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BODHINYANARAMAN E W S L E T T E R

S E p T E M B E R 2 0 0 7

Winter has finally arrived after a long and much-appreciated Indian

Summer. An added benefit of the fair weather has been the possibility of noticing more clearly the seasonal changes in nature rather than only the fallen leaves as one trudges under umbrella through the driving rain.

On the top of the forest canopy the flame red, spiny flowers of the Rata Vine beacon bees to savour the nectar. Meanwhile other plants are now dropping their bright red or dark purple seeds in expectation of Spring.

This detailed observation of the external changes in nature can also bring up reflections upon internal changes. The welcome, opening sunshine draws out exuberance and relaxation, while the assaulting rain encourages one to close up and defend.

But of course our moods are not only conditioned by the weather. Some people by nature may have “a sunny disposition”, while others seem to always “dwell under a dark cloud”. Perhaps, though, changes in weather may bring these kinds of “mental climate” to our attention. For example, we may notice that even when the weather changes we are still absorbed in our own emotional weather.

So where does all this “emotional weather” come from? We have been able to develop better techniques for predicting external weather, however, it would probably be much more beneficial if we could also

develop better techniques for predicting our emotional weather.

We have many ways to adapt to the changes in external weather yet it is often the internal weather that causes us much more misery. Modern society seems very ill-equipped to deal with the emotional storms which blow through people.

The Buddha taught about the importance of knowing our mental states. For many people, however, this may be easier said than done, since most of us most of the time are actually so absorbed into our mental states we are not able to observe them.

It would perhaps be very helpful to observe our mental weather at least as often as we observe the external weather. And it is actually quite similar. Just as we observe the external weather to know how we should dress or what we should take with us, we can observe the mental weather in order to know how we should act or what we should look out for. For example, if our mind is scattered and restless then perhaps we need to calm and collect it. If the mind is dull or depressed then perhaps we need to energise or enliven it.

Then, as we become more proficient in observing our mental weather, we may notice that the external weather no longer bothers us quite as much. And that actually we have become an emotion “weatherman”, a much more effective means to deal with possible extreme internal weather.

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Bodhinyanarama, the Garden of Enlightened Knowing, is a monastery in the ‘Forest’ or meditation tradition of Theravada Buddhism as

taught by the Thai Meditation Master Ajahn Chah.The monastery is primarily a monastic residence with

the senior monks providing services, teachings and retreats for the Buddhist community and all those interested.

Sunday is the main public evening with chanting, meditation and a talk by one of the senior monks. There is also a monthly Introduction to Meditation (first Thursday at 7pm) and Meditation Afternoon (first Saturday, 1pm to 6pm), for both beginners and experienced meditators. Weekend and longer retreats are occasionally held at the monastery.

Books for free distribution are available in the Meditation Hall vestibule, and there is a library with a good selection of books, tapes and CDs. Requests to receive the bi-annual newsletter are welcomed.

Visitors and GuestsVisitors are welcome at any time, the main gate is open from 7am to 7pm (later on Sunday and other teaching evenings). If you wish to meet with someone it is best to contact the monastery for an appointment or come at either meal time (10:30-11:30) or tea time (6pm).

Guests are welcome to reside at the monastery provided they agree to follow the monastic routine and abide by the 8-precepts. Prior registration is required; please contact the Guest Monk.

Daily Schedule5:15 morning meditation6:30 chores7:00 breakfast8:00 work period

M O N A S T E R Y I N F O R M A T I O N

10:30 main meal6pm tea time7pm evening meditation

Supporting the monasteryIn accordance with our tradition, Bodhinyanarama is supported entirely by freewill donations of food, money and energy. No charge is made for teachings, accommodation or other activities offered at the monastery. The main meal and other requisites for the monastic residents are provided each day by devoted monastery supporters. If you wish to participate, please contact the organisers or come along at meal time.

The stewards for the monastery are a registered charity, the Wellington Theravada Buddhist Association (WTBA), a committee of lay volunteers who manage the finances and general administration.

Financial donations may be sent to the monastery treasurer (c/o the monastery; checks payable to “WTBA”), paid into the monastery account or placed in the donation box at the monastery. Standing orders are also possible, please contact the WTBA treasurer.

