June, 2008
Dhamma Sukha Meditation Center
Anathapindika's Park Complex.

Summary 2008 progress Report 

Greetings Everyone!  :-)

Following this note, don't miss our picture board. The links are right here to the left!
 

This Meditation Center project is genuinely beginning to be real fun! Please join in.
It's very busy here with delightful learning and meditation in the Buddha Dhamma. There is still room for more people to join in.  So give us a call and come in for 4 days to two weeks or longer and join in the fun learning how to smile again, greatly reduce suffering in your life and reclaim JOY.
 
This year, by popular demand, there will be an "Artist's Retreat" July18th - July 27th. You can bring any medium to work with during this retreat. If interested in seeing how Meditation can open up your artistic creativity, please contact SisterKhema@yahoo.com  Do it soon! This retreat is filling up! We have skilled art teachers to help us out and it sounds like heaps of creative fun! You will learn meditation AND art!

NOTE:

This on-site summary update is a look at the progress of the “Buddhist American Forest Tradition”. It was officially founded in 2006 by Venerable U Vimalaramsi who is the first Abbot and the guiding spiritual teacher. The Tradition will be presented at the World Buddhist Council in Japan in November of 2008 for discussion and best wishes. Venerable is the first Representative for the United States of America to the World Buddhist Summit Conference based in Kobe Japan. The 2008 Fall conference also marks the dedication ceremony for the Royal Hall of Buddhism. The Hall represents a permanent home for all Buddhists of all traditions in the world for this century. Thus far, worldwide, this practice as guided here has been well received with much thankfulness around the world.

1. Present Mortgage Balance as of (June 2008) is approx. $17,000 which would pay off the  initial purchase of land and small base camp house with it's outbuildings. A request to purchase an additional 30 acres, which has some nice nearly level land for building,  has been quoted to the center as $35,000. The owner has requested that we pay off the present mortgage and then purchase this additional 30 acres in one payment. Anything is possible!  

2. $25,000 is needed to put up the memorial Pagoda for Ven. U Silananda beside an existing forest Pond. This new land would include a high ridge top that would make Wind and Solar power a possibility for the project. It also offers some flat land for an open pasture and some sponsored residency housing for long-term students and support people. People are encouraged to help us by purchasing one acre on which they can sponsor a cottage in their name for future use in the study center.  A plan for this is being formulated.
   This is one idea for a sponsored building program
    

3. Spot summary of 2007-2008 Tour of United States:
   
       This year Venerable traveled to present a talk about meditation to over 700 people attending a Katina Ceremony in Chicago Thai Temple on October 18th. This temple on Magnolia Avenue offered to help support the growth of the center in Missouri during the summer months.
       The next stop was in Carmel, NY in November 2007, where Venerable gave a 10 day retreat at the Chuang Yen Monastery, home of the Buddhist Association of the United States. Over 54 persons attended this guided retreat of Samatha-Vipassana Meditation. Venerable was invited to return to do another retreat here in November of 2009. The exact date will be announced.
        A talk was then presented in New York City at the main Burmese temple concerning Metta Meditation and the political situation in Burma was discussed with 23 people attending.  This was followed by an interview with the BBC about the plight of the monks and nuns in Burma. Venerable encouraged people to move towards sincere peace and to let go of any hate and to send genuine Metta to all concerned with the present situation including the Government officials. Hatred can only be overcome by Love.
        A stop was made in North Carolina and arrangements were made for the first part of a meditation research project for June of 2008 at University of North Carolina Psychology department. Several NC  students attended interviews with Bhante at this location and offered support for traveling.
        Travel proceeded through Georgia and then across Texas with a series of short stops and single talks. The prime destination was Pamona, CA. hosted by a lay person for a period of three weeks. Several talks were given from this location. Dr. Changya of the Pamona Theravada temple assisted Venerable to schedule a talk in Griffin Park on a Saturday in January. Shortly after that time a talk was given at the Thai Temple in Pamona to about 30 people. Then three talks were given at Ayodhya Center in Pamona. After that one talk was given to a newly developing Indonesian Temple  in Los Angeles area. These seemed to be very well received.
        Venerable then flew to Germany for a 10 day retreat given to 25 people representing 6 nationalities. This teaching was VERY well received and an invitation was given to return in April 2009 at another location and to repeat a short retreat at Pauenhof  once again also. People really understood the practice well here and most importantly, were sincerely willing to follow the directions! The result was magnificent to witness. Many students said that they FINALLY felt that Buddhism was coming home to the WEST! It was a wonderful experience to witness how people could actually see a degree of release from their suffering and found joy arise again in their lives.
        Returning from Germany, travel continued to San Diego, CA. An evening talk was given in a suporter's home, a single evening was given over to questions by a Dhamma group, and a one day retreat was given for Laguna Sangha. Very good attendance and understanding.
        Next,  "Joshua Tree Retreat 3" happened over 14 days at Dhamma Dena Vipassana Center. 16 people attending. Mar 1- Mar 15 and had very good success with the practice! Venerable was able to private teach Ruth Denison while there once again and she joined in with many of the Dhamma talk discussions.
    

