The flowers lining Abhayagiri’s trails opened almost overnight. As late March’s sun burnt off the mountain fog, blue bells of hound’s tongue and red tufts of indian paintbrush began to appear along the monks’ walk to and from the cloister, where they’d spent the previous three months practicing in silence. The end of winter retreat meant a return to a regular routine of working in the forest, cari…
The monastery will close for the three-month annual winter retreat on January 2, 2019 and re-open April 1st. During this time, the resident community takes time to engage in more formal meditation practice following a changing schedule of group and individual practice. During these three months there will be no overnight guests accepted. (For overnight visits after the retreat please contact the m…
Beginning on Saturday December 15th, the monastery’s weekly Dhamma Talk and Puja, usually held at 2 pm Sunday afternoon, will be moved back to 7 pm Saturday evening. The monastery hopes that returning the weekly program to its original Saturday evening slot will prove more convenient for those hoping to join the community for the regular teachings, meditation, and chanting. Additionally, the other…
Late October found the smoke that thickened Abhayagiri’s sky in August gone for clear autumn air, the three deer that usually roam the monastery’s garden replaced by hundreds of families visiting from the city. With the three-months annual Rains Retreat finished, the community’s wider family drew together on October 28th to celebrate the Kaṭhina ceremony. One monk explained: “In traditional times,…
Come celebrate New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day at Abhayagiri Monastery. On New Year’s Eve, Monday the 31st, there will be an evening program featuring meditation, a Dhamma talk, and chanting until midnight. The following morning, Tuesday January 1st, Abhayagiri will welcome the new year with a ceremonial almsround at the monastery, meal, and post-meal Dhamma Talk. Apart from celebrating the New…
All are welcome to attend the formal ceremony in which the Sāmaṇera Rakkhito will enter the monastic Saṅgha as a bhikkhu on Sunday, November 4th. The ceremony will take place in the new Dhamma Hall and will begin at 2 pm. Please note that Daylight Savings Time ends that morning, meaning all clocks are turned back one hour. Please see our calendar for more details.
Join us in welcoming one of Abhayagiri’s founding abbots this month. Ajahn Amaro, co-abbot of Abhayagiri from 1996 to 2010 and current abbot of Amaravati Monastery in England, will arrive at arrive at the monasteryi late on October 25 and fly out of the Bay Area on November 8. Details regarding his teaching engagements and general schedule can be found below and on the Abhayagiri calendar Sunday,…
Please note that the 2019Thanksgiving Retreat, which would usually begin in late November, has been replaced by the Abhayagiri Annual Retreat taking place from December 6-15th at Applegate Retreat Center. We hope you’re still able to join us. You may find more information here.
Monks’ chanting rose into the warm July evening of Āsāḷha Pūjā to mix with the smoke that was just beginning to fill the Abhayagiri valley. Several miles away, fires that were to become the largest in California history roared through the parched madrone. In the year since the Redwood Valley Complex fire nearly consumed Abhayagiri, the scarred hills surrounding the monastery have served as a daily…
We hope you can join us at Abhayagiri Buddhist Monastery for the next Upasika Day on Sunday, October 14, a day of community, Dhamma study, meditation, and renewal. This will be both part of the regular Upasika Day program, and a special day. Abhayagiri has accepted a request from the Mendocino-Rebuilding Our Community team of the Community Foundation of Mendocino County to participate in a week-lo…