Bodhinyanarama Monastery17 Rakau Grove, Stokes Valley, Lower Hutt 5019, New Zealand Telephone +64 (0)4 563 7193 Facsimile +64 (0)4 563 5125sangha dot nz AT gmail dot com, www.bodhinyanarama.net.nz

Bodhinyanarama Monastery Bank Account Details: Name : Wellington Theravada Buddhist Association Inc. Bank : National Bank, Branch : Lower Hutt Swift Code : ANZBNZ 22 Account No. : 06 0582 0015463 02

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M O N A S T E R Y N E W S

This year has once again seen many changes at Bodhinyanarama. At the end of May Bhante Jinalankara took up residence in a “retreat”

house not too far from the monastery in order to spend a more quiet time removed from his many teaching duties.

Ajahn Ariyasilo spent six weeks from the end of May at Vimutti Monastery near Auckland while Ajahn Chandako was away in America. He returned here briefly in mid-July before departing to spend the Rains Retreat at the Buddhist Society of Victoria in Melbourne. Meanwhile Bhante Guttasilo, who was here for an extended stay in Autumn, has travelled to Thailand for the Rains Retreat.

I returned to New Zealand in time for our annual Vesak celebration towards the end of May. This year we had two separate events, one for the Sri Lankan community on Saturday and one on the Sunday. My time away was quite busy but very productive. I visited 4 of our 6 associated monasteries in Europe, gave retreats,

workshops and talks in Switzerland, France, Canada and USA, and visited quite a few family members.

We have now entered upon our annual “Rainy Season Retreat”, an occasion when we normally devote more time to the contemplative side of our lifestyle. This year we are four monks, besides myself and Ven. Varapanyo we have been joined by Ajahn Uttamo, a Taiwanese monk who has spent many years in SE Asia, and Ven. Gavesako, a Czech monk ordained in England who has been helping out at the new Thai monastery in Napier. Our community is rounded out by Samanera Nandako, Anagarika Horst and two lay retreatants, Flynn and Andrew.

Ven. Gavesako Ajahn Uttamo Anagarika Horst

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N E W K I T C H E N P R O J E C T U P D A T E

The Kitchen Project is steadily moving along with work on the final plans nearing completion and the coming together of several

very generous offers of help from professionals.Several supporters have already started fund-raising

projects, for example at the Upper Hutt Cultural Fair in March, and others have contributed funds from

We have made good use of the mild, dry weather to catch up on some of the on-going forest work, clearing weeds on the slip, planting out the remaining trees from the nursery and cleaning up some of the garden area near the kitchen and sala.

A dozen dedicated meditators attended the Queen’s Birthday Weekend Retreat. Meanwhile the Saturday Meditation Afternoons are quite popular, a very pleasant way to spend a Saturday afternoon. These will continue during the Rains Retreat and a few longer retreats have been scheduled for the Spring.

The New Kitchen Project is slowly moving ahead with the architectural plans nearing completion and fund-raising gathering momentum. We have some very generous offers of help from a Structural Engineer, a Quantity Surveyor, electricians and a model-builder which will save a considerable amount of money, while many other people have generously offered their support and help in any way they can.

Australia and Thailand. Total donations are now at $66,000.

We hope to have a scale model in situ before Kathina on November 4th so that everyone can have an opportunity to see what the finished building will look like.

We have also had several very generous offers of furnishings for the monastery. New insulation curtains have been provided for the kitchen and some of the huts so that we can better survive the winter cold spells. Two friends from Palmerston North have offered a new carpet for the Upper House Shrine Room and an exercise machine, which hopefully will provide help in relieving some of the sangha knee problems.

On Sunday, August 5th, many Laotian supporters and 15 monks from Napier, Auckland and Wellington gathered at Bodhinyanarama for a joyful celebration of Luang Pa Poy’s (Abbot of Wat Lao, Porirua) 60th birthday and 40th year as a monk. The next large gathering of Sangha will be for our Kathina ceremony on November 4th. We look forward to seeing you there.

With Metta, Ajahn Tiradhammo

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WELLINGTON THERAVADA BUDDHIST ASSOCIATION 2006-2007 AGM

The AGM was held on 21 May 2007. Members and supporters were invited to attend. A brief summary of the key matters addressed at the AGM were –

1. Election of the 2007-2008 Committee: - President: Michael Nyein Vice President: Dr Stanley Jayasinha Treasurer: Anuraji Weerakoon Secretary: Alison Hoffmann

Committee Members: Denis Win Thein Paul Nation Pam Crisp Mehendra Munasinghe Bobbie Johns June Byng

Members formally thanked Senaka De Silva for his valuable contribution as the Treasurer and wished him and his family the very best with their move to Melbourne, Australia.