• Mention of new support alliances from various areas in the US. And abroad.
  
  - The New York Burmese Temple contributed  a Universal Peace Kuti to Anathapindika’s Park where Dhamma Sukha Meditation Center is being built. This Peace cabin is to become the first Disability supported cabin for Veterans on retreat. This is a new project of Compassionate service to our community, state and country.
  -The Chicago Thai Temple lay people contributed requisites including food to help with the operation of the center for 2008- 2009 and offered future support for the center’s growth.
  -The Thai Temple in Pamona, CA- The Ven. Dr. Changya had several discussions with Ven. Vimalaramsi and Rev. Sister Khema  concerning organizational structuring for lay people participating in the building of a center and how to build future support for it.  Dr. Changya contributed assistance and new understanding on the proper order of operations for a Theravada Center as it grows supporting everything discussed by Venerable Vimalaramsi in prior discussions.
  -Tushita Publishing company out of Philadelphia, offered assistance to Bhante for the first publishing of his book on the Anapanasati Sutta to be printed in Europe, to be for sale in German! They want to publish more material about this guided approach to teaching Dhamma directly from the suttas.  An agreement for assistance was offered to Venerable by the owner of that Company and is gradually being developed.
   

• Building Progress at the center
  - 4 new kutis for three people were mostly completed in 2007 in the center. These were insulated, covered with moisture barrier, wired for electric and stained outside! Help is still needed to finish the insides. Each porch has an outside light now. A Long term resident can now use a computer inside to write. A further single kuti 10x10 was purchased for placement in a forest location after the new library-office  is completed.
  Completion of these structures means that there is essentiallyroom for 15 people in all in the living area. REMAINING work will involve installing of small woodstoves for heating and/backup baseboard systems.
  TO COME: The outside of these cabins will have log cabin lap siding put onto them eventually.
  - A new structure for the Library and main Office was mostly completed , wired, insulated, paneled on the walls and ceiling, and lights were put in.  Shelving and racks for the walls were purchased for the books to all be gathered up into one place in the Spring 2008.  A porch was built on this building and a roof over it to protect it from heavy sun but let light in through tinted covering.The main office will then be moved over also. By mid-June the books will be moved over!
  - A large new bathroom/sauna/ laundry building was constructed in the new kuti area for the upper land area. This provides two full bathrooms ( one with tub and one with handicap accessible shower area)  and a laundry room for guests. The building has a wide accessible porch on the outside with a ramp entry on one side. It will have an outside sink for washing up after gardening. There is an equipment shed built at the back of the building, insulated and with lighting and power for equipment upkeep.
  - A large 30ft X 12ft building for monks in the base camp to use at the base camp area. There are two loft sleeping areas, ample study area and bookcases for religious studies. An attached roof out the front of the building over a concrete porch area has been completed. A heating unit will be added in Fall 2008. Venerable is working on the floor art at this time and will shortly move into the building to live.
  - The Main Driveway into the base camp was completed with deep set fine gravel. This was a great improvement. The heavy dip as you cross the pasture field has been removed and two culvert pipes installed with overlying gravel.
  - The Forest Road was refortified with new gravel and two small culverts were added. Side Drainage was repaired and rebuilt also.
  - The Low-water bridge was repaired structurally with heavy supporting cement work.
  
   

• New Construction connection Spring 2008
  - Roof over Sister Khema’s trailer to be completed in the Summer 2008 to protect the trailer in this new location. This has already been arranged with the contractor. The posts are set now and awaiting the roof!
  - Adding Construction of a back deck of large kuti and adding the Zen garden behind the monks building: This is being worked on Spring and summer of 2008. A small natural rock outcropping was found in the back is to be turned into a Zen like garden! Japan has had it’s impact on us about these gardens! Of course this will be a comparatively small effort in this natural envirionment. This can become quite beautiful with a small pond OR added gravel illusion pond at a later time.
  - Finishing off the 7X9 Sauna room inside the Bathroom building is a priority for summer 2008 in preparation for cold weather in the Fall. This will make Winter Retreats possible in 2008-2009 and keep the older bones warm and in working order.
  - Adding a Washing machine and dryer for yogis to use in the rear of the new`bathroom building has to been completed in the Spring of 2008.
  - A new Media Room is due to  be set up when the old office is emptied out into the new library building!  This made over room will be used for special recording work and online live teaching classes in Pali during the summer of 2008.
   

