Karuna Buddhist Vihara Almsgiving Ceremony
 | "Clearing the Path to Awakening" July 23, 2023 10:30am to 2:30pm 909 Coachella Ave, Sunnyvale, CA |
From this year's sponsor:
My name is Kalen and I am sponsoring this year's robe offering (Kathina). I am so fortunate to have met the Ayyas back in 2016 when they lived in Mountain View. It is wonderful to meet monastics so dedicated to the practice who settle for nothing less than full freedom. And not only that, but to truly share that dedication and inspiration with lay people. Wanting that freedom for all of us. I find that so inspiring and generous.
There is a lot of Dharma out there making it easy to get distracted or swayed off course. That is why I appreciate the Ayyas stay close to the suttas and core teachings. There is something safe and secure in knowing this.
As we all know the Ayyas give so much from their weekly teachings, day-longs, retreats, welcoming visitors to the hermitage, hosting respected monastics, and more. It is good seeing them live the dhamma in this modern life, showing that it is possible to live a life of intention, slowing down, kindness, and compassion.
It's easy for me to be generous. I am grateful to be able to sponsor this year's robe offering. I encourage you all to be generous in your own way as it fosters brightness and happiness.
We could use volunteers for spreading the word of the event, managing the camera and zoom on-site, event moderator/M.C., coordinating gift bags for visiting monastics, setup/teardown of tables and chairs, bringing food, etc. If any of these resonate for you, please reach out to the Ayyas who can forward you my email.
See our Almsgiving page for all the details
My name is Kalen and I am sponsoring this year's robe offering (Kathina). I am so fortunate to have met the Ayyas back in 2016 when they lived in Mountain View. It is wonderful to meet monastics so dedicated to the practice who settle for nothing less than full freedom. And not only that, but to truly share that dedication and inspiration with lay people. Wanting that freedom for all of us. I find that so inspiring and generous.
There is a lot of Dharma out there making it easy to get distracted or swayed off course. That is why I appreciate the Ayyas stay close to the suttas and core teachings. There is something safe and secure in knowing this.
As we all know the Ayyas give so much from their weekly teachings, day-longs, retreats, welcoming visitors to the hermitage, hosting respected monastics, and more. It is good seeing them live the dhamma in this modern life, showing that it is possible to live a life of intention, slowing down, kindness, and compassion.
It's easy for me to be generous. I am grateful to be able to sponsor this year's robe offering. I encourage you all to be generous in your own way as it fosters brightness and happiness.
We could use volunteers for spreading the word of the event, managing the camera and zoom on-site, event moderator/M.C., coordinating gift bags for visiting monastics, setup/teardown of tables and chairs, bringing food, etc. If any of these resonate for you, please reach out to the Ayyas who can forward you my email.
See our Almsgiving page for all the details
Skillful Living in a World on Fire:
Grounded in The Noble Eightfold Path
Taught by Ayya Santussika and Ayya Santacitta
Offered from the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies.
An on-line course via Zoom, June 23d through 28th.
See course information and register here
Watch a short YouTube invitation
Spirit Rock Family Retreat, July 23-30
Ayya Cittananda will participate with Ayya Santacitta of Aloka Earth Room in this family retreat.
From the Spirit Rock page:
Find joy in a retreat for the whole family! This will be a time for you and your family to rest, reconnect, play, and enjoy. This is a four-night residential retreat for adults and their children ages 7-15 years old.
The days will combine age-appropriate meditation and Dharma teachings, games, arts and crafts, nature time, and more. Kids and teens will have organized time each day to be with same-age peers, fully supervised by our outstanding mindful leaders. Adults will also have their own time to practice, relax, and receive Dharma from the teachers.
The family retreat creates a safe and nurturing environment where all family constellations, races, gender identities, and bodies are welcome and belong. Children and adults from participant families often forge lifelong friendships on this retreat.
Register here
From the Spirit Rock page:
Find joy in a retreat for the whole family! This will be a time for you and your family to rest, reconnect, play, and enjoy. This is a four-night residential retreat for adults and their children ages 7-15 years old.
The days will combine age-appropriate meditation and Dharma teachings, games, arts and crafts, nature time, and more. Kids and teens will have organized time each day to be with same-age peers, fully supervised by our outstanding mindful leaders. Adults will also have their own time to practice, relax, and receive Dharma from the teachers.
The family retreat creates a safe and nurturing environment where all family constellations, races, gender identities, and bodies are welcome and belong. Children and adults from participant families often forge lifelong friendships on this retreat.
Register here
It's been a very busy spring!
The Ayyas traveled east, then north to teach and support the wider Theravada monastic and lay community. Getting to see old friends, meeting requests for teachings ranging from a few hours to many days, and enjoying rare opportunities for engaging with the fourfold sangha. What a fun few months of giving and receiving joyously!
On the east coast, they visited Empty Cloud Monastery in New Jersey, Temple Forest Monastery in New Hampshire, and ended with teaching a retreat at the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies in Massachusetts.
