Hermitage Project to bring monks to Pacific Northwest

Portland Friends of the Dhamma is a community of lay practitioners dedicated to what is known as the Thai forest tradition of Theravada Buddhism. We have a close affiliation with Abhayagiri Monastery in Northern California, which has its roots in the lineage of Ajahn Chah.

A few times a year we are fortunate to have monks and nuns visit our small center in Sellwood, not just from Abhayagiri, but from various monasteries around the world. These are wonderful opportunities to hear the Dhamma directly from those who have chosen the homeless life.

Occasionally, a few of us are able to travel the 650 or so miles to Abhayagiri for a short retreat. But for most of us it is difficult to get away, tied as we are to our secular responsibilities.

Three years ago, Friends of the Dhamma arranged for two monks from Abhayagiri to stay on some land about 90 minutes east of Portland for Vassa, the traditional Rains Retreat, from July into October. This was a great opportunity for us to get to know Ajahns Sudanto and Karunadhammo and to see first-hand what a monk’s life is about.

But it was more than that. It was a chance for the Abhayagiri community to see what kind of local support it would have for establishing a branch monastery in the Portland area. At the end of Vassa, Ajahns Pasanno and Amaro, co-abbots of Abhayagiri, joined us for a closing celebration.

The result of the synergy that surrounded that initial experiment, not to mention long hours of dedicated service by many in the PFoD community, Abhayagiri has agreed to establish here a permanent branch monastery in the form of a hermitage. A hermitage differs from a typical monastery in that its purpose is to provide a place of solitude and retreat away from the busyness of the larger community. No monks will be trained at the hermitage, nor will there be ordinations – both activities of which require much attention from senior monks.

In mid-June, three monks will arrive ready to occupy the hermitage. Exactly where this will be has yet to be determined, although it will most likely be somewhere within the region of the Columbia Gorge. For the past several months, a well-organized and conscientious group of people have spent hours on the road in search of a suitable property. Ideally and likely a land purchase will take place, but that may be years away, money being a formidable barrier. Instead, we are looking for a suitable place to rent. “Suitable” comes with a long list of criteria that I’ll describe another time.

Meanwhile, the search continues. For more information on this worthy endeavor, please take a look at the Friends of the Dhamma and Abhayagiri websites. We’re also looking for support in any form, if you feel so inclined. Just letting others know what we’re doing is enough. We’d be grateful if you would pass this on.