Best wishes for Christmas time and Happy New Year

…. there is no fire like the fire of passion,
no evil like anger and hatred;
there is no disease like greed,
and there is no bliss like the perfect peace of Nibbana.”
(Dhammapada)

Dear friends in the Dhamma,

We wish you and your loved ones happy christmas days, good health and peace for the New Year!

As in previous years, this year we have organized the house from 6 December to 6 January so that we too can practice intensively.

There is a special silence in the house that makes you feel reverent…..

A brief review of the last few months:

Hildegard came back from the clinic at the end of September much stronger. She continues to work diligently to continue the healing process….

Next year is already planned with guest teachers until August to make this possible.

On November 21, we had a distinguished visitor with us.
The abbot of the temple in Götzenhain, Venerable Phrakhrubhavanbuddhivides (Phra Ajarn Od), and other monks accepted our invitation to bless the straw bale house together with Venerable Phrakhrubhavanabidhan Phra Ajarn Ofer

With lots of Metta for all of you

Hildegard * Angelika * Maximiliano

Highest Award for Robert

Dear friends of meditation,

We would like to report you about a special event:

On February 23, Robert was awarded  with the Sema Dhammachak (The pilar of the Dhamma) by Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn in Bangkok.

 

 

It is the highest award given by the Royal Family of Thailand for outstanding merit in spreading the Dhamma to lay people and to those who are ordained.

The award ceremony had been repeatedly postponed over the past two years, but now it could take place and Robert was able to receive the honour.

We are happy for Robert and congratulate him warmly for this special award.

Through Robert’s generosity in buying the property in Sonnenthal about 17 years ago and making it available for the Dhamma, it has already been possible for several thousand meditators to encounter the teachings of the Buddha and to find help in all possible life situations through the practice of meditation. So many people who have incorporated this meditation into their daily lives know the value of intense practice.

Giving shelter to meditators has always been an immeasurable merit….

may it support Robert on his way in many ways.

The tirelessness of our honoured teacher Khun Thanat Chindaporn should also be mentioned here. Through his immense commitment to spreading the Dhamma, many retreats have been established around the world, either on a regular or an intermittent basis. For many years, he has been active in making the awards possible. This means a considerable effort for him and also serves to spread the Vipassana meditation in the tradition of the Most Venerable Ajahn Tong.

In the days following the ceremony in Bangkok, the honourees had the opportunity to pay their respects to a number of high-ranking monks.

….and he arrived back home safe and sound.

With Metta
Your Dhammacari-Team

Our dear teacher Khun Thanat left this world

Dear friends in the Dhamma,

there are sad news:

Yesterday, March 31st, 2022, around 5 p.m., our dear teacher Khun Thanat Chindaporn left this world quick and surprisingly.

Another father of our sangha who has left after a lifetime of dedicated to the Dhamma. For the last 40 years he has devoted all his energy spreading the Dhamma worldwide according to the teachings of our Headmaster Most Venerable Ajahn Tong Sirimangalo Phra Prom Mongkol Vi. Many of us know Khun Thanat from Wat Chomtong, from the retreats in the Benedictine Monastery in Scheyern or from the high visits from Ajahn Tong, which we experience here in Dhammacari. None of this would have come about or happend without Khun Thanat. We owe him so much.

Khun Thanat’s body will be laid up in Wat Chomtong for the next 7 days and there will be chantings and ceremonies every day for him.

The farewell ritual, pouring blessed water over the teacher’s hand, will also be possible in Wat Chomtong from this afternoon.

The date for the funeral has not yet been announced.

But if you have the opportunity to pay the last respect to him and attend the celebrations in Wat Chomtong in person, you should plan your travel now with all the neccessary formalities.

There will be the possibility to attend the ceremonies via Facebook too.

Evening Chanting for the next 7 days here in Dhammacari

We are joining the chanting here at Dhammacari in offering the oportunity to chant with us via zoom and share our merits with Khun Thanat for the next 7 days.

We start at 6 p. m. daily.
You can dial with the following link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/8690561231?pwd=RFU2NTlQSFJTZ2dyalBPZFBNczh2dz09
Meeting-ID: 869 056 1231
Kenncode: 049972

Since we can not attach the texts here, we ask those, who would like to chant with us to send us a short message, so that we can send you the texts by 5:50 p.m. at the latest.

Donation for the ceremonies, for the funeral and for support in general

In order to give Khun Thanat a dignified farewell, financial support is certainly welcome.
If you would like to give Dana for the ceremonies, for the funeral or for support you can use the german account from Khun Thanat which is running with the name of Manfred Schafft who has access to the account in Chomtong, where he lives as a monk:

Manfred Schafft
Volks-Raiffeisenbank Bayern Mitte eG
IBAN DE47 7216 0818 0101 9168 31
BIC: GENODEF1INP

There is the account from Khun Thanats daughter in Thailand:

Tanyanan Chindaporn
Siam Commercial Bank
175-2-04553-0
SWIFT: SICOTHBK
Paypal: tippythai@yahoo.com

Always in action...
... always generous and giving appreciation...
... teaching and instruction...
... always with the camera...
... looking for the most beautiful photo of Most Venerable Ajahn Tong.

With Metta

Your Dhammacari Team

Evening chanting

The regularly held evening chanting in our center is available to watch online under following links.

19. July 2020 https://youtu.be/YnmyZh8gW5U
12. July 2020 https://youtu.be/HAM_MgxUXWw
5. July 2020 https://youtu.be/CnniTXGo5mk (cut out at 38:00)
26. April 2020 https://youtu.be/HYMDcfJFCvg
19. April 2020 https://youtu.be/t-l5uD5bAHc (cut out at 30:00)
05. April 2020 https://youtu.be/SCRhQskoUbc

December 15, 2019 – Chomtong

Dear Friends in Dhamma,

Lisa and I have now arrived in Chomtong.

This afternoon the water which has been blessed by the King of Thailand will be brought to the temple, expressing the Royal Family`s respect for Ajahn Tong. Subsequently, there will be a chanting ceremony at the temple.
Throughout the next few days, several chanting sessions from the Abhidhamma will follow.

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All compounded things are impermanent…

Dear friends in Dhamma,

our highly respected teacher – Most Venerable Phra Prom Mongkol Vi. (Venerable Phra Ajahn Tong Sirimangalo) – has left this world yesterday December 12th, 2019 at the age of 96 years.
Yesterday morning he was still receiving a big group of international meditators from Khun Thanat and Khun Kat. Nobody expected that not long after he would already have left us.

(more…)