Good thigs come to those who wait – as someone once said. We hope this saying will hold true for our staircase project, as it’s already been delayed for over two months and is still a long way from completion. Unfortunately there are delays in some elements of the project. Also, not everything about the staircase has been completed as we requested. Therefore, we are currently negotiating how the deviations can be remedied… and are practicing patience.
In our monastic community, on the other hand, harmony continues to reign. Ajahns Kancano and Viranando probably had more headaches than expected during the winter retreat, as they had to deal with the lagging staircase project; for the rest of us, due to the very slow progress of the work, the retreat was probably quieter than expected. Ajahn Khemasiri even escaped completely for the month of March to Santacittarama Monastery near Rome, and had his quiet time there.
My body wasn’t always calm and cooperative during the winter, but I can hardly blame it, given the many tumors and all the medications I administer to suppress them. It has now calmed down again, and I’m feeling fairly okay, allowing me to continue following my now somewhat more secluded routines – more or less the same as before the winter retreat.
With the arrival of spring, our main guest season for monastic visitors has started again. Thirteen monks and three nuns have announced their visits for the period up to the beginning of vassa (11. July). Ajahn Dipako from Amaravati stays with us for a week at the beginning of April, after spending the winter at Santaloka, Santacittarama’s hermitage in the Italian Alps.
Then we are very happy to have Luang Por Viradhammo, the abbot of Tisarana Monastery in Ontario, with us, from April 11th to 16th. Luang Por Viradhammo lived briefly in Switzerland before becoming a monk and was also one of the first monks to come to Switzerland on invitation of the “Dhamma Gruppe” in the 1980s to teach the Dhamma. Nevertheless, amazingly, this is his first visit to Dhammapala in twenty years. High time!
After Luang Por Viradhammo, we are expecting Ajahn Jayanto and Ajahn Anando, the co-abbots of Jetavana Monastery in New Hampshire (April 24 – May 5), and Ajahn Karuniko, the former abbot of Cittaviveka Monastery in Chithurst, Sussex (April 29 – May 6). All three will then travel on to Santacittarama, where, in the week of May 5 to 11, not only will Vesak be celebrated, but also this year’s sangha business meeting and an upasampada (admission of new monks into the order) will take place.
Also traveling from here to these events are Ajahn Kancano, Ajahn Viranando, our secretary Tanja, and – as a bhikkhu candidate – Samanera Nikkamo, who will then remain at Santacittarama for almost six months, before we expect him back for our kathina celebration in October.
Shortly before our own Vesak celebration, from May 14th to 17th, Luang Por Pasanno, former abbot of Wat Pah Nanachat and also of Wat Abhayagiri in California, will be coming for a short visit with Tan Cittapalo. This will also be Luang Por Pasanno’s first visit in Kandersteg. Unfortunately, they will not be staying for our Vesak celebration, which will take place on May 18th in the Kandersteg community hall. Instead Ajahn Preecha from Santacittarama will attend and give the Dhamma talk. He will be accompanyied by Ajahn Ice and they will stay from the 12th to the 19th of May. Tan Thanuttamo from Thailand will also be here for two weeks over Vesak.
Maichee Annie Pikunnee from Australia will be here for the whole month of May. Maichee Annie lives at Wat Buddha Dhamma, where Ajahn Thiradhammo, the first Dhammapala abbot, is now at home. After her time with us, Machee Annie will be going to England for a while to be part of the siladhara nuns community there. Then, at the beginning of June, Ayya Anandabodhi is planning to come for a short visit, together with Samaneri Junha. Ayya Anandabodhi lived for many years with the siladhara in England before she became a bhikkhuni in the United States.
Also in June, we are expecting Ajahn Mo from Thailand, who plans to stay with us for a month, and at the beginning of July, Bhante Sukhacitto will also be visiting again for a week. For the three months of Vassa, we are expecting Tan Sihanado from Chithurst, whom some of you may remember from his visit in June/July of last year.
Apart from the almost six-months absence of Samanera (then Bhikkhu) Nikkamo, our own monastic community will remain as before. Ajahn Khemasiri has planned several trips to teach abroad (22. – 26. May: Sardegna; 22. – 29. June: Norway; see event calendar), and Ajahn Viranando will be taking a six-week break for traveling and family after the Vesak celebration. The rest of us will probably be here most of the spring and summer. For the vassa, we’d then have six monks, including Tan Sihanado! So, a full house indeed!
Due to the unfortunate delays in the construction project we unfortunately had to cancel the first introductory weekend of this year, which was scheduled for the first weekend of April, as well as the Easter retreat. There will certainly be further restrictions on monastery operations during springtime, as long as the staircase isn’t finished. We hope it won’t be too long until the monastery will be fully accessible again. In the events calendar on our website you’ll find all planned events, here at the monastery and outside, as well as some online talks. We hope there’s something for all of you, or that you’ll stop by again even without a special event. We are looking forward to your visit.
With all good wishes,
Bhikkhu Abhinando