• Construction Intention with est. Costs.
  i.e.
  Kitchen & Dining Hall – estimated at $35,000 to fully build and equip/ building time one month total!
  Replacement for Outdoor Shed in base camp area. $5,000
  36 ft. Diameter Hexagon Dhamma Hall building to come- $50,000
  Media equipment for recording- $2,000
   

• Program Summary of Increases:
  -Media- CD, DVD development up 400% from first yr. Sadhu! David Johnson in Cupertino, CA
  -Print Media = 2 new books and 5,000 new pamphlets 2 new brochures Appreciation to Mr. Lee of Buddhist Association of the United States in Carmel, NY. Sadhu! great work!
  -Online- Website updates and redesign works. owed to Sukha in Houston, TX and Erwin in Woodenville, WA. Sadhu!
  -Increased attendance up 300% online!  Appreciation to all those transcribers around the world who are helping out.  Sadhu! Well done!
  -Also appreciation to all those involved in translating materials into the now 7 languages and assisting with online retreats. Thanks to you many more people now have access. Sadhu!
  -Retreat participants Rains period in 2007 = 35; 2008 has projected 48 so far! A rising number are now coming to the center and for longer periods of time.
  - 2008 will see three temporary ordinations taking place. They will be for periods of 2 weeks to three months long! This is absolutely great and each one of them has introduced a new friend into the program.
   

• Outreach Programs-
  -Cape Girardeau, MO Meditation Class every other week– 2007; continue in 2008 expanding class to nearly double the size of last year.
  - Request for class to be set up in Farmington, MO in summer 2008
  -Outside conference work expected and
  -World Buddhist Summit Conference in Japan with 34 other countries. appreciation to those attending the conference establishing the first active US delegation going to this summit.
  -Outside Buddhist Conferences attended 2008 as well.
   

• On-site improvements-
  -Improved speed on internet with Satellite hook-up= now $49 per mo.
  -English training course- two monks in training. First English Dhamma talks given in 2007.
  - investigation course- 2007
   

• Gathering in of materials
   -for future training packages to assist teachers and Community Leaders for Samatha-Vipassana Meditation.
  -2008à planning Pali course for 8 people real-time online media.
  - Also Sutta investigation Course study into Dependent Origination to be held in-house. Continuation of Sutta in-depth studies.
  -Chanting program- Parittas, Blessing prayers, and basic needs of lay Buddhists and new monastics with the help of visiting monks.
   

• First new nun trainee arrived from Mexico to attend Rains Retreat June- October 2008!

Log for travel 2007- 2008

All in all, 14,600  miles were driven by Venerable Vimalaramsi and Reverend Sister Khema over 7 months time within the United States covering 15 states, visiting numerous temples, participating in dedication ceremonies, making new alliances for the continuation of the growth of  Buddhism.

11 women  were interviewed concerning Families and Buddhism in this Century. They had outward concerns for the future of any temples being built by present day foreign families here in the US. Some worried how they will be supported in the next 20 years? They are really uncertain as young people in U.S. society step away from Buddhism. Without a practice that can be shown to be clearly useful to them in everyday life, many wonder what the point of is to remain practicing what they feel to be this antiquated religion? Others are looking very hard to find out what the Buddha actually did? How did he win the hearts of so many people at the time of his teaching? What did he actually do?

Dhamma Sukha Meditation Center is dedicated to researching, practicing, preserving and teaching the original practice of Buddhist Meditation and after this past year on the road, there is a firm belief and confidence that the teaching is still very real and useful today. It just needs to be presented in the Buddha’s own words, very simple words,  as closely as possible and the Buddha’s own training lessons and drills need to be put into action once again.

Additional Temples were visited in Las Vegas, Seattle, San Francisco, San Diego, Florida, North Carolina, New Jersey, Illinois, Texas, Kansas and Tucson AZ.

 This ends this update on developments in the center.

Sign off by Sister Khema
June 25, 2008
Annapolis, MO