Dear <<First Name>>,
Life at Anukampa's first Bhikkhuni Residence got off to a rocky start, entailing the removal of heavy asthma-triggering cat hair from the carpets! Thoroughly deep-cleaned, we are now chartering calmer seas. A month in and thanks to all manner of support, I have so far been amply provided with the four requisites of food, medicines, robes- and (most remarkably of course)- a quiet and suitable dwelling. Though we are not yet covering rental costs, many supporters have made use of our Needed Items List, offering with the kind of generosity to expand any belly and melt any heart! Such loving care inspires and sustains sincerity in practice and births a "virtuous cycle" of giving, reversing the samsaric wheel of suffering deftly towards liberation.
As Life Unfolds... (with an abundance of muesli and oats!)
A steady trickle of folks continue to grace the Residence with their presence and practice. So far I have received around 15 residential guests and many people coming to offer the meal, participate in the meal-blessing and reflection and join the evening meditation. Although one room is occupied with various visitors until June, there is nearly always another available for a second guest, which perhaps could be you!
Life is low key, but includes the unexpected. Jyn, a social worker who volunteers at the Buddhist Fellowship, made her way here from Singapore,with a parcel of Ajahn Brahm books carefully packaged by her mother, who also offered biscuits baked to celebrate Chinese New Year. Krishna turned up after his interview for Post-Grad Neuroscience studies, and we had an impromptu metta meditation. And we were recently blessed with the warm presence of world-renowned Pali and Buddhist scholar Richard Gombridge, too. You may enjoy reading his interview about his new book "Pali and Buddhism" here.
On February 2nd, we held our first "House Warming Dhamma Party" True to name, the day was packed with warmth, Dhamma and a party (spirit!). Over a hearty and delicious meal, we had a rare chance to spend informal time discussing our overlapping volunteer roles- as trustee, software engineer, solicitor, treasurer, and in events. Afterwards I led a meditation and Dhamma Discussion about intentional communities like ours, which cohere around shared values and goals.
Drawing on various stories from the Suttas, we took inspiration from the Venerables Anuruddha, Kimbila and Nandiya who, in the Buddha's day, set the standard for harmonious living. Regarding each other with "kindly eyes" and "blending like milk and water," they would eagerly perform any task at hand without quibbling and prioritise the wishes of the group above their own (MN:31 and 128). Sitting among wise companions in England, 2019, it struck me that such ideal ways of relating are well established within our culturally diverse and vibrant team, with the resulting happiness hopefully set to deepen as we continue serving together.
I strongly recommend Bhikkhu Bodhi's "Anthology on Social and Communal Harmony" which collates the Buddha's most poignant advice on fostering harmony, because without some measure of external harmony - between all peoples and with the natural environment - inner peace will prove elusive or, at best, short-lived.
 With Anukampa Volunteers in our Quiet Room
|
|
Current Daily Schedule At Anukampa Bhikkhuni Residence:
10.30am- 1pm: Visiting hours to offer and partake of the meal, including Dhamma Reflection and Blessing Chant
(1pm-6pm: Silent practice for Sangha and guests)
6.30pm: Tea-Time & Invitation to Discuss Your Buddhist Practice
7.30pm- 8.30pm: Silent Group Meditation Session
FROM 15th MARCH:
NEW * 8.30pm - 9.30pm on Fridays: Sutta Discussion
NEW * 8.30pm - 9.30pm on Saturdays: Audio Talk by Ajahn Brahm
For further information and to arrange a visit, please contact: team@anukampaproject.org
N.B Reminder: please note that this is a Private Residence and not a public place of worship, so attendance must be pre-arranged.
|
|
Sitting Comfortably In India (by Paul)
 At the ancient Ellora and Ajanta Caves in Maharashtra, India, the Buddha is often depicted sitting comfortably upon a chair. These serene works of art are cut from the solid rock within monasteries dating as far back as the 2nd century B.C.E. The secluded caves at Ajanta also preserve outstanding frescoes depicting stories from the life of the Buddha, Jātaka tales, as well as scenes of everyday life in ancient India, of which there are few other extant examples. Wandering between these evocative dwellings and gathering halls of monastics, a way of life in Dhamma is palpable. Here, a masterpiece of Buddhist art and architecture was created for us to find inspiration and solace in, knowing that even in ancient times, the Buddha was shown sitting at ease in a chair!
|
|
Ven Canda's "Power Of Loving Kindness" Recordings
|
|
Award Winning Film Screening
Saturday 18th May, 7pm- 9pm at Kagyu Samye Dzong's workshop room: REGISTER HERE
 “Bhikkhunī – Buddhism, Sri Lanka, Revolution” is a documentary film about the revival of bhikkhuni ordination in Theravāda Buddhism. We are delighted to present a screening, along with a guided meditation and a Q&A session with Venerable Canda.
Shortly after Enlightenment, the Buddha said: “I shall not come to my final passing away, until my bhikkhus and bhikkhunis, laymen and laywomen, have come to be true disciples… ” Even though the Buddha established the bhikkhunī order, the line of full ordination for women in the Theravāda tradition died out in the 11th Century. Since then, it is a common belief that being a bhikkhuni is no longer possible.
