2014 Intensive Session Overview
We made much progress this year! There’s been great advancement in collecting, organizing and reviewing needed textual resources for the study and research and we end this time with more than just the beginnings of an excellent working Bhikkhuni Vinaya library uploaded to the Project’s Google Drive for the use of all international collaborators. Our international team has quite developed, now included venerable bhikkhunis Ayya Nimmala, Ayya Seri and Ayya Phalanyani, now also contributing from a distance in Canada, Australia and Thailand. We’ve also added Ven Bhiksuni Jampa Tsedreon as a consultant in Mulasarvastivada Bhiksuni Vinaya.
We have been delighted to begin to make and establish supportive and fruitful connections with vinaya masters and bhikkhuni vinaya institutes internationally, especially the Unmun-sa Bohyeon Bhikkhuni Vinaya Institute and the Bongnyeong-sa Geumgang Bhikkhuni Vinaya Institutes in S Korea, as well as Korean bhikkhu Vinaya Master Bowoon, who is currently authoring the latest book on bhikkhuni vinaya for the Korean Chogye Order MahaSangha. We were happy to be able to support a Vinaya research visit from Ven. Bhiksuni Sr. Nho Nghiem of Thich Naht Hanh’s Order of Interbeing during this intensive session, as well as to engage with numerous vinaya inquiries on various subjects from bhikkhus, bhikkhunis and lay teachers around the world. Further, we’ve had conversation with Ven. Bhikkhu Sujato on how we may work in coordination with the Sutta Central project, and fruitful connection with Ven Bhikkhuni Heng-ching with regards the Dharmaguptaka/Sifen Vinaya Skandhaka Project. It has been highly beneficial to have been participating in the University of Hamburg/Numata Institute E-course “Perspectives on Bhikkhuni Ordination” during this time, which has inspired further thought-provoking avenues for research and has been rich in access to excellent lectures and discussion with outstanding scholars of Bhikkhuni Vinaya.
With making our work accessible in mind, we have begun seeking and reviewing recommendations for web platforms for the Project, that we may be able to share resources, recommendations for study, and translations as they are drafted, section by section, crowd-sourcing feedback, and providing a forum for dialogue, as well as Q&A on the topics that are important to us all with regards Vinaya, and bhikkhuni Vinaya particularly. We hope to choose and initial web format and begin to put bring the Project live into its initial web format within this next year.
Finally, we are already making plans for the next intensive session, hoping that it not be so long from now, so as not to lose momentum keep moving steadily ahead. Tentative plans are for next March-May 2015, with invitations having been offered already, and both the NZ Bhikkhuni Trust as well as Santi FM in Australia’s Southern Highlands as proposed possible locations. Now, with closing the second session, the time begins to plan and prepare for the third! — hopefully beginning again just 8 months from now.
Distribution of AfB’s final $1000 contribution
Jennifer Tan and the many friends of the AfB’s $1000 offering was designated thus:
- $108 for grocery dana for the week of Apr 20-Apr 26
- $655 towards vihara lodgings and web access for the participants for the months of March and April
- $237 for transportation expenses (for Ayya Adhimutta’s airflight ticket).
We are absolutely delighted that thanks to this donation from Jennifer Tan, the AfB, as well as another from TS Low via the Buddhist Society of Victoria and one more from friend of Dhammadharini, Maryann Marks, together with gift of the entire set of English-language Tripitaka textbooks from the BDK-America, the 2014 Project closed in the free and clear.
There is even still a little bit of funding remaining for needed textual resources during the next 8 months (and perhaps even seeding for next time), while work continues slowly and steadily until the next intensive session begins.
A great “Anumodana!” of joy shooting up into the skies, showering down gently on our earth as blessings. May all involved share in the benefits.
With loving-kindness,
Ayya Tathaaloka Bhikkhuni
2014 Intensive Session Overview
We made much progress this year! There’s been great advancement in collecting, organizing and reviewing needed textual resources for the study and research and we end this time with more than just the beginnings of an excellent working Bhikkhuni Vinaya library uploaded to the Project’s Google Drive for the use of all international collaborators. Our international team has quite developed, now included venerable bhikkhunis Ayya Nimmala, Ayya Seri and Ayya Phalanyani, now also contributing from a distance in Canada, Australia and Thailand. We’ve also added Ven Bhiksuni Jampa Tsedreon as a consultant in Mulasarvastivada Bhiksuni Vinaya.
We have been delighted to begin to make and establish supportive and fruitful connections with vinaya masters and bhikkhuni vinaya institutes internationally, especially the Unmun-sa Bohyeon Bhikkhuni Vinaya Institute and the Bongnyeong-sa Geumgang Bhikkhuni Vinaya Institutes in S Korea, as well as Korean bhikkhu Vinaya Master Bowoon, who is currently authoring the latest book on bhikkhuni vinaya for the Korean Chogye Order MahaSangha. We were happy to be able to support a Vinaya research visit from Ven. Bhiksuni Sr. Nho Nghiem of Thich Naht Hanh’s Order of Interbeing during this intensive session, as well as to engage with numerous vinaya inquiries on various subjects from bhikkhus, bhikkhunis and lay teachers around the world. Further, we’ve had conversation with Ven. Bhikkhu Sujato on how we may work in coordination with the Sutta Central project, and fruitful connection with Ven Bhikkhuni Heng-ching with regards the Dharmaguptaka/Sifen Vinaya Skandhaka Project. It has been highly beneficial to have been participating in the University of Hamburg/Numata Institute E-course “Perspectives on Bhikkhuni Ordination” during this time, which has inspired further thought-provoking avenues for research and has been rich in access to excellent lectures and discussion with outstanding scholars of Bhikkhuni Vinaya.
With making our work accessible in mind, we have begun seeking and reviewing recommendations for web platforms for the Project, that we may be able to share resources, recommendations for study, and translations as they are drafted, section by section, crowd-sourcing feedback, and providing a forum for dialogue, as well as Q&A on the topics that are important to us all with regards Vinaya, and bhikkhuni Vinaya particularly. We hope to choose and initial web format and begin to put bring the Project live into its initial web format within this next year.
Finally, we are already making plans for the next intensive session, hoping that it not be so long from now, so as not to lose momentum keep moving steadily ahead. Tentative plans are for next March-May 2015, with invitations having been offered already, and both the NZ Bhikkhuni Trust as well as Santi FM in Australia’s Southern Highlands as proposed possible locations. Now, with closing the second session, the time begins to plan and prepare for the third! — hopefully beginning again just 8 months from now.
Distribution of AfB’s final $1000 contribution
Jennifer Tan and the many friends of the AfB’s $1000 offering was designated thus:
We are absolutely delighted that thanks to this donation from Jennifer Tan, the AfB, as well as another from TS Low via the Buddhist Society of Victoria and one more from friend of Dhammadharini, Maryann Marks, together with gift of the entire set of English-language Tripitaka textbooks from the BDK-America, the 2014 Project closed in the free and clear.
There is even still a little bit of funding remaining for needed textual resources during the next 8 months (and perhaps even seeding for next time), while work continues slowly and steadily until the next intensive session begins.
A great “Anumodana!” of joy shooting up into the skies, showering down gently on our earth as blessings. May all involved share in the benefits.
With loving-kindness,
Ayya Tathaaloka Bhikkhuni