing to choosing to be aware and awake with things as they are (the meaning of taking refuge in the Buddha, the one who is awake). How things are includes the truth that our experience of life and of the world arises in our mind as a sequence of mind moments, a pattern of consciousness guided by awareness, an idea reminiscent of the philosophical position of Bishop Berkeley in the early 18th century that all we can know about an object is what we perceive. This is not to say, Ajahn cautioned, that the world would not exist if someone did not perceive it, an argument that was used to justify the existence of God, as parodied in the 19th century limerick that Ajahn recited:

There was a young man who said "God
Must find it exceedingly odd
To think that the tree
Should continue to be
When there's no one about in the quad."
"Dear Sir: Your astonishment's odd;
I am always about in the quad.
And that's why the tree
Will continue to be
Since observed by, Yours faithfully, God."

Stepping back from the precipice of intellectual speculation, Ajahn Amaro continued with the observation that the Buddha taught that it is the grasping of our experience that leads to a separation between “me” and “other.” Realizing that “me” and “other” are just arbitrary labels that the mind puts on aspects of our experience of the world begins the shift toward the Right View that steers us toward activities that are beneficial and in accord with the Dhamma. Attachment to self-view is one of the first three of the 10 fetters. It is only when all 10 fetters are abandoned that Right View is fully attained, but seeing through the first three is the breakthrough that brings us to the first stage of enlightenment—stream entry—after which, the teaching guarantees us that we cannot fall off the path again and will attain full enlightenment in no more than seven rebirths.

With the direct realization that the “I” with which we identify is only a momentary thought that arises and passes in our minds, we undergo what tradition calls a change of lineage. We are no longer only the latest in a long line of beings with a biological ancestry tracing backwards from our mothers and fathers to the origin of life. Instead, our new inheritance comes from a dimension beyond the gene pool, so that what “I” am now more truly refers to the unconditioned (asankhata), the unborn, the undying, that which is not bound by the limits of time and space. In contrast to drifting off into conceptual thinking, this moment of clear seeing and understanding (Right View), of knowing the timeless quality of what is so right now, of the reality of the moment that is in accord with physical “reality” but also transcends it, this provides a good framework for reflecting on our birth.

In closing, Ajahn Amaro also encouraged those interested to check out the Abhayagiri website News and Announcements section for information about the upcoming Kathina (almsgiving) ceremony (October 19th) and the Thanksgiving Retreat at the Angela Center in Santa Rosa (November 21st - 30th). Finally, Ajahn will be giving a daylong retreat at the Spirit Rock Meditation Center (September 21), and there will be a benefit for the Spirit Rock family program in Richmond on September 20. Consult the Spirit Rock website calendar page for information on these events. The next Sanghapala First Tuesday Gathering will be on October 7 at the Berkeley Buddhist Monastery (2304 McKinley Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94703).

Kathina (almsgiving) Celebration at Abhayagiri

2008-09-02T17:16:46-08:00

On Sunday, October 19th, Abhayagiri Buddhist Monastery will be having its Kathina Ceremony. Since the time of the Buddha, this annual ceremony has taken place during the month after the Vassa Retreat, which is the three-month rains retreat season (the monsoon season in Southeast Asia) for the monastic order. It is the time of the year when new robes and other requisites may be offered by the laity to the monks.

The day will commence with the meal offering promptly at 11:00 am. After the meal, the robe-offering ceremony will take place, commencing at 1:00 pm, followed by a Dhamma talk. Please feel free to join us for this special day. If you wish to help with any of the practical aspects of the day, such as preparing the monastery for the event, please contact us.

If you are interested in viewing a list of the material needs of the monastery, please see the Kathina Dana List 2008 Catherine at 415-887-9307 or by email at .

What Is the Kathina Ceremony?
And How Can You Get Involved?
by Jeannie Bendik

Since the earliest days of Buddhist monastic life a three-month Rains Retreat has been observed. During this time that begins with the full moon of July, the renunciants would commit to staying in one place to live and practice together. As the name suggests, the rainy season was a logical time to stop the wandering aspect of the homeless life since travel during this time was so difficult. When this practice period (also called the vassa or pansa) was over, the lay community supporting the monastery gathered to celebrate the completion of the retreat with a festival called the Kathina.

Though the monsoon season affects life less in modern times, the tradition of the Rains Retreat continues. And while summer and early autumn are the driest times in California’s Mediterranean climate, the Kathina celebration at Abhayagiri also marks the end of the Rains (or “no rains”!) Retreat. The Kathina day begins with a traditional meal offering and is followed by chanting and taking the precepts. A Dhamma talk is offered and the celebration includes gifts of supplies that are needed by the community for the coming year. A central gift is the offering of cloth for monastic robes. Traditionally the monastic robes were sewn together from bits of cloth collected from charnel grounds. At some point, a generous supporter decided to offer fresh, clean cloth for a robe, and that continues in the formal part of the Kathina ceremony. Even today, an individual (or sometimes a group) will ask to offer the Kathina cloth. Some years at Abhayagiri the cloth has been offered by the Ft. Bragg lay Sangha, in other years by long-distance supporters from Thailand, and once by the Sanghapala Board of Directors.

If you haven’t attended a Kathina celebration before, you’re in for a treat. I’ve come to think of it as the equivalent of all our lay holidays rolled into one. There is the abundance of Thanksgiving with gratitude for the completion of a long retreat and for having monastics in this country. The chance to gather together with gifts resembles the winter holidays of Hanukkah and Christmas, combined with a kind of birthday anniversary marking another year of monastic life. It’s a particularly joyous time to show appreciation for those who have gone forth into the homeless life and who provide support and inspiration to lay practitioners. It’s especially timely as fall and winter draw nearer, when visitors become less frequent and a full storeroom of supplies is so valuable.

If you are new to the Kathina celebration, you might be wondering how to join in. There are many ways to take part and greatly varying degrees of offering support. For those living near enough to attend in person, there are many tasks to be done ahead of time. The day before, you might find yourself making signs, helping put up awnings, arranging flowers or hanging prayer flags. On the day of the Kathina there are even more ways to pitch in, from directing cars for parking to receiving food, tidying bathrooms to the inevitable clean up. It’s a joy to work together with both lay and monastic community members.

If you can’t attend because of distance or calendar conflicts, you can still take part in the Kathina offering. If you enjoy shopping for a specific item that you know is needed, a Kathina “wish list” is available. Many small and medium-sized gifts can be sent by mail. You can notify a contact person when you’ve chosen what you’d like to give, and they will update the list accordingly, which helps eliminate duplication. Financial offerings are also gratefully received. Abhayagiri has many ongoing expenses. You can designate your gift for general operating costs such as medical insurance or utility bills or earmark your contribution for building projects or publications. Gifts of all sizes and kinds provide needed support and bring much happiness to both givers and recipients.

Whether you are able to come and enjoy the actual day of Kathina or can only participate “in spirit,” it is a rich experience to lend a hand, in whatever way, to the support of Abhayagiri. The monastic Sangha, as alms mendicants, exists completely through the generosity of lay supporters. In turn, the teachings offered by monastics (both by formal talks and by living example) are given freely. Their generous example helps our dana (generosity) flow out in response. It’s such a lovely circle of giving and receiving between the lay and monastic communities.

I recall a story of several medieval craftsmen working on an enormous church. When asked what each was doing, the first answered that he was building a wall in the nave. Another replied that he was carving a panel for a side door. The wisest worker responded, “I am building a cathedral.”No matter how we give or whether it’s in person or from a distance, we too are “building a monastery.”Please join us in whatever way you can as we celebrate the end of the Rains Retreat, this year on October 28th, 2007.