Ajahn Abhinando working hard

The blog this week has been written slightly earlier than usual, as Thursday and Friday will see many departures from most of the residents here. Ajahn Punnyo and Samanera Ariyo set off on Monday to Amaravati to give ample preparation time for the upcoming Upasampada. On Thursday Ajahn Munindo, Tan Nyanamoli and Ralph will be driving down to take part in the event. The day after Samanera Bodhinando and Tomas will be following them, neither have been to Amaravati before. This will leave just three residents here at Harnham, all of which have been quite busy this week: Ajahn Abhinando is currently writing the hilltop newsletter, which may be a little later this year. In it will be the announcement of the Sangha picnic on the 22nd of August at The Sneep (the same location as last year), we all hope many people will attend. He also spent yesterday climbing up ladders fixing the roof tiles at the main house (which were damaged by the windy weather). When the community returns (Sunday evening) they will have only a few days until Asalha Puja (a day commemorating the Buddha's first discourse). The day after we will be entering Vassa, the traditional three month rains retreat in which the community will determine to remain within the monastery and not go wandering for extended periods.

The New Conservatory

Work on the conservatory is nearly finished. Geoff Jackson and his crew have been putting the finishing touches to the place. On Sunday we gladly heard a Dhamma talk by Ajahn Jayanto. After that talk the community gathered for a marathon painting session which occupied them until nearly midnight. On Tuesday Ajahn Jayanto joined Ajahns Munindo and Punnyo on a visit to Edinburgh to see a friend of the Sangha, Bani Shorter. Also on this day was Ajahn Punnyo’s birthday. On Thursday Ajahn Jayanto returned down south to Amaravati. Most of the community here will be following him shortly as we go to participate in the Upasampada on the 25th during which Samanera Ariyo will become Bhikkhu Ariyo. When we all return we will be joined by his mother who will be visiting from Florida. Now at the time of posting this message we have heard that our dear friend Bani has passed away. May her onward journey take her ever closer to perfect freedom.

Ajahn Thanuttaro sewing

Harnham has been host to many guests this week, both monastic and lay. Bhante Seelagawesi arrived last Saturday to spend some time with us, an annual event, and with him came his four disciples from London who were more than eager to lend a hand around the place. Ajahn Thanuttaro arrived the following day from Chithurst to assist Tan Ariyo in the sewing of the Sanghati for his up and coming ordination. On Tuesday Ajahn Jayanto came to stay for about 10 days to enjoy the quietude of Harnham and spend some time with the community here, making the monastic community here ten strong. Kusala House has also been host to many, including Myint-Su and Pip who came for the trust meeting and Anne and Poppet, two of Ajahn Munindo’s friends from Perth. Meanwhile in the office Gabor has been diligently been applying his efforts to the new monastery calendar, which we are sure people will find more presentable and useable. To view the calendar please click here.

the blessing

The vandertag (walking day) on Friday was a success. The sun continued to shine throughout so the community was encouraged to make the most of the opportunity for mindful exploring and contemplative solitude. The day after Lisa and Chan offered dana with help from Mame and their new born baby Ethan was blessed by the Sangha. Since then it’s been all hands on deck once again within the Byre though there has been some slight management shifts. Tan Nyanamoli has been relieved of his leadership duties and Tan Ariyo has taken over. At the start of vassa Tan Ariyo, who by that time will be a Bhikkhu (his ordination will be on the 25^th of July at Amaravati) will be taking over full-time as work monk. Tan Nyanamoli has held the office of work-monk for 2 years  and the community is hugely grateful to him for the committed service he offered. The upstairs of the Byre has now been fully completed and downstairs is almost complete. Just in time as the carpeting is due to be done on Friday. Once the carpeting is done the Byre residents will move back accompanied by some additional room changes. Bhante Seelagawesi and friends from Sri Lanka will be visiting this weekend. Ajahn Thanuttaro from Chithurst will arrive on Sunday to help give guidance to Tan Ariyo who is sewing his new set of robes. Ajah Jayanto from Amaravati will arrive on Tuesday to stay for about 10 days. Also two of Ajahn Munindo's friends from Australia will come to  visit - they can all enjoy a cosy weekend together with the trustees who will be staying in Kusala House for the AGM of the Magga Bhavaka Trust and Harnham Buddhist Monastery Trust meetings taking place on Saturday.

Mick up a tree

Work continues in the byre as the community mindfully pushes on to have the painting completed. On the night of Ajahn Chah’s birthday the day was commemorated by a marathon painting session which ended at around 12 midnight. The conservatory has also been receiving some painting attention especially from the Edinburgh group who came down last weekend to help paint the place. On Monday Ajahn Punnyo departed for Hexham for a week long tudong tour and we hope to see him returning this Saturday. People visiting Hexham may wish to keep an eye out for him. Meanwhile back here Mick Read from the Carlisle group has been staying for the past week and lending us his talents in tree surgery, chopping back the branches from the trees at the back of the Dhamma Hall. Fortunately he brought his own equipment, including ropes, hard hats and a chainsaw. Tuesday saw the return of Samanera Bodhinando from Germany after visiting his family, and we are all glad to have him back. One day and the gardens have been transformed! He came in time for the Friday Vandertag (walking day), where the resident sangha will be taking packed lunches and departing early in the morning for a day of quiet walking and solitary reflection.