The documentary presents the story of women who, in order to implement the Buddha’s teachings, however against the opinion of many monks, have become bhikkhunīs in the Theravāda tradition. The film’s protagonists are Bhikkhunī Kusuma from Sri Lanka (ordained in 1996 in India), Bhikkhunī Dhammananda from Thailand (ordained in 2003 in Sri Lanka) and Bhikkhunī Gautami from Bangladesh (ordained in 2016 in Sri Lanka) – the first women in their countries’ modern history to take full ordination.
You can read more about this film, by Małgorzata Dobrowolska, at https://bhikkhuni-film.com
Proceeds from the evening will go towards rental costs of Anukampa Bhikkhuni Residence.
|
|
Ajahn Brahm's 2018 Retreat Teachings Ready For You!
We now have the complete set of videos-  talks, meditations, "Word Of The Buddha" classes, and Q&A sessions- from Ajahn Brahm's extraordinary December retreat, ready for you. Offered through a labour of love and the great generosity of volunteers, we warmly invite you to contribute any donation you are able. All talks can be found by following this link
|
|
Upcoming Talks and Day Retreats with Ven Canda
 13.04.19 Day Retreat, Frome Insight: REGISTER HERE
29.04.19 Dhamma Evening at Oxford Insight
11.05.19 Day Retreat, Oxford Insight:
REGISTER HERE
13.05.09 Dhamma Evening at Oxford Insight
20.05.09 Dhamma Evening at Oxford Insight
|
|
New Ajahn Brahm Tour Dates, 2019!
Ajahn Brahm will be teaching in England again this year from 22nd- 30th October. The Gaia House weekend retreat (announced in our November newsletter) is already wait-listed. Bookings will open for the remaining events in our next newsletter- and as usual, you will be notified first, through us. Don't miss out on the unique combination of profundity and fun offered through Ajahn's teachings, aimed at opening the heart to wisdom, compassion and peace.
|
|
Trepidation Turns To Peace: A Guest In Residence (by Helen)
On Thursday 31st January I left warm Portugal for colder Oxford to spend five days at Anukampa’s rented town house. It was to be my first experience to look after a monastic on my own, so I found myself with a bit of trepidation. As often is the case, the very warm smile and hug from Venerable Canda upon my arrival put it all to rest. It is, after all, an honour to serve a monastic.
The few days went quickly. We had a volunteer meeting on Saturday; we were seven nationalities, which shows how wide-spread our support is. We shared a wonderful lunch and had a meditation followed by a Dhamma talk about how communities can work together in harmony. Venerable and I spent time discussing Dhamma and I could finally vent some of my meditation issues. I tried to spend my time wisely, meditated quite a lot and actually enjoyed some peaceful meditations!
On my last day, Venerable Canda was invited
to give a talk for Oxford Insight, and I accompanied her, feeling very proud and important! We did a guided body meditation and had a very good talk on "Kindfulness." This group usually works with mindfulness, so adding kindness to that was a good theme. The Q&A session at the end was lively and it was obvious that the group was very happy. On a personal note, I will add that I was very impressed too. Not easy to give Dhamma talk straight from the heart, but Venerable Canda did just that.
It is wonderful to see that we have such a good Dhamma and meditation teacher in our midst. Itis no easy task to start a monastery for Bhikkhunis anywhere in the world, but we seem to be making good progress in England. Venerable Canda’s efforts are very much a part of that.
I left Oxford with a very uplifted and peaceful mind. It was such a good experience and much gratitude to Venerable Canda for making it so.
Sadhu, Sadhu, Sadhu (Awesome, awesome, awesome: translated by Ajahn Brahm!)
|
|
The Riches Of Silence
On February 24th, a small group of around 20 spent a peaceful day inclining our perception toward silence. We explored silence as an absence and an ending of affliction, informed by the Culasunnata Sutta (MN:121); silence as an empathetic presence, by learning to notice and value quiet spaces in our outer and inner world; and silence as a means to reveal the nature of existence beyond the realm of conceptual thought, taking the Dvedavitakka and Vitakkasantana Suttas (MN:19 & 21) as our practical guides. Sun streamed through the windows of Brighton Community Base as the concluding metta meditation was underway, graciously facilitating a visualisation of the whole world encased in a golden glow. After the retreat I had a two-day restorative break surrounded by the stupendous silent beauty of the Seven Sisters.
Next time you are out alone in the sun, mist, or snow, take a moment to notice the silence around and within you, and watch the beauty- and your inner shine- grow!
"A bhikkhu [bhikkhuni or lay practitioner] does not shine by delighting in company... devoting oneself to delight in company...[nor] by taking delight in society... rejoicing in society. It is not possible that [one who takes delight in this way] will ever obtain without trouble or difficulty, the bliss of renunciation, the bliss of seclusion, the bliss of peace, the bliss of enlightenment. But it can be expected that when [one] lives alone, withdrawn from society, one will [obtain such blisses] ..." MN:122 Mahasunnata Sutta- Greater discourse on Emptiness [abbreviated].
From the evening of 4th until the 11th March, I will be on silent retreat at the Residence, to improve the atmosphere, without and within ;-)
Wishing you many kinds of wholesome bliss,
Ven Canda and the Anukampa Team
The Seven Sisters, East Sussex, seen from the beach near Cuckmere Haven at low tide.
|
|
|
|
The well-attended London Insight Day Retreat on 13th January was fun to teach and we are delighted to share the recordings below:
