Dana Sala Pavilion
A beautiful outdoor pavilion (or sala) has arisen at Dhammadharini Monastery in the Sonoma Mountain area of Penngrove in the San Francisco North Bay.
Greetings to all our friends and supporters who have contributed to the new Dana Sala pavilion at our Bhikkhunis' Dhammadharini Monastery in Penngrove. We offer our gratitude for your part in creating this important, open air Covid-safe space for making offerings, sharing teaching and blessings, meditation, and commemorative Buddha-Dhamma-Sangha events.
After waiting so long, our Dana Sala pavilion has now been completed and inaugurated, with a joyful and most honorable welcome to our new Dhammadharini Dhammavitarka Buddha rūpā with leading arahant bhikkhu disciples of the Buddha Sariputta Thero and Mahamoggalanna Thero together with leading arahanti bhikkhuni disciples Khema Theri and Uppalavanna Theri's rūpās.
Ayya Sobhana built a strong rectangular table to support the large seated Buddha statue, and a similar “half-moon” table for flowers, candles and offerings. The Buddha's seat is made from heavy redwood lumber with redwood slab tabletops from kpandsons.com/ a supplier of responsibly locally-harvested redwood.
Our Dhammadharini Dana Coordinator Lal Senanayake has organized support for this project, which is envisioned to eventually also include a gracious permanent backdrop for the Buddha, and for the monastic Sangha, on either hand of the Buddha.
We also received beautiful Thai wooden decorations offered by our Dhammadharini Support Foundation president Srisakul (Susie) Kliks, and rainwater pots offered by Nampet Panichpant-Michelson and family.
Punya anumodana to chief donor Dr. Marlai Ouch, together with mother Sab Kann and aunt Keo Ouch for her offer of five Cambodian marble rupas (statues), offered by Upasika Marlai Ouch, specially commissioned for Dhammadharini. The seated Buddha rupa in teaching mudra is flanked by images of the foremost leading disciples of the Buddha: Arahant Bhikkhunis Khemā Therī and Uppalavannā Therī, and Arahant Bhikkhus Mahā Moggalana Thera and Sāriputta Thera.
Special anumodana and commendation also to Venerable Bhikkhu Dhammarakkhito Kann Sorathy for coordinating the entire project: finding the right stones and artists, and shipment; to ជាង ភុន chief Artisan Phun of សិប្បកម្មចម្លាក់ថ្មកែវ Marble Handicrafts; and to Chechi Doong of LACBFFA and Independent Movers for their careful and successful conveyance of their precious cargo by sea from Cambodia-Singapore-Los Angeles-San Francisco. Well done!
Donor Dedication:
ធម្មធារិនី ធម្មវិតក្ក ឧទ្ទិសព្រះពុទ្ធបដិមាដើម្បីចែករំលែកព្រះធម៌របស់ព្រះពុទ្ធឱ្យបានទូលំទូលាយជាមួយអ្នកដែលខ្វះខាតក្នុងគ្រាលំបាក។ បូជាថ្វាយដោយឧបាសិកា បណ្ឌិត អ៊ូច ម៉ាល័យ ជាមួយ ធម្មធារិនីឧបជ្ឈាទី១ ព្រះភិក្ខុនី តថាអលោកា ថេរី ក្នុង ឆ្នាំ២០២១។ Dhammadharini Dhammavitarka Buddha dedicated to sharing the Buddha's Dhamma widely with those in need during troubled times. Offered by Upāsikā Dr. Marlai Ouch of Cambodia with Dhammadharini Mūla-pavattinī Ven. Tathālokā Therī in 2022.
In the spring, there are further plans to prepare the bed and spread river rock around the perimeter of the Dana Sala pavilion. This project is not yet sponsored. It would be a good volunteer activity.
In the Spring and Summer of 2022, we plan to install a mural wall behind the altar, organized by Lal Senanayake, as part of the Buddha's and Sangha seating project. We are actively seeking a local Buddhist mural painter or carver for this project.
We also hope to install a good, permanent audio-visual and internet system at the Dana Sala for larger events and for broadcasting our events. This is sponsored through Upasika Upasamaya~Shirley Kwok’s generous gift for audio visual systems.
Additional projects for 2022:
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Installing Sīmā markers around the Dana Sala, so this space can be used for official Sangha Acts (Sanghakamma) such as Bhikkhuni Ordination and bestowing the Kathina Cloth. The stone or granite markers might cost between $500 and $2,000. It is our aim for the Bhikkhunī Sangha to establish the Sīmā prior to the next Bhikkhunī Ordination, which is planned for the 2022 Vassa (begins July full moon 2022).
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Designing and building pathways between the Dana Sala and meditation hall.
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Additional landscape improvements and beautification to make the yard around Dana Sala wonderful for meditation and events.
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Improve the area where Meal Dana offerings prepared, laid out, and offered.
For today, we are full of gratitude for this beautiful, outdoor meditation and Dhamma area, protected from winter rain and summer sun, where all can visit and be Covid-safe. We invite each of you to rejoice in the results of your generosity, here represented in wood and stone both supporting, uplifting and sheltering the Sangha, but even more so in the heart’s peace and gladness.
Now, when a person is truly wise,
Their constant task will surely be
This recollection of their giving
Blessed with such mighty potency
Visuddhimagga vii.114
Wishing you all the blessings of the Triple Gem,
The Dhammadharini Sangha