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Tisarana Monastery

zendozendo
edited October 2010 in General Banter
Has anyone here been to the Tisarana Buddhist Monastery in Ontario, Canada?

If so, what was your experience?

I have heard good things about this monastery, and I am contemplating a possible visit there, perhaps an extended visit.

Comments

  • Floating_AbuFloating_Abu Veteran
    edited September 2010
    I have not been, zendo, but I have been to Amaravati and Chithurst in years past (both of the same tradition). Why don't you just go visit and see? It's always nice to meet some monks :)
  • zendozendo
    edited October 2010
    Thank you for your response, Floating Abu. I didn't know about these other two monasteries, and I appreciate your mentioning them.

    I would like to hear more about your experience at these monasteries, would you be willing to share?

    I am sure I will visit one or more of these places myself one day, but until that day arrives, I would like to gather as much information as I can, especially from those with personal experience of the Thai Forest tradition.

    Thanks!
  • Floating_AbuFloating_Abu Veteran
    edited October 2010
    zendo wrote: »
    Thank you for your response, Floating Abu. I didn't know about these other two monasteries, and I appreciate your mentioning them.

    I would like to hear more about your experience at these monasteries, would you be willing to share?

    I am sure I will visit one or more of these places myself one day, but until that day arrives, I would like to gather as much information as I can, especially from those with personal experience of the Thai Forest tradition.

    Thanks!

    Why of course zendo !

    Well it is a Theravadan monastery for starters so the rules are based on the Theravadan style of things.

    At Amaravati/Chithurst, both in England UK, one gets up early, does chores, meditates a bit, then there is a breakfast (example oats, bread etc) then work again, then one has lunch. Theravadan monastics do not eat after 12-1pm or so and so it is a large buffet style lunch that people eat at this time. The monks only put all their food in their bowls. Both those monasteries had female monastics as well.

    Actually if you google both, their websites outline their daily schedule etc.

    I am a Zennie moreso but have always enjoyed my time at those monasteries. It does depend on what you are looking for of course. At Chithurst there would be tea with a senior monk or nun on Sundays and I always enjoyed those, especially as I had a lot of questions back then.

    The afternoon is usually free by the way, which is very different to a Zen monastery where we usually work all day round when we are not sitting or eating or sleeping :)

    Best wishes, zendo.

    Abu

    PS Tisarana if my impression is correct is a much smaller monastery so I would assume (assume) that the quality and experience is also determined by whom is in residence. THAT SAID for quiet, contemplation, a place of practice, why not. We cannot know until we go if we like it or not. Blessings to you, my friend.
  • RichardHRichardH Veteran
    edited October 2010
    Tisarana is about three hours drive from where I am in Toronto. The Abbott is Ajahn Viradhammo. Ajahn V. is our teacher, and the senior Theravadin monastic in the area. He is much beloved. Many members of the local Lay Sangha go to the monastery on a regular basis. The Ottawa Lay Sangha is very well organized and closely associated with the running of the Monastery as they are only an hour away. Earlier this year Ajahn Sumedho came to visit and it was a great moment for Theravada Buddhism in Canada.


    Here is a link http://www.tisarana.ca/
  • zendozendo
    edited October 2010
    Floating_Abu wrote: »
    Why of course zendo !

    Well it is a Theravadan monastery for starters so the rules are based on the Theravadan style of things.

    At Amaravati/Chithurst, both in England UK, one gets up early, does chores, meditates a bit, then there is a breakfast (example oats, bread etc) then work again, then one has lunch. Theravadan monastics do not eat after 12-1pm or so and so it is a large buffet style lunch that people eat at this time. The monks only put all their food in their bowls. Both those monasteries had female monastics as well.

    Actually if you google both, their websites outline their daily schedule etc.

    I am a Zennie moreso but have always enjoyed my time at those monasteries. It does depend on what you are looking for of course. At Chithurst there would be tea with a senior monk or nun on Sundays and I always enjoyed those, especially as I had a lot of questions back then.

    The afternoon is usually free by the way, which is very different to a Zen monastery where we usually work all day round when we are not sitting or eating or sleeping :)

    Best wishes, zendo.

    Abu

    PS Tisarana if my impression is correct is a much smaller monastery so I would assume (assume) that the quality and experience is also determined by whom is in residence. THAT SAID for quiet, contemplation, a place of practice, why not. We cannot know until we go if we like it or not. Blessings to you, my friend.

