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From December 22nd to 25th Luang Por Pasanno (former Abbot of Wat Pah Nanachat and Abhayagiri Monastery in California) kindly conducted a retreat for the lay community of Wat Pah Nanachat, leading them in sitting and walking meditation in the inner sala and the area around the Uposatha Hall.
On November 17th to 18th Wat Pah Nanachat held the yearly Robe-Offering-Ceremony (Kathina), which the Buddha allowed for a sangha of at least five monks who have spent the rains-retreat together, so that they can sew and dye themselves new robes before possibly moving on to other places.
As is customary in the Ajahn Chah tradition, the resident and visiting monks and the lay community start the Kathina ceremony by coming together for evening chanting, Dhamma talks and practice throughout the night.
The next morning there is a symbolic almsround in the monastery in which the laypeople put plain cooked rice into the bowls of the monks and novices.
The ceremonial offering of the Kathina then cloth takes place before the meal. During the day the sangha will have to work on cutting, sewing and dyeing at least one piece of the triple robe set out of the cloth offered in the morning.
When the robe is finished, it gets given to one monk chosen by the community, by reciting the Sangha transaction for this purpose in Pali.
The last day of the rains-retreat is marked by a gathering of the sangha called “Pavarana” (invitation), which is a ceremony where each monk gives the others the invitation to address him regarding any shortcomings or concerns by body speech and mind, so that he can make amends before possibly parting ways. After having completed the three month period of retreat, the monks may travel again.
Pavarana-Ceremony in Wat Pah Nanachat (October 29, 2023)
Each year Tan Ajahn Jayasaro kindly visits Wat Pah Nanachat during the Rains-Retreat and offers teachings to the sangha and the lay community.
Since the time of Ven Ajahn Chah the Sangha of Wat Pah Nanachat traditionally begins the rains-retreat (pansah) by paying respects to various respected Elders in Ubon and the neighboring provinces. Ajahn Siripanyo took the group to Tan Jaokhun Thepvorajahn, Tan Jaokhun Sriratanobol (the senior monks in the Ubon- and Warin-Sangha Administration), Luang Poo See (the presently oldest monk in the Wat Pah Pong Sangha with 100 years of age), Luang Por Liem (the abbot of Wat Nong Pah Pong), Luang Por Thun (Abbot of Wat Tham Saeng Phet), Luang Por Khun (Abbot of Wat Pah Bhosuvann), and Luang Por Damrong (Abbot of Wat Pah Nam Kam Goeng). The monks, novices and anagarikas felt very uplifted to be able to receive guidance and blessings for their practice from these venerable Elders.
Early in the morning of July 28, 2023, Luang Por Liem kindly led the Sangha of Wat Pah Nanachat and Wat Nong Pah Pong as the preceptor for holding a Ceremony of Acceptance into the Sangha (Upasampada) for three new monks: Venerable Viriyo from Israel/Portugal, Venerable Ramaniyo from Brazil, and Venerable Tissaro from Israel. We wholeheartedly rejoice in our new Sangha members taking up the full commitment to the bhikkhu-life and wish that all their wholesome aspirations within in the Dhamma-Vinaya may soon be fulfilled.
The Sangha of Wat Pah Nanachat happily welcomes two new novices in the yellow robes: Samanera Thitako from Israel, and Samanera Khemarato from India. The ceremony of Going Forth as a novice was held at Wat Pah Na Gae in Ampher Det Udom in Ubon Province, with Tan Ajahn Sawaeng kindly taking on the role of the preceptor. Ajahn Siripanyo and Ajahn Sukhito took the Sangha over to take part in the ceremony, whereas Ajahn Kevali extends his wholehearted blessings from abroad while on retreat. May the two prosper in the Dhamma Vinaya and experience deep happiness and peace in the monastic life.
Like every year, the community of Wat Pah Nanachat celebrated Visakha Puja, the day of the Buddha’s birth, awakening and final passing away (Parinibbana) in a night of meditation, chanting and reading out passages on the life of the Buddha on June 3rd, 2023.
