Update on the Saranaloka Nuns’ Community
November 8, 2010
Read two letters that outline the decision to move toward bhikkhuni ordination plus several links for more information:
Letter from the nuns of Aloka Vihara
Letter from Jill Boone, President, Saranaloka Foundation
Letter to Saranaloka donors from Jill Boone
More information on the Five Points and bhikkhuni ordination
From the nuns of the Aloka Vihara
November 8, 2010
Dear Friends in Dhamma,
Warm greetings from Aloka Vihara. Firstly, we would like to express our gratitude to all who contribute in any way to the beautiful community that has gathered around Aloka Vihara. We very much appreciate this precious opportunity to live and practice here, and the possibilities it brings.
Some of you will know that our nuns’ community at Aloka Vihara has gone through many changes in this first year since our arrival. We would like to share more of where we are in regards to our taking root in this fertile soil of the Bay Area.
We are living in an historic period where the unfolding of full participation and ordination for women is happening in most world religions. Our community is no exception: When we came here for the first time in January 2008, our intention was to look into establishing a training monastery for siladhara. As three sisters who have trained in the UK monasteries for about 18 years, we each felt ready to enter a space of new growth, inwardly and outwardly. Meanwhile, in our own communities in the UK, the response to the international attention on the position of women and the feminine in Buddhism, was to reaffirm a conservative stance. In October of 2009, just shortly before our move to the Bay Area, we, as a community of siladhara in the UK, agreed to the ‘Five Points’ in order for siladhara ordination to continue.
Saranaloka Foundation is the first trust that has been established with the specific intention of supporting nuns of the Thai Forest Tradition of Ajahn Chah and Ajahn Sumedho. Our heartfelt wish in coming here was to establish a training monastery for nuns within our lineage; an aspiration that was complicated by the imposition of the ‘Five Points’ in August 2009.
Since our arrival here last December, we recognize more and more the impact on our hearts of those ‘Five Points’ and the vulnerability of the siladhara ordination, which is valid only in the Ajahn Chah / Ajahn Sumedho lineage. The training itself has been of immense value to us on our Path and we are deeply grateful to have had the opportunity to train with the siladhara for so many years. Now, living outside of our larger communities in England, we feel unable to pass on the ‘Five Points’ to other women wishing to live the renunciant life. Our own process is a movement of the heart; responding to the ‘Five Points’ and the conditions which gave rise to them.
The ready availability in the US of bhikkhuni ordination, the ordination given by the Buddha, offers us a new platform for the establishment of a training monastery for women. Taking all these things into consideration, we have come to the decision to move towards taking bhikkhuni ordination to provide a stronger container to pass on to other women. In keeping with the ‘Five Points’ we will take leave of the Ajahn Chah / Ajahn Sumedho lineage in order to later receive full ordination. We have already informed the elders of our community of this intention and will formally ask forgiveness and take leave of our community in April 2011, when all the nuns and other elders will be gathered at Amaravati. We recognize that this is a huge step and truly want to honor all that we have received over the years.
Having considered this very deeply, we feel the loss and turbulence that such a big step inevitably brings. We experience this within ourselves, and some of you may also feel this in regard to the changes. We want to acknowledge the many questions and inner inquiry our move may stimulate in you, our friends and supporters. The creative tension is very evident.
We feel a strong heart connection with the siladhara community in the UK, wishing that they flourish in their practice. The aspiration towards liberation and providing a sustainable form of training for women samanas is a goal we all share.
We want to acknowledge Ajahn Metta’s presence and input during the initial phase of Aloka Vihara and thank her for all that she has contributed. Ajahn Thitamedha and Sister Sumedha have also spent time with us here and expressed how important it has been for them to experience and take part in the evolution of Aloka Vihara.
This process has sometimes been quite rocky and although at times we would have liked it to have been gentler, we feel it has been similar to ploughing a fertile field, to prepare it for planting. We thank you all for your generous support and interest in our project so far. We continue to be committed to our vision of establishing a training monastery for Theravadan nuns, practicing in the Forest Tradition; a style which is found in all Buddhist schools. The Forest style of practice emphasizes renunciation, simplicity and meditation as a path of awakening. When the time is ripe, we intend to relocate to a rural setting, more suitable to the Forest style of practice. In the meantime, we are very happy to stay at Aloka Vihara with its peaceful presence and close accessibility for our community, the wild ocean and beautiful Golden Gate Park.
We look forward to seeing you at Aloka Vihara, though we recognize that some of you may no longer feel congruent with the unfolding of our vision. We regret any disappointment this may cause and look forward to welcoming all of you as part of our evolving community.
With much gratitude to you all for your support of Aloka Vihara in so many ways.
Many blessings in Dhamma,
Sister Anandabodhi and Sister Santacitta
From Jill Boone, President
Board of Directors of the Saranaloka Foundation
November 8, 2010
Dear Friends of Saranaloka,
I am writing to follow up on the letter (above) from Ajahn Anandabodhi and Ajahn Santacitta.
