Coronavirus measures: First opening of the monastery

After a more than 2-month closing of the monastery, we would like to be especially careful about the opening, because the flow of day visitors is difficult to oversee. We start by introducing limited opening hours – at lunchtime for those who would like to offer dana and in the evening for those who wish to participate in the puja.

At lunch time, offerings can be left on the offering table at the front door. Our kitchen helpers will deal with all the food preparation. At 11:30am, the monks will give the anumodana outside where they will also be available to speak to you before or after the meal. If the weather is too wet, groups not larger than 8 people may be invited to come into the reception room, whereby we suggest that you wear a face mask. In the evening, the monastery is open for participation in the Evening Puja at 7.30pm. Hand sanitizer and contact tracing forms are available at the entrance.

Dhammapala is a small monastic community and a place of spiritual training within the tradition of early Buddhism (Theravada).

Our monastery offers the opportunity for meditative practice and its resident community is part of an extended family of several monasteries worldwide, all who follow the example of the Thai Forest Tradition. The main inspirational figure behind all our communities is the late meditation master Ajahn Chah.
As a Buddhist monastery Dhammapala is primarily a dwelling place for monks (Bhikkhus), male novices (Samaneras) and postulants (Anagarikas). Also we regularly host Buddhist nuns (Bhikkhunis and Siladharas) as short- or long-term guests.

Senior monks and visiting nuns regularly lead formal meditation retreats at the monastery. In between these retreat periods guests and visitors are welcome to participate within the daily structure of the monastery, if they are willing to live according to the monastic rules and to take part in the communal activities.

Our community normally consists of between four and six monks and a changing number of guests – men and women, who share a life of meditation, study and simple work with the resident Sangha.