Change On Sunday the 3rd of March there will be two events of note; Ajahn Kusalo’s (72nd) birthday celebration and the role transition of Bodhinyanarama’s abbot. The first will take place around the meal offering with a few words shared and some general festivity associated with such an occasion.
After lunch (about 12.30) there will be a semi-formal ceremony to mark the end of Ajahn Kusalo’s twelve year tenure as abbot of Bodhinyanarama and the beginning of Ajahn Nandiyo’s. This is by far the more momentous of the two events and you are all welcome to join and wish both our illustrious monks well in their new roles.
Luang Por Peik On Sunday the 10th March Luang Por Peik, a senior Thai disciple of Luang Por Chah who has been a monk for nearly 50 years, will visit us and offer teachings. He will arrive at 1pm and there will be a session in the main hall primarily focussed on lay practice. There will be translation into English. A couple of hours have been allowed for this and you are encouraged to make use of this rare visit by Luang Por to New Zealand.
T-shirts Some of our lay friends have organised a design and production of a t-shirt for Bodhinyanarama. It features the monastery logo on the front, the website URL on the sleeve edge and a Dhammapada verse on the back:
“Hatred is not overcome by hatred
By love alone is hatred overcome.”
The first run has already sold out and if you are interested in taking part in the second then you can view the t-shirt page where you can see some photos and consider the different sizes. There are also details for pre-ordering.
Luang Por Sumedho Luang Por Sumedho will have his 90th birthday this year (27th July) and, like the king of England, his celebration will not be on the actual. We will have a gathering on the 18th May as this allows much freer international travel. Both Ajahns Kusalo and Nandiyo will attend. What a wonderful life and legacy Luang Por has had and Bodhinyanarama is very much a part of that. ‘Gratitude’ – thanks, appreciation, respect… these are just words that attempt to convey the esteem and delight we have when considering our relationship with the wonderful man. Sadhu, Sadhu, Sadhu… Anumodana.
Ajahn Kusalo Onward There are various rumours as to what Ajahn Kusalo will be doing post March 3rd. It is relatively simple – he will be doing ‘not much’. However, he almost always has a project or two on the go and the simplification will mostly be in regard to office stuff. The general plan is ‘solitude in nature’; an extended tudong and general wandering-walkabout in New Zealand. The first foray will to Britain and back; taking a few months to do that visiting various people and groups along the way. Bodhinyanarama will continue to be ‘home’ seeing a continuing relationship with the community here. All will be revealed in good time.
Abbot’s Kuti As mentioned in the last update the old #1 kuti has been demolished and the site cleared. On Tuesday there was another demolition… three pine trees that ringed the site and presented long-term potential danger. Their removal also lets in more light – and, there is now about ten years worth of firewood on site! We had two tree fellas do the felling and the sangha cleared away the resulting tangle of branches, needles, limbs and trunk. The work was very physical but the good thing… no accidents, beyond a few ‘manly abrasions’ and a few stiff muscles the next day. A lovely communal day.