The traditional Thai New Year (Songkran) was celebrated on April 15th, 2023 at Wat Pah Nanachat with the blessing ceremony of pouring water on a Buddha-statue and over the hands of the monastic community.
This morning our Indian novice Jotidhammo was accepted into the Bhikkhu-Sangha in an Upasampada-Ceremony in the new ordination hall of Wat Pah Nanachat. We all wish him much joy and fulfillment in the Dhamma-Vinaya.
From March 16 to 19, 2023 the community of Wat Pah Nanachat scheduled an open practice period in silence, enabling also day-visitors and local guests to participate in the communal meditation and chanting sessions all through the day.
From February 24th to March 7th, 2023 seven monks from Wat Pah Nanachat went on pilgrimage to India with a group of almost 40 lay-disciples of the monastery. They also met up with members of the Aranya Vihara Trust, the group pioneering a future branch monastery north of Delhi, and met up with Ajahn Jivako, who is leading this project.
On February 3rd Wat Pah Nanachat was able to welcome two new novices going forth in the midst of the Sangha: Samanera Ramaniyo from Brazil and Samanera Visarado from France. May they ever prosper in the yellow robes.
On Jan 9, 2023 the Sangha and lay community of Wat Pah Nanachat took leave from its founding Elder, Luang Por Sumedho, who, during the past weeks - despite his advanced age - generously bestowed kind blessings on the community of Wat Pah Nanachat - for example with his presence at the inauguration of the new Uposatha Hall, during several joyfully engaged teaching-occasions and many warmhearted meetings with other senior monks of his generation. In the ceremony of embedding the central Sima stone on December 27th, 2022, Luang Por was leading the group of senior monks giving blessings to HM King and HM Queen on their Royal visit, a truly uplifting inspiration for all monks and laypeople gathered on this historic occasion.
We all wish Luang Por good health and strength for his own ease and comfort and the encouragement of all of us in our practice following his teachings for many more years to come.
The most common formal Sangha gathering in an Uposatha-Hall (Bot) is the fortnightly recitation of the 227 training-rules of the monks, the Patimokkha. The first Patimokkha held in the new Bot of Wat Pah Nanachat on the full moon day of January 2023, was attended by Luang Por Sumedho, which was a very auspicious occasion.
The next special Bhikkhu-ordination followed on December 30th with the father of one of the senior monks at Wat Pah Nanachat becoming a Bhikkhu within the Wat Pah Nanachat Sangha. He received the pali name Khantidharo, “bearer of patience”, as for an elder man from overseas taking on the training in the Dhamma Vinaya in a Thai Forest Monastery would certainly require a much of the quality of “khanti” - patient endurance. Ven. Khantidharo’s son took on the role of chanting the Sangha-transaction of acceptance into monkhood, and further acted as his father’s mentor.
The Sangha of Wat Pah Nanachat and many senior visiting Ajahns wholeheartedly wish the venerable new Bhikkhu many good insights into the teachings of the Buddha.
On December 28th 2022 for the first time since the monastery was founded the Sangha of Wat Pah Nanachat held an “Upasampada” Ceremony, accepting four new Bhikkhus into the Sangha, with Ajahn Kevali performing the duty of the “Upajjhaya” (preceptor). The occasion was marked by the presence of many senior Elders and layguests, after the new Sima of Wat Pah Nanachat had been established on the day before.
HM King Mahavajiralongkorn and HM Queen Suthida embedding the central Sima Stone in the Uposatha Hall of Wat Pah Nanachat on December 27, 2022.
From December 10th to 25th monks and laypeople had the opportunity to put gold leaf on the eight sima stones around the uposatha hall.
364 monks from Wat Nong Pah Pong and its branches gathered on Dec 6th, 2022 under Luang Por Liem’s guidance, in order to do the chanting required for removing any sima which might have existed in the past on the ground of the new uposatha hall of Wat Pah Nanachat. As the whole area needs to be covered with monks while the chanting is carried out, the custom is to repeat the chanting several times with the group of monks shifting it’s position across the territory.
On December 15, 2022 the sangha carried out a similar transaction for the old uposatha hall. Due to it’s much smaller size it was possible to cover the area with the 62 monks of the resident sangha.
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