The Abhayagiri community has been appreciating the increased time for practice and study offered by the winter retreat. The community is doing well even amidst an unusually large amount of rain, snow and multiple power outages.

Winter Retreat Readings - Mindfulness of Dhammas: The Fourth Foundation of Mindfulness

The Dhamma theme for this winter retreat has been the fourth foundation of mindfulness: mindfulness of Dhammas. The winter retreat readings are being posted online here:
https://www.abhayagiri.org/talks/collections/1-winter-retreats/latest

Luang Por Thai Dhamma Talks Available

Luang Por Pasanno and Ajahn Nyaniko both departed in December to spend time in Thailand, including participating in the inauguration of the new sima and uposatha hall at Wat Pah Nanachat. Luang Por offered 30 Dhamma talks during his time in Thailand. These Dhamma talks were primarily in Thai and can be downloaded from this page on the Abhayagiri website:
https://www.abhayagiri.org/talks/collections/4/153-luang-por-pasannos-2022-2023-thailand-visit

Ajahn Nyaniko is currently practicing in Bodh Gaya and plans to spend this spring in Thailand. He expects to return to Abhayagiri in early July. Luang Por returned to Abhayagiri at the end of January. Photos of their time in Thailand are below this article.

Songkran (Thai New Year) on April 15th

Abhayagiri will be celebrating Songkran (Thai New Year) on Saturday, April 15th. All are welcome to participate. The schedule for the day is:
10:30am - Arrival time - Please aim to arrive by 10:30am
11am - Offering the meal and meal blessing, followed by a ceremonial washing of Buddha Rupas
1pm - Gathering again for Songkran Ceremony

Opening to Guests in April

From April 1st onward, with the conclusion of the winter retreat, Abhayagiri will begin accepting reservations for overnight guests and will also resume the regular 5:30 pm teatime Q&A sessions with a senior monk in the Monks Dining Hall as well as various other teaching engagements.

Please see the Abhayagiri calendar for an updated list of events including the monthly 1st Tuesday Tea Time Question and Answer session.
https://www.abhayagiri.org/calendar/

Photos from Thailand

Ajahn Chah Memorial at Wat Pah Pong

Luang Por in front of the new Uposatha Hall

Luang Por Pasanno, Ajahn Nyaniko, Ajahn Kai, Tan Khantiko, Tan Tissaro and Tan Dhammavaro spent time travelling together within Thailand

Luang Por, Ajahn Nyaniko and Ajahn Kai doing a blessing

Luang Por on alms round at Wat Pah Nanachat

Monks and laity in front of Pilok Chedi, which was recently restored. Included in this photo are Luang Por Pasanno, Ajahn Jundee, Ajahn Siripañño, Ajahn Sek, Ajahn Nyaniko, Ajahn Kai, Tan Khantiko, Tan Tissaro and Tan Dhammavaro.

The monastery will enter the three-month annual winter retreat on January 2, 2023 and resume the normal routines on April 1st. During this time, the winter retreat the resident community takes time to engage in more formal meditation practice following a changing schedule of group and individual practice.

During the winter retreat there will be no overnight guests. To schedule overnight visits after April 1st, please contact us April 1st or later. Day visitors are still welcome to visit the monastery to participate in the meal offering or bring offerings of requisites at meal time or attend the evening Dhamma talks on Saturday night and lunar observance days.

It should be noted, however, that the community is practicing noble silence, thus, conversations with the monastics and retreat crew are very limited.
We will continue to hold the Saturday evening meditation and Dhamma talks beginning at 7pm each Saturday and the weekly lunar observance days. Please see the website calendar for details or go to the Abhayagiri YouTube Channel to view the livestreams. The general public is welcome to attend these events.

For those interested in listening to or downloading Dhamma talks from the monastery, please note that we plan on posting new talks regularly throughout the retreat.

