Projects Funded in 2019
Monastic Medical Support
Medical care is one of the four requisites that the Buddha specified as required for living a monastic life. (The others are food, clothing, and shelter). We are currently covering health insurance for one bhikkhuni. We have also donated $1000 towards additional medical needs of this bhikkhuni.
The need is ongoing and we welcome your support for the monastic medical fund.
General Support
Periodically AfB contributes towards the general support of bhikkhuni monasteries and centers. This year we sent:
- $500 to Dhammadhira Bhikkhuni and the Web of Connection in Colorado Springs, CoDhammadhira Bhikkhuni writes after receiving the donation, “Your support touches my heart and encourages me on the path. I am truly rejoicing in your goodness with the intention of spreading the Dhamma to all who come to the programs here in Colorado.”
- Through a generous donor, $500 was donated to Dekanduwala Bhikkhuni Monastery in Sri Lanka.
- We sent $500, donated by this same person’s generosity, to Sakyadhita in Sri Lanka
- AfB donated $1100 to the Anukampa project in the UK.
Donation to Santi Forest Monastery Monastery
AfB contributed $1000 towards the upgrading of kutis at Santi Forest Monastery in Australia. The kutis are quite run-down and their goal is to make them more thermally efficient and create ease of maintenance.
Donation to Dhammasara Monastery
AfB donated $2000 to Dhammasara which is part of the Buddhist Society of Western Australia, in honor of the 10th Anniversary of the First Theravada Bhikkhuni Ordination in Australia. Ven. Vayama, Ven. Nirodha, Ven. Seri and Ven. Hasapañña were ordained at this time.
Donation to Dakkhina Dhammatthala
AfB donated $1000 to Ayya Santacārī Bhikkhunī at Dakkhina Dhammatthala in Southern Australia for travel expenses to visit her teachers and for general monastery maintenance.
Donation in Celebration of Ayya Medhanandi’s 70th Birthday
AfB contributed $500 towards support of Sati Saraniya Hermitage in celebration of Ayyā Medhānandī’s 70th birthday as well as the hermitage’s 11th anniversary, including 10 years in the forests and fields of Tay Valley Township, Ontario.
Ayya Medhanandi writes, “What a wonderful gesture of support. We are all deeply touched by your thoughtfulness, kindness and generosity and your unflagging support of the Bhikkhunī Sangha reaching out far and wide to these northern climes!”
Support for a Hermitage Property for Karuna Buddhist Vihara
AfB has donated $2000 towards a potential property to be used as a hermitage. This property is in the Santa Cruz mountains, only a 45 minute drive from the current Vihara.
Support for Building of Kutis and General Construction at Aloka Vihara
AfB has donated $2000 towards the building of kutis and general construction.
Aloka Vihara’s July newsletter says there will be “1 – 2 additional kutis (dwellings) on the Aloka Vihara property. The kutis will be located in the forest, away from the main house, allowing the nuns to practice in solitude and to benefit from nature’s pure and immediate Dhamma.”
Read the newsletter
Support for Tilorien Monastery in Belgium
We are very grateful to the very generous donor who has contributed $2000 to Tilorien monastery. Ayya Vimala writes:
The building of new double kuti is on hold at the moment. Partly because I need a bit of a rest after an exhausting building period last year (we did a large portion of the building ourselves and for the kutis too, this would be on our own shoulders). The other reason is financial but we want to at least have the foundations done within the next year. This has to be done by a building company as it is necessary for us to keep our building license for the kutis, which has already been granted. For this your contribution is highly appreciated as the foundations already cost more than we have at present.
Support for the publication of the Bhikkhuni Patimokkha Fourth Edition
A generous donor has contributed $200 towards the upcoming Sri Lankan printing of the Bhikkhuni Patimokkha Fourth Edition. Copies will be distributed to Dekanduwela and Sakyadhita training centers in Sri Lanka, and numerous other places of bhikkhuni training and practice.
Support for Dhammadharini
AfB has contributed $4,000 towards much needed repair of the Dhammadharini roof. Included in that amount was a $2500 donation from a very generous donor. This same donor also donated $500 towards a new and much needed heater in Ayya Tathaloka’s kuti..