2. It was noted that the Monastery had in residence 5 Bhikkhus under Ajahn Tiradhammo’s abbotship.

3. The Financial reports disclosed a steady year with reduced expenses ($64K ($85K in 2005-06)) with increased income ($125K ($84K in 2005-06)). The meeting noted that WTBA’s overall financial position continues to be strong. The ongoing support and commitment from members as well as lay supporters had been solid and constant throughout the year.

4. Preliminary work has begun in respect of the proposed construction of the dining hall/new kitchen where the current Lower House (kitchen) is located. It is hoped that the construction process will get underway within the next year or so.

WTBA Finances – Brief ExplanationIn order to provide some information as to how WTBA fulfils its role as the official steward of the Monastic community, the following is an approximate break down of the percentages of its expenses based on its income of $124K for 2006-2007 financial year.

Bhikkhu welfare (including travel and personal requirements) 15%

Maintenance of buildings and grounds 15%

Utilities and administration 9%

Rates (WTBA receives a discount as a charity) 2.5%

Insurance 3%

Books and Publications 4.5%

Vehicle Expenses 1.5%

A surplus of just over $61K (before depreciation) for the year.

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A J A H N M U N I N D O INTERVIEWED BY NOVICE NANDAKO – February 2007

(Ajahn Munindo, a New Zealander, is presently the Senior Monk at Aruna Ratanagiri Monastery in Northumberland, England. Novice Nandako is from Wanganui and resides at Bodhinyanarama Monastery.)

How do you see Buddhism in New Zealand, having been to visit many times over the years?

What immediately comes to mind is the high degree of acceptance and integration. Being

a Buddhist monk in New Zealand now is run of the mill. I can walk up Willis Street and almost no-one turns their head, which certainly did not use to be the case. One now feels accepted, and that feels very good. I believe that Buddhism is now quite well-integrated into New Zealand society, possibly because of the input from the Asian community. People are quite open and accepting of Asian influence, and they see Buddhists as part of that. Plus, of course, Buddhism has been here for a good number of years and has taken root. Also, nowadays there is considerable diversification within New Zealand society. When I first visited there were only a few small pockets of interest, yet now there are many different monastic and lay communities of the various Buddhist traditions present in New Zealand.

When was the first time you came to New Zealand as a monk?

It was in November 1979 after I had spent 5 years in Thailand; first with Ajahn Tate, but mostly

under Ajahn Chah. At first there was no thought of having monasteries in the West, but about 1978 Ajahn Sumedho went to England where people had begun to think of establishing Buddhist monasteries in the West. So when I left Thailand in 1979 I thought that I would go on to England.

What was it like before there were any monasteries here, before there was any movement of monastics, coming and going, was there just no idea of Buddhism here?

When I came here in 1979, although there were no Theravada monasteries, there was already

a lot of interest in Theravada Buddhism as there were quite a lot of immigrants from Sri Lanka, Burma and Thailand. The other Buddhist traditions were also present in New Zealand – Zen Buddhism was quite strong, and there were also Tibetans. At the time, three of us – myself from the Theravadan tradition of Thailand, plus a monk from the Zen tradition in Korea (Bhikshu Ham Wol) and a Samanera of the Vajrayana Tibetan tradition – stayed together in Auckland at the Dorje Chan Institute of the Tibetan community and in Wellington at the Dzogchen Institute in Karori. In those days the FWBO (Friends of the Western Buddhist Order in New Zealand) was already quite well set-up and I stayed with them in Auckland. But it was in Wellington where I first met with members of the Burmese community and, in particular, Aunty Mabel who came to play such a huge role in the development of Theravada Buddhism in New Zealand.

So they were quite unified in the beginning?

No, they were not unified or integrated. In fact, there was an understandable level of competition

between the three Buddhist traditions. Importantly

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though, the other traditions were very tolerant and respectful and supportive of me, as a Bhikkhu, being here and I appreciated that very much.

How was it for you at that time?

