About the Monastery and its Unfolding Vision
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Karuna Buddhist Vihara (KBV) was founded in 2012 as a neighborhood monastery where Theravada bhikkhunis live, where women train to become bhikkhunis, where meditation and Dhamma teachings based on the Pali Canon are offered to the public, and where traditional chanting and ceremonies are conducted. KBV is incorporated as a non-profit, tax-exempt Buddhist church in the state of California. Currently, KBV has two residents: Santussikā Bhikkhuni and Cittānandā Bhikkhuni. They currently live at the new hermitage property in the Santa Cruz Mountains in Northern California.
The intention at KBV is to strive as diligently and energetically as possible for the realization of Nibbāna and to help as many people as possible to improve their lives and do the same. As the citta (heart/mind) develops in sīla (moral virtue), samādhi (meditation) and paññā (wisdom), mettā (loving kindness for all beings) and karuṇā (compassion) blossom as well. At KBV, the intention is to share these qualities and this experience along with the example of living a simple life. The inspiration for this way of living has been the many good monks and nuns that the residents of KBV have lived with and learned from over the years, as well as the Buddha himself.
To that end, the nuns at KBV study the suttas, the Vinaya and the Pali language and practice the Noble Eightfold Path with diligence. In the past, at its Mountain View location, KBV held public weekly chanting, meditation and sutta study sessions, daylong meditation retreats and other Dhamma programs, as well as traditional Buddhist observances, such as Vesākha Pūjā and Kathina. Although we have now moved to the Santa Cruz Mountains, the bhikkhunis, still offer these same programs online and meet with people for spiritual counseling on request. They also offer meditation instruction, Dhamma talks and retreats for a wide variety of groups outside of KBV.
Since KBV began, the community of participants has steadily grown and is uniquely diverse with people representing a very wide range of ethnicities, ages and backgrounds. The common theme is interest in traditional Theravada teachings from the Pali Canon as practiced and presented by ordained monastics in English as they relate to modern Western culture.
With more bhikkhunis, the range of offerings and services for the public will expand according to their strengths and interests. This might include such things as a youth program, Pali classes, Qigong classes, or regular tea and Dhamma discussion meetings.
After the big, unexpected change of acquiring the hermitage property in 2019, the vision for KBV has shifted slightly. The hope is to develop the hermitage to accommodate 5 monastics and up to 5 lay people staying at the property at any given time. With the peace and energy of an old redwood forest to reside and deepen their practice in, the bhikkhunis will have the opportunity that the Buddha instructed monastics to seek in order to make progress on the path, and consequently provide improved teachings to the public. The hermitage property will also serve as a peaceful haven for lay guests to practice and participate in the activities and daily schedule of living at a monastery.
In the spirit of continuing to be accessible to those who are interested in what KBV has to offer, the intention is to open a meditation center in town somewhere in the South Bay once it is safe to have meetings in person again. We are hoping for office or retail/commercial space that will provide enough parking and amenities for everyone who would like to come for any of the programs. However, with the cases of COVID-19 still on the rise and no foreseeable end in sight, the focus for now will be developing the hermitage's facilities. The search for a suitable location for the meditation center in the South Bay will continue as the pandemic allows.
The intention at KBV is to strive as diligently and energetically as possible for the realization of Nibbāna and to help as many people as possible to improve their lives and do the same. As the citta (heart/mind) develops in sīla (moral virtue), samādhi (meditation) and paññā (wisdom), mettā (loving kindness for all beings) and karuṇā (compassion) blossom as well. At KBV, the intention is to share these qualities and this experience along with the example of living a simple life. The inspiration for this way of living has been the many good monks and nuns that the residents of KBV have lived with and learned from over the years, as well as the Buddha himself.
To that end, the nuns at KBV study the suttas, the Vinaya and the Pali language and practice the Noble Eightfold Path with diligence. In the past, at its Mountain View location, KBV held public weekly chanting, meditation and sutta study sessions, daylong meditation retreats and other Dhamma programs, as well as traditional Buddhist observances, such as Vesākha Pūjā and Kathina. Although we have now moved to the Santa Cruz Mountains, the bhikkhunis, still offer these same programs online and meet with people for spiritual counseling on request. They also offer meditation instruction, Dhamma talks and retreats for a wide variety of groups outside of KBV.
Since KBV began, the community of participants has steadily grown and is uniquely diverse with people representing a very wide range of ethnicities, ages and backgrounds. The common theme is interest in traditional Theravada teachings from the Pali Canon as practiced and presented by ordained monastics in English as they relate to modern Western culture.
With more bhikkhunis, the range of offerings and services for the public will expand according to their strengths and interests. This might include such things as a youth program, Pali classes, Qigong classes, or regular tea and Dhamma discussion meetings.
After the big, unexpected change of acquiring the hermitage property in 2019, the vision for KBV has shifted slightly. The hope is to develop the hermitage to accommodate 5 monastics and up to 5 lay people staying at the property at any given time. With the peace and energy of an old redwood forest to reside and deepen their practice in, the bhikkhunis will have the opportunity that the Buddha instructed monastics to seek in order to make progress on the path, and consequently provide improved teachings to the public. The hermitage property will also serve as a peaceful haven for lay guests to practice and participate in the activities and daily schedule of living at a monastery.
In the spirit of continuing to be accessible to those who are interested in what KBV has to offer, the intention is to open a meditation center in town somewhere in the South Bay once it is safe to have meetings in person again. We are hoping for office or retail/commercial space that will provide enough parking and amenities for everyone who would like to come for any of the programs. However, with the cases of COVID-19 still on the rise and no foreseeable end in sight, the focus for now will be developing the hermitage's facilities. The search for a suitable location for the meditation center in the South Bay will continue as the pandemic allows.