Abhayagiri 2022 Photo Gallery

A photo gallery of the past year is now available on the Abhayagiri website:
https://www.abhayagiri.org/gallery

From the Monastery - Abhayagiri 2022

Abhayagiri fully reopened in spring 2022, allowing many the opportunity to visit again in person. People have now been able to reconnect in various ways such as participating in the evening chanting, meditation and Dhamma talks, tea time question and answer sessions or joining in with the daily meal. The evening pujas on the lunar observance days and Saturday nights continue to be livestreamed, making them accessible to people around the world.

The resident community is doing well and recently conducted Abhayagiri’s first triple bhikkhu ordination of Abhayagiri novices. The three newest members of the Abhayagiri bhikkhu sangha are the Venerables Tejasāro, Obhāsi and Sivako. On the work scene, a major emphasis continues to be reducing the monastery’s vulnerability to fire, especially through reducing the amount of vegetation near monastery buildings. Also, structural improvements have been made to both Santi Vihara and the Bhikkhu Commons to increase their fire resistance.

On September 25, a lay teacher and dear friend of Abhayagiri, Cindy”Mettika” Hoffman passed away. Before the pandemic, the monks visited regularly to teach at Mettika’s Three Jewels Dhamma Hall in Fort Bragg. Mettika spent her final weeks at a care facility in the nearby town of Ukiah, which allowed the monastics to visit her many times. Mettika’s life and her peacefulness and presence during her final weeks have been an inspiration to the Abhayagiri community. Mettika has left the Three Jewels Dhamma Hall to the Abhayagiri sangha allowing the possibility of a small branch monastery in Fort Bragg. There is also the possibility of another small branch monastery starting in Mckinleyville. This is due to the initial generosity and initiative of three individuals living in Humboldt County,

The Building Committee has been overseeing the remodel of Santi Vihara, which may be finished by the end of January. It is designed to take care of elderly monks and also will allow the Abhayagiri community to take care of visiting elders such as Luang Por Sumedho.

The Abhayagiri community was grateful to host Luang Por Sumedho and Ajahn Asoko for nearly four weeks during June and July. There were also brief visits by other esteemed elders including Luang Por Viradhammo, Ajahn Dick Silaratano, Ajahn Candasiri and finally on Dec. 3rd, Ajahn Thanissaro. Teachings from these venerable Ajahns are available on the Abhayagiri YouTube Channel.

A more lasting arrival came in the form of a beautiful green Buddha rupa from Thailand. The Buddha image is made of Indian marble and currently sits outside the main Dhamma Hall.

Ajahn Nyaniko recently completed five vassas in the co-abbot/abbot role and will be on sabbatical in Thailand. This time will allow Ajahn Nyaniko to reconnect with various monastics and laity in Thailand. Ajahn Nyaniko also plans to visit Bodhgaya in India, the site of the Buddha’s enlightenment. He plans to return in July 2023 to resume his role as abbot of Abhayagiri.

The Abhayagiri community will begin its three month winter retreat in early January, allowing the resident monastics a greater opportunity to focus on formal practice. Day visitors are still welcome during that time and overnight visits will be available again in April.

Notable Dhamma publications and resources:

The Life & Teachings of Luang Por Liem Ṭhitadhammo
This book was printed in honor of Luang Por Liem’s 80th birthday and is in both English and Thai. Luang Por Liem has been ordained for 60 years and currently serves as the abbot of Wat Nong Pah Pong, the original monastery founded by the Venerable Ajahn Chah. A pdf can be downloaded from the below page:
https://www.abhayagiri.org/books/647-the-life-and-teachings-of-luang-por-liem-hitadhammo

Breathing Like a Buddha
Ajahn Sucitto guides readers through the practice of mindfulness of breathing based on the Buddha’s teachings on this theme. This book is available both in print format and for electronic download.
https://www.abhayagiri.org/books

Amavarati Dhamma Media Database
Amaravati Buddhist Monastery near London now has a freely available and searchable Dhamma media database with Dhamma books and articles.
https://media.amaravati.org/

On December 4th Sāmaṇeras Tejasāro, Obhāsī and Sivako will take bhikkhu ordination as a group of three. This event is open to the public. The ordination will also be live-streamed on our Youtube Channel