Abbey News
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2009 News About The Abbey2009 News About The AbbeyClick on the following links for news and interviews about Sravasti Abbey and Venerable Thubten Chodron:
For news updates for previous years click here. December 2009 UpdateSharing the Dharma with Others Dear Friends, As we approach the winter equinox, let our hearts and minds brighten with the festival of lights celebrated by so many faiths this time of year. In particular, the Abbey will host a puja and a light procession for Je Tsongkhapa’s Day, which coincides with the first night of Hanukkah and precedes Christmas each year. Come and join us! Sharing the Dharma with Others Coeur d’Alene Dharma Friends invited me to give a two-session seminar “Does Happiness Depend on the State of the Economy?” Held at the Life Center Therapies for Well-Being yoga studio, about forty people attended. They were an eager crowd, with many new people who listened attentively. Invited by Treasure Valley Dharma Friends in Boise, ID. Vens. Chonyi and Jigme taught "Equalizing and Exchanging Self and Others" and led meditations on that topic so that people could immediately begin integrating it into their lives. The teachings were held at the Vietnamese Temple where TVDF usually meets. This enabled the nuns from the Vietnamese and Tibetan traditions to meet and share the respect and affection that nuns of all traditions have for each other. The Unity Church in Spokane invited me to give the “lesson” (sermon) for two of their services. I spoke about working with anger and forgiveness, and people really resonated with these topics. Ven. Tarpa gave a talk to a World Religion class at Eastern Washington State University and then spoke at a gathering of the new interfaith group. She loved the inquisitive minds of these young people. The Rotary Club also invited me to speak at one of their monthly luncheons and chose a fascinating topic, “The Noble Eightfold Path and the Four-Way Test.” The Four-Way Test is the means by which Rotary members decide on good action: Is it the truth? Is it fair to everyone concerned? Does it promote friendship? Is it beneficial to everyone concerned? These four concord with what the Buddha taught, so this was a fun talk to give, and the audience was appreciative. They were hungry for a talk about living according to values and principles, and we received very good feedback on this talk. One person said, “Wow! What a message! Makes me proud to be a Rotarian … and a human being that cares about others.” Interfaith Dialogue Ven. Chonyi gave the keynote talk at Spokane's Interfaith Thanksgiving Day Service at the Episcopal Cathedral, which included Jewish, Native American, and various Christian offerings. Compassion was the theme—a quality admired by all faith traditions. The Unity Church minister took the opportunity to introduce the Charter for Compassion, which the Abbey enthusiastically supports. Please sign it and join us to practice implementing its principles in our daily lives. top Retreat/Teachers’ Cabin Prison Outreach Kathleen and I went to visit the Buddhist group at nearby Airway Heights Correctional Center in October, as Abbey residents have done several times in the past. This Buddhist group is going strong due to the efforts of the inmates and under the guidance of several local Buddhist volunteers who teach there regularly. About forty people attended my talk, some of them exploring the Dharma for the first time. In the first session, we did breathing meditation and then discussed the importance of being mindful of our motivations and consciously cultivating good ones. In the second session, we meditated again and discussed the causes and ramifications of lying. One inmate took refuge and precepts, and several others renewed their vows. These men are making effort to turn their lives around, and they see the effects when they practice the Dharma. For those of you interested in how innocent children are adversely affected by a dysfunctional child protection system and later find themselves in prison, I recommend reading Jarvis Masters’ new book, That Bird Has My Wings. Masters, who became a Buddhist while incarcerated, wrote this moving autobiography from Death Row at San Quentin in California. Our friends from Inside Dharma in Missouri recently held an exhibit and auction of inmates’ artwork. It’s amazing to see their talent. Also I recently read an article in the New York Times about Wesleyan University offering courses in Cheshire Correctional Institute. We applaud them. More programs such as this one are needed! top Caring for the Forest The Abbey’s Students During retreats, participants take turns leading sessions and guiding the Lamrim meditations. They do an excellent job, which gives the other retreatants new slants on the meditation. Here is Tom’s guided meditation on Precious Human Life from the retreat in October. And here’s Peter’s guided meditation on Making Our Life Meaningful from a retreat several years ago. Tsundru has joined us for the winter, and we said good-by to Kevin, who has been the Abbey's friendly office manager for two-and-a-half years. Kevin had been serving the Abbey as an engaged volunteer from afar when he got the inspiration to "come and help Venerable Chodron." And he has been helpful, offering service in many ways. Now that the community is thriving, Kevin is off to fulfill other goals by doing retreat at Gampo Abbey and offering volunteer service in Cambodia. We wish him well and know he will continue to be involved in helping wherever he lands. top Retreats As we prepare to go into our three-month winter retreat, many people are signing up to join us. We welcome your participation in the Green Tara Retreat From Afar. People tell us how they tangibly experience the group support that comes from engaging in the daily sadhana practice, even though they're meditating at home. top With thanks for all the kindness we've received from so many sources, we rejoice in the goodness of living beings and wish each of you a peaceful winter. Ven. Thubten Chodron and the Sravasti Abbey community (back)November 2009
