Ajahn Liem addresses Portland Friends of the Dhamma
This week a number of Theravadin monks were guests of Portland Friends of the Dhamma. Among them was Ajahn Liem and a small entourage from Thailand. Ajahn Liem is abbot of Wat Nong Pah Pong and the successor of Ajahn Chah, the monastery’s founder. Accompanying the Thai monks were several monks from Abhayagiri Buddhist Monastery in Northern California, including Ajahns Pasanno and Sudanto, who have long-standing connections with Friends of the Dhamma.
Robin went without me Tuesday evening to have tea with the monks and hear Ajahn Liem’s Dhamma talk, but both of us were able to attend Wednesday’s community meeting with them.
A couple of years ago, Friends of the Dhamma formed the Sanghata committee, the purpose of which is to explore and nurture the idea of establishing an Abhayigiri branch monastery in the Portland area. The purpose of the community meeting was to get advice from the most senior monk in the lineage followed by Friends of the Dhamma.
With an understanding of differences between Eastern and Western sensibilities regarding the means of getting things done, the question arose about the best way to proceed. In soft and gentle tones, Ajahn Liem, through a translator, explained that so long as intentions are pure, the goals are clearly defined, and that people work together with kindness and compassion, things will proceed as they will and with good results. Nothing more is needed. Ajahns Pasanno and Sudanto are quite capable guides, he said.
Ajahn Pasanno is co-abbot of Abhayagiri and once was abbot of Wat Pah Nanachat, which was founded by Ajahn Chah for the training of English speaking monastics studying in Thailand. Ajahn Sudanto has been a frequent visitor to Friends of the Dhamma since its inception in 2000.
More monks from Abhayagiri will be passing through Portland throughout the summer.
