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Newsletter, Fall 2009 Fall 2009•2552 Volume 14, Number 3 The Right Angle Everyone Benefits, Nobody Loses Out By Luang Por Liam, translated by Ajahn Siripañño The entire world and everyone in it needs repay the debt is called kataveditā. the Dhamma as a protection. We all survive The ones who know what has been and find comfort in life with the support of done for them are called kataññu. And the knowledge and skills, mindfulness and those who return the favor gratefully are wisdom, of countless others. Without their called katavedi. help we would all perish as soon as we leave Kataññu-kataveditā: acknowledging our mother’s womb. We’d have no food to the debt we owe to others and paying it eat, clothes to wear or house to live in. Our back with acts of gratitude are spiritual parents, whose faces we have never even qualities which protect the world from seen before, give us life and all the things harm, help society to function, and lead we need to make us healthy and strong. to peace and happiness. People, however, For our clothes and living places, and all are less and less able to see that we all the various skills we learn, we are entirely have this mutual debt of gratitude which indebted to others. From the first moments must be repaid, and failing to under- in our mothers womb, all of us have a debt of stand this is the reason for the increase gratitude owed to innumerable other people in heated fighting and quarrelling. So, – no need to mention our parents and all our taking an interest in the qualities of teachers, to whom the sense of gratitude we kataññu-katavedi is something which is should feel is incalculable. of vital importance to us all. Even people of one nation have much to All the beautiful customs and tradi- be grateful for to those living in another. tions of old have in part been grounded This is something which, if you think in the principles of kataññu-katavedi. about it, is not too hard to see. Knowing These qualities were firmly established, and acknowledging with gratitude the debt nurtured over time and deeply under- we have to others, and placing them above stood by all societies. Anyone who fails ourselves, is called kataññutā. The effort to to accept that our lives are inextricably linked with one another, and who does not see our mutual indebtedness, will INSIDE: surely live a life of selfish ingratitude. From the Monastery Pg 2 The people who manifest most grati- tude are the ones who acknowledge that Open Hands Pg 4 even cows and buffaloes, and other animals, Calendar Pg 8 & 9 have helped us along the way, all the more Yoga Mendocino Benefit Pg 13 (Continued on page 6) From Māra’s Desk Pg 14 Contributors: The Sangha, Luang Por Liam, Paul Breiter and Mettika. From the Monastery The Deluge Between the Rains and ‘The Rains’ The last edition of Fearless Mountain crowds as situations arose. These brought its readers up to date on the teachings occurred on weekends, after monastic happenings during and just meals, to Thai, Lao, American and Sri following the community’s three-month Lankan laity who came to offer food; ‘Winter Retreat,’ – a period given to more at tea time to local monastery ‘regulars’; formal meditation practice which cloisters to the members of the Community of us through the course of the Mendocino Abhayagiri Lay Ministers (CALM) rainy season. On July 8th, the monastic gathered for their annual recommitment Sangha here at Abhayagiri entered into (May 22nd–25th); and even in their own the three-month ‘Rains Retreat’ or Vassa personal dwellings to informal groups of (the monsoon season in Asia), which is a monastics who came to soak in the deep time of stability – enjoined by the Buddha pools of wisdom and kindness. Ajahns Anek, Pasanno & Amaro in the redwoods – during which community members In addition to their teachings within abstain from unnecessary travel, study the monastery, the visiting elders were to host Ajahn Jayasāro, a highly respected the monastic protocols and take time also able to give of their time to several Western monk of nearly 30 years standing for shorter periods of communal and affiliated institutions. Portland Friends and fellow student of Ajahn Chah’s, for a individual retreat. During the interval of the Dhamma took the opportunity to ten-day stay – perhaps the longest time between these two, the monastery has invite the ajahns, along with a large atten- he has spent at a single place outside of seen much activity, comings and goings, dant contingent of resident Abhayagiri his forest hermitage in Thailand in the beginnings and endings. monastics, for a four-day road trip up last decade. In addition to his many to the Portland area. Here, Ajahn Liam informal teachings, on June 21st, Ajahn Visiting Elders and Ajahn Anek shared their experiences Jayasāro helped facilitate the annual In these last several months, Abhayagiri on the theme of ‘Community.’ Shortly Upasika Renewal Day. Here the ajahn Monastery has quietly played a supportive after returning from Portland, Ajahn shared some practical reflections on the role in Buddhism’s journey to America Liam gave a lengthy exhortation, trans- topic of Buddhist education, drawing as it joyfully acted as host to several pre- lated from Thai into English and then from his experience of encouraging and eminent Buddhist luminaries. from English into Chinese, to the large advising school teachers in Thailand. From May 12th through June 8th, assembly gathered in the main hall at Several talks given by Ajahn Liam as Abhayagiri had the good fortune to The City of Ten Thousand Buddhas in well as Ajahn Jayasāro’s talk on educa- receive and accommodate two elder Thai Ukiah. And during a whirlwind weekend tion have already been posted on the disciples of Ajahn Chah, namely Ajahn trip into the San Francisco Bay Area, Abhayagiri website, as well as being Liam Thitadhammo, the abbot of Wat Ajahns Liam and Anek gave several talks included in this Newsletter. There will Nong Pah Pong for the last 25 years, and at an assortment of Buddhist venues, be more audio recordings and talk tran- Ajahn Anek Yasadinno, abbot of Wat Pah particularly of note being those at the scriptions to come. Sai Ngam. These venerables were accom- Insight Meditation Center in Redwood panied by Ajahn Siripañño and Ajahn City, at Spirit Rock Meditation Center Resident Community Kevali, abbot of Wat Pah Nanachat, in Marin County, at Wat Buddhanusorn Like all conditioned phenomena, the who acted as translators. During their – the Thai temple in Fremont – and at monastic community here at Abhayagiri visit the local and extended communi- the Berkeley Buddhist Monastery. continues to change in form and to fluc- ties affiliated with the monastery were This was Ajahn Liam’s third and tuate in its overall appearance. blessed with a variety of teachings. In Ajahn Anek’s first visit to the USA. It is Ajahns Sudanto and Karunadhammo addition to giving several publicized greatly hoped by many that it will not be are spending this year’s Rains Retreat teachings here at the monastery, for the their last. at Birken Forest Monastery in British weekly Saturday night and observance As if such auspicious guests did not Columbia, looking after affairs there night talks, the Ajahns gave numerous bring enough of a deluge of blessings, while Ajahn Sona, the monastery’s impromptu Dhamma-reflections, with shortly following the departure of these founder and abbot, helps out at the seemingly boundless energy, to different four visiting theras, Abhayagiri was able Bhavana Society in West Virginia while 2 • Fearless Mountain Bhante Gunaratana, that monastery’s founder and abbot, takes a one-year sabbatical. As is the custom, ‘Abhayagiri-born’ Tan Thitabho and Tan Kassapo are spending their third year as monastics at affiliated branch monasteries. Both have chosen and have been given permission to train in Thailand for this time. They have begun their year away by entering the Rains Retreat at the International Forest Monastery, Wat Pah Nanachat, in Monastic visit to the Bay Area Ubon, Thailand. As these venerables leave, so the who is a sage through knowledge’) and was living at and helping out around the monastery welcomes Tan Gunavuddho – Anagārika Carl becoming Sāmanera monastery since January of this year. May an American monk who has spent the last Pamutto (‘One who is well-liberated’). they fare well in their respective journeys. ten plus years training in Thailand – into To wrap up this string of ceremonies, just its fold. four days later, residents Sean Fargo and Local Teachings Since the last Newsletter, there have Scott Spencer took anagārika ordination, On July 18th, Ajahn Pasanno co-led a been three separate ordination procedures, committing themselves to a one-year day-long yoga-meditation retreat with metamorphosing the forms of six monastic training in white robes, practicing with Cator Shachoy in San Francisco. The aspirants. On June 13th, former Sāmanera the Eight Precepts, and acclimatising dana event, the fourth which Ajahn Thitapañño took bhikkhu ordination at a themselves to life in the monastery. Pasanno has helped facilitate, acted as a ceremony attended by four generations of The monastery was also very happy, benefit for Youth Yoga Dharma, a Bay his family members. Ajahn Jayasāro, who during this auspicious period, to house Area non-profit organization. had just arrived the day before, graciously Ploen Petchkue, long-time student of Likewise, Ajahn Amaro has kept offered some reflections on the benefits of Ajahn Pasanno and supporter of up his schedule of teachings outside the monasticism to those gathered.
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