HELLO AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST IN COMING TO A SRAVASTI RETREAT!
We are happy to welcome you into our community and we look forward to sharing the Dharma with you.
Since there are only a few Buddhist monasteries in the U.S., you may not be familiar with our guidelines and operating principles. Read this page and our visiting the Abbey page thoroughly to help orient you to monastic community life.
An Economy of Generosity
A unique feature of Sravasti Abbey is that we operate solely on the principle of dana, a Sanskrit and Pali term meaning "generosity" or "giving".
In accordance with the monastic life style set out by the Buddha, Bhikshuni Thubten Chodron and the residents at Sravasti Abbey live solely by donations. Unlike a retreat center, we do not charge for teachings or facilities. However, we have the same expenses for maintenance, travel, facilities, food, and so forth that retreat centers have.
You are able to attend this retreat because previous retreatants gave generously so that the Abbey would continue. Similarly, your generous giving – dana – will enable the Abbey to exist and other people to come to the Abbey and benefit from the Dharma just as you will. To hear Venerable Chodron's talk on the Economy of Generosity, click here.
Dana has three parts:
- Dana for Facilities. This is the dana that you offer in support of Sravasti Abbey itself. Making this offering signifies your commitment to attend the event. Please include dana for the facilities when you send your registration form. The suggested minimum is $100. (If this is an obstacle, call our office to discuss. No dana is necessary for monastics.)
- Food Dana. As monastics, we do not buy food. Everything we eat and share with our guests is offered by the lay community, so please consider making a food offering. The food offerings you make as a group will provide the meals for the course.. (We are vegetarian — no meat, chicken, or fish. Also, no coffee, garlic, onions, leeks, or radishes. If you would like suggestions of what to bring, please contact our office.)
- Dana for the Teachings. At the end of the retreat, you will have the opportunity to make an offering to the teacher and translator (if there is one) in appreciation for receiving teachings on the precious Dharma.
Just as monastics in the Buddha's time were sustained by the offerings of their benefactors, Sravasti Abbey residents live solely in dependence on the kindness of others. When you make a contribution to the monastic community, you nurture your own virtuous aspirations and support others in actualizing theirs.
Protocol and Guidelines
Please see our Visiting page for the Abbey protocol and guidelines during your stay here. Arrive at the Abbey no later than 6:00pm so you can settled in before our evening practice and silent period begin at 6:45pm.
Getting to the Abbey
Sravasti Abbey is about an hour north of Spokane, Washington and Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, and is easily accessible by car. The nearest airport is Geiger International in Spokane.
You can get from the airport to the Abbey by any of the following ways:
- If you arrive in Spokane Airport by 2:00 pm, there is a $3.00 (yes, three dollars) shuttle van that can take you directly to Newport by 5pm.
If you have a later flight, please stay in a motel and catch the early shuttle at 6:30am to Newport.
You must call ahead at least 24 hours to reserve a place and let the shuttle driver know where you'll be waiting: (509) 534-7171. We will pick you up at the Safeway in Newport.
Arrange with us in advance to pick you up at the Safeway in Newport. Contact the Abbey office, (509) 447-5549.
- Omni Bus shuttle costs $80 for first person one-way single fare and $15 for each additional passenger [drop off in Oldtown, ID].
Call (208) 667-6664 for reservations. We will pick you up from Oldtown. This one operates every day.
- If you take a taxi, expect to pay $100 in fare one-way, plus tip.
Airport Daily Taxi (509) 218-5000 ; or Airport Express from Coeur d’Alene (208) 667-9494.
- Rent a car from the airport.
- Please consider offering dana to those who transport you to and from Newport and the Abbey, for gas expenses.
Please don’t hesitate to contact Sravasti Abbey’s office (509) 447-5549 with further needs/concerns/questions.
To register for most retreats, please fill out the application form and send it and a check made out to ‘Sravasti Abbey’ to:
Sravasti Abbey
[insert program name here]
692 Country Lane
Newport, WA 99156
Click here to download Event registration form (word format).
For a few retreats like Winter Retreat, Exploring Monastic Life and Youth Week—Buddhist Practice and Community Life for Young Adults, download and fill out the more extensive layperson application (word format) or monastic application (word format) depending on whether you are currently a lay person or monastic. The description on the calendar page will note which application to fill out.
We look forward to welcoming you to Sravasti Abbey.
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