Dāna

How can guests support the monastery?

The daily maintenance of Dhammapala monastery relies on the principle of ‘dāna’ – a Pali word meaning ‘gift’ – or more precisely, a freewill offering. It refers to an ancient tradition within Buddhism, whereby non-monastics look after the material needs of the monks and nuns, who follow their monastic rule and therefore have no income, do not use money/credit cards etc. and who only possess a few personal items. Likewise, it is a tradition that the adequately supported monastic communities provide an environment in which interested men and women can deepen their understanding and practice of the Dhamma. Regular Dhamma teachings and opportunities for fruitful dialogue about relevant matters are also offered to daily visitors, short-term guests and participants in one of our seminars and retreats.

In Dhammapala we have made great efforts to provide a meditation hall, a reception area and a library for our guests. These are available for all, independent of the nature of their visit, whether they just want to inform themselves about the teachings of the Buddha during a short visit, or if they are regular guests who have been practicing for quite a while and have already stayed at the monastery a few times. For all of these, simple accommodation is available.

The running costs of the monastery for the basic needs of the monastic community, for the use and maintenance of the building, for all the requisites and daily necessities, including the obligatory insurances, are all covered by donations. Note also, that the monastery has to pay three Francs/Euros a night [called Kurtax] per head to the local tourist office!

So we won’t bill you for your normal stay or your participation in one of our courses, but we ask you to bear in mind that the financial expenses, which enable the existence of our monastic community (and therefore your stay with us) are not insignificant. So your donations are much needed and appreciated. If you value the existence of the monastery and want to support Dhammapala  on a regular basis, you can do so also with a standing order to one of the three bank accounts belonging to Dhammapala. See the bank details below.