Well, I had been a monk for five years and was 29 years old when I came to New Zealand. I

think I made a bigger problem out of it than I needed to, mainly because I was very idealistic. I had very altruistic and noble fantasies of Buddhism being established in the West and particularly in New Zealand – not that I was going to do it or that it was going to happen in my time, but I felt a huge sense of responsibility and I took everything very seriously. I think that when one is a young monk one sometimes tends to take things a bit too seriously. Looking back though, I do not regret it. I think it was appropriate and OK at the time, but it did make life rather difficult. I was obsessively anxious about observing the Patimokkha rules but at the same time almost nobody understood any of our rules. So, for instance, I was trying not to eat after 12 noon yet nobody understood what that was all about. Plus the whole issue of not being able to handle money, and not being alone with women, things which from the perspective of monastic training for a Theravada monk are very important. When no-one around you understands the rules you can make a problem, and I did make a problem out of it. Fortunately there were one or two people who did understand and so while it was workable, it was not easy. On top of that there was the issue of my family who are all evangelical Christians. I was, at the very least, somewhat of an embarrassment to them. We both tried our level best, but we still had differences. Once again I was very well-supported by the Buddhist community – the Tibetans, the FWBO and the Theravada Buddhists. Whilst they were all very helpful, I think that my being overly idealistic made it perhaps more difficult than it needed to be.

What happened that led to a monastery being built in Wellington?

Bhikshu Ham Wol had arranged for me to visit Wellington and to meet members of the

Burmese community, in particular Aunty Mabel. She and her family had not seen a monk since leaving Burma as refugees some time before that and were very welcoming. The meeting turned out to be very significant. During my stay, Bhikshu Ham Wol and I

were walking down Manor Street when a newspaper photographer stopped us and asked if he could take our photograph for his newspaper. We agreed, and this led to a telephone call from the Royal Thai Embassy who, seeing a Buddhist monk in town, wanted the opportunity to offer alms food. As a result, we were invited to the home of the Secretary of the Royal Thai Embassy where we met one of the leaders of the local Thai community, Mrs Somsri Parker, who was very supportive. Soon after that I met another very important person, Mrs Gurusinghe. Whilst there was already some interest in starting something in New

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Zealand, it was these three women – Aunty Mabel, Mrs Parker and Mrs Gurusinghe – who were the movers and shakers of Theravada Buddhism in New Zealand. They were at the forefront in setting up a monastery here. Understandably, it took some time after those initial meetings before things really got going.

They asked me for advice on how to go about things, and I suggested they invite Ajahn Sumedho to visit New Zealand. Ajahn Sumedho had already gained some experience establishing a monastery in Thailand and another one in England. He was also highly respected within the monastic and lay Buddhist community. A year or so later they invited Ajahn Sumedho, and it was from that point on that things developed. There was of course the issue of whether the monastery should be built in Auckland or in Wellington, and you would have to ask Ajahn Sumedho as to why he decided on Wellington. However, once the decision was taken it was these three women who saw to it that the land was eventually purchased and the monastery built.

Were there unique challenges in trying to set up a monastery in New Zealand?

One of the main challenges which New Zealand has to deal with, which is the same in the rest of

the affluent West, is the high degree of comfort within society: Basically, those of us living in the developed world – 10% of the world’s population – are really living in a false heaven. We are just too comfortable. As Ajahn Chah once put it, “If you don’t go without, you don’t develop”. If you do not become conscious in the context of your suffering then you are not motivated to look deeper.

Without a doubt, New Zealand is one of the most comfortable and beautiful places on the planet. If there is a unique challenge, it is that New Zealand is uniquely beautiful and comfortable. I do not think that the motivation is tremendously strong here for people to find the way out of suffering. Having said that, it does not undermine or dismiss those people who are seriously committed to practice. But I think that generally there is a laid-back attitude in New Zealand

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which is not very conducive to Dhamma practice. On the other hand, that laid-back attitude – to know how to be relaxed – is also important in practice, so it is not only a disadvantage.

Likewise, the fact that New Zealand is isolated in geographic terms and, therefore, far from traditional Buddhist countries. One can see that as a challenge or a disadvantage because the country does not get the same level of support in terms of encouragement from people more experienced than ourselves in the path of Buddhist practice. In those days New Zealand just didn’t get a lot of wise beings passing through offering encouragement. On one level that could be seen as a disadvantage. However, on the positive side, New Zealanders generally know how to co-operate with each other very well. When I first came here, although there was some degree of competition between the different groups, there was also an underlying recognition of the need to cooperate. I suspect that has always been the case in New Zealand. You just know that when you live in a country with only three or four million people you have got to learn to get on with each other. The overall positive community spirit is therefore good enough to overcome any particular difficulties that may arise from being isolated.