Gotami House Consecration Dear Friends, Gotami House Consecration top Holly, our architect’s wife, told us, “Often we come to the end of things and that's that—people drift off, jump into the next thing, or are so relieved to just be done with it. But the completion of Gotami House was different. After completing it, everyone came together to consecrate the residence and celebrate the service of all those people who worked so hard and in such a variety of ways to realize the vision.” Susan, our volunteer bookkeeper said, “Visualizing the Buddhas coming to take their places in Gotami House, enlivening the statues and holy objects, had a great impact on me. I could feel them, almost see them, and feel their presence remaining for a long, long time to come. It was a powerful and touching moment. I am very fortunate to be a part of this.” Take a look at the before and after landscaping pics around Gotami House. The community did all the planting and it was beautiful in time for the consecration. Now, a month later, we just had our first snowfall of the year and everything looks different! The Shambhala Sun’s Mahasangha news covered the consecration. Compassion Retreat top The discussion topics were especially probing as we investigated topics such as our experience of taking refuge in the Three Jewels, cleaning up our speech, and the relationship between compassion and ethical conduct. Nine people took refuge and the five precepts, and everyone left with renewed vigor and enthusiasm for Dharma practice. Monastics Go Green top We learned that eating meat puts more green house gases in the atmosphere than all cars, trucks, buses, and planes together! So we thought that just as we have “Retreat from Afar” during our annual three-month winter retreat, we’ll also have “Vegetarian from Afar” for those people who want to eat vegetarian at least once a week. Contact the and let us know you want to do this and send us a photo. We’ll put the photos of all you Vegetarians from Afar in our kitchen so you can be part of our community. The Abbey is purely vegetarian, so whatever day you choose to be vegetarian, you can be assured that we will also be. A Dharma Outing to Missoula top Outreach top Due to popular demand, Vens. Semkye and Chonyi are doing another eight-week series of meditation classes in Spokane, and Vens. Tarpa and Jigme are giving a four-week series on “Meditation for Health” in Newport. More News top You may remember that a Korean video team from Buddhist Television Network visited the Abbey and interviewed me last year for a documentary on Buddhism in America. Those Interviews are now on the web. You can view them in eight segments by topic— Founding of Sravasti Abbey, How the Teachings are adapted for Western culture, How Westerners relate to the topic of Rebirth, The differences and similarities of Buddhism and Psychology, The Teacher Student Relationship, Retreats, Diversity, Taking the teachings into the work place — or you can watch the complete 59-minute interview. Pics from Jeffrey Hopkins’ September retreat at the Abbey are now on the web. Tracy Morgan, an Abbey supporter, tells of her experience recovering from cancer, and Lesli from the Spokane meditation class sent us her reseach paper on the Effects of Meditation on the Brain. Two Singaporeans came to visit in October—Raymond, who came for the Chenrezig retreat, and Lizzie who will be with us a month. In addition to all the retreatants who visited the Abbey in October, we welcomed Carla from Costa Rica, Ruth and Sage from Seattle, Rinchen from Missoula, and Nikki from Minnesota who came with Carolyn and Denise from Coeur d'Alene. We’re also delighted that Tsundru Kelly has come to stay at the Abbey for some months. We were very touched by Nikki’s understanding of the importance of generosity in our lives. After we thanked her for offering food on her recent visit to the Abbey, she wrote, “It is us who should thank you. I believe that giving is a necessary part of being that simply brings balance to the universe by those that have providing for those that don't. Giving is as necessary to life as breathing. In this case it is the Abbey that gave to us. Even in our small attempt to give, you taught us what giving is.” Tara Retreat from Afar top Let us welcome the changes we encounter in life like we welcome the brilliant colors of autumn, Bhikshuni Thubten Chodron and the residents of Sravasti Abbey (back)October 2009
Grand Opening of Gotami House
Heart Sutra Retreat Venerable Chonyi in Singapore Retreat cum Guest Teacher’s Cabin Caring for the Forest Other News Dear Friends, September has been a full month at Sravasti Abbey, and there is lots to share with you. Grand Opening of Gotami House top We had much to do to get ready for the Dedication and Opening of Gotami House. Prior to the Heart Sutra retreat, we were also busy fixing up the inside of Gotami House to welcome nearly thirty residential guests to the Abbey, putting in some comfy bunk beds together with new mattresses that Tanya offered. Kevin, along with Ven. Semkye and Dallas, landscaped around Gotami House. With enthusiasm, they rototilled the packed dirt, added compost, and planted grass, flowers, and trees. We’re very grateful to all the volunteers who helped them. The weather on the Opening Day was beautiful—clear, not too warm or too cool. Seventy people attended, including our friends who are Catholic sisters and a priest, friends from Seattle and Missoula, and our local friends. The day began with setting our motivation and remembering the long term purpose of the Abbey as well as the immediate benefit it brings sentient beings, followed by a Tara puja. After the puja, we presented gifts to the people who helped us the most: Tim Wilson, the lead architect from Momentum Architecture; Thomas Orjala, the contractor from Northida Homes; John and Betty Perry, from American Bay Construction who excavated and moved tons of dirt; our dear neighbors, Pat and Jo Simpson, who got the project going and were wonderful resources and helpers during the construction process. On behalf of FOSAS (Friends of Sravasti Abbey Singapore), Moi accepted an engraved plaque which was placed in the library of Gotami House, the room that FOSAS offered. We also honored Ven. Tarpa, the construction manager; Ven. Jampel, who worked on the building; and Ven. Chonyi, who was in charge of Inviting Generosity. The program included a PowerPoint presentation on the construction of Gotami House and a video made by FOSAS in which they sent their greetings for the day. Ven. Chonyi reviewed the finances: we had estimated the three parts of Phase 1 of our Master Plan—the kitchen remodel, Gotami House, and the retreat/guest teachers’ cabin—would cost $1.1 million. Due to good money management and to residents and volunteers pitching in and doing a lot of the work, it looks like we’ll be able to complete it for $900,000! To date, we have received about $780,000. A stupa offered by Ven. Jendy arrived the day before the celebration, and in it we put a relic of the Buddha that Kyabje Zopa Rinpoche had given to me. The morning concluded with everyone being blessed by the Buddha relic. We also offered everyone a Sravasti Abbey hat, which they thoroughly enjoyed. After a delicious lunch—yes, we served 70 people out of our small kitchen—we circumambulated Gotami House in procession. Then, settling in front of it, we did the consecration and blessing and dedicated the merit of all those who helped build this home for the sangha in order to spread the Dharma. We then took people on a tour of Gotami House and the beginnings of the new retreat cabin/guest teachers’ cabin in the garden. Go here for more photos of the day. Heart Sutra Retreat top The next day Bev arrived with the exquisite stained