Birken Forest Buddhist Monastery

Birken Forest Buddhist Monastery
Official logo
Basic information
Location	PO Box 5 Knutsford, BC V0E 2A0
Affiliation	Theravada, Thai Forest Tradition
Country	Canada
Website	http://www.birken.ca/ www.birken.ca
Architectural description
Completed	1994

Birken Forest Buddhist Monastery, or Sītavana (Pali: "Cool Forest"), is a Theravada Buddhist monastery in the Thai Forest Tradition near Kamloops, British Columbia. It serves as a training centre for monastics and also a retreat facility for laypeople. Its abbot is Venerable Ajahn Sona.

History

Main building (vihara) at Birken Forest Monastery, near Kamloops, BC.

Birken Forest Monastery has been developed in three distinct phases:

Phase 1: Bhikkhu Sona and Bhikkhu Piyadhammo established Birken in a sparse two-room shack in the mountains near Pemberton, BC, along the Birkenhead River in 1994. This was the first monastery of the Thai Forest Tradition in Canada.

Phase 2: The monastery moved to a new location, northeast of Princeton, BC. Facilities were expanded and included running water, electricity, and carpeting, as well as a refrigerator, sink and furnace. It was a significant improvement, but still quite austere.

Phase 3: The monastery moved to its final location south of Kamloops, BC in 2001, a property which included a partially finished main building. The resident community then finished work on the building and has since been continually enhancing it in addition to adding cabins and improving road access. "Sītavana" was added as an alternate Pali name for Birken in 2007.

On November 29, 2003, Birken hosted the historically significant upasampada ceremony, or bhikkhu ordination, of Ven. Nanda and Ven. Pavaro. This was the first such ordination held at Birken, and the first ordination of Canadian-born bhikkhus, by Canadian bhikkhus, in Canada. Ajahn Pasanno, co-abbot of Abhayagiri monastery, served as their upajjhaya (preceptor) and Ajahn Sona as their acariya (teacher).

Abbot

Ajahn Sona is the monastery's founder and abbot. Born in Canada in 1954, Ajahn Sona's background as a layperson is in classical guitar performance. His encounter with Buddhist wisdom as a young man initiated a spiritual journey that led him to become a lay hermit in the Coast Mountain region of BC for several years. He subsequently ordained as a Theravada monk in 1989 under Ven. Gunaratana, at the Bhavana Society in West Virginia, where his first years of training took place. Ven. Sona further trained for over three years at monasteries following Ajahn Chah in northeast Thailand, especially Wat Pah Nanachat. Upon his return to Canada in 1994 he helped found the original Birken Forest Monastery near Pemberton, BC and, as its spiritual guide, he has since led the monastery through each stage of its growth.

Location

The monastery is currently located on an 80-acre (320,000 m²) property, surrounded by forest, at an elevation of 4,000 feet (1,200 m). About 40 km south of Kamloops by road, the property is shared with moose, deer, the occasional black bear, range cattle, geese and owls. Guests can take a 5–6 km walk around Smith Lake and the marshland on which the monastery is situated.

Facilities

The Birken guesthouse provides nearly 10,000 square feet (930 m²). of living space, including a spectacular meditation hall overlooking the surrounding forest and bird sanctuary. This main building has a walking meditation hall as well as a library and eating area in the basement, a large kitchen, guest rooms, and 4 shared bathrooms.

Monastics live in individual kutis (small cabins). During some periods, a kuti may be available for guest use. These have propane heaters, but no electricity, water, or toilet facilities; and are a 2- to 10-minute walk from the main building. Depending on demand, guest rooms in the main building may be private or shared. Men's and women's quarters are separate.

Due to its great distance from even a rural city, the monastery has unique arrangements for its utilities. Birken is entirely off-the-grid, with 16 solar panels supplying enough power for most of the year; on cloudy days, especially during the winter months, a backup diesel generator is activated as necessary. The Internet is accessed using a satellite connection, which also supports the monastery's VOIP phone. Water is pumped from a well. Of course, Birken also has a post office box.

Services

Retreats

All of the services provided by the monastery are offered freely, without suggested fee. Birken, like many monasteries of this tradition, is supported entirely by voluntary donations.

Many scheduled retreats are held at the monastery annually. These include "Absolute Beginner" weekend retreats; "Introductory" retreats for those with some meditation experience; and 5-, 8-, 9-, and 10-day silent retreats for more advanced meditators.

For most of the year, Birken is open for guests to come for periods ranging from overnight to a few days. Day-visits to Birken are also possible (except during scheduled retreats). There are daily opportunities to speak individually with the abbot or one of the monks.

Each year Birken has a three-month Winter Retreat - during this time (roughly January through March), limited reservations are taken as the resident community dedicates itself to silent practice. For the remaining nine months of the year, Birken welcomes guests.

Outside the monastery

Each year, Birken monks often travel to cities in British Columbia or Alberta to give talks and lead retreats or other activities, as a way to better spread the teachings. The monks regularly teach in Kamloops, Kelowna, Vancouver, Penticton, and Edmonton, among other cities.

Website

Birken has a comprehensive website (http://www.birken.ca/), featuring an audio collection of over 3000 Dhamma talks given by senior teachers in the Thai Forest Tradition, all downloadable for free. Also on the site is a calendar displaying the current number of spaces available for guests to stay at the monastery on any date in the year.