We are told that New Zealand has a high percentage of people suffering from depression and mental problems. There is a really nice lifestyle but there is still suffering. Can Buddhism get into the mainstream of that, can it help?

Buddhism has something special to offer here in that it holds up mindfulness of suffering as being

the core instinct, the core practice. It has carrots to encourage us, but the main thing is the skilful means that it provides for helping people come to see for themselves what the actual causes of suffering are. It is so easy to project outwardly the causes of our suffering. It seems that the more affluent we are, the more opportunities we have for avoiding facing our suffering, and then the stronger the tendency to project outwardly. It is not the case that the more affluent and wealthy people are the happier or wiser they are. More often than not it is the opposite.

New Zealand has its social problems, which is borne out by the statistics. Why, I do not know. There are probably all sorts of psychological, sociological and anthropological explanations. In terms of whether Buddhism can help, the answer is definitely yes. What

Buddhism does, the first thing it shows you is how to feel good about yourself, how to develop positive strengths and resources within yourself. Then it equips you with the skilful means to look and find for yourself what it is that we are doing that is creating the suffering because, as you said, we have everything and yet we are still miserable. We need to find out, in the moment, what it is that we are doing that makes us miserable.

It can be a problem though if we try to do that before the proper preparation, and Buddhism suddenly hits you with a stick and tells you all the things you are doing wrong and that make you miserable. Buddhism also offers you very skilful and effective ways of cultivating well-being, contentment and ease. It is within the context of this kind of inner strength that we can investigate the need to find the causes of suffering. Until eventually we let go.

How come you do not come back and settle in New Zealand?

Obviously I have thought about it but I have never been asked, which is probably the main reason.

At the time that things were beginning here I was just starting a monastery in Devon in England, and Ajahn Viradhammo was a much better candidate to

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do the work required to start a monastery here. I was therefore more than happy to see him come here. Then I was posted to Northumberland in England where there was a big undertaking to develop and maintain a monastery, something which I have been very happy and contented doing. The law of karma is mysterious and who knows what affinities one has. So whatever I say about why I have not settled in New Zealand is basically speculation. I always feel very good coming back and spending time here, particularly now that the monastery is well-established, with able leadership and very capable Samanas.

Having visited many of the other Ajahn Chah monasteries in the West, do you have any suggestions for how our practice might deepen, both as monastics and laity?

One thing I have learned over the years is the importance of keeping it simple. The Buddha

spoke very clearly about the tendency of the ignorant mind to get caught in what he called papañca or proliferation. To the degree that we are not enlightened, ignorance drives our decision-making, to some degree at least. So I think we always need to be on our guard against letting things get too big, too busy, or to expand too much. These things will come in their own time but I would say it is essential that we keep coming back to the basic principle of renunciation, the principle underlying this lifestyle, which is ‘keep it simple’. Generally speaking, I think that New Zealanders are good at this.

The way electronic media work these days, including in monasteries, it is not difficult to get too busy doing things. That is not to say we should be contented with not developing anything. We should aim high, but we need to keep our feet on the ground. There is always the risk in the spiritual life to get lost in lofty realms. Somebody told me recently about a comment their mother made about their father, who was very spiritual. She used to say, “He is so heavenly-minded that he’s no earthly good”, and religion can do that, including Buddhism. We can become so ‘spiritual’ that we are useless, to ourselves and others!

We have seen many monastics disrobe over the years. You have been a monk for 31 years. What do you think gives you your staying power?

This is another one of those questions that I have to prefix by saying that whatever I say is

speculation. Who knows really what accumulations one may have. However I do feel that my upbringing was very significant. My father used to say two things to me: One, “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try and try again”. I would not say he was a fighter, but he would persist with things until he got them right. I think that was a very valuable lesson. My family were not well-off but they were very contented. Learning to do things for myself and learning to succeed, in my own conditioning, was very important.

Secondly, my father used to say, “Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today”. In other words, just “Do it”. The way our affluent society operates, it is very easy to put things off until later. From a practice perspective, that does not work. Practice is always here and now and so it is a question of being able and willing to just do it. These two elements were very important in my upbringing.

And in a way they bring about a kind of creative tension, which is also very important in practice. I often talk to both lay and monastic communities about the tension that exists between, on the one hand, embracing the questions in your heart and, on the other hand, simply trusting. We need to learn to fully love our own questions, and bring them fully into consciousness and receive them, and yet at the same time abide in not-knowing. Let those questions generate interest, your interest, things that you are interested in and let that be a guiding and motivating force in your life.

