Birken Forest Buddhist Monastery
Encyclopedia
Birken Forest Buddhist Monastery, or Sītavana (Pali
: "Cool Forest"), is a Theravada Buddhist monastery
in the Thai Forest Tradition near Kamloops, British Columbia
. It serves as a training centre for monastics and also a retreat facility for laypeople
. Its abbot
is Venerable Ajahn
Sona.
Birken Forest Monastery has been developed in three distinct phases:
Phase 1: Bhikkhu
Sona and Bhikkhu Piyadhammo established Birken in a sparse two-room shack
in the mountains near Pemberton, BC
, along the Birkenhead River
in 1994. This was the first monastery of the Thai Forest Tradition in Canada.
Phase 2: The monastery moved to a new location, northeast of Princeton, BC
. Facilities were expanded and included running water, electricity, and carpeting, as well as a refrigerator, sink and furnace. It was a significant improvement, but still quite austere.
Phase 3: The monastery moved to its final location south of Kamloops, BC in 2001, a property which included a partially-finished main building. The resident community then finished work on the building and has since been continually enhancing it in addition to adding cabins and improving road access. "Sītavana" was added as an alternate Pali name for Birken in 2007.
On November 29, 2003, Birken hosted the historically significant upasampada
ceremony, or bhikkhu ordination
, of Ven. Nanda and Ven. Pavaro. This was the first such ordination held at Birken, and the first ordination of Canadian-born bhikkhus, by Canadian bhikkhus, in Canada. Ajahn Pasanno, co-abbot of Abhayagiri monastery
, served as their upajjhaya
(preceptor) and Ajahn Sona as their acariya (teacher).
performance. His encounter with Buddhist wisdom as a young man initiated a spiritual journey that led him to become a lay hermit in the Coast Mountain
region of BC for several years. He subsequently ordained as a Theravada monk in 1989 under Ven. Gunaratana
, at the Bhavana Society in West Virginia
, where his first years of training took place. Ven. Sona further trained for over three years at monasteries following Ajahn Chah
in northeast Thailand
, especially Wat Pah Nanachat
. Upon his return to Canada in 1994 he helped found the original Birken Forest Monastery near Pemberton, BC and, as its spiritual guide, he has since led the monastery through each stage of its growth.
of 4000 feet (1,219.2 m). About 40 km south of Kamloops by road, the property is shared with moose
, deer
, the occasional black bear
, range cattle
, geese
and owl
s. Guests can take a 5–6 km walk around Smith Lake and the marsh
land on which the monastery is situated.
hall overlooking the surrounding forest and bird sanctuary. This main building has a walking meditation hall as well as a library and eating area in the basement, a large kitchen, guest rooms, and 4 shared bathrooms.
Monastics live in individual kutis (small cabins). During some periods, a kuti may be available for guest use. These have propane
heaters, but no electricity, water, or toilet facilities; and are a 2 minute to 10 minute walk from the main building. Depending on demand, guest rooms in the main building may be private or shared. Men's and women's quarters are separate.
Due to its great distance from even a rural city, the monastery has unique arrangements for its utilities
. Birken is entirely off-the-grid
, with 16 solar panels
supplying enough power for most of the year; on cloudy days, especially during the winter months, a backup diesel generator
is activated as necessary. The Internet is accessed using a satellite connection, which also supports the monastery's VOIP phone. Water is pumped from a well
. Of course, Birken also has a post office box
.
.
Many scheduled retreats are held at the monastery annually. These include "Absolute Beginner" weekend retreats; "Introductory" retreats for those with some meditation experience; and 5, 8, 9, and 10 day silent retreats for more advanced meditators.
For most of the year, Birken is open for guests to come for periods ranging from overnight to a few days. Day-visits to Birken are also possible (except during scheduled retreats). There are daily opportunities to speak individually with the abbot or one of the monks.
Each year Birken has a three month Winter Retreat - during this time (roughly January through March), limited reservations are taken as the resident community dedicates itself to silent practice. For the remaining nine months of the year, Birken welcomes guests.
. The monks regularly teach in Kamloops, Kelowna
, Vancouver
, Penticton, and Edmonton
, among other cities.