The vision of the Saranaloka Foundation is to support the expansion of possibilities for women in the west to pursue the dhamma in a monastic form and to deepen their practice for the benefit of all. The original form of our vision was to support a women’s monastic community for siladhara in the Ajahn Chah lineage.
Going forward, we will continue to offer support to the siladhara visiting and teaching in the United States. In addition, after extensive research, discussion, and thoughtful consideration, the Board of Directors has decided to expand its vision to support the Aloka Vihara nuns in their pursuit of bhikkhuni ordination, which is not possible for siladhara.
The weekly routine at the vihara and the style of practice will remain the same, and we hope you will continue to visit and support the nuns.
More information about this evolution will be provided on our website in the coming weeks. In addition, we will be communicating directly with our donors. You are invited to attend supporters’ meetings on November 28th at 3PM and January 9th at 1PM at Aloka Vihara.
Thank you again for your support of the nuns and the Saranaloka Foundation.
Jill Boone
Dear Friend and Supporter of Saranaloka,
Warm greetings to you.
Recently Ajahn Anandabodhi and Ajahn Santacitta, the two resident siladhara of the Aloka Vihara in San Francisco, have publicly announced their intention to pursue bhikkhuni ordination, which requires them to leave the lineage of Ajahn Chah and Ajahn Sumedho. We, the Saranaloka Foundation Board of Directors, have responded by opening our hearts and minds to this new paradigm and are moving forward to support both the remaining siladhara and the future bhikkhunis. We do not see this as having to choose between paths but rather as an opportunity to support the empowerment of nuns to make choices about their own spiritual paths.
You are receiving this letter because you have offered financial dana to the Saranaloka Foundation on behalf of the nuns. You and the other donors have generously supported many nuns coming to teach in America as well as living and visiting in the San Francisco Vihara for the last year. Your donations have paid for the vihara to be opened, for living expenses, travel, insurance, and the establishment of the Foundation. At this time, the donations match the level of support needed to maintain the Aloka Vihara and there is $41,000 in the Monastery Fund (for purchasing land and/or setting up the rural monastery).
We recognize that the expansion of Saranaloka's scope to include the evolving nature of the Aloka Vihara may raise questions for some regarding commitment to the lineage versus commitment to Saranaloka. I would like to assure everyone that we intend to embrace and support both the remaining siladhara and the Aloka Vihara nuns as they move forward into ordaining as bhikkhunis and do not see these two paths as at odds with each other.
However, if you wish to specifically support the siladhara coming to America to visit or teach or wish to specifically support the bhikkhunis at the Aloka Vihara, we will set up designated funds that allow you to do so. You are welcome to designate any recent or future dana to either fund or to simply allow the board to discern the needs and distribute support on an as‐needed basis. If you have any concerns or comments about your recent or future donations in relation to the evolution of the Saranaloka Foundation, please speak with one of the board or drop us an email at Saranaloka@gmail.com.
Choosing this middle path was a carefully‐considered, intensely heart‐guided decision for the Board. It arose out of conversations with many wise and devoted monastics, Dhamma teachers, and lay supporters. We are in a unique moment in history where the roles of women in society are meeting up with traditions that are 25 centuries old. We acknowledge the historical path of Buddhism throughout the years where conventional issues were swayed by the culture that held it, while the Dhamma remained unchanged as the excellent refuge. Buddhism is unfolding rapidly in America—in many forms—and advancing the role of nuns in Buddhism to a place of equal respect as the monks is perhaps America's gift to the rising feminine paradigm. We also see this step as the best way to ensure the longterm viability of our vision to support the expansion of possibilities for women in the West to pursue the Dhamma in a monastic form and to deepen their practice for the benefit of all.
Saranaloka will navigate through the legal issues to ensure that our documents remain valid and represent the full range of our support. The monastic community at the Aloka Vihara will remain the same for now and will eventually be led by the bhikkhunis once Ajahn Anandabodhi and Ajahn Santacitta ordain in the fall of 2011. The practice will remain unchanged to the lay community—the same teachings and pujas, chants and blessings, and meditation workshops will continue as before.
Clearly, 2010 has been a busy year. Less than one year ago, the nuns arrived to begin the new community at the Aloka Vihara in San Francisco. Six months ago, we were already looking for land! For now, the nuns plan to remain in San Francisco through this year and then, after bhikkhuni ordination, begin the process of seeking land for a rural community to be established. This adjustment feels like the correct path forward.
Again, many thanks for your generosity in supporting the nuns who have come to America to start up a women's monastic community! We hope that your heart is open to this evolution and that you will continue to support the nuns in any way you wish. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or comments.
With gratitude,
Jill Boone
On behalf of the Board of Directors
Saranaloka Foundation
Relevant Links
We recognize that some people visiting our website may not be familiar with the history referred to in these letters. We offer these links as sources of information that may be of interest:
Where We Are Now, a discussion of The Five Points presented by forestSangha.org
'Take It or Leave It' and the Ground Between, an article by Thanissara Mary Weinberg, one of the first four siladhara who is now a renowned Dhamma teacher in South Africa
Visit Saranaloka Foundation on 