External links

Buddhism topics

Outline Glossary Index

Foundations	Three Jewels Buddha Dharma Sangha Four Noble Truths Noble Eightfold Path Nirvana Middle Way

The Buddha	Tathāgata Birthday Four sights Physical characteristics Footprint Iconography in Laos and Thailand Films Miracles Family Suddhodāna (father) Māyā (mother) Mahapajapati Gotamī (aunt, adoptive mother) Yasodhara (wife) Rāhula (son) Ānanda (cousin) Devadatta (cousin) Places where the Buddha stayed Buddha in world religions

Key concepts	Dharma Three Marks of Existence Impermanence Dukkha Anatta Pratītyasamutpāda Skandha Karma Rebirth Saṃsāra Saṅkhāra Kleshas Ignorance Craving Five hindrances Ten Fetters Indriya Enlightenment Parinirvana Tathātā Dharmas Two truths doctrine Śūnyatā Bodhicitta Bodhisattva Buddha-nature Mindstream

Cosmology	Ten spiritual realms Six realms Heaven Human realm Asura realm Hungry Ghost realm Animal realm Hell Three planes of existence

Practices	Refuge Buddhist devotion Puja Offerings Prostration Chanting Merit Paritta Dāna Nekkhamma Śīla Five Precepts Bodhisattva vow Prātimokṣa Threefold Training Śīla Samadhi Prajñā Brahmavihara Mettā Karuṇā Mudita Upekkha Pāramitā Bodhipakkhiyādhammā Seven Factors of Enlightenment Sati Dhamma vicaya Pīti Passaddhi Vīrya Four Right Exertions Iddhipada Five Strengths Faith Mindfulness Satipatthana Dhyāna Bhavana Satya Sacca Meditation Mantras Kammaṭṭhāna Recollection Smarana Anapanasati Samatha Vipassanā (Vipassana movement) Shikantaza Zazen Kōan Mandala Tonglen Tantra Tertön Terma

Nirvana	Bodhi Buddhahood Pratyekabuddha Bodhisattva Four stages of enlightenment Sotāpanna Sakadagami Anāgāmi Arhat

Monasticism	Bhikkhu Bhikkhuni Śrāmaṇera Śrāmaṇerī Anagarika Ajahn Sayadaw Zen master Rōshi Lama Rinpoche Geshe Tulku Householder Upāsaka and Upāsikā Śrāvaka The ten principal disciples Shaolin Monastery

Major figures	Gautama Buddha Kaundinya Assaji Sāriputta Mahamoggallāna Mulian Ānanda Mahākassapa Anuruddha Mahākaccana Nanda Subhuti Punna Upali Mahapajapati Gotamī Khema Uppalavanna Asita Channa Yasa Buddhaghosa Nagasena Bodhidharma Nagarjuna Asanga Vasubandhu Atiśa Padmasambhava Nichiren Songtsen Gampo Emperor Wen of Sui Dalai Lama Panchen Lama Karmapa Shamarpa Naropa Xuanzang

Texts	Tripiṭaka Madhyamakālaṃkāra Mahayana sutras Pāli Canon Chinese Buddhist canon Tibetan Buddhist canon

Branches	Theravada Mahayana Chan Buddhism Zen Seon Thiền Pure Land Tiantai Nichiren Madhyamaka Yogachara Navayana Vajrayana Tibetan Shingon Dzogchen Early Buddhist schools Pre-sectarian Buddhism Basic points unifying Theravāda and Mahāyāna

Countries	Afghanistan Bangladesh Bhutan Myanmar Cambodia China India Indonesia Japan Korea Laos Malaysia Maldives Mongolia Nepal Pakistan Philippines Russia Kalmykia Singapore Sri Lanka Taiwan Thailand Tibet Vietnam Middle East Iran Western countries Argentina Australia Brazil France United Kingdom United States Venezuela

History	Timeline Ashoka Buddhist councils History of Buddhism in India Decline of Buddhism in India Great Anti-Buddhist Persecution Greco-Buddhism Buddhism and the Roman world Buddhism in the West Silk Road transmission of Buddhism Persecution of Buddhists Banishment of Buddhist monks from Nepal Buddhist crisis Sinhalese Buddhist nationalism Buddhist modernism Vipassana movement 969 Movement Women in Buddhism

Philosophy	Abhidharma Logic Buddhology Eschatology Reality God Secular Buddhism Humanism Eight Consciousnesses Engaged Buddhism Socialism Economics Atomism Evolution Ethics The unanswered questions

Culture	Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi Temple of the Tooth Art Greco-Buddhist art Poetry Buddha statue Budai Symbolism Dharmachakra Flag Bhavacakra Swastika Thangka Prayer wheel Mala Mudra Mantra Om mani padme hum Funeral Music Holidays Vesak Uposatha Magha Puja Asalha Puja Rains retreat Kassaya Architecture Temple Vihara Wat Stupa Pagoda Candi Thai temple art and architecture Pilgrimage Lumbini Maya Devi Temple Bodh Gaya Sarnath Kushinagar Bodhi Tree Mahabodhi Temple Calendar Cuisine Vegetarianism

Miscellaneous	Lineage Maitreya Avalokiteśvara Guanyin Amitābha Brahmā Māra Dhammapada Vinaya Sutra Koliya Hinayana Sacred languages Pali Sanskrit Dharma talk Kalpa Abhijñā Ṛddhi Siddhi

Buddhism and:	Science Psychology Hinduism Jainism Judaism East Asian religions Christianity Influences Comparison Theosophy Gnosticism Violence Western philosophy

Lists	Buddhas Twenty-eight Buddhas Bodhisattvas Buddhists Suttas Books Temples Candi

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Coordinates: 50°25′54.11″N 120°11′6.43″W / 50.4316972°N 120.1851194°W / 50.4316972; -120.1851194

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