Last night Upavana hosted it’s first in-person Uposatha session, with a great turnout both from online regulars and friends in the area of Shelburne, MA. The Uposatha is the traditional time for Buddhist laypeople and monastics alike to gather, commit to their precepts, and share dhamma. It will be one of the first main in-person […]
Undestanding Vipassana and Samatha Read More »
New Moon Uposatha Tonight Upavana will be hosting it’s first in-person Uposatha session from 8-12 pm. Because of COVID the gathering will be of limited attendance, but anyone who would like to join online can do so with Zoom. The session begins at 8pm EDT with a 45 minute meditation. There will then be a
First In-Person Uposatha Read More »
“Even before I arrived in Massachusetts, fragments of my previous time of wandering were starting to come back: Dhammapada verses I use to study at first light, tips and tricks with my gear, maxims of walking and interacting with people. It was the feeling of coming home … not to a place, but to a
On Sunday, Tahn Pamutto arrived in Massachusetts. It’s been two and a half years since he was last a wandering forest monk, traveling up and down the country roads sharing dhamma, friendship, and the occasional cup of coffee. For the first two days of his return, the unfailingly hospitable Indonesian community found their perfect ambassador
In the early years of the sangha, cloth was scarce and monks patched together whatever they could find to cover their bodies. But as the Buddha’s renown grew, there came to be enough cloth to choose a pattern for robes. One day Ananda, the Buddha’s attendant, offered to make him a new robe and asked,
Today, most monastics live in temples and monasteries. Some of these are grand, purpose-built institutions, while others are rented houses or apartments on average city streets. The monastery serves as a place to pool resources, gather for practice, and is easily accessible to the communities that support it. Recognizing that the mind easily acclimates to
We dust off the shrine, light a few candles, chant some words of veneration, bow in the direction of the altar … and then we sit and begin the practice of meditation. We might have the idea that our practice doesn’t begin until we reach the cushion, but would we do the rituals if they
Upaya – Skillful Means Read More »
On Sunday Bhante Pamutto gave the talk ‘Fear and Prudence’ for the Vipada Indonesian Buddhist Family. The recording is at: We live in a world of risks and statistics. If we watch the news it could seem like it’s too dangerous even to go outside sometimes. We probably don’t even realize that we’re being bombarded
Blessings and Prayer Read More »
On Sunday, Tahn Pamutto and Tan Santi joined fellow monastics with Wat Thai Thavorn in visiting their Albany branch temple – along with a large contingent of of the Indonesian Buddhist Family. The purpose of the trip was to inter the ashes of friend and family member Robby Mulyadi, as well as three others, at
Heart of the Community Read More »
On May 2nd, after over four months staying with the Indonesian Buddhist Family of NY, Tahn Pamutto will be departing and heading back to the woods of Massachusetts. Not enough can be said about the kindness and generosity of the community in NYC! This has been a wonderful experience and Tahn’s only regret is that