glass window of Mahaprajapati Gotami that she made. We immediately invited Ven. Gotami to her new home in the library of Gotami House, amidst many “oooohs” and “aaaahs.” Then Shane, Ven. Jigme’s nephew who is a wood carver, arrived with the beautiful new Sravasti Abbey sign that he made to grace the road up to the Abbey. Without us planning it, this assembly of Buddhas and Sangha as well as the sign, which is the mere label “Sravasti Abbey,” all arrived in time for the beginning of the retreat. The last day of the retreat we walked in procession to consecrate the stained glass window of Gotami and then walked to the sign where we contemplated two verses by Nagarjuna on dependent designation and emptiness. Then at the very end of the retreat, we had another surprise: Ven. Gache offered us a beautiful painting of the Thirty-five Buddhas. All of us immediately did the prostration practice to them as a conclusion to the retreat. The retreat itself went very well. We had a full house with thirty-four people staying at the Abbey, and all the beds at Gotami House were full. By way of introduction, I spoke about the Four Seals and then transited into an explanation of the Heart Sutra. People commented that the discussion groups were especially helpful—one was on incorporating an awareness of impermanence into our life; the second on taking people, things, and our precious human life for granted and how to increase our appreciation and gratitude. Several people took refuge and lay precepts and several also took the bodhisattva vow during the retreat. Seeing people make conscious choices to go in a wholesome direction is always inspiring! Venerable Chonyi in Singapore top Ven. Chonyi's visit was full of Dharma activities. Sheled two workshops on the symposium theme of “Transforming to a Global Village” at Kampung Senang’s main office and in the new Poh Ming Tse temple. She also gave talks at Buddha Dhamma Mandala Society, Singapore Buddhist Mission, and Buddhist Library and led a Chenrezig practice day for FOSAS volunteers. There were also special Dharma sharings with the Maitripals, a volunteer organization supporting people living with HIV, and the Phor Kark See Monastery youth group. Ven. Chonyi and the Abbey thank our friends from FOSAS, Kampung Senang, and Poh Ming Tse for their kindness, generosity, and tremendous support. Retreat cum Guest Teacher’s Cabin top Caring for the Forest top For many of us, working in the forest is a favorite activity, especially after working on the computer. Each area of the forest has its own feeling, and we love the treasures we find there—a rabbit hole, wild orchids, a huge old cedar tree, baby cedars sheltered by the grand firs. October 3 and 4 will be our annual “Bring in the Firewood Day” for all those who would like to join us. We bring in wood from the forest, load up the furnace room, and cap the day with pumpkin pie! Other News top Early in the month I traveled to Boulder, Colorado and gave two talks on the Six Perfections for the Lama Yeshe House study group, and Ven. Jampel and Ven. Tarpa represented the Abbey at Spokane's "One Peace, Many Paths" interfaith event in conjunction with the U.N. World Peace Day. Ven. Semkye is recovering her health slowly but surely. Here’s what she wrote about transforming illness into the path. I participated in a radio interview on Resolving Conflict and Bringing Peace together with Dr. Joel Levy and Eric Svaren. It’s “Conflict, Part 2” from Sept. 16 on “Voices of Diversity.” Trevor Fenwick, the former cook at Cloud Mountain Retreat Center, has come to stay and train at the Abbey until the spring. He is a joy to work with and an excellent cook! Rodrigo wrote his reflections as a “modern Dharma practitioner” and Gedun, from a previous Young Adult Week, wrote about Poison and Medicine. More of my talks in Spanish are now available on the web: Video, Audio: Las Cuarto Nobles Veridades, and Audio: Lineas de Experiencia. We send you our good wishes and prayers in harvest season. May we all reap boundless merit and wisdom, Bhikshuni Thubten Chodron and the residents of Sravasti AbbeySeptember 2009
Gotami House
Geshe Phelgye’s Course Ven. Semkye in the Hospital Exploring Monastic Life Other August News Upcoming Events At the Abbey Events At Other Venues Dear Friends, Late summer is upon us. Applesauce-making season is here as we try to cook the apples at the same rate our prolific tree ripens them. The veggie garden is abundant, the fall apples are growing, and our plum tree gave us some small and sweet fruit. May our Dharma realizations similarly grow. Gotami House top Previously two of the downstairs bedrooms in the main building doubled as offices. Now, with more space, they can be converted into fulltime offices. We tore the grungy old carpet out of one of them and replaced it with a new carpet remnant. We moved the tea counter to a more convenient place and moved the AV library to one of the new offices, thus enlarging the pantry space. People have been very generous in donating mattresses and other furniture, which has been so very helpful in furnishing both Gotami House and the offices. Thank you so much! John carved out a flat path through the meadow from the main building to Gotami House. Since rain was predicted for that evening, we had an Abbey’s “all hands on board” call. Everyone pitched in so that we could make a truck load of mulch in one afternoon. We succeeded in not only chipping the wood but spreading it on the path, all before the drops began to fall. Phase One of our construction still continues. The first two parts—remodeling the kitchen and constructing Gotami House—are complete. Building a retreat cabin that will double as a beautiful residence for guest teachers is yet to come. Ven. Jampel, together with his father, plan on getting the shell of the building up before the winter snow. Situated at the end of the garden, this two-room cabin will have a magnificent view of Spring Valley below and the hills and mountains beyond it. Geshe Phelgye’s Course top Ven. Semkye in the Hospital top Exploring Monastic Life top Other August News top Our forest thinning project continues and we are making slow, but sure, progress. Many volunteers—Janelle, Nancy, Ashley, Russell, and Andrew to name a few—come for the day to help us. They say what a wonderful break it is from city life to spend time in the forest with the way it smells in the summer and the way the light plays off the leaves and filters through the trees. We have a great time working together, and it feels good to see the space opening up so that the trees can grow in a healthy way. For those of you who speak Spanish, check out Dharma videos in Spanish and audio recordings of the Four Noble Truths and Lines of Experience in Spanish. Hoping you’ll be able to join us on September 26 to celebrate the opening of Gotami House, Bhikshuni Thubten Chodron and the residents of Sravasti Abbey August 2009Gotami House—We Have the Permit!