On one level it may sound like two opposites, but from a practice perspective those two things need to be held together, at the same time and in balance. A willingness to ask your questions respectfully of yourself and of others, the deepest and sometimes the most difficult questions, but at the same time cultivating and maintaining trust – saddha as we say in Buddhism – confidence, faith. That brings about a certain sort of a tension. And it is managing that tension that keeps us going. That is what I am interested in. It is not just pushing and attaining and becoming and succeeding, and it is not just having faith. It is balancing these two apparent opposites. And somehow I feel that the tension that exists between these apparent opposites is something that if we are mindful enough can be a very strong and very effective motivating force in practice.

Can you call it knowing and not-knowing?

Yes, you could call it knowing and not-knowing too.

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I see a lot of potential here in New Zealand, but there are very few monks. It seems strange. Why isn’t there more interest?

In any population there is only going to be a very small percentage who want to live the renunciate

life. There are very few hairdressers as well! There is nothing wrong with that. But you don’t want to get fooled by quantity. You can say, “This room is very dark and it has been very dark for a very long time. It seems hopeless. What can we do about it? We’ve just got one little light-bulb with one tiny tungsten filament in it. That one little filament compared to all the mass of darkness. It’s insignificant. It’s useless.” Apparently useless. But if you understand the dynamics of light, you flick the switch and the darkness is totally transformed. You do not want to worry about the quantity of interest in New Zealand, what matters is the quality. If a few people are deeply interested in the real thing, then it will bring benefit.

There is a lot of suffering, and people just seem to waste it away, on playing in the world, on gaming and stuff...

That is the nature of ignorance. Affluence is very deluding.

Why is the population so ignorant?

The force of ignorance is very strong. What you are really saying is, “It shouldn’t be this way”. But it is

this way. This is reality. It is like, “Why should my pet cat die?” That is not a useful question.

It’s just the way it is.

Yes. It is not, “How is this happening? What are the causes for this?” You think OK, this is the

nature of ignorance. Ignorance leads to foolish actions, foolish decisions, and it is very blinding. It leads to more foolish decisions, and then eventually you get stuck. Have you ever seen a bee get stuck in a honey jar? It goes on to the edge to get a bit of honey, and it gets one foot stuck, so it puts another foot in to help itself out and it gets that stuck. Then it puts its wing in and that gets stuck, then it puts its other wing in, then its head in, and then it drowns. That is Samsara. And it is very sad. But when you get a perspective on it you learn to stop saying it should not be this way, and instead you say, “This is how it is”, and the sadness actually opens up your heart and becomes compassion and you empathise with the suffering of

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other living beings. You do not judge yourself or others, you simply suffer with them. That open-heartedness increases intelligence, which increases the capacity for understanding. Wisdom and compassion go together like the front and the back of the hand – sometimes compassion leads to wisdom and at other times wisdom leads to compassion. So, to look at the sadness of the world and to have your heart broken is a good thing, if you manage it properly with mindfulness. If you lose your mindfulness, then you start feeling sorry for yourself and you get caught up in too much sadness and your heart closes. That is poor management. There is no point in doing that as it does not help you nor does it help others. It displays one’s lack of wisdom.

As a Buddhist monk I experience opposing reactions from people: on the one hand, some people are really nice to you and, on the other hand, some people show anger towards you, just because of what you wear. How do you deal with these people, who are kind of angry at what is good?

There are probably different reasons for why they are angry but one thing that is really helpful to remember is that when somebody gets angry at you, what they are doing is they are dumping onto you what they are not able to handle in themselves. It is a psychological defence because there is a lack of ability, or a perceived lack of ability, in the individual to hold their own passion, and deal with it, to hold it and take

responsibility for it. They push it out onto the other person.

Falling in love is much the same thing, actually. When people do not know how to handle and accommodate their own passion for being loving what happens is it leaps out and lands on the other person, and then there is this thing of “I need you” which is actually just as crazy as “I hate you”. When there is increased capacity of heart, when the heart is big enough with mindfulness and understanding, then when love and hate arrive it is just received. That is helpful to bear in mind when somebody is busy off-loading their stuff on you, negative or positive. Sometimes people will come to you and tell you that you are wonderful and amazing, but that is not necessarily helpful either. While it is nicer than when they tell you they hate your guts and want to thump you, neither is very helpful. Basically people project stuff onto you that they are unable to handle themselves.

