Dhamma Day

Join Dhammadharini in commemoration of Dhamma Day (Asalha Puja), the start of Vassa.  The event will be held on Sunday July 10th, just before the full moon of July, which marks the start of Vassa. 

This day commemorates the Buddha's own going forth and entering monastic life, and his first teaching "Setting the Dhamma Wheel in Motion."

On Sunday, July 10th, we will celebrate Dhamma Day at our Dhammadharini Monastery. On the same day, our Dhammadharini's Support Foundation leadership together with Upasika Shari Gent, Emeritus and Founding Board Member, and Upasika Upasamaya Shirley Kwok, Board Member Emeritus, Ambassador for Bhikkhunis and Financials Committee Member, will formally invite our monastics to dwell, practice and teach at our Dhammadharini Monastery in Penngrove and at our Aranya Bodhi Hermitage on the Sonoma Coast for the Vassa this year. 

The “Invitation to Enter the Vassa” that we plan to offer the Bhikkhunīs on July 10th is called Vassa Arādhana in Pāli.  All supportive friends in our lay community are welcome to join in offering this invitation and undertaking a personal practice commitment (adiṭṭhāna) for the three months of the Vassa together, whether in-person or online, from near or far away. Later on the day after the Asadha Full Moon, on July 14th, our Dhammadharini bhikkhunis will formally enter the Vassa (Vassa’upanāyanā) and make their own Vassa Adiṭṭhāna at our Dhammadharini Monastery and Aranya Bodhi Hermitage.

We humbly invite all of you to join us in this noble effort and share the joy and the merits of practicing and learning, and serving and supporting our bhikkhunis, throughout this year’s Vassa.  The schedule for our 2022 Dhamma Day and ways you can pledge and offer support for our monastics during the Vassa are below. 

Our Dhamma Day and Kathina events will also be broadcast on Zoom so that our friends from afar may participate.

Join us for a day of Dhamma sharing, meditation, and celebration! 

Schedule for Dhamma Day Vassa Invitation Program at Dhammadharini Monastery Sunday, July 10:

• 8:00-9:00am:  Morning online-only program: Refuges & Precepts and guided meditation with Ven. Sobhana Theri.
• 10:30am:  Gathering & setup for meal offering to the Bhikkhunis’ community
• 11:00am:  Lunch offering to Sangha (all are welcome to join in, bring some food and/or beverages to share together), Lunch for All
• 1:30pm:  Undertaking & Renewal of Refuges and Precepts
• 2:00pm:  Offering Invitation to the Bhikkhuni Sangha to Enter the Vassa (Vassa Arādhana) together with offering of Avasathacivara Dana “Rains Bathing Cloths” (all are welcome to join together in offering useful requisites for the Vassa)
• 2:30pm:  All Chanting the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta "Setting the Dhamma Wheel in Motion" together.
• (Links for those who would like to read or listen to the Dhammacakka Sutta chant with harmonium and follow along with Pali and English text side by side before or afterwards.)
• 3:00pm: Dhamma Desana Dhamma Talk
• 3:45pm:  Sharing Dedications (adiṭṭhāna), Blessings for the Vassa (Chant), Closing

To protect the medically vulnerable members of our community, this event will be held outdoors with COVID protections in place. 

Please register below to join us! 

The traditional four monastic requisites are food, lodgings, robes and medicine. If you would like to join together in supporting our monastics' Vassa this year, there are ways you can contribute the four requisites from near and far - you may contact the monastery and we will put you in touch with our dana coordinator to learn more.