Exploring Buddhism Dallas Becomes an Anagarika Outreach The Outdoors Other July Activities Upcoming Events at the Abbey Upcoming Teachings Elsewhere Dear Friends, Summer is unfolding here with the temperatures reaching into the 90’s, glorious blue skies, multi-colored wild flowers, and occasional welcomed showers—and we'll soon be moving into Gotami House. Gotami House—We Have the Permit! ! top Special thanks go to Dallas, Ven. Jampel, and Jim Tally who took on the major tasks of varnishing doors, finishing bathroom countertops, and installing baseboards, caulking, and cleaning. Ven. Tarpa and Ven. Semkye get the credit for the finishing safety touch—a planter box that serves as a guard rail and adds beauty to the entry-way. We still need to furnish Gotami House and do the landscaping. We have already started reseeding the meadows, which were torn up by the machines used during construction. Many of the plants and flowers in the current Abbey garden will be divided and moved to the new residence since they have proven to be winners for their beauty and simplicity. The "A Step Towards Peace" campaign continues as we gather the funds and turn our attention to the final phase of this building project—the retreat/guest teacher cabin. Exploring Buddhism top The Abbey residents supported the program by leading meditation, cooking, and sharing their personal perspectives during many one-on-one, heart-to-heart conversations with the young adults. The week ended with the traditional Abbey skits, which had all of the residents laughing until our sides ached. Having the young adults here is a very special gift to the Abbey, and we wish them all well in their virtuous worldly and spiritual endeavors. Dallas Becomes an Anagarika top The Abbey nuns did the traditional head shaving ceremony, symbolizing renunciation of worldly concerns, and the entire monastic community accompanied her as she made her request to take the vows. Afterwards, rejoicing in her decision, the group shared with Dallas their good wishes and prayers. And so the Abbey community continues to grow. Outreach top Ven. Tarpa spoke at both Dharma Friendship Foundation and Chi-yuan Temple in the Seattle area this month, and Ven. Semkye and Ven. Chonyi continued the weekly meditation group at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Spokane. The classes have consisted of breathing meditation as well as short analytical meditations that the participants then go home and practice for the week. The response has been overwhelmingly positive with a lot of insights and questions about their experiences. Meanwhile I’ve been studying with Geshe Sopa in Wisconsin this month and during this time was a co-presenter at an interfaith retreat at the Christine Center, a Catholic retreat center, and also taught at Jewel Heart in Cleveland. Both groups were very enthusiastic and receptive. Our prison work continues. In addition to corresponding with inmates and sending them Dharma books and tapes, we make prison visits. Ven. Tarpa was at Monroe Correctional Center north of Seattle, and I gave a talk at North Central Correctional Institution in Ohio, where the group of about 25 men listened attentively and asked excellent questions. I have been writing to one of them for some time, and he had requested to take refuge and the five precepts, so we did that ceremony at the end of the session, while several of the others watched. Last month, I also gave refuge and precepts over the telephone to a man incarcerated in California. Both of these inmates were overjoyed. We’re very appreciative of Andreas Lang, a professional photographer, who offered a few of his photos for us to send to inmates. These will brighten up their cells and thus their minds. The Outdoors top Summer has brought an amazing display of wildflowers in the forest as well as new broods to add to the wildlife families that call the Abbey garden their home. Manjushri and Achala (our cats) love being outside to enjoy the cool grass in the shade. It's been a wonderfully abundant season and it's only half over! Kevin has built beds for the vegetable garden and installed a system to water it. We’ve had fresh lettuce, peas, and greens, and more varieties will be growing into the autumn. People enjoy planting and tending the garden in the sunshine as well as in the cool evenings. And it's cherry season! The Abbey's trees have never been so full, and we invite all our guests to take part in some picking and pitting. Martha, visiting from Ecuador, spends time with the cherries every day. We freeze these by the gallon bag-full, and it's wonderful to enjoy them throughout the year, especially during the silent days of the winter retreats. Other July Events top The July Sharing the Dharma Day was also abundant, with 26 participants joining in. Death and rebirth was the topic of the day, and everyone enjoyed insightful sharing with newcomers and Abbey regulars. In these days of summer abundance, may your own positive actions bear much fruit, bringing happiness now and in the future for you and for all living beings. Bhikshuni Thubten Chodron and the residents of Sravasti Abbey July 2009
Vesak Day Celebration
