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 during 2016.
In April, 2016, AfB covered a short fall in medical expenses at a bhikkhuni monastery in the amount of $2172.
Transportation Support for Venerable Canda
Thanks to generous donations, AfB has donated $1000 for Venerable Canda, an English Bhikkhuni, to travel to the USA from Dhammasara monastery in Perth, Australia. She is taking time away from the community as her father is sick. She would also like to take this opportunity to visit the Saranaloka Bhikkhunis in California, for the sake of monastic exchange. This experience would help her develop ideas for setting up a monastery in the UK as encouraged by her teacher, Ajahn Brahm. The Bhikkhunis’ at Saranaloka have kindly agreed to to her visit in April or May, for a couple of months.
She writes, “I feel very grateful to you and the board for supporting this journey, which will be enriching, educational, and also important for me in terms of making personal connections with the wider Bhikkhuni Sangha. Kalyana Mittas are the whole of the Holy Life!”
Reconstruction of bhikkhunis’ monastic lodgings
Padukka Mathika Matha Bhikkhuni Aramaya in Sri Lanka was built fifty years ago and is now quite dilapidated. Although the three-fold shrine has been rebuilt, the kutis are no longer usable and 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 to complete these lodgings. With donated funds, AfB has contributed $3,250 towards this project. However, additional funding is needed. Please visit our donation page to contribute.
Building of New Meditation Huts at Mahapajapati Monastery
With donated funds, AfB has contributed $1.000 towards the building of new meditation huts at Mahapajapati Monastery. These simple huts/kutis are designed to meet the needs of lay and monastic meditators who come to stay at the monastery. In conjunction with Ayya Gunasari and with the generous support of Dhammapali, a local builder has designed these huts to serve as dwellings for yogis who wish to deepen their practice in a monastic setting. More funds are needed and contributions can be made on our Projects Needing Support page.
Support for New Dhammadharini Property
AfB has contributed $2000 towards the purchase of this property at 6791 Sturtevant in Penngrove CA.
Ayya Tathaaloka writes:
It is easily accessible by bus and very soon by SMART train, equidistant 90 mins between our largest groups of friends and supporters in the San Francisco East Bay, Sacramento and our Aranya Bodhi Hermitage, and equidistant between our growing number of local friends and participants in Santa Rosa, Sebastopol and Petaluma — accessible to all. Originally built as a group home, it is on flat terrain and handicap accessible, with 4 bedrooms + 4 additional rooms currently being used as bedrooms, as well as with a second living room to use as a meditation hall. The property is large enough to be able to develop a little further and to make a nice meditation garden and teacher’s cabin. It is at the foot of Sonoma Mountain, a half mile from Sonoma State University were we will be able to offer programs (as has been wished for several years), and a half mile from the new Sonoma Mountain Eco-village (SOMO), where we could walk for pindapata.
Transportation Support for Ayya Sudhamma
With donated funds, AfB has contributed $600 for Ayya Sudhamma to travel from North Carolina to Dhammadharini to join her bhikkhuni sisters in celebration of the grand opening of their new property in Santa Rosa, CA. The purchase has not yet been completed but is well underway, and the celebration is expected for the weekend of July 16-17.
General Support for Monasteries
AfB has donated $1000 for general support to Sati Saraniya Hermitage in Perth, ON, Canada and $2000 to Mahapajapti Monastery in Pioneertown, CA. We are glad to support them in their continued growth.
Support for Ayya Dhammadhira to go on Retreat
AfB is supporting Ayya Dhammadhira with $750 to cover the cost of the retreat registration fee and travel from Colorado to California. This retreat, from May 27-June 2, will be held in Joshua Tree, CA. California. It is called, “Breaking the Cycle of Suffering” and will be lead by Amma Thanasanti Bhikkhuni and Sharon Beckkman-Brindley.
Support for Ayya Tathaaloka’s Airfare to New Zealand
Bhikkhuni Adhimutta
With donated funds, AfB has donated $500 towards Bhikkhuni Adhimutta’s request for Ayya Tathaaloka’s airfare to New Zealand.
Bhikkhuni Adhimuutta writes:
There is keen interest from our local bhikkhus, and the local Sri Lankan community to establish a bhikkhuni monastery here. There are three local ladies who have keen interest in ordaining. We would like to invite Ayya Tathaaloka to spend time with us due to her extensive experience in living in and establishing monasteries. We would also like the community here to have the experience of being in the presence of and learning from an inspiring bhikkhuni. Furthermore, if she is able to get a first-hand experience of the set-up here, she would hopefully be able to work with us and advise us about how to proceed. Moreover, having formed a personal connection with her, we hope that the monastic life aspirants would be able to look to her for guidance in the future.
AfB has contributed $300 towards the cost of travel, visa and additional health insurance for Samaneri Vimala’s trip from Belgium to Los Angeles for her ordination.
From Samita ASBL
We are very happy to announce that Ayya Vimala will ordain as a Bhikkhunī on 7th August 2016 in Los Angeles, California at the Dharma Vijaya temple.
The Pavattini (preceptor) will be Ayya Gunasari Bhikkhunī and the ordination will be done along with Bhante Piyananda Thera.
After this, Ayya Vimala will stay on at Mahapajapati monastery for some time.
Support in Honor of the Opening of the Dhammadharini Monastery
AfB has contributed $500 in honor of the opening of the Dhammaadharini monastery in Penngrove, CA on July 16 and 17.
Transportation Assistance
AfB has contributed $300 for Samaneri Satima, now Bhikkhuni Satima, to travel from Sri Lanka to Los Angeles for her ordination.
