At Aruna Ratanagiri Monastery we are looking for a new guest house manager to start at the beginning of April 2011.

Applicants need to be male, fluent in English, comfortably familiar with Theravada Buddhist monastic practice, and able with general repair work. Also, they will need to have a clean driver's licence and be available to commit to the minimum of six months. The manager will receive without charge: a single room, two meals a day, the opportunity to participate in retreats and the opportunity to participate in daily meditations. Anyone interested could contact us by our website form, or on the +44 (0)1661 881 612 phone number to arrange an initial meeting.

Books intended for free distribution. The books we distribute for free are made available through the faith, effort and generosity of people who wish to share the understanding they contain with whoever is interested. This free offering is itself a part of what makes this a 'Dhamma-publication,' a book based on spiritual values.

Please don't sell these books. If you no longer need one of these books, pass it on to an interested person.

If you wish to help such publications to continue to be made freely available, please contact your nearest Forest Sangha monastery.

In early April 2010 senior members of the Forest Sangha associated with the monasteries in Europe met at Amaravati for their usual annual gathering. From 6–10 April, 21 theras and 6 theris (monks and nuns respectively of over 10 years training) conducted mixed and separate meetings to address community business.

One of the most important items was a formal announcement by Luang Por Sumedho of his intention to retire from being abbot at Amaravati. Luang Por had earlier expressed his wish that Ajahn Amaro from Abhayagiri Monastery in California (who attended these meetings) take up the role of abbot following his own departure at the end of this year. After meeting with the monks and nuns at Amaravati and with the Elders’ Council, Ajahn Amaro was heartily welcomed to take up Luang Por’s invitation, and it was agreed that he will become the new abbot at Amaravati.

It is Luang Por Sumedho's wish initially to return to live in Thailand, probably at Wat Nong Pah Pong. He plans to depart soon after this year's Kathina at Amaravati on 14th November. For further information please see www.amaravati.org

The latest gathering of Western elders of the Ajahn Chah Sangha (referred to informally as WAM) took place from the 7-9^th December 2009 at Wat Pah Nanachat, in Ubon, Northeast Thailand. The gathering was attended by some twenty-eight elders, including Ven. Ajahn Sumedho, abbot of Amaravati Buddhist Monastery in England, the senior Western disciple of Ajahn Chah. Luang Por Liem, the abbot of Wat Pah Pong, (Ajahn Chah's monastery) kindly gave an opening address.

The gathering this year was dominated by discussion of the unfortunate events surrounding the delisting of Bodhinyana Monastery in Perth, Western Australia from the Ajahn Chah Sangha, and the estrangement of an old friend and erstwhile member of the group, Ajahn Brahmavamso.

[click to read the full article...]

The audio recording of the decision on Nov 1^st can be downloaded here.

The following article concerns our ongoing efforts to balance the needs involved in living Sangha life in the West. As many of you know, sometimes this is easier, and sometimes more difficult. For many of us, both monastic and lay community members, this past year has been challenging. We hope you will recognize in the following account the sincerity of our attempts to be skilful; and that you can empathize with our aspirations to honour all the individuals involved. Months ago we knew we would want to share something in writing with those of our lay friends interested or concerned. This is an attempt to offer such an account, as well as some general context, in the hope it may help. Specifically, it addresses the recent process our Sangha has been engaged in, involving Luang Por Sumedho’s wish to clarify the training aspect of the relationship between the bhikkhus and the siladhara nuns. At the Elders’ Meeting at Chithurst on October 16 we realized the time was right and that we were ready enough to prepare something. However, the need to consult widely, and the travel plans of many, have meant this task has been even more time consuming than it would have been. The nuns have wished that this article be authored by the senior bhikkhus; accordingly it has been prepared by most of the abbots and theras on the Elders’ Council, including the monasteries in Britain, Switzerland, Italy, New Zealand and California. It has been read and commented upon by the senior nuns at Amaravati and Cittaviveka.

[click to read the full article...]