Páli
- External links :* *...
: "Cool Forest"), is a Theravada Buddhist monastery
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
in the Thai Forest Tradition near Kamloops, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
. It serves as a training centre for monastics and also a retreat facility for laypeople
Laity
In religious organizations, the laity comprises all people who are not in the clergy. A person who is a member of a religious order who is not ordained legitimate clergy is considered as a member of the laity, even though they are members of a religious order .In the past in Christian cultures, the...
. Its abbot
Abbot
The word abbot, meaning father, is a title given to the head of a monastery in various traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who is not actually the head of a monastery...
is Venerable Ajahn
Ajahn
Ajahn is a Thai language term which translates as teacher. It is derived from the Pali word , and is a term of respect, similar in meaning to the Japanese sensei, and is used as a title of address for high-school and university teachers, and for Buddhist monks who have passed ten vassa.This...
Sona.
History
Phase 1: Bhikkhu
Bhikkhu
A Bhikkhu or Bhikṣu is an ordained male Buddhist monastic. A female monastic is called a Bhikkhuni Nepali: ). The life of Bhikkhus and Bhikkhunis is governed by a set of rules called the patimokkha within the vinaya's framework of monastic discipline...
Sona and Bhikkhu Piyadhammo established Birken in a sparse two-room shack
Shack
A shack is a type of small house, usually in a state of disrepair. The word may derive from the Nahuatl word xacalli or "adobe house" by way of Mexican Spanish xacal/jacal, which has the same meaning as "shack". It was a common usage among people of Mexican ancestry throughout the U.S...
in the mountains near Pemberton, BC
Pemberton, British Columbia
Pemberton is a village north of Whistler in the Pemberton Valley of British Columbia in Canada, with a population of 2,192. Until the 1960s the village could be accessed only by train but that changed when Highway 99 was built through Whistler and Pemberton.-Climate:The climate of Pemberton is...
, along the Birkenhead River
Birkenhead River
The Birkenhead River, formerly known as the Portage River, the Pole River and the Mosquito River, is a major tributary of the Lillooet River, which via Harrison Lake and the Harrison River is one of the major tributaries of the lower Fraser River...
in 1994. This was the first monastery of the Thai Forest Tradition in Canada.
Phase 2: The monastery moved to a new location, northeast of Princeton, BC
Princeton, British Columbia
Princeton is a small town in the Similkameen region of southern British Columbia, Canada. It lies just east of the Cascade Mountains, which continue south into Washington, Oregon and California. The Tulameen and Similkameen Rivers converge here...
. Facilities were expanded and included running water, electricity, and carpeting, as well as a refrigerator, sink and furnace. It was a significant improvement, but still quite austere.
Phase 3: The monastery moved to its final location south of Kamloops, BC in 2001, a property which included a partially-finished main building. The resident community then finished work on the building and has since been continually enhancing it in addition to adding cabins and improving road access. "Sītavana" was added as an alternate Pali name for Birken in 2007.
On November 29, 2003, Birken hosted the historically significant upasampada
Upasampada
Upasampadā literally means "approaching or nearing the ascetic tradition." In more common parlance it specifically refers to the rite of ordination by which one undertakes the Buddhist monastic life....
ceremony, or bhikkhu ordination
Ordination
In general religious use, ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is, set apart as clergy to perform various religious rites and ceremonies. The process and ceremonies of ordination itself varies by religion and denomination. One who is in preparation for, or who is...
, of Ven. Nanda and Ven. Pavaro. This was the first such ordination held at Birken, and the first ordination of Canadian-born bhikkhus, by Canadian bhikkhus, in Canada. Ajahn Pasanno, co-abbot of Abhayagiri monastery
Abhayagiri Buddhist Monastery
Abhayagiri, or Fearless Mountain in the canonical language of Pali, is a Theravadin Buddhist monastery of the Thai Forest Tradition in Redwood Valley, California...
, served as their upajjhaya
Upajjhaya
An Upajjhāya is a teacher in the Indian religions of South Asia.An upajjhāya is specifically a professional teacher in the technical subjects of Vedanga, i.e. Sanskrit grammar and other basic skills required for the perusal of the Vedas...