Another reason for people doing it is they see someone being different. They do not know how to be different themselves and the fact that you are daring to be different brings up all that stuff such as anger. Basically they are locked into doing what other people are telling them they should do and they hate it. They hate having to follow these moulds that they have been forced into. They really would like to break out

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of it and be a true individual. They resent their present predicament but are not allowed to resent it because they have to fit in, which results in all this unprocessed anger and resentment. There are times when you just have to be skilful and understand what is going on, and not put yourself into situations where you are going to elicit such intense and diverse reactions.

However, when you do elicit such reactions you also need to bear in mind that you chose to look like this. In a way it is a good thing because it shows up your weaknesses: you are still affected by praise and blame. You still think you are somebody. The more transparent you become, the more permeable you become, the less seriously you take yourself, and the more this stuff will just pass straight through you. Eventually there is no resistance. That is the principle. Of course I am not talking personally! I still experience some resistance! During one of my visits to New Zealand someone threw a tomato at me. Splat, all down my robe. I did not immediately feel good about it. I actually felt quite bad about it, and resented them for it. That was because I took myself too seriously. The aim of practice is to be able to have somebody throw a tomato at you and just say, “Oh, just so. Nothing. It does not matter.” That is the aim of practice.

In a way, we are setting ourselves up by going around with a shaven head and wearing a robe like this. We elicit this energy – free energy – from people. Basically it potentises your whole being and you get to see where the weaknesses are. Normally people go around trying to practice yet they have no energy. All you have to do to get energy is just walk down the street and you are suddenly full of energy. It is a good thing. This is a bit of traditional wisdom that even the Roman Catholic Church no longer understands. They tell their monks and nuns to wear their lay clothes when they walk in the streets. But what they do not realise is the wisdom of going around in something like this that makes us look different. It is very good for one’s practice to have people projecting their love and hate on you. It makes you think and ask, Do you know what you are doing? Are you really serious about practice? Do you deserve your alms food?

Do you think it is good for society?

Generally-speaking, I do. Understandably though it is not necessarily a good thing to put yourself

in certain situations as it stirs up too much. I probably would not go to Tehran or somewhere like that. But,

overall, I think it is good for society. I know several monks and nuns who, having seen a monk, were triggered into thinking and doing something different with their lives. Usually something deep in the mind starts thinking, “What is this all about?” Like in the Buddha’s case – he saw old age, sickness and death, got depressed, then he saw a Samana and something triggered in his mind. That is the inspiration. As it says in the Maha-mangala Sutta, “Seeing a Samana is the greatest blessing”, because it triggers the inner contemplative. It gets reflected and thereby quickened and activated. Once it is activated you can start to contemplate for yourself, “How do I get myself out of this anyway?” and that is important. That is what I mean by loving your questions, embracing your questions.

A friend of mine has gone to Australia. These young monks come and they seem to leave. Is there any reason for that? Are they going to study under other teachers? Why do they leave? Why do monks around the world move around so much?

I do not know.

Isn’t the Buddhist a wandering tradition?

I think in the first years of training it is not very good to wander. I think you mostly want to stay put

for the first five years. Perhaps some movement after a year so as to experience some of the contrast, but one should mostly stay put for the first five years. As for travelling, well it is good for spreading Dhamma. Personally speaking, I find it very interesting to experience other cultures. It helps to relativise my own thinking about what life is all about. If you are talking about a sense of regret that monks do not stay in New Zealand, I would not worry about it. You do not have to know. If you are committed to practice, just keep doing it.

(Teachings by Ajahn Munindo and other Senior Monastics can be downloaded free from www.dhammatalks.org.uk or ordered from www.dhammathreads.org. Publications by disciples of Ajahn Chah can be downloaded from various monasteries websites found through www.forestsangha.org)

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MEDITATION GROUPS AND CONTACTS

palmerston North: Massey University Buddhist Association 06-356 9099 ext 2162

Tauranga: Jill Best (hm) 07-570 0990; jbest AT clear dot net dot nz

Motueka: Ian Ramsden 03-528 4338; ramsdenmeister AT gmail dot com

Napier: Sammapatipadarama Monastery,

10 Norfolk St., Tamatea, Napier 4112Tel: 06-844 5284; Email: sammapatipada AT gmail dot com

Auckland: Auckland Theravada Buddhist Association, 29 Harris Road, Mt. Wellington (Chanting, Meditation and Dhamma talk each Sunday at 7.30 PM. Contact Benita: 09-571 2061 or Freddy: 09-521 1886)

Vimutti Monastery: 750 Paparata Rd, Bombay, South Auckland.Ajahn Chandako: 09-236 6816.

