This year, the monastic community will enter the vassa, the annual rains retreat, on Sunday the 21st of July, which will last until Thursday the 17th of October. As many of you would already know, monastics can only take short trips away from the Monastery during these three months, which makes for a period of increased study and practice in a stable community.
As such, the monastic community will formally determine the vassa on the evening of the 21st, which will be followed by a week of group practice ending on the morning of Saturday the 27th. These group practice weeks consist of sitting and walking meditation periods interspersed throughout the day. The monastic community is encouraged to maintain noble silence during these, so we respectfully ask to bear that in mind when visiting. Also, if you wish to join some, or all of the sittings, we ask that visitors please try to come and go from the Temple as quietly as possible.
Āsāḷha Puja
On the evening before the first day of vassa, Saturday the 20th of July, we will observe Āsāḷha puja – traditionally celebrating the Buddha’s exposition of his first teaching, the Dhammacakkapavattana Sutta – with our regular programme consisting of group chanting, sitting meditation and an outdoor candle-lit circumambulation. This time, however, we will also have Jonathan and Dougal’s anagarika precepts ceremony taking place after sitting meditation. We will then formally close the evening at midnight with a short chant.
Luang Por Sumedho’s 90th birthday
We will celebrate Luang Por Sumedho’s actual 90th birthday on Saturday the 27th of July. At 10am on that day, the community will gather in the Temple and begin the morning’s proceedings by offering paritta chanting. Luang Por will share a few words, followed by a blessing ceremony in the chapel of rest to invite a reclining Buddha image to its new home there.
Amaravati’s 40th year
Amaravati will celebrate its 40th anniversary on Sunday the 4th of August, although the actual anniversary of the Sangha taking up residency on the site falls on Friday the 2nd. There will be no special program for the celebration in the morning, just the usual gathering at 11:15 in the Temple for paritta chanting and the anumodana.
In the afternoon, however, as it is the occasion for a Sunday Talk as well as being the New Moon day, Luang Por Sumedho will mark this significant milestone by offering his reflections on the 40 years of Amaravati. The talk will begin at 15:00 rather than the usual Sunday Talk time of 14:00. Following Luang Por’s reflections, copies of the brand new book ‘Time and Timelessness – Forty Years of the Deathless Realm’ will be available for distribution.
Sunday Talks
The regular Sunday Talks will once again be offered during this year’s vassa. The themes of these talks are hand picked by Ajahn Amaro from suggestions made by Amaravati residents. They take place, unless otherwise indicated, each Sunday at 2pm in the Temple. The exact schedule of the talks and speakers is still unknown, but we will post something on this website when it is.
Ajahn Amaro’s recent travels and teachings
Ajahn Amaro returned to Amaravati on Tuesday the 16th of July from over 6 weeks of travels. He literally circled the entire globe, having departed Amaravati in late May for Thailand, and then proceeding to Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, and the United States of America. Ajahn Amaro led retreats and gave teachings in all of these countries, recordings of which we have listed below:
- Thailand: Retreat at Phu Chaisai Resort with Ajahn Jiew and talk at BIA
- Malaysia: One-Day Meditation Retreat
- Singapore: Living Well, Dying Well Day Retreat
- Australia: Talks at Dhammagiri and Buddha Bodhivana Monastery
- U.S.A.: Talk at Berkeley Buddhist Monastery and retreat at Spirit Rock (not yet available)
May all beings be at ease,
The resident community at Amaravati