Trip to Taiwan Annual Open House Construction Update The Forest & Land Outreach Other June Events Dear Friends, Spring has jumped into summer with bright, sunny, warm days and short visits by thunderclouds and rain showers. Meanwhile, life at the Abbey has been full and fulfilling.Vesak Day Celebration top Trip to Taiwan top You can read the report and see the photos of the conference and tour, and read the paper I presented on “Buddhist Education for Nuns in Western Countries” at the conference. You may also want to read Bhikkhu Bodhi’s paper “Bhikkhuni Education Today: Seeing Challenges as Opportunities” (or see him presenting it on the web). Annual Open House top Construction Update top Meanwhile, if funds permit, in the autumn we hope to begin construction on the two-room retreat cabin in the garden, which will double as a guesthouse for visiting teachers. Many thanks to all of you who have so generously donated towards Gotami House and the cabin! Headed by Tracy with assistance from Amy, many of our wonderful local friends in Spokane hosted a “house-warming shower” for Gotami House. Cheryl Harrison came from Seattle to sing, and many people offered food so that a good time was had by all. Venerables Chonyi, Jampel, and Semkye attended and joyfully accepted the shower of gifts for the new residence. The Forest & Land top The forest-cleaning project is off to a great start as the first 1.5 acres of forest are being thinned for health and fire prevention. Rachel came for a week to help fell trees, and Ryder and Ed worked alongside her for daylong stints. It's also the season to stalk the noxious knapweed. Kevin heads up the project this year, and residents cheerfully take their turns to help eradicate this poisonous plant. Nancy comes faithfully every week and is perfectly willing to serve in the forest, the knapweek patrol, the sewing machine … wherever she is needed. We are delighted with President Obama’s United We Serve initiative, which encourages Americans to engage in volunteer work with their communities. We at the Abbey do that in a variety of ways, and we posted our project to thin the forest and improve the environment for wildlife on our land as a United We Serve activity that others can engage in. Abbey residents and guests enjoy working in the forest during the long summer evenings. The garden is glorious and the meadows are lush with tall green grasses. Come visit us and see for yourself! Outreach top The inmates are quite an inspiration to the Abbey community because of their sincere and committed support of each other in the Dharma. There are new articles and poems by inmates on the “Prison Dharma” section of the website. Coeur d’Alene Dharma Friends organized two talks at the local Unity Church in which I spoke about karma and compassion. Going into more details about the functioning of karma and its effects was helpful for people, who said it helped them understand their lives and the events that happen in them. And in Spokane, Ven. Semkye and Ven. Chonyi began another six-week class series on meditation at the Unitarian church. Other June Events top
Frederick Browne, who came to stay at the Abbey in December, has returned to Seattle to continue his practice. We all wish him well. He will continue to visit the Abbey from time to time. Keeping the Abbey buildings and grounds in good shape is a continual practice in impermanence. Recently the community was informed that the chimney liner will need to be replaced after 28 years of use. The community has found a reputable chimney sweep company who will replace the clay liner with a steel insulated one with a lifetime warranty. Exploring Buddhism, our annual program for young adults age 18-29, is in full swing now with a lovely group of people. More on that in our next e-newsletter. Our June Sharing the Dharma Day also went well, with discussion, a Dharma talk, and meditation on the preciousness of our human life. Ruby, a Dharma friend in Singapore, sent her thoughtful reflections about what makes life meaningful. We thought this would resonate with and inspire you too. May the cheer of summer fill our hearts with enthusiasm for benefiting others Bhikshuni Thubten Chodron and the residents of Sravasti Abbey (back)June 2009Geshe Sopa Teaches at the Abbey Dear Friends, Geshe Sopa Teaches at the Abbey top Geshe Sopa accepted the community’s invitation to celebrate Tsog during his visit. He enjoyed the Lama Chopa part of the practice, which we do in English, and the Tsog part, which we chant in Tibetan (to the best of our ability). It was a precious time with a great teacher and practitioner. Visitors from Near and Far top
Gotami Update top Splendid Singapore top
The Singaporeans shared their warm-hearted generosity in many ways, including offering a beautiful edition of the multi-volume Avatamsaka (Flower Adornment) Sutra for the Abbey's library. FOSAS also has the aim to raised $50,000 this year to sponsor the library of Gotami House. They wrote today that they have met their goal! We are grateful for their help and are waiting for all the Singaporeans to visit us! May Retreat top
Caring for the Big Trees and the Forest top The WSU forestry class finished up its stand inventory and wrote us a prescription on how to proceed with the cost-share grant offered to us by the State of Washington. They also gifted the Abbey with some orange tape, two hand saws, and two tree diameter tape measures. Thank you Prof Mark Swanson and class! Other May Happenings top
Ven. Tarpa enjoyed teaching and sharing the Dharma with our Teasure Valley Dharma Friends in Boise, and the Abbey continued our commitment to interfaith dialogue when Ven. Chonyi and Ven. Jampel spent an afternoon with the newly formed Spokane interfaith youth group. With Vesak approaching, we rejoice in all our Dharma connections. May the beauty and newness of spring bring joyous effort and enthusiasm to your practice, and may compassion and loving kindness be planted in the minds of all beings for each other and the world we live in. Bhikshuni Thubten Chodron and the residents of Sravasti Abbey May 2009Visit to Singapore Dear Friends, The snow has melted, except for a few spots in the forest, and the daffodils and crocuses are blooming at the Abbey. We welcome spring with its color and vibrant growth. Visit to Singapore top The first of my talks, "Transforming Adversity into Joy and Courage" recorded at Buddhist Library, is already on the web. I return to teach in Singapore May 1-5, on the way back from India. Dianne is Now Venerable Jigme! top The presence of Ven. Jigme's sister and nephew, as well as Dharma