(preceptor) and Ajahn Sona as their acariya (teacher).
Abbot
Ajahn Sona is the monastery's founder and abbot. Born in Canada in 1954, Ajahn Sona's background as a layperson is in classical guitarClassical guitar
The classical guitar is a 6-stringed plucked string instrument from the family of instruments called chordophones...
performance. His encounter with Buddhist wisdom as a young man initiated a spiritual journey that led him to become a lay hermit in the Coast Mountain
Coast Mountains
The Coast Mountains are a major mountain range, in the Pacific Coast Ranges, of western North America, extending from southwestern Yukon through the Alaska Panhandle and virtually all of the Coast of British Columbia. They are so-named because of their proximity to the sea coast, and are often...
region of BC for several years. He subsequently ordained as a Theravada monk in 1989 under Ven. Gunaratana
Henepola Gunaratana
Henepola Gunaratana is a Sri Lankan Theravada Buddhist monk. He is often affectionately known as Bhante G.Bhante is a title which literally means venerable sir in Pāli...
, at the Bhavana Society in West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
, where his first years of training took place. Ven. Sona further trained for over three years at monasteries following Ajahn Chah
Ajahn Chah
Venerable Ajahn Chah Subhaddo was an influential teacher of the Buddhadhamma and a founder of two major monasteries in the Thai Forest Tradition....
in northeast Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
, especially Wat Pah Nanachat
Wat Pah Nanachat
Wat Pah Nanachat is situated in a small forest in north-east Thailand about fifteen kilometres from the city of Ubon Rachathani. The late Ajahn Chah established the monastery in 1975 to serve as a training community for non-Thais along traditional monastic lines. Its monks, novices and postulants...
. Upon his return to Canada in 1994 he helped found the original Birken Forest Monastery near Pemberton, BC and, as its spiritual guide, he has since led the monastery through each stage of its growth.
Location
The monastery is currently located on an 80 acres (323,748.8 m²) property, surrounded by forest, at an elevationElevation
The elevation of a geographic location is its height above a fixed reference point, most commonly a reference geoid, a mathematical model of the Earth's sea level as an equipotential gravitational surface ....
of 4000 feet (1,219.2 m). About 40 km south of Kamloops by road, the property is shared with moose
Moose
The moose or Eurasian elk is the largest extant species in the deer family. Moose are distinguished by the palmate antlers of the males; other members of the family have antlers with a dendritic configuration...
, deer
Deer
Deer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. Species in the Cervidae family include white-tailed deer, elk, moose, red deer, reindeer, fallow deer, roe deer and chital. Male deer of all species and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year...
, the occasional black bear
American black bear
The American black bear is a medium-sized bear native to North America. It is the continent's smallest and most common bear species. Black bears are omnivores, with their diets varying greatly depending on season and location. They typically live in largely forested areas, but do leave forests in...
, range cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
, geese
Canada Goose
The Canada Goose is a wild goose belonging to the genus Branta, which is native to arctic and temperate regions of North America, having a black head and neck, white patches on the face, and a brownish-gray body....
and owl
Owl
Owls are a group of birds that belong to the order Strigiformes, constituting 200 bird of prey species. Most are solitary and nocturnal, with some exceptions . Owls hunt mostly small mammals, insects, and other birds, although a few species specialize in hunting fish...
s. Guests can take a 5–6 km walk around Smith Lake and the marsh
Marsh
In geography, a marsh, or morass, is a type of wetland that is subject to frequent or continuous flood. Typically the water is shallow and features grasses, rushes, reeds, typhas, sedges, other herbaceous plants, and moss....
land on which the monastery is situated.
Facilities
The Birken guesthouse provides nearly 10000 square feet (929 m²). of living space, including a spectacular meditationMeditation
Meditation is any form of a family of practices in which practitioners train their minds or self-induce a mode of consciousness to realize some benefit....
hall overlooking the surrounding forest and bird sanctuary. This main building has a walking meditation hall as well as a library and eating area in the basement, a large kitchen, guest rooms, and 4 shared bathrooms.