Luang Por Chah's Stupa

With the work on the conservatory now at a state of completion - with Tan Nyanamoli watering the new grass roof several times a day -  our efforts have been directed towards the byre. Micky-the-builder has finished the new flooring, ceiling and insulating and the community has been doing the painting ready for the residents to return. Ajahn Munindo and Richard returned on Tuesday after their travels down south to our sister monasteries, where apparently all goes well. Another returnee last week was Andrew Bateman, our old Kusala House manager, who paid us a visit over the weekend when circumstance brought him to Northumberland. Ajahn Punnyo has gone to teach in Leeds returning on Saturday and Abhinando is expected back on Sunday from leading a retreat in Serbia  Finally at the time of writing (Thursday the 17^th) it is the birthday of Ajahn Chah who was born in 1918. For those of you unfamiliar with the history of Harnham, Ajahn Chah was the teacher/preceptor of many of the abbots of the Western branch monasteries of Wat Pah Pong and it is with humility and gratitude that we reflect on the inestimable value of the simple and dedicated life he lead.

the forklift truck

Our community grows ever smaller as Ajahn Abhinando headed for Serbia to lead a retreat on Tuesday and Samanera Bodhinando went to visit his family in Germany on Wednesday, leaving just six of us. The seems to be good timing as the byre, the main monks' residence here at Harnham, is still being modfied leading to some rather innovative room changes. Part of the byre project also required the reception room carpets to be lifted and some drilling to be done to make way for new pipe work, and Tan Nyanavisuddhi was more than happy to lend a hand. Meanwhile progress is being made on the conservatory. The rolls of sedum grass arrived on Tuesday (a day earlier than expected) and they were fitted on Wednesday, requiring a whole team of people including a forklift truck kindly lent to us by our neighbour David Robson. The roof is now finished and just requires regular watering for about a month, though perhaps the Northumbrian weather will take care of that for us.

Gabor lends a hand

The 2010 Vesakha Puja (Wesak) was held last Sunday here at Harnham. The turn out was inspiring with well over a hundred gathered to join in the day despite some rather unpleasant showers of rain. The day followed the traditional formulae with the Sangha receiving rice during the pindapat and then a shared meal for all, followed by the requesting of the 5 precepts, paritta chanting and a Dhamma talk, which was given this year by Ajahn Munindo. Shortly after a huge clean-up took place, diligently lead by Mame and Daeng. Later in the week Harnham staged another huge cleanup as the contents of the attic were all removed, organised, and then placed back into a more coherent order. The job involved the whole community and took most of Thursday, and now we have a spacious and well organised attic. Ajahn Munindo and Richard were not part of the cleanup as they have gone on a trip to the south to visit our sister monasteries, and are expected back later in the month. Ajahn Anando from Amaravati who has been with us since last Wednesday returns on Friday. Meanwhile professional work also continues as the specialists keep going with the conservatory with the sedum roof expected this coming Tuesday. Micky has begun working on the Byre (monks’ residence) flooring, meaning that all the residents there have had to vacate to various locations within the monastery.

At the Botanical Garden

Today (Thursday) is the eve of Vesakha Puja (Wesak), the full moon of May which commemerates the Buddha's birth, enlightenment and death. The gathering will take place on Sunday to mark the event and, of course, all are welcome to come. The day will begin around 10 o'clock with the traditional alms round and a Dhamma talk given by Ajahn Munindo after the meal. Ralph, the Kusala House manager, has gone to visit his family in Jersey for a fortnight so Richard has been taking care of the retreat house until his return. We have also been visited by Ajahn Anando, who arrived on Wednesday from Amaravati to stay for ten days. Earlier in the week several members of the community took up an invitation to stay at Myint-Su and Clive's guest house in Edinburgh. The party of monks came to visit for a house dana and perform a blessing for Myint-Su's 70th birthday. As part of the visit the monks were taken on tour round the Scottish Parliament, where all the architectural curiosities were explained in lucid detail. Later a few others visited the Royal Botanical Garden while Ajahn Abhinando and Ajahn Punnyo visited the poetry library. They all returned to England on Tuesday afternoon.

Ajahn Sucitto

At Harnham this week Ajahn Sucitto, abbot of Chithurst monastery, has been leading a mixed retreat attended by about 25 people. Ajahn Sucitto was the first abbot of Harnham, so it is perhaps fitting that he is leading the first retreat in our newly decorated Dhamma Hall as well as being the first monk to spend some time in the now completed visiting Ajahns’ room. The retreat will end on Friday at the mealtime, but hopefully the accompanying sunshine won’t end as well. Other than this very little has happened here on the hill, as the community has been slowing down in their work to take part in the meditation and the workers on the conservatory have put the project on hold to give the guests some quietude. What will be happening very soon - Sunday 30th May - is our observance of Vesak and we hope you will join us.