    Thanks so much for sharing your experience of these monasteries, Floating Abu! They sound like places where a pure and noble life can be practiced.

    Particularly interesting are your mention of the "no meals after noon" rule (which sounds wise to me), and also the free time. I wonder if the latter applies to the monks as well as the visitors?

    Some of my happiest times took place at a Zen monastery (in Northern California), and I feel a great attraction to the monastic way of life. For me there is no better place to fully devote myself to practice, far from the distractions and temptations of the world, which slow my progress.
  • zendozendo
    edited October 2010
    Richard H wrote: »
    Tisarana is about three hours drive from where I am in Toronto. The Abbott is Ajahn Viradhammo. Ajahn V. is our teacher, and the senior Theravadin monastic in the area. He is much beloved. Many members of the local Lay Sangha go to the monastery on a regular basis. The Ottawa Lay Sangha is very well organized and closely associated with the running of the Monastery as they are only an hour away. Earlier this year Ajahn Sumedho came to visit and it was a great moment for Theravada Buddhism in Canada.

    Here is a link http://www.tisarana.ca/

    Thanks for this information, Richard.

    Have you ever been to Tisarana yourself?
  • RichardHRichardH Veteran
    edited October 2010
    I was on retreat in Ottawa this spring but did not go over to the Monastery because Viradhammo was with us there. He is at this point at the Monastery only on weekends. Other people have stayed on at the Monastery for a turn helping with kitchen duty etc. If you want to do that, I can PM you the email of a friend who is going and staying on a regular basis. He can give you details. It should be noted that the Monastics mostly do their own thing in their own space.

    Oddly enough our big retreats happened before the founding of Tisarana. Ajahn Viradhammo used to be Abbott in New Zealand and a group of us, including myself, went on retreat with him there. We also hosted him in Toronto for many retreats. When he moved to Ottawa to be with his elderly mother, the Ottawa group http://www.ottawabuddhistsociety.com/ took it upon themselves to found Tisarana. So it is ironic that since he moved back to Canada we no longer have retreats with him. The (wonderful)gathering in Ottawa this past spring with Ajahn Sumedho was the first lay retreat in this tradition here for a while. In Toronto we have regular public sittings and a tight community of old friends.

    On a side note I am regularly attending some very strong group practice here... http://www.ontariozen.com/ . This school The Kwan Um school of Zen, may have a Sangha in your area. It is first rate no nonsense Zen.
  • zendozendo
    edited October 2010
    Richard H wrote: »
    Other people have stayed on at the Monastery for a turn helping with kitchen duty etc. If you want to do that, I can PM you the email of a friend who is going and staying on a regular basis. He can give you details.
    I would be very grateful Richard, thank you.
    On a side note I am regularly attending some very strong group practice here... http://www.ontariozen.com/ . This school The Kwan Um school of Zen, may have a Sangha in your area. It is first rate no nonsense Zen.
    I practiced with a Kwan Um Zen school in Cambridge, Massachusetts for several months, a year or two ago. One thing I liked about the center was that the Zen masters there were accessible and friendly (as well as wise).

    I also appreciated the Kwan Um use of the "stick"--the only Buddhist school I've practiced with that uses that traditional meditation aid.

    Do they use the "stick" at your center? Where they come by and whack you on the back during meditation? (It's voluntary, but I always requested it because it's a great way to snap back to attention.)
  • RichardHRichardH Veteran
    edited October 2010
    They do not use the stick here. This particular Sangha is run by a "Dharma Teacher" from the Kwan Um school (he is the contact on their webpage). He is an old-timer with Kwan Um, and a good guy. It is a small group of mostly mature people who just want to get on with practice, which is great.

    My "Home" Sangha has always been the Theravadin community here but there has been parallel practice going on all along. I took the precepts in Korean Zen under Samu Sunim (not Kwan Um) in 97, and received the Dharma name Kojip, then began to focus on the Theravada. I began practicing with Kwan Um about a year ago when the Theravadin centre of activity in the area shifted to the Ottawa. It was a great feeling to pick up on the Soen ritual and chanting again. I am going to stay with this Sangha while also helping out with the my local Theravadin Sangha doing some "facilitating" at our public sittings.

    I'll check with my friend to see if he's ok with me connecting you (should be fine) then PM you. Richard :)
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