Monastics live in individual kutis (small cabins). During some periods, a kuti may be available for guest use. These have propane
Propane
Propane is a three-carbon alkane with the molecular formula , normally a gas, but compressible to a transportable liquid. A by-product of natural gas processing and petroleum refining, it is commonly used as a fuel for engines, oxy-gas torches, barbecues, portable stoves, and residential central...
heaters, but no electricity, water, or toilet facilities; and are a 2 minute to 10 minute walk from the main building. Depending on demand, guest rooms in the main building may be private or shared. Men's and women's quarters are separate.
Due to its great distance from even a rural city, the monastery has unique arrangements for its utilities
Public utility
A public utility is an organization that maintains the infrastructure for a public service . Public utilities are subject to forms of public control and regulation ranging from local community-based groups to state-wide government monopolies...
. Birken is entirely off-the-grid
Off-the-grid
The term off-the-grid or off-grid refers to living in a self-sufficient manner without reliance on one or more public utilities....
, with 16 solar panels
Solar cell
A solar cell is a solid state electrical device that converts the energy of light directly into electricity by the photovoltaic effect....
supplying enough power for most of the year; on cloudy days, especially during the winter months, a backup diesel generator
Diesel generator
A diesel generator is the combination of a diesel engine with an electrical generator to generate electrical energy....
is activated as necessary. The Internet is accessed using a satellite connection, which also supports the monastery's VOIP phone. Water is pumped from a well
Water well
A water well is an excavation or structure created in the ground by digging, driving, boring or drilling to access groundwater in underground aquifers. The well water is drawn by an electric submersible pump, a trash pump, a vertical turbine pump, a handpump or a mechanical pump...
. Of course, Birken also has a post office box
Post Office box
A post-office box or Post Office box is a uniquely addressable lockable box located on the premises of a post office station....
.
Retreats
All of the services provided by the monastery are offered freely, without suggested fee. Birken, like many monasteries of this tradition, is supported entirely by voluntary donationsDana
-Singers:Some singers are popularly known only by the name, Dana:* Dana Rosemary Scallon , Irish-American singer and politician* Dana , Korean pop singer* Dana International , Israeli pop singer-In fiction:...
.
Many scheduled retreats are held at the monastery annually. These include "Absolute Beginner" weekend retreats; "Introductory" retreats for those with some meditation experience; and 5, 8, 9, and 10 day silent retreats for more advanced meditators.
For most of the year, Birken is open for guests to come for periods ranging from overnight to a few days. Day-visits to Birken are also possible (except during scheduled retreats). There are daily opportunities to speak individually with the abbot or one of the monks.
Each year Birken has a three month Winter Retreat - during this time (roughly January through March), limited reservations are taken as the resident community dedicates itself to silent practice. For the remaining nine months of the year, Birken welcomes guests.
Outside the Monastery
Each year, Birken monks often travel to cities in British Columbia or Alberta to give talks and lead retreats or other activities, as a way to better spread the teachingsDharma (Buddhism)
Dhamma or Dharma in Buddhism can have the following meanings:* The state of Nature as it is * The Laws of Nature considered collectively....
. The monks regularly teach in Kamloops, Kelowna
Kelowna
Kelowna is a city on Okanagan Lake in the Okanagan Valley, in the southern interior of British Columbia, Canada. Its name derives from a Okanagan language term for "grizzly bear"...
, Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, Penticton, and Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
, among other cities.
Website
Birken has a comprehensive website (http://www.birken.ca/), featuring an audio collection of over 3000 Dhamma talks given by senior teachers in the Thai Forest Tradition, all downloadable for free. Also on the site is a calendar displaying the current number of spaces available for guests to stay at the monastery on any date in the year.See also
- Bhante Henepola Gunaratana
- Ajahn Chah
- Abhayagiri Buddhist Monastery
- Kamloops, BC
External links
- Birken Forest Buddhist Monastery official website
- Tisarana Buddhist Monastery (Perth, Ontario)
- Arrow River Forest Hermitage (Thunder Bay, Ontario)
- Bhavana Society (High View, West Virginia)
- Thai Forest Tradition monastery portal
- Access to Insight: readings in Theravada Buddhism
- BuddhaNet: Buddhism portal
- Buddhadharma, The Practitioner's Quarterly: Profile on Birken Forest Monastery