Donations to Honor the End of the Vassa
$200 to Dhammadharini/Aranya Bodhi
$100 Aloka Vihara
$100 to Mahapajapati
$100 Sati Saraniya
Legal Assistance
AfB donated $300 to Ayya Dhammadhira for legal assistance or other costs in setting up and obtaining non-profit status for the organization, “Web of Connection.”
Projects Funded in 2016
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 during 2016.
In April, 2016, AfB covered a short fall in medical expenses at a bhikkhuni monastery in the amount of $2172.
Transportation Support for Venerable Canda
Thanks to generous donations, AfB has donated $1000 for Venerable Canda, an English Bhikkhuni, to travel to the USA from Dhammasara monastery in Perth, Australia. She is taking time away from the community as her father is sick. She would also like to take this opportunity to visit the Saranaloka Bhikkhunis in California, for the sake of monastic exchange. This experience would help her develop ideas for setting up a monastery in the UK as encouraged by her teacher, Ajahn Brahm. The Bhikkhunis’ at Saranaloka have kindly agreed to to her visit in April or May, for a couple of months.
She writes, “I feel very grateful to you and the board for supporting this journey, which will be enriching, educational, and also important for me in terms of making personal connections with the wider Bhikkhuni Sangha. Kalyana Mittas are the whole of the Holy Life!”
Reconstruction of bhikkhunis’ monastic lodgings
Building of New Meditation Huts at Mahapajapati Monastery
With donated funds, AfB has contributed $1.000 towards the building of new meditation huts at Mahapajapati Monastery. These simple huts/kutis are designed to meet the needs of lay and monastic meditators who come to stay at the monastery. In conjunction with Ayya Gunasari and with the generous support of Dhammapali, a local builder has designed these huts to serve as dwellings for yogis who wish to deepen their practice in a monastic setting. More funds are needed and contributions can be made on our Projects Needing Support page.
Support for New Dhammadharini Property
AfB has contributed $2000 towards the purchase of this property at 6791 Sturtevant in Penngrove CA.
Ayya Tathaaloka writes:
It is easily accessible by bus and very soon by SMART train, equidistant 90 mins between our largest groups of friends and supporters in the San Francisco East Bay, Sacramento and our Aranya Bodhi Hermitage, and equidistant between our growing number of local friends and participants in Santa Rosa, Sebastopol and Petaluma — accessible to all. Originally built as a group home, it is on flat terrain and handicap accessible, with 4 bedrooms + 4 additional rooms currently being used as bedrooms, as well as with a second living room to use as a meditation hall. The property is large enough to be able to develop a little further and to make a nice meditation garden and teacher’s cabin. It is at the foot of Sonoma Mountain, a half mile from Sonoma State University were we will be able to offer programs (as has been wished for several years), and a half mile from the new Sonoma Mountain Eco-village (SOMO), where we could walk for pindapata.
Transportation Support for Ayya Sudhamma
General Support for Monasteries
AfB has donated $1000 for general support to Sati Saraniya Hermitage in Perth, ON, Canada and $2000 to Mahapajapti Monastery in Pioneertown, CA. We are glad to support them in their continued growth.
Support for Ayya Dhammadhira to go on Retreat
AfB is supporting Ayya Dhammadhira with $750 to cover the cost of the retreat registration fee and travel from Colorado to California. This retreat, from May 27-June 2, will be held in Joshua Tree, CA. California. It is called, “Breaking the Cycle of Suffering” and will be lead by Amma Thanasanti Bhikkhuni and Sharon Beckkman-Brindley.
Support for Ayya Tathaaloka’s Airfare to New Zealand
With donated funds, AfB has donated $500 towards Bhikkhuni Adhimutta’s request for Ayya Tathaaloka’s airfare to New Zealand.
Bhikkhuni Adhimuutta writes:
There is keen interest from our local bhikkhus, and the local Sri Lankan community to establish a bhikkhuni monastery here. There are three local ladies who have keen interest in ordaining. We would like to invite Ayya Tathaaloka to spend time with us due to her extensive experience in living in and establishing monasteries. We would also like the community here to have the experience of being in the presence of and learning from an inspiring bhikkhuni. Furthermore, if she is able to get a first-hand experience of the set-up here, she would hopefully be able to work with us and advise us about how to proceed. Moreover, having formed a personal connection with her, we hope that the monastic life aspirants would be able to look to her for guidance in the future.
An additional $400 is still needed. Please visit our “Projects Needing Support” page to donate.
Travel Support for Samaneri Vimala’s Ordination
AfB has contributed $300 towards the cost of travel, visa and additional health insuranc
From Samita ASBL
We are very happy to announce that Ayya Vimala will ordain as a Bhikkhunī on 7th August 2016 in Los Angeles, California at the Dharma Vijaya temple.
The Pavattini (preceptor) will be Ayya Gunasari Bhikkhunī and the ordination will be done along with Bhante Piyananda Thera.
After this, Ayya Vimala will stay on at Mahapajapati monastery for some time.
Support in Honor of the Opening of the Dhammadharini Monastery
Transportation Assistance
AfB has contributed $300 for Samaneri Satima, now Bhikkhuni Satima, to travel from Sri Lanka to Los Angeles for her ordination.
Donations to Honor the End of the Vassa
$200 to Dhammadharini/Aranya Bodhi
$100 Aloka Vihara
$100 to Mahapajapati
$100 Sati Saraniya
Legal Assistance
Kutis in Sri Lanka
$135 to Ayya Supeshala for kutis in Sri Lanka
More on this project