friends from Seattle who drove here in the snow, made everyone happy. After lunch, the weather changed; it warmed up and the snow began to melt. We took the four visiting bhikshunis to see Gotami House, and they were pleased to see the progress. Gotami House top The community and volunteers have done most of the work in April. We are especially grateful to some skilled craftsmen who volunteered their time to help us: Jim Tally for putting up the hand rail for the staircase, and Carl, Ven. Jampel’s father, for installing the cabinetry, bathroom fixtures, and so forth. Meanwhile, Ven. Jampel has prepared and hung the doors (giving 14-year-old Journey a lesson in how to do this). Dallas has become a master at sanding and varnishing, and Fred laid the Pergo flooring on the top floor. Last week the community “swarmed” the building in a massive clean-up effort. Keeping me updated on Abbey activities, Venerable Tarpa sent this joyful message: “This was an awesome and wonderful day and I wish you could have been here! We completely cleaned the inside of Gotami House and made the upstairs livable. It was so joyful. I think everyone felt it. “As for my part I vacuumed from after our confession prayer this morning until almost medicine meal. And this was preceded by dusters and followed by the scrubbers and washers and lots of other cleaning. Jampel and I spoke after we got done and I so appreciated the shared joy and feeling of ownership that we both share in this. “You would have been amazed to see the transformation from dust and debris to sparkling clean. I hope this email give you a taste of a wonderful day here and the mark of Gotami House gradually becoming a home!” Many, many details are still to be completed before Gotami House is finished and the nuns can move in. We’ve put together a detailed wish list of house-warming needs to furnish and finish the building. Please check it if you'd like to help. Other April Happenings top Geshe Lhundup Sopa arrived at the end of the month for a 13-day visit. Everyone is delighted to hear teachings from this great master. We'll have photos next month. A group of Abbey regulars came for Sharing the Dharma Day. Ven. Tarpa gave the talk on the Four Noble Truths, which inspired a good group discussion on the distorted ways we view reality and the trouble that brings. Ven. Tarpa will be traveling to Boise next weekend to give a series of Dharma talks. Abbey residents have continued to share the Dharma at home and out in the community while I have been away. Ven. Tarpa and Ven. Jigme are offering the Meditation for Health class in Newport, and Ven. Chonyi and Kevin completed the meditation class at the Unitarian Church in Spokane. Abbey monastics are also taking turns giving daily videoed talks that are posted on Bodhisattva's Breakfast Corner, and they have been reviewing the Mind Training Like Rays of the Sun teachings, streamed live each week. The preparation and presentation is excellent training, and the feedback has been very positive. Letters & Articles top We like to share with you some of the letters we receive. Gena wrote us of how Dharma helped her overcome grief and get back on track. In the media, Marsha Rule asks, "Is there a place for Buddhist monastic communities in America?" You can read her article, featuring the Abbey, in this month's print and on-line issues of Snow Lion, the Buddhist magazine and catalogue. May our compassion grow like the fresh spring buds, bringing joy to sentient beings’ minds, April 2009Breaking News! Dianne Just Ordained Dear Friends, As the days grow longer and springs arrives, the Abbey transitions out of retreat and into activity. We’ve enjoyed seeing our friends and supporters this month and greeting the many visitors that have come. While we miss the silence of retreat, it is now time to share with others what we’ve gained during retreat. Singaporeans, we’re coming your way and hope to see you soon. And those of you who can come, don’t miss Geshe Lhundrup Sopa’s teachings at the Abbey in late April and early May. Many of you will be happy to learn that we have upgraded our ISP in order to have clearer streaming of the Thursday evening teachings. We received a lot of positive feedback, with people say that the picture and sound are much improved. Breaking News! Dianne Just Ordained! top Manjushri Retreat top Sharing the Dharma Day top Khensur Rinpoche’s Teachings top While he was here, Rinpoche took a tour of Gotami House. Sitting in a chair in the soon-to-be library, he chanted a blessing for the new monastic residence. Rinpoche was pleased with the growth of the community, and we were happy to receive his blessing. The pictures will be on the website shortly. Gotami House top As the snow melts, the mud (where there used to be meadow) appears. We’ll have lots to do this spring to reseed the meadow after the excavation for the water system, septic system, and geothermal heat system. If you’d like to help, let us know! Artists top Antonio Bonilla Avila, a Mexican friend, is donating two pieces of artwork. One will be a sculpture similar to the HUM you see pictured here. We have designed an art niche specifically for this. Also, he has nearly completed a thangka which will grace the entry area in Gotami House. If you have been to the Abbey you’ll certainly recognize this amazing thangka which Antonio painted of the Medicine Buddhas. Kalsang Oshoe, a Tibetan-trained artist based in Dharamsala and Ithaca, New York painted this drawing of Mahapajapati Gotami—the Buddha's aunt and the first nun—for whom Gotami House is named. It is quite lovely as you can see. Beverly Brecht, a stained glass and glass work artist has graciously donated her talents to transform this drawing into a stained glass window for the library of Gotami House. As you scroll down the page see the leaded mock-up drawing she has created and uses in the creative process.