On the west coast, they taught a retreat at Cloud Mountain Retreat Center in Washington State, joined events with Clear Mountain Monastery and SIMS (Seattle Insight Meditation Society), and taught a daylong retreat at Portland Friends of the Dhamma. Below are a few snapshots of where they went to teach, support, and visit:
Vesak at Empty Cloud Monastery in New Jersey
It was wonderful to spend time with old friends at Empty Cloud, a dual gender monastery in West Orange, New Jersey. They helped lead the Vesak ceremony while there. It felt like spending time with family, and the Ayyas and Anagarika Sarana really enjoyed the warm interactions with the monastics at Empty Cloud and also at Temple Forest Monastery.
Left to right: Ayya Cittananda, Bhante Jayasara, Anagarika Sarana, Ayya Santussika, Ayya Suvijjana, Bhante Mettiko, and Tan Wade.
Left to right: Ayya Cittananda, Bhante Jayasara, Anagarika Sarana, Ayya Santussika, Ayya Suvijjana, Bhante Mettiko, and Tan Wade.
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A dhamma session during the 2 week retreat at Cloud Mountain Retreat Center in Castle Rock, WA
An evening teaching with Clear Mountain Monastery
For a Cloud Mountain Monastery Thursday evening gathering, voices joined together in harmony for chanting, teachings, and a questions and answer session.
Venerables Nisabho, Kovilo, Santussika, Cittananda, and Anagarika Sarana
As one attendee remarked, "I could not keep from smiling!"
Venerables Nisabho, Kovilo, Santussika, Cittananda, and Anagarika Sarana
As one attendee remarked, "I could not keep from smiling!"
Clear Mountain Monastery's Robe Offering (Almsgiving) Ceremony in Mid-June
The four-fold assembly came together for Clear Mountain Monastery's 2023 Robe Offering Ceremony on June 17.
The large hall was filled with happiness for this coming together and support for Clear Mountain Monastery, as funds increase for purchasing property near Seattle.
Back left, Ajahn Nisabho and Ajahn Kovilo of Clear Mountain Monastery, front row from the left- Ritthi Thirajitto of Atammayatarama Buddhist Monastery in Woodinville, WA, Luang Por Pasanno of Abhayagiri, Ukiah, CA, Ayya Anandabodhi of Aloka Vihara, Ayya Santussika and Ayya Cittananda, Anagarika Sarana and Anagarika Bethany.
The large hall was filled with happiness for this coming together and support for Clear Mountain Monastery, as funds increase for purchasing property near Seattle.
Back left, Ajahn Nisabho and Ajahn Kovilo of Clear Mountain Monastery, front row from the left- Ritthi Thirajitto of Atammayatarama Buddhist Monastery in Woodinville, WA, Luang Por Pasanno of Abhayagiri, Ukiah, CA, Ayya Anandabodhi of Aloka Vihara, Ayya Santussika and Ayya Cittananda, Anagarika Sarana and Anagarika Bethany.
Strengthening in Dhamma with Kalyanamitta
With all of the busy-ness during these past couple of months (and the fatigue that comes along with it!), what really stands out for us is the feeling of uplift we have from being together with a harmonious, happy fourfold sangha. We've noticed how beautifully our monastic friends at Empty Cloud, Clear Mountain, and Temple Forest Monasteries are following the Buddha's teachings from the suttas. They're excellent role models for their lay communities, who are also doing a splendid job of upholding the Dhamma.
For example, in Anguttara Nikaya 9.5, translated as "Powers", the Buddha talks about the power of sustaining favorable relationships. One does this by four means: giving, endearing speech, beneficent conduct, and impartiality. The venerables at these monasteries impeccably modeled all of these types of actions. Giving gifts and sharing requisites; speaking kind words, following right speech, and sharing dhamma; acting kindly and helpfully towards everyone, taking care of each other, and encouraging us all on the path; and treating everyone with respect, and honoring the wholesome qualities they've developed through practicing the Dhamma.
It is in turn an honor and a joy to be part of such a wonderful sangha family. We look forward to enjoying this very sweet connection with our monastic sisters and brothers on the path, and the continued close, mutually supportive connection with the entire fourfold sangha.
With warm, fuzzy metta for you all,
Ayya Cittananda
For example, in Anguttara Nikaya 9.5, translated as "Powers", the Buddha talks about the power of sustaining favorable relationships. One does this by four means: giving, endearing speech, beneficent conduct, and impartiality. The venerables at these monasteries impeccably modeled all of these types of actions. Giving gifts and sharing requisites; speaking kind words, following right speech, and sharing dhamma; acting kindly and helpfully towards everyone, taking care of each other, and encouraging us all on the path; and treating everyone with respect, and honoring the wholesome qualities they've developed through practicing the Dhamma.
It is in turn an honor and a joy to be part of such a wonderful sangha family. We look forward to enjoying this very sweet connection with our monastic sisters and brothers on the path, and the continued close, mutually supportive connection with the entire fourfold sangha.
With warm, fuzzy metta for you all,
Ayya Cittananda