Dhammasara

Information for Staying at Dhammasara

Those who are interested in residing in Dhammasara for a period of time can request permission from the Administration Nun in person, by fax or mail. Visitors must apply early, as there has been a growing number wanting to stay at Dhammasara.During the annual Rains Retreat (full moon in July to full moon in October) there is no short-stay accommodation for guests. If you wish to stay for the entire 3 months of the Rains Retreat, you must apply in writing to the Administration Nun. Please note applicants need to meet the following criteria :

• Applicants should be Buddhist, and a member of the BSWA if  living locally.
• Applicants should be experienced meditators, and have completed at least one Buddhistretreat.
• Note: there is no formal meditation teaching program at the monastery.
• Applicants should be in good physical and mental health.
• Guests must keep the 8 precepts & monastery rules, and assist with work duties.

The Eight Precepts

• To refrain from intentionally taking the life of any living creature.
• To refrain from taking what is not given.
• To refrain from any sexual activity.
• To refrain from speech which is dishonest.
• To refranin from using alcohol or non-medicinal drugs. Smoking is banned in the monastery.
• To refrain from eating after noon. Non-milk drinks,juice, sweets, sugar & honey are allowable.
• To refrain from dancing, singing, playing music, and wearing cosmetics, perfume, and jewellery.
• To refrain from using luxurious beds and seats.

General Points

Guests should dress modestly : no shorts, singlets, or revealing clothing. All external business should be kept to an absolute minimum. Try to maintain silence as much as possible. All food & drinks are donated by the local Buddhist who come each day to the monastery.

What to Bring

• Torch
• Alarm clock.
• Toiletries and towel
• Sheets & sleeping bag. Bedding is available but must be cleaned before you leave
• Work clothes and shoes/boots
• CD/MP3 player.
       

Coming and Going

Try to arrive around 10 am, before the main meal. Your room should be cleared on your last day by 10am. For those without transport, please take the Transperth Train from Perth to Midland station. See : www.transperth.wa.au. please confirm with us your arrival time, so we know when to pick you up.

Seeking Ordination at Dhammasara Monastery

Dhammasara is primarily for the purpose of training women who are residents of Australia. Visas for candidates to stay for the minimum period of  five years are costly and difficult to obtain from the Australian Immigration Department. That is why we encourage women who are interested in becoming a nun to find a place in their own country. However, you are welcome to visit Dhammasara to find out what is it like. In fact it can be useful to have 1st hand experience of various monasteries, so you can look for one that suits you.

But remember no monastery is perfect, or will suit you exactly. Being a visitor in a monastery can only give you an approximation of what it is like to live there fulltime and commit yourself wholeheartedly to the monastic life.

A core aim of Dhammasara is to provide the space for committed Buddhist women to taste the monastic lifestyle firsthand, and if they wish, to be enabled to undertake the training to become fully ordained nuns, realizing The Goal & Heartwood(Dhammasara) of this Holy Life.

First step, application and stay at Dhammasara as a lay visitor. After that you need to make the request in writing. All applicants need to first of all spend about 3 months as a lay visitors on eight precepts. After that if the Bhikkhuni Sangha find that they are suitable candidates and the persons themselves also ready to commit themselves then there will be a formal ceremony to take the eight precepts and shave and wear white monastic robes. After all together about 15 months as lay visitors and anagarikaas then the candidates can request to go forth and ordain as a samaneris.

The samaneris are expected to give up their control of money and keep the Ten Precepts as well as other training rules at the monastery. For all trainees, they will have their training rules being explained to them over time and they are expected to keep the rules and the precepts they have undertaken. Samaneris or novices will be expected to stay in the monastery and keep the training for at least two years before thay can request for Bhikkhuni Ordination. After the Bhikkhuni ordination they are required to stay at the monastery for further five years unless you have the teacher's permission to go to another place to practice.

One little note on something that seems to be more of an issue these days: although everybody who comes here is surely generally inspired by the idea of 'leaving it all behind', many visitors who come with the wish to ordain carry a variety of electronic gadgets with them  (laptop, telephones,cameras, etc). To maintain the spirit of a forest monastery, living in a simple, natural environment, we encourage all our newcomers to give up such items. E-mail and Internet in our monastery is not available for general use.

Women who are interested in finding out more about the monastery or wish to apply for residency should write directly to

Venerable Hasapanna (Admin. Nun)
Dhammasara Nuns Monastery
203, Reen Road,
Gidgegannup WA 6083
Australia.

Phone No. : (61-8) 9574 6583
Fax No.     : (61-8) 62101131

Dhammasara does not use e-mail for correspondance relating to ordination.