Other March Happenings top Ven. Semkye has been ill for several weeks with severe bronchitis. She recently saw a pulmonologist and the new medicine is working well to calm the inflammation in her lungs. However, she’ll have to take it easy for another two or three months. We received a wonderful email from Inge in the Netherlands about the audio, video, and written teachings on our websites. We also received a cute message from Helen Ann which we thought to share with you:
As the spring days become longer, may our patience and forgiveness also be extended, March 2009Dear Friends, We wish you a Happy Losar (Tibetan New Year). You are in our prayers and dedications at Sravasti Abbey. Can you feel the seasons begin to change? We still have plenty of snow on the ground, but we’re getting some rain now and the days are noticeably longer. We’re taking walks in the woods now, but only on the paths others have trod. Otherwise we risk stepping knee-deep into the snow. As with all monastic communities, ours is in continual flux. We thought to show you some pics of the current long-term residents, so that you can get to know us.Singaporeans, Seattle-ites, and Portlanders, we’re coming your way and hope to see you soon. Also, Khensur Wangdak Rinpoche and Geshe Lhundrup Sopa will be teaching at the Abbey soon. Manjushri Retreat top Nothing much has changed in the external environment, so the internal changes become more evident and we see how our mind creates our experience. This is very useful to observe, because it shows that we have the ability and power to change our experience by changing our mind. Irritated with the people around you today? Meditate on patience and love. Craving food in the meditation session? Meditate on impermanence. Getting drowsy in meditation? Do prostrations before meditation session or imagine bright light flowing into you. In this way, we learn to work with our minds and thus to transform our experiences and the way we interact with the world around us. The Abbey’s “slogan” is “Creating peace in a chaotic world.” By taking responsibility for our own attitudes and emotions, we begin to do this internally. By means of internal transformation, we affect the people and environment around us in a positive way, bringing the patience, love, and compassion we cultivate in meditation into play with those around us, who in turn affect those around them. Through the ripple effect, peace spreads. Many of you are doing the Retreat from Afar, including about fifty people in prison. We receive wonderful letters and cards from you, expressing your appreciation for making the Retreat from Afar available. From our side, we love seeing your faces in our meditation hall—your pictures are on one wall to show that you’re participating in the retreat. We send our transcripts of the weekly Mind Training Like Rays of the Sun teachings, and some of you watch as the teachings are streamed in real time over the Internet on Thursday evenings. Meanwhile I give a short teaching every day, following a text from the Flower Ornament Sutra, “The Forty-one Prayers of a Bodhisattva.” Of course, a verse easily sets me off on an explanation of a tangential topic, but no one complains. These short teachings are regularly put up on the web for you to watch. One of our friends remarked that when she feels disturbed by something that happened during the day, she tunes into Bodhisattva Breakfast Corner and her mood changes. Gotami House top I open and close doors often in my daily activities but seldom stop to think about all the effort on the part of so many people that goes into making that door and doorway. So working on Gotami House ourselves is a good practice of remembering the kindness of others. Guided Meditations on the Lamrim top Many thanks to Bhikshuni Thubten Saldon who visited the Abbey for a few months in 2007 where she began to translate and record these precious contemplations. Karina Macias, who often translates material for our website into Spanish, did audio-editing and translations for written materials, and Kim Shetter arranged them and put them up on the web (no small job!). We hope you will share this link with others who might benefit from these wonderful meditations. English speakers can get The Guided Meditations on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment at Snow Lion Publications. For our Spanish-speaking friends, the teachings I gave in December in Mexico, with Patricio's translation, are now on the Internet at http://rechungdorje.com. The Monastic Timeline mentioned below is also in Spanish. Other February Happenings top Sending you all good wishes, February 2009A New Anagarika! Dear Friends, We send you all good wishes for the New Year (solar), Chinese New Year, and upcoming Tibetan New Year. Be sure to look at the schedule of events at the bottom of this newsletter. We are honored that Khensur Wangdak Rinpoche will teach for eight days at the Abbey in March. And for those of you in Seattle and Singapore, I hope to see you at Dharma talks in March and April when I'm there. Frederick Becomes an Anagarika! The community was present at the ceremony, which occurred on a foggy and snowy winter day. But it was a happy day, because seeing someone who is set on enlightenment is a joyful occasion. Now two anagarikas are at the Abbey—Dianne and Frederick. Check out the new Sravasti Abbey Monastic Timeline. If you scroll down, you can see our baby pictures and read bios and interviews. There's also a talk His Holiness the Dalai Lama gave at the inauguration of the new prayer hall at Jangchub Choling Nunnery in India. Manjushri Retreat top We had a go-around to share experiences, and it was clear that the retreat deeply affected people. It's such a rare opportunity to have time for peaceful reflection dedicated to purifying our minds and cultivating love, compassion, and wisdom. And then the five radiant guests — Nan, Pam, Katarina, Karen, and Sarah — departed. They left with that feeling of accomplishment we have when we've completed something challenging. They took away many Dharma insights gained through doing the Manjushri practice and meditations on the stages of the path, and they will share the Dharma they gained here with everyone they meet in their lives. Meanwhile, the resident community continues on with retreat. Some of the people who offered service in the kitchen, office, grounds, and construction during the first month of retreat are now doing the second month, while others take a turn at supporting the retreat. New Year's Day was interesting. Just before the weekly Thursday evening teachings that are streamed live over the Internet, the electricity went out. We asked a friend to post the conference call number on the website so that people could at least listen in on the phone. Then we settled in to a teaching, followed by a Q&A session for the retreatants, all done by candlelight. The lights came on just as we were about to go to sleep, but they went out again the next morning. Everyone was cheerful and good-natured — it's a good environment for retreat. We have received many "Care packages" in the first month of retreat, as people sent holiday goodies as well as vitamins and other useful articles. We thank you very much for your generosity and support. These gifts remind us that we are indebted to you for your kindness, and this spurs us to practice more diligently. We have also received some wonderful letters from the retreatants from afar telling us how much they are benefiting from the retreat. Gotami House top Meanwhile, the snows slowed down the work on Gotami House. The road to the construction site had more snow than our '77 truck and snowplow could handle. We had to call someone to plow it so the workers' trucks could get to Gotami House. In spite of all that, all the sheetrock is up, the texture is on the walls, and the inside of the building has been painted. Next is varnishing the doors and inside trim, which the Abbey residents will do. Ven. Jampel is designing the cabinetry, which we will assemble and he will install. Prison Outreach top Other January Happenings top Buddhist Channel article on the ordination For our Spanish-speaking friends, the teachings I gave in December in Mexico, with Patrico's translation, are now on the Internet at http://rechungdorje.com January 2009Dear Friends, We hope you are warm and comfortable as winter sets in. (Our friends in Singapore surely are!) There is a lot to tell you about this month.
