Sravasti Abbey is a Buddhist monastery for Western monks and nuns in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, located near Newport, Washington, United States. It is the first Tibetan Buddhist monastery for training Western monastics in the United States, founded by Bhikshuni Thubten Chodron.
Overview Sravasti Abbey is dedicated to fostering the full monastic life for both bhikshus (monks) and bhikshunis (nuns) according to the Vinaya (Buddhist monastic code). The Abbey emphasizes a balanced life of study, meditation, and community service. Its mission is to make the Dharma (Buddhist teachings) accessible to Western practitioners, providing a stable environment for monastic training, practice, and the development of the Sangha (monastic community) in the West.
History The Abbey was founded in 2003 by the American-born bhikshuni Thubten Chodron, a student of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. Bhikshuni Chodron had observed the challenges faced by Western monastics, particularly nuns, in finding suitable long-term training environments. She envisioned a place where monastics could live in community, practice the Vinaya, and receive comprehensive Buddhist education. The name "Sravasti" was chosen to honor the ancient Indian city where the Buddha spent many rainy seasons, signifying a place where the Buddha's teachings flourished and the Sangha was nourished.
Mission and Philosophy Sravasti Abbey's core mission revolves around:
- Nurturing the Sangha: Providing a supportive environment for monastics to live ethical lives, study the Dharma, and practice meditation.
- Dharma Education: Offering courses, retreats, and teachings to both monastics and lay practitioners, making complex Buddhist philosophy understandable and applicable.
- Vinaya Practice: Upholding the full monastic precepts (Vinaya) for both male and female monastics, including the full bhikshuni ordination, which is a significant aspect given its historical absence in some Tibetan traditions.
- Community Engagement: Promoting peace, compassion, and ethical values within the wider society through various outreach activities and interfaith dialogue.
- Self-Sufficiency: The Abbey operates largely on a donation-based model, with monastics and volunteers engaged in various tasks to maintain the monastery and its grounds.
Activities and Programs The Abbey offers a variety of programs for both residents and visitors:
- Residential Programs: Monastics live, study, and practice together, following a daily schedule that includes meditation, teachings, chores, and communal meals.
- Retreats: Regular retreats ranging from short weekend programs to longer meditation intensives are offered throughout the year.
- Online Teachings: Bhikshuni Thubten Chodron and other monastics regularly give Dharma talks and teachings that are streamed live and archived online, reaching a global audience.
- Work-Study Program: Lay practitioners can volunteer at the Abbey for extended periods, participating in the daily schedule while contributing to the monastery's upkeep.
- "Exploring Monastic Life" Program: An annual program designed for individuals considering ordination to experience monastic life directly.
- Publishing: The Abbey supports the publication of books and articles by Bhikshuni Thubten Chodron, including the multi-volume series The Library of Wisdom and Compassion co-authored with His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
Significance Sravasti Abbey holds significant importance in the development of Buddhism in the West. It stands as a pioneering institution for establishing a robust monastic tradition for Western practitioners within the Tibetan Buddhist framework. Its commitment to the full ordination of women (bhikshuni ordination) is particularly notable, addressing a long-standing issue in some Buddhist traditions and contributing to the global movement for gender equality within Buddhism. By providing a stable and authentic environment for monastic training, Sravasti Abbey plays a crucial role in ensuring the continuity and flourishing of the Dharma in contemporary Western society.