2012 Gallery
Lama Tsongkhapa Day – December 2012
As we head into the shortened snowy dark days of winter, the celebration of one of Tibetans Buddhism’s brightest lights in our world takes on added significance.
Making many light, food, and flower offerings to Lama Tsongkhapa, Abbey residents and friends celebrated with a Lama Chopa Puja, followed by a chanting procession around the Aspiration Buddha House in the garden after dark.
May all beings have the opportunity to study and hear the amazing teachings of this brilliant and well-loved sage.
Venerable Chodron in India: Part I – November 2012
Venerable Chodron traveled to India in October to attend a conference organized by the Tibetan Department of Religion and Culture, where monastic scholars were gathered to share research on the issue of full ordination for nuns (bhikshunis) in the Tibetan tradition. She remained there to attend teachings with His Holiness the Dalai Lama in December. In between she has visited nunneries, given Dharma talks, met with some of her teachers, and worked on writing projects. Click here to read how Ruby, who is traveling as her attendant, is reflecting on these visits.
Chenrezig Hall is Taking Shape – November 2012
Now that the foundation and footings have been poured, the building itself is starting to take shape. George and his crew are working through rainy and muddy conditions to get the building up enough for the roof to be put on.
It has been a great meditation on dependent arising as we witness the causes and conditions and watch the parts coming together. It might be too soon to give it the name Chenrezig Hall, but it’s getting closer every day.
Chenrezig Hall Update – October 2012
If you want to see a remarkable example of dependent arising, watch the day-by-day process of the construction of a building. Take a look at the causes and conditions and the many non-building parts that come together that our minds label the building of Chenrezig Hall.
Chenrezig Retreat 2012 – October 2012
With the building of Chenrezig Hall right outside the meditation hall door, it seemed very appropriate to have the yearly Chenrezig retreat during its construction. The retreatants were delighted to witness the day-by-day work on the hall while receiving amazing teachings that included the kindness of others.
Introducing Venerable Thubten Tsultrim – September 2012
The Abbey monastic community continues to blossom with Terri’s recent sramanerika and sikasamana ordinations. Three of our Chinese bhikshuni friends came to support and help with the ceremony, as did a number of local Dharma friends. It was a joyous day for the community and for the Dharma in the West.
Concentration Retreat 2012 – September 2012
Summer is still in the air as the Abbey community welcomed guests for its annual concentration retreat. Ven. Chodron gave clear and practical teachings on the importance of concentration at every level of practice, especially in the practice of wisdom. Sessions included walking meditation and silent meditations to promote stability and clarity. May we all cultivate the precious qualities of serenity and concentration in our minds for the benefit of all beings.
Chenrezig Hall is Underway – September 2012
The first stage of Chenrezig Hall—excavating the site and building the forms for the concrete footings—has begun. Contractor George Weaver and his son Jeremiah set out the layout of the building and Leo’s Excavating took it from there. With glorious fall weather planned for the next few weeks, Chenrezig Hall will start to take shape as soon as the appropriate permits are secured.
8th Exploring Monastic Life – August 2012
For the 8th year in a row, the Sravasti Abbey community has opened its doors to those wishing to explore their aspirations to ordain. Six guests from near and far are experiencing first hand the challenging and powerful process of teachings, training, group sharing ,and Dharma practice. In doing so, they are cultivating clarity regarding this important life decision. The group finds honesty and friendship as well as moments of great joy and laughter as we travel this journey together for 3 weeks.
A Day of Joy and Friendship – August 2012
The Abbey community recently had the opportunity to honor our many local friends who support and care for the Abbey with a day of celebration and friendship. Abbey residents prepared their favorite vegetarian dishes and desserts for the group. The celebration included group Chenrezig practice, potluck lunch, and a walk in the forest. Ven. Semkye shared the wonderful times and funny adventures during offering service over the past eight years, and several of the volunteers spoke about how offering service to the Abbey has transformed them. The amazing kindness of our local friends has been a big piece of the Abbey’s success. We are deeply grateful for all you do!
White Tara and Dagmo Kusho-la – July 2012
The Abbey community joyfully welcomed Her Eminence Dagmo Kusho Sakya of the Sakya Monastery in Seattle for a weekend of teachings and a White Tara initiation. A practitioner since she was a child in old Tibet, Dagmo-la combines powerful wisdom with gentle humility as she shares the teachings she received from many realized lamas and from her own deep practice.
White Tara’s compassion seemed to pour through her in a gentle flow of Dharma nectar, and the many who attended were grateful and inspired.
Harmonious Community Life – July 2012
Due to the impermanent nature of things, each day at the Abbey is unique. Seeing each fleeting moment as an opportunity to refrain from harm, to create virtue, and to generate bodhicitta can bring freshness and purpose to monastic life. May we always see the preciousness of this life as a cause for awakening no matter what comes along in any moment.
See Yourself as You Really Are – July 2012
Ven. Chodron recently taught a retreat on emptiness inspired by His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s book titled How to See Yourself as You Really Are. In the years to come she plans to continue to teach on the nature of reality from this profound yet accessible book. As you will see from the photos below, hearing teachings on emptiness can bring a lot of joy to the mind!
Our Precious Young Adults – June 2012
For the 8th year in a row, the Sravasti Abbey community hosted Exploring Buddhism—Young Adult Week. The participants traveled from Toronto, Singapore, St. Louis, Seattle, and Portland.
