Finished

After many ups and downs and numerous setbacks, the kitchen in the main house is finally finished.

On Tuesday, Ajahn Abhinando returned from visiting his parents in Germany, and yesterday Rev Lewyn from Throssel Hole Priory came to stay for a few days.

Also yesterday we received a visit from 10 scout masters who joined us for evening Puja and a question and answer session with Tan Nyanamoli. As mentioned last week we look forward to having several Sangha visitors this weekend: Ajahns Jundee who was ordained at Ajahn Chah's monastery just one year before Ajahn Munindo, Ajahn Nyandhammo, Ajahn Vimalo and Tun Moshe.

A Tribute to Ajahn Chah

Venerable Ajahn Chah

“On Tuesday it was Ajahn Chah’s birthday, which the community celebrated by beginning our belated silent week. His legacy is a body of accessible teachings, the various monasteries around the world and, of course, the western Forest Sangha. Without these many of us would not have encountered the Dhamma, so perhaps we can take a little time to reflect on how indebted we are to him.

Ajahn Munindo returned to Harnham via Santacittarama monastery in Italy, where he gave a talk entitled ‘A Tribute to Ajahn Chah’.

Pointing to the Path

Pointing to the Path

The community has shrunk in size yet again. Ajahn Abhinando has gone to Germany to visit his parents for a couple of weeks, leaving only four of us here at Harnham. However, we are being joined by Bhante Seelagawesi and a group of lay supporters until Sunday night, when our monastic silent week begins. Also, Ajahn Abhinando's newly-printed poetry book has arrived: copies will be available at the monastery but we probably better wait until Ajahn Abhinando returns on 24th June before giving them out.

A friend of the monastery sent us this photograph, after being inspired by one of Ajahn Munindo’s talks based around the acronym ‘P.A.T.H.’ (Patience, Awareness, Trust, and Honesty). If we are patient with our practice, cultivate awareness, have trust in the Buddha’s teachings, and look at ourselves honestly we can recognise and follow that which leads us to the Path: as Ajahn Chah said, “everything is teaching us”.

Quiet Life

This week has been fairly quiet at Harnham. With the mens' retreat over, Ajahn Munindo overseas and only one guest remaining, the monastery feels more spacious than usual.

On Tuesday we received a visit from some local students keen to learn more about Dhamma and monastic life, but otherwise it has been 'business as usual', with the community alternating their efforts between routine work and personal study/ practice.