Venerable Tarpa Becomes a Bhikshuni Venerable Tarpa Becomes a Bhikshuni! top
Nuns South of the Border top
The Abbey Welcomes New Residents! top
Gotami House top When the man sprayed the insulation on the inside of the exterior walls, we had the vision of a spaceman, but this new type of insulation is very energy efficient. Abbey residents then put regular insulation in the interior walls for soundproofing, so that monastics can meditate peacefully in their rooms. The sheet-rockers were rocking and got the walls up and now they’re mudding and taping. Thomas, our contractor, says that putting up the sheet-rock marks the half way point in constructing a building. Meanwhile, Ven. Semkye is researching flooring, paint, and lighting, and Ven. Jampel is designing the cabinetry. See the progress! Thanksgiving top The Thanksgiving Retreat began early in the morning with taking the Eight Mahayana Precepts on Thanksgiving Day. Many of our supporters had asked that we fill and consecrate their Buddha statues. So, after a nice Thanksgiving lunch, we filled these statues with mantra rolls, blessed pills, incense, and so on. After the epoxy had dried the next morning, we consecrated these by invoking the Buddhas and bodhisattvas and imagining them dissolving into these holy objects. The weekend continued with teachings on the Eight Verses of Thought Transformation, meditation, and discussion. It concluded with the ceremony of taking refuge and precepts. Requested by Pam from Boise, the ceremony gave people the chance to renew their precepts and add new ones. One of the participants was Journey, a 14-year-old young man from Spokane. He’s been coming to offer service at the Abbey for some time and decided that the five precepts are a good way to live life. See pics of all these good happenings.
Manjushri Retreat Begins! top But you can see them painting tsa-tsas (clay images of Manjushri), reading, and listening to the weekly Dharma talk and Q&A session as well as the daily Bodhisattva Breakfast Corner talk. We’re delighted that 103 people are joining us by doing the Retreat from Afar. Many of them are inmates who recall the benefit they received from previous Retreats from Afar and signed up again. All of you are with us in the meditation hall. We remember you as we look at your photos on the wall. We have had weeks of snow and temperatures that are colder than usual. In fact, in 30 of the 39 counties in Washington State, records have been broken for the amount of snowfall in December. Retreatants have continued on cheerfully (thank goodness for heating!) and have shoveled snow in the break times between meditation sessions. One notice on the kitchen bulletin board read, “The numbers are in! Retreatants have shoveled a total of 16.5 tons of snow in just 7 days! That’s 16.5 tons of merit.” It was signed by Manjushri. In the second week of the retreat, we celebrated Lama Tsongkhapa Day (which each year coincides with the first night of Hannukah) by doing Lama Tsongkhapa Guru Yoga and offering tsok. The procession of lights, done while chanting the “migtsema” prayer, was in the meditation hall this year, due to the extreme cold and snow outdoors.
Other December Happenings top We passed the holidays peacefully at the Abbey. While lacking a partridge in a pear tree, we do have turkeys in a pear tree. Ven. Semkye continues collecting future-life disciples by feeding the turkeys who follow her around. The chickadees have returned too, and we nourish them as well, with food and mantra. We’re delighted to help our fellow sentient beings.
Wishing you much happiness in the new year,
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siding on the cabin before snow accumulates on the ground. They’re having a good time doing this, as attested to by the snowballs flying in the area. The cabin looks like a miniature Gotami House, with the same color trim and siding, and it will be a lovely cabin to accommodate guest teachers as well as people who wish to do retreat. We are
Missoula has come to help us. Her skill as a sawyer is much valued. Ed and Pam, who live nearby, came to offer their skills as well. Working in the snow, which started to fall mid-month, is a bit more challenging, but it’s also very beautiful to be outdoors then. We are giving away (for whatever people would like to donate) all the extra wood that is cut. We are delighted to be able to help people in the area who need firewood to keep warm this winter, such as single moms, elderly couples, and families with kids. 
Because Gotami House is finished and we now have more room for guests, for the first time we held the
For many years now I’ve given Dharma talks at Osel Shen Phen Ling, a Dharma center in Missoula. This year, they requested teachings and meditation on the practice of Green Tara, and so all the Abbey monastics took the opportunity for a