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Visioning and Volunteering
Rejoicing as we grow support for deepening in Dhamma through community
🎉Passaddhi Vihara has its non-profit 501(c)3 legal status. 🎉
This opens up new resources for organizational and technology tools and makes it possible for financial donors to document donations for tax purposes. This change provides the legal stability for mapping out the vision for Passaddhi Vihara. We are interested in input as well as support in bringing this vision into reality as a living monastery that is designed for practice and Dhamma growth.
The current focus remains development for resident monastics so that the Bhikkhunī Saṅgha will be steeped in the Dhamma and develop on the Path. This focus will remain within all phases of the monastery development.
Passaddhi Vihara is intended primarily to be a place for practicing for liberation. Once the monastery has a sufficiently sized residence and a spacious property for a separate meditation hall, then the monastic community can develop and grow. At that point Passaddhi Vihara will have more open times for lay practitioners to be near the saṅgha and develop on the path. Eventually, it will include space for aspirants to monastic life to begin their training and enter the monastic way of life and development.
This is a vision that will span years or decades. It is possible only by the growing base of financial support and volunteering and by the continued practice of the monastics and lay community. |
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November 30 Volunteer Creative Gathering and Visioning Day
Volunteering
On Sunday, November 30th, all are welcome to participate in person and on-line in a day of volunteering and visioning.
This day is the opportunity to support Passaddhi Vihara with just one day of volunteering with heart, hands, and head.
The format of the day will include visioning conversations and active work on projects such as developing clear instructions for the anumodana team or for offering meal dana, updating the website, evaluating and testing AV setup, determining good methods for volunteer communications …
The exact projects undertaken will be determined by the number of volunteers who come and their skill set. (Techie-alert! – bring your laptop.)
Dhamma Sharing by Monastics
There will be drops of Dhamma throughout the day to keep us all energized and aligned with what we really are creating – a place for deep and liberating practice. Just as a water jug is filled drop-by-drop, so too is a monastery created ‘volunteer offering’-by-’volunteer offering’.
Tentative Schedule
Attend all or part of this Joyous day! 🙂
9:30 am Group intention setting, Brief Dhamma sharing
10:00 am Breakout groups
10:30 am Meal setup (a few volunteers)
11:00 am Brief Dhamma sharing and Meal Offering / Potluck
12:00 pm Visioning circle
12:45 pm Volunteer teams activity period 1
2:45 pm Volunteer teams activity period 2
4:30 pm Team accomplishments, Brief Dhamma sharing,
Celebration
Potential Volunteer Teams for the Day of Volunteering
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Clarify Meal Dana offering (discuss and write-up how cultivate an active, in-person, daily meal offering for the monastics)
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Anumodana process (discuss and write-up how the Anumodana team sends rejoicing messages to donors)
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Volunteer communication methods (discuss and write-up how volunteers can self-organize)
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Website development
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Evaluating AV setup and suggesting improvements
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Garden preparation for Winter
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Create photo gallery
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Additional Ideas welcome 💡
❄️ Winter RetreatThe Passaddhi Vihara Bhikkhunīs will be in Winter retreat from Dec 28th – April 11th. One bhikkhuni will be in secluded retreat at the vihara for at least 2 weeks at a time in rotation with the other. There will be brief periods when both are out of seclusion. Throughout the retreat at least one monastic will continue to lead the regular programs of Sutta Study on Tuesday morning, Dhamma, Meditation on Thursday evening, and the Sunday Sila Celebrations. At least one monastic will also continue to go on alms round on Tuesdays. During this time, the monastics won’t be accepting external teaching programs. |
☀️ Summer Summary
Vassa OverviewVassa 2025 has gone by quickly. Ayya Niyyānika undertook First Vassa while Ayya Suvijjānā was away on retreat for the month of July. Ayya Suvijjānā returned July 31st and undertook Second Vassa, which ends the full moon of November. During vassa, both bhikkhunīs offered Dhamma online and in-person as well as offerings at Cloud Mountain and in Portland. Ayya Niyyānika spent much of the Vassa doing Physical Therapy after an accident in early July. They also offered some Somatic Sutta programs in July and enjoyed the company of visiting monastics. When Ayya Suvijjānā returned from a month of retreat Ayya offered most of the Tuesday Sutta Programs for the Vassa. Replays for both Ayya Suvijjānā and Ayya Niyyānika’a Dhamma sharing can be found on the Passaddhi Vihara YouTube channel. Near the end of the second Vassa, Ayya Suvijjānā and Ayya Niyyānika, along with Ayya Satima (currently at Pārāyana Vihāra) will go down to Karuna Buddhist Vihara to celebrate their Kathina. |
Alms Rounds |
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Almsrounds this Vassa have been lovely. Every Tuesday, All About Pad Thai and other friends have offered alms food for the meal at West Central Park in Olympia. The Tuesday alms round has been year round since the early days of Passaddhi Vihara.