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Support for Development of Mahapajapati Monastery
AfB contributed $1500 towards construction at Mahapajapati monastery.
- $1000 went towards the construction of a meditation facility for 35 yogis.
- $500 was contributed towards a covered walkway, badly needed because of the rustic environment and windy climate.
Landslide at Dhammadharini’s Aranya Bodhi Awakening Forest Hermitage
AfB has contributed $1000 towards a matching grant to repair storm damage caused by the landslide.
From Friends of Dhammadharini:
A friend of our community, learning about the landslide on our hermitage access road, has very kindly offered an $8K match grant to all those who would like to join in being a part of offering help and support together from afar for “Hermitage Storm Damage”. “Anumodana Sadhu!” to this kind donor!
This is for all kinds of work related to storm damage at our Aranya Bodhi Awakening Forest Hermitage, like bolstering the slide and fixing the bridge, as well as preventing further damage, like protecting trees getting ready to fall on a kuti or access road, re/establishing drainage, or protecting the access road from collapsing, etc.
Donation towards Nuns in Nagpur, India
AfB has contributed $500 towards nuns living in poverty in the slums of Nagpur, India.
Adhimutti Bhikkhuni, who has visited them, writes, “They are living in very simple huts in the slums made of iron, which must be impossibly hot. And the elderly nuns are sleeping on grass mats (ergo no cushioning) on the floor.
Through her efforts and donations from AfB and Dhammadharini, Ayya Adhi purchased coolers, mattresses and arranged for a power line to be connected. New robes were also presented.
Donation towards Aloka Vihara’s 10th Anniversary Publication
As part of the 10th Anniversary, Aloka Vihara is looking forward to sharing a new book of teachings from Ayya Santacitta and Ayya Anandabodhi. This free-distribution book will be the first publishing of teachings by the Aloka Vihara nuns. AfB has contributed $250 towards this publication.
Reconstruction of Bhikkhunis’ Lodgings and Meditation Hall in Sri Lanka
Through generous donations, AfB has contributed $1265 in 2019 to Padukka Mathika Matha Bhikkhuni Aramaya in Sri Lanka which was built fifty years ago and is now quite dilapidated. Bhikkuni H. Supeshala, one of the winners of the 2006 United Nations Award for Outstanding Women in Buddhism in Southeast Asia, has requested much needed assistance for this reconstruction.
Donation in memory of Venerable Visuddhisaddha
AfB has made a donation of $200 to Vien Khong Nunnery in Vietnam in memory of Venerable Visuddhisaddha who passed away on Jan. 21, 2019. She had been instrumental in the reappearance of the Theravada Bhikkhuni Sangha in South Vietnam.
Retreat Fund
Following a retreat at IMS, Sayadaw U Jagara donated the proceeds of his retreat to a fund for supporting nuns to attend his future retreats at the Forest Refuge. IMS requested that we ‘hold’ these funds, acting as the steward to disburse them to the nuns as needed. With this support, fees will be paid for Ayya Anopama’s retreat in 2020 with Sayadaw U Jāgara and Shaila Catherine.
Projects Funded in 2019
Monastic Medical Support
Medical care is one of the four requisites that the Buddha specified as required for living a monastic life. (The others are food, clothing, and shelter). We are currently covering health insurance for one bhikkhuni. We have also donated $1000 towards additional medical needs of this bhikkhuni.
The need is ongoing and we welcome your support for the monastic medical fund.
General Support
Periodically AfB contributes towards the general support of bhikkhuni monasteries and centers. This year we sent:
Donation to Santi Forest Monastery Monastery
AfB contributed $1000 towards the upgrading of kutis at Santi Forest Monastery in Australia. The kutis are quite run-down and their goal is to make them more thermally efficient and create ease of maintenance.
Donation to Dhammasara Monastery
AfB donated $2000 to Dhammasara which is part of the Buddhist Society of Western Australia, in honor of the 10th Anniversary of the First Theravada Bhikkhuni Ordination in Australia. Ven. Vayama, Ven. Nirodha, Ven. Seri and Ven. Hasapañña were ordained at this time.
Donation to Dakkhina Dhammatthala
AfB donated $1000 to Ayya Santacārī Bhikkhunī at Dakkhina Dhammatthala in Southern Australia for travel expenses to visit her teachers and for general monastery maintenance.