Ven. Chodron spent the week with them giving teachings, facilitating honest and insightful group discussions, and taking walks in the beautiful Abbey forest. They offered service with joyful willing hearts.
We made close heartfelt connections with each of them and sent them on their way with many blessings and great encouragement to live happy and meaningful lives.
Open House, Open Hearts – June 2012
For the 9th year in a row, the Sravasti Abbey community opened its doors and hearts to visitors during its annual Open House. Ven Chodron greeted the guests to begin the festivities. The schedule included tours, chanting by the Abbey community, and a lovely meditation on loving kindness by Ven. Tarpa. It was a wonderful day of joy and friendship.
Singapore 2012 – June 2012
Ven. Chodron traveled to Singapore in May at the invitation of Kong Meng San Phor Kark See (KMS-PKS) Monastery, the largest temple in Singapore. While there, with the support of Pureland Marketing and Friends of Sravasti Abbey Singapore, she also spoke at Wat Palelei, Tai Pei Buddhist Centre, Buddhist Fellowship, met with Dharma friends, and visited other temples. The schedule was packed, and the Singaporeans responded with enthusiasm and generosity, inviting her back to teach again and again. Here are some highlights.
Vesak Celebration 2012 – June 2012
The Sravasti Abbey community and friends celebrated Vesak, commemorating the Buddha’s birth, awakening, and pairinirvana. Many beautiful offerings were arranged and thousands of prayer requests from our friends in Singapore graced the walls of the Meditation Hall. May all our deepest aspirations for ourselves and all beings be immediately fulfilled.
Living Life Facing Death Retreat – June 2012
Ven. Tenzin Kacho brought her wisdom, compassion, and personal experience as a chaplain to the Abbey’s yearly Memorial Day retreat. Many attendees found the retreat deeply moving, as well as practical as they are caring for a loved one who is dying or preparing for their own deaths. With humor and insight Ven. Tenzin Kacho gave all of us an incredible gift, showing us how to transform our minds when living our lives and facing death.
Venerable Chodron in Indonesia – May 2012
At the invitation of Ekayana Buddhist Centre and their related publisher, Karinaya Foundation, Ven. Chodron made her first visit to share the Dharma in Indonesia. She discovered a flourishing Dharma community with a non-sectarian mission to learn and practice all of the Buddha’s teachings. She gave teachings in Jakarta and Surabaya and led a retreat at Parakan, which culminated in a pilgrimage to the magnificent 8th century Buddhist stupa, Borobudur. The Indonesians already hope she will return for more teachings next year!
The Forgiveness Retreat – May 2012
During the last weekend of April, 32 people came to the Abbey to participate in the Forgiveness Retreat. For many, the topic had great meaning and they came with sincere motivations to work through old grudges and past hurts. The response from attendees verified that the teachings and the sharing brought healing and relief to their minds, as well as tools to work with past and present difficulties with more compassion and wisdom.
May Sharing the Dharma Day – May 2012
The monthly Sharing the Dharma Days brings many new and old friends together for a day of practice and friendship. Over 30 folks attended this month’s event, where they all get a chance to sample a day in the life of the Abbey community. The Dharma Days continue to attract an ever-increasing number of people sincerely interested in knowing more about the Buddha’s teachings and those who practice them.
Sharing the Dharma with Others – April 2012
Six members of the Abbey community recently took a road trip to Portland, Oregon to hear Venerable Chodron and other distinguished Buddhist teachers share their understandings of the Heart Sutra at Maitripa College. The Abbey residents enjoyed the diverse and shared perspectives on this profound teaching of the Buddha.
Three-Month Winter Retreat Ends – March 2012
For the eighth year, Sravasti Abbey’s three-month winter retreat ended with the retreat community doing the traditional Vajra Dhaka fire puja.
Some retreatants found this year’s puja to be particularly powerful, a result of focusing on purification and emptiness for three months in the Vajrasattva and Six-Session Guru Yoga practices. Retreatants reported a deeper clarity and a growing confidence in their ability to integrate the Dharma into their lives.
Guy Newland 2012 – March 2012
For the third year in a row Guy Newland came to the Abbey to share his knowledge of the wisdom aspect of the path. Guy offered a survey of several texts by the great sage Nagarjuna, including Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way.
He shared his enthusiasm as well as his great knowledge of dependent arising and emptiness with a group of curious and open-minded attendees. Guy’s joy was contagious, and the group had many lively discussions during meals and in the break times. Hopefully Guy will return many times to continue to teach on this profound path.
The One-Month Vajrasattva and Six-Session Guru Yoga Retreat Ends – January 2012
If anyone had doubts about how 29 people doing two different retreats simultaneously without a Meditation Hall would do as far as supporting the silence and the practice, they were quickly put to rest within the first week. The support, caring, flexibility, and deep sincerity of everyone was palpable. The quality of the individual retreatants and of the group as a whole made for a wonderful retreat experience for everyone. The folks going home will continue by doing the Retreat from Afar. The remaining 16 will continue in retreat for the next two months.
One Month Retreat Update – January 2012
Two weeks have already passed, and the Vajrasattva and Six Session Guru Yoga retreatants are settling into community retreat life. With 29 people living together in silence, it is quite remarkable how spacious and open the energy is. The group is harmonious and practicing very earnestly together.