MEDITATION TEACHINGS AND RETREATSRegular programme

Children’s Dhamma ClassesThere is a weekly Dhamma class for children in the Wellington area in the suburb of Tawa. It is held at the Tawa College every Sunday during the school term from 10:00 – 11:00 am. Contact Wimal Herath on 971 0724 for details.

Retreats

Participation for all retreats listed below is by donation. Registration required: please write – Retreats, Bodhinyanarama Monastery, 17 Rakau Grove, Stokes Valley, Lower Hutt 5019; or email: sangha dot nz AT gmail dot com

Long Weekend Retreat:Saturday, Oct. 20th at 1pm to Monday, Oct. 22nd at 4pm (Labour Day Weekend)A residential weekend of instruction and practice suitable for beginning and experienced meditators. 1pm arrival for 2pm start.Bed linen and a food contribution is appreciated.

Meditation Weekend: Saturday, November 24 at 1pm until Sunday, November 25 at 4pmA residential weekend of instruction and practice suitable for beginning and experienced meditators. 1pm arrival for 2pm start.Bed linen and a food contribution is appreciated.

Meditation Afternoon: 1st Saturday of each month from 1pm to 5pmAn afternoon of instruction and practice suitable for beginning and experienced meditators.Beginners please arrive at 1pm and participate as long as suitable.

Sunday Evenings: Every Sunday starting at 6pmChanting, meditation and a talk on Buddhist practice.

Seven-day Residential Retreat (for experienced meditators only): December 26 (1pm arrival for 2pm start) to January 2.Instructions and teachings within the framework of periods of sitting and walking meditation. We have a manager but require two cooks. Contributions towards food costs are appreciated..

Easter Weekend: Friday, March 21 at 1pm until Monday, March 24 at 4pmA residential weekend of instruction and practice suitable for beginning and experienced meditators. 1pm arrival for 2pm start.Bed linen and a food contribution is appreciated.

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EVENTS CALENDAR: Oct. 6 2007: Meditation Afternoon

Oct. 12 – 13 2007: Sangha visit to Palmerston North

Oct. 20-22 2007: Labour Day Weekend Retreat

Nov. 2 – 3 2007: Sangha visit to Palmerston North

Nov. 3 2007: Meditation Afternoon

Nov. 4 2007: Kathina Ceremony

Nov. 24 - 25 2007: Weekend Retreat

Dec. 1 2007: Meditation Afternoon

Dec. 7 – 8 2007: Sangha visit to Palmerston North

Dec. 26 07- Jan 2 08: New Years Retreat

Jan. 5 2008: Meditation Afternoon

Feb. 2 2008: Meditation Afternoon

March 21 – 24 2008: Easter Weekend Retreat

NOTICESIf anyone needs a ride for the Sunday evenings, please contact us and we can enquire about transport or car sharing options.

New Monastery Post Code = Lower Hutt 5019

New monastery Email address: sangha dot nz AT gmail dot com

Kathina Robe OfferingSunday, November 4th: 10:00 am – 2:00 pm

Bodhinyanarama Monastery

Over the past year our monastery supporters have been exceptionally generous in making offerings to the Sangha, so much so that we do not have any urgent needs.

Thus, in consultation with the organisers, it was felt that for those who wish to make a contribution to this special event, donations towards the Kitchen/Reception Room Project would be very beneficial for the longterm development of the monastery.

For further enquiries please contact:Sri Lankan Community: Mrs Gita Gunatilleke – 04 479 2134Cambodian Community: Mrs Toh Sor – 04 478 6013Laotion Community: Mr Som Southanousone – 04 586 3133Thai Community: Mrs Sirena Worboys – 04 476 3799Burmese Community: Mr Michael Nyein – 04 938 8586 or the monastery.All welcome

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AcknowledgementsThis newsletter is made possible by many generous contributions of time, skill, and other resources. In particular we would like to mention and thank:

Julie Muir, design and layout(late) John Johns, photograph on page 2Hugh Tennent, drawing on page 4All other photos, Ajahn Tiradhammo

If undelivered please return to:Bodhinyanarama Buddhist Monastery17 Rakau GroveStokes Valley Lower Hutt 5019

Bodhinyanarama newsletter

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