Donation in Celebration of Ayya Medhanandi’s 70th Birthday
Ayya Medhanandi writes, “What a wonderful gesture of support. We are all deeply touched by your thoughtfulness, kindness and generosity and your unflagging support of the Bhikkhunī Sangha reaching out far and wide to these northern climes!”
Support for a Hermitage Property for Karuna Buddhist Vihara
AfB has donated $2000 towards a potential property to be used as a hermitage. This property is in the Santa Cruz mountains, only a 45 minute drive from the current Vihara.
Support for Building of Kutis and General Construction at Aloka Vihara
AfB has donated $2000 towards the building of kutis and general construction.
Aloka Vihara’s July newsletter says there will be “1 – 2 additional kutis (dwellings) on the Aloka Vihara property. The kutis will be located in the forest, away from the main house, allowing the nuns to practice in solitude and to benefit from nature’s pure and immediate Dhamma.”
Read the newsletter
Support for Tilorien Monastery in Belgium
We are very grateful to the very generous donor who has contributed $2000 to Tilorien monastery. Ayya Vimala writes:
Support for the publication of the Bhikkhuni Patimokkha Fourth Edition
A generous donor has contributed $200 towards the upcoming Sri Lankan printing of the Bhikkhuni Patimokkha Fourth Edition. Copies will be distributed to Dekanduwela and Sakyadhita training centers in Sri Lanka, and numerous other places of bhikkhuni training and practice.
Support for Dhammadharini
More >>
Support for Development of Mahapajapati Monastery
AfB contributed $1500 towards construction at Mahapajapati monastery.
Landslide at Dhammadharini’s Aranya Bodhi Awakening Forest Hermitage
AfB has contributed $1000 towards a matching grant to repair storm damage caused by the landslide.
From Friends of Dhammadharini:
A friend of our community, learning about the landslide on our hermitage access road, has very kindly offered an $8K match grant to all those who would like to join in being a part of offering help and support together from afar for “Hermitage Storm Damage”. “Anumodana Sadhu!” to this kind donor!
This is for all kinds of work related to storm damage at our Aranya Bodhi Awakening Forest Hermitage, like bolstering the slide and fixing the bridge, as well as preventing further damage, like protecting trees getting ready to fall on a kuti or access road, re/establishing drainage, or protecting the access road from collapsing, etc.
Donation towards Nuns in Nagpur, India
AfB has contributed $500 towards nuns living in poverty in the slums of Nagpur, India.
Adhimutti Bhikkhuni, who has visited them, writes, “They are living in very simple huts in the slums made of iron, which must be impossibly hot. And the elderly nuns are sleeping on grass mats (ergo no cushioning) on the floor.
Through her efforts and donations from AfB and Dhammadharini, Ayya Adhi purchased coolers, mattresses and arranged for a power line to be connected. New robes were also presented.
Donation towards Aloka Vihara’s 10th Anniversary Publication
As part of the 10th Anniversary, Aloka Vihara is looking forward to sharing a new book of teachings from Ayya Santacitta and Ayya Anandabodhi. This free-distribution book will be the first publishing of teachings by the Aloka Vihara nuns. AfB has contributed $250 towards this publication.
Reconstruction of Bhikkhunis’ Lodgings and Meditation Hall in Sri Lanka
Through generous donations, AfB has contributed $1265 in 2019 to Padukka Mathika Matha Bhikkhuni Aramaya in Sri Lanka which was built fifty years ago and is now quite dilapidated. Bhikkuni H. Supeshala, one of the winners of the 2006 United Nations Award for Outstanding Women in Buddhism in Southeast Asia, has requested much needed assistance for this reconstruction.
Donation in memory of Venerable Visuddhisaddha
Retreat Fund
Following a retreat at IMS, Sayadaw U Jagara donated the proceeds of his retreat to a fund for supporting nuns to attend his future retreats at the Forest Refuge. IMS requested that we ‘hold’ these funds, acting as the steward to disburse them to the nuns as needed. With this support, fees will be paid for Ayya Anopama’s retreat in 2020 with Sayadaw U Jāgara and Shaila Catherine.