Ayya Satima joined us last Tuesday. In May 2025, Passaddhi Bhikkhunis started going weekly on Fridays for alms. This has been done on faith. At times one or two individuals offered a meal, sometimes none. On occasion, Friday almsround was a joyous celebration with large groups offered alms food and flowers. These occasions included visiting monastics.
Friday Almsrounds at Farmers Market. Ayya Sucitta, Ayya Anandabodhi, Ayya Santussika, Ayya Cittananda, Ayya Satima, and Samaneri Junha all joined at least once.
Meal Dana in Olympia Park near Farmers Market. Ayya Satussika, Ayya Cittananda, and Ayya Satima joined last Friday.
Ajahn Munissara and Ajahn Nisabho will join Friday Almsround in Olympia on October 17th. Friday October 24th will be the last Farmers Market Almsround for 2025. Tuesday almsrounds will continue except for November 4th, when the monastics will be away at KBV’s kathina. Friday almsround will be discontinued in November due to the change to Standard time making receiving alms difficult before solar noon. Also, during late fall and early winter the Farmers Market will no longer be open on Fridays. |
Visitors to the Vihara
We were blessed by several monastics visiting and staying at the vihara for periods of time. This inspired groups to come to offer the meal and discuss Dhamma.
A few friends also have started to attend our Sila Sunday Celebrations in person although more attend on zoom. We hope that this can develop into a larger community event.
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We also had our first Bhikkhuni Patimokkha recitation (monastic rules of conduct) on August 22nd. Ayya Anandabodh and Ayya Satima joined us from Pārāyana Vihara to make a Sangha of four.
Retreats
Ayya Suvijjānā and Ayya Niyyānika led a six day retreat at Cloud Mountain on the theme of The Elements and Metta. It was well received and they were asked back and will teach on the Gradual Path, Luminous Heart next August.
Ayya Niyyānika filled in about a week later and co-lead a Metta retreat with Mark Nunberg. It also was well received and particularly good medicine for those living in Portland with the imminent arrival of troops into the city.
Portland visits
The first visit Ayya Suvijjānā and Ayya Niyyānika made to share Dhamma in Portland was with Pacific Northwest Meditation and Portland Insight Meditation Center. The talks were well received and the bhikkhunīs were invited to visit again.
[Links to talks below pictures.]
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About a month later, Ayya Suvijjānā and Ayya Niyyānika returned to Portland to share Dhamma with Portland Friends of the Dhamma. This visit was also well received. With both visits we met many wonderful practitioners and much love of the Dhamma.
Final Words
In these strange and troubling times, the Dhamma is our dearest refuge. It is such a gift to be dedicated to awakening and have the resources to share the teachings of liberation. May all of us continue this path to its fruition in Nibbana.
With much metta and the strength of Dhamma,
Ayya Suvijjānā and Ayya Niyyānika
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Tuesday Sutta Studies continue every week at 8 am Pacific Time.
The Zoom link can be found on the Passaddhi Vihara events-programs webpage.
Access past teachings on YouTube. |
Upcoming Events
Friday, October 17th
Ajahn Munissara and Ajahn Nisabho will join Friday Almsround in Olympia on October 17th.
Sunday, October 19th
Passaddhi Vihara Support Foundation Board Meeting
On Sunday, October 19th, the Board of Directors and Officers will meet to discuss the vision and attend to practical matters. It is an open meeting that will take place after the Sunday Sila Celebration program at the Vihara ends around 1:30 pm. (In person only)
Sunday, November 30th
Creative Volunteer Day
Attend all or part of this Joyous day! 🙂
At the Vihara (2260 Division St NW 18-A and on-line)
Tentative schedule
9:30 am Group intention setting, brief Dhamma sharing
10:00 am Breakout groups
10:30 am Meal setup (a few volunteers)
11:00 am Brief Dhamma sharing and Meal Offering / Potluck
12:00 pm Visioning circle
12:45 pm Volunteer teams activity period 1
2:45 pm Volunteer teams activity period 2
4:30 pm Team accomplishments, Brief Dhamma sharing, Celebration
Retreat Offerings at Cloud MountainNext year: August 28 – September 2, 2026 |
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