On Sunday 26 April, Buddha Bodhivana Monastery (BBM) celebrated the opening of its newly completed Dhammacakka Hall with a ceremony and the installation of Buddha relics inside the main statue. The ceremony was presided over by Venerable Phra Thep Pariyattimangala (Luang Por Opart), who came to Australia from Thailand especially for the event.
Buddha Bodhivana Monastery's Dhammacakka Hall. From facebook.com
As part of the celebrations, the monastery held a two-day retreat commencing on the evening of Friday 24 April, with participants formally receiving the Eight Precepts as well as taking part in a meditation session and listening to a Dhamma talk.
On the Saturday, the program included morning chanting and meditation, alms-giving, and a Dhamma talk, and in the evening, meditation and another Dhamma talk.
Monks receiving alms at the Dhammacakka Hall opening. From facebook.com
The Sunday schedule commenced with early morning chanting and meditation, followed by late morning alms-giving. Then came the main celebrations, consisting of Pirith chanting and the installation of the Buddha relics in the Dhammacakka statue in the new hall. To conclude this very auspicious event, Venerable Phra Thep Pariyattimangala gave a very detailed Dhamma talk, which was followed by circumambulation of the Buddha statue.
BBM was established in 2001 and is located in the beautiful countryside of Warburton East, to the east of Melbourne. A Theravada Buddhist Centre in the Thai Forest tradition, the monastery is the 12th branch of Wat Nong Pa Dong, Ubon, Thailand, in the lineage of the late great Venerable Ajahn Chah. Such forest monasteries are primarily oriented towards practicing the path of contemplative insight and living a life of discipline, renunciation, and meditation.
Attendees at the celebrations. From facebook.com
BBM’s aim is to provide a place where candidates can train for ordination as Buddhist monks and to be of service to the laity. At any given time there are up to 15 monks on site, and periodically, there are gatherings with over 300 people in attendance.
Venerable Phra Ajahn Kalyano is the current abbot. Bilingual in Thai and English, he is keen to provide English-speaking people with the opportunity to train and practice in the way the Buddha taught his monks in the forests 2,600 years ago.
Buddha Bodhivana Monastery's Dhammacakka Hall. From facebook.com
“My family and I have visited Buddha Bodhivana Monastery on numerous occasions, for various activities. It is a wonderful place to practice Dhamma,” said life-long Buddhist practitioner Barbara De Saram. “We particularly enjoy partaking in dana for the monks and visitors, and listening to Ajahn Kalyano expounding the Dhamma.”
Peter Ryan commented that he felt BBM to be “peaceful, reflective, positive,” with a “respectful sangha.” “It is very conducive to the triple gem, samadhi, and the path to the end of suffering,” he added. Sujatha Gunawardana shared that for her, BBM was a “very serene and conducive environment for meditation.”
Monks making obeisance to the new Dhammacakka statue and the Venerable Master in the new hall. From facebook.com
Regular activities at BBM include daily morning chanting and meditation sessions, a daily alms-giving ceremony, and a Dhamma talk. Laypeople may stay at the monastery to do a personal retreat, or simply to help with activities.
To commemorate Vesak, on 30 and 31 May, BBM will hold two days of continual chanting, and sitting and walking meditation. Other activities over the two days will include Dhamma talks, night-time candlelit circumambulation of the hall, and alms-giving, as well as robe-offering and Five and Eight Precepts ceremonies.