05/10/2026
Friends,
Carolina Buddhist Vihara is pleased to announce the arrival of Sayalay Daw Santagavesī Theri and Sayalay Manapika. Please join us in offering a warm welcome to them.
Sayalay Daw Santagavesi was born in 1969 in Pyapon, Myanmar. In 1988, she began her practice of meditation at Mahasi Meditation Centre and in 1992 she started to meditate at Pa Auk Meditation Centre, Mawlamyine. In 2003, she was ordained with Venerable Pa Auk Sayadawgyi. In 2004, she was appointed by Sayadawgyi to teach in Sri Lanka for over one year. She was also appointed by Sayadawgyi to teach in Batam and Medan, Indonesia several times from 2010 to 2018. She taught in Los Angeles, CA in 2019. In 2025, she taught in San Jose and Daly City, CA and in New York. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Buddha Dhamma (B.A. B.Dh) in 2006 and a Master of Arts (M.A. B.Dh) in 2010. In 2012 she established Sallekhapatipatti Meditation Centre in Hmawbi Township, Yangon Division and became the abbess of the centre. She speaks Burmese & English.
Sayalay Manapika was born in Vietnam in 1976 and immigrated to the U.S. at age 11. She holds graduate degrees in Educational Leadership and Traditional Chinese Medicine, following a twenty-year professional career. A dedicated Dhamma practitioner since 2002, she co-founded the Meditation Cushion Project, the Sangha Health Project, and the Be Happy Meditation Club. Since 2011, she has practiced Vipassana under Sayadaw U Thuzana at the Tathagata Meditation Center, where she also assisted with youth programs and annual retreats. After ordaining with Sayadawgyi U Khippapanno in 2022, Sayalay now balances intensive practice with teaching Dhamma at the Bhavana Society and beyond. She speaks English, Cantonese, Mandarin, and Vietnamese,
While they settle into their new surroundings and we work together to develop a schedule of offerings to the sangha, please take the opportunity to meet Sayalay Santagavesī and Sayalay Manapika by offering a meal. If you are able to offer meal dana you can reserve a day using the Meal Dana calendar on the Vihara's website. CarolinaBuddhist.org, support, meal offerings. The following is a list of suitable and non-suitable food items:
Not Suitable Foods:
• meat
• milk
• cheese
• coconut milk
• curry
• spicy food
• too sweet
SUITABLE FOOD:
Sayalay Daw Santagavesi can eat white fish and shrimps.
Sayalay Manapika is generally vegