June 3, 2026

"Dhamma-full Blessings of Lovingkindness from the Sangha"

Aniccā vata sankhārā 💐🙏💐🙏💐🙏💐 In Memoriam

Blessing a Beloved Dhamma friend Dhammacarī Mettā Martha Jane Craft

January 23rd 1935 - June 4th 2026

. . .

Dear Venerables & Dhamma friends of Dhammacari Mettā Martha Craft,

💐💐💐💛🙏🙏🙏💛💐💐💐

We received a message from a monastic sister and mutual friend that our beloved and very long time Dhamma friend Martha (Mettā) has reached end of life, in care of relatives in Michigan.

If you knew or know Mettā Martha Craft, welcome to join me and our venerable Dhammadharini Bhikkhunis and friends from near and far in sending loving Dhamma-full blessings to our dear Dhamma friend Mettā Martha at this time. We deeply appreciate her and rejoice in all her enormously many good deeds, coming together so many times with loving kindness as Dhamma family and community together these past 20+ years.

Welcome to share this message or your own timely message with anyone/everyone else it would be good to share with.

May many, many blessings of the Noble Triple Gem be with beloved Dhamma friend Martha now in this very special and important time, and with all of us,

with mettā,

Tathālokā Therī

💐💐💐💛🙏🙏🙏💛💐💐💐

sharing some photos from my folder

for sending loving blessings

with hearts full of "anumodana"

rejoicing in treasured Dhamma friendship

and a life full of Dhamma

Bodhicari Mettā Martha Craft with the Venerable Bhikkhu-Bhikkhuni Sangha and fellow Bodhicaris

Dhammacari Mettā Martha Craft wih Venerable Bhikkhu and Bhikkhuni Sangha and fellow Dhammacaris at American Buddhist Seminary in Sacramento, California

Mettā Martha Craft with Tathālokā Therī, a few years ago, at Vesak or Kathina, at American Buddhist Seminary's then-new ABS Temple in West Sacramento

Martha Craft with teacher Most Venerable Madawala Seelawimala Mahāthero, the first Theravāda Buddhist monk to come to teach in Northern California, and fellow Bodhicaris (left to right): Talersak David (now Ven Bhikkhu Theravamso), Sumedha Phan Go (now Sayalay Manapika), Mudita Mary Doyle, Bhante, Mettā Martha, and Samāhito Tyler Lehrer. All had underaken intensive Buddhist Dhamma and meditation studies with Bhante at the American Buddhist Seminary and completed the Dhammacari course.

Mettā Martha Craft with Ajahn brahm at Wat Buddhanusorn in the San Francisco East Bay. Martha was part of arranging the 2012 "Ajahn Brahma Bay Area Teaching Tour".

Mettā Martha Craft at Aranya Bodhi Hermitage, back when the trees were much shorter and much thicker! - and the road was really just a dirt road.

Dhammacari Mettā Martha Craft (far left) on the day of the first Bhikkhuni Ordination at Aranya Bodhi in 2010. It was the first All-Theravada Dual Sangha Bhikkhuni Ordination in North America.

Martha Craft with very good mutual Dhamma friend Dhammika Ekanayake. So many times they came as a team to Dhammadharini and offered important help and support right when it was most needed. Deep gratitude, appreciation, and many blessings.

Interring sacred relics into the stupa on the saddle at Aranya Bodhi Hermitage, with Venerable Tekewe Shantharakshitha Thero, Ayya Sobhana, Ayya Anandabodhi, Ayya Santacitta, Ayya Phalañānī, and Martha

Martha Craft (Dhammacari Mettā) at American Buddhist Seminary, with ABS members and Ayya Niyyānikā Bhikkhunī - back then still anagārikā, so it must have been a while ago.

Dhammacari Sumedha (now Sayalay Manāpikā) and Dhammacari Mettā Martha Craft, with Ayya Sudinnā Therī and Ayyā Sobhana Therī - - where and when was this?? - I was thinking GBC11 - the 11th Global Buddhism Conference in Berkeley in 2019...but it looks like a temple in the background??

Martha and Shari, our first Dhammadharini Vesak, as the old temporary Dhammadharini Vihara up on the hill in Bennet Valley, Santa Rosa

Our first Kathina at our then new Dhammadharini Monastery in Penngrove, in the San Francisco North Bay - Sangha pillars: left to right - Metta Martha Craft, Dana Coordinator Lal Senanakaye, DD SF Treasurer and former Dana Coordinator Dom McCarty, former DD SF treasurer Upasamaya Shirley Kwok, many more friends

Encircling the new monastery grounds chanting "Itipi so Bhagava..." - first Kathina at Dhammadharini Monastery in the Sonoma Mountain area of Penngrove, San Francisco North Bay

Uplifting experience! Mettā Martha Craft raises the not-yet-dyed Kathina robe cloth above her head, with Dhamma friends Mahin & Sepali's support, during the first Kathina at the then-new Dhammadharini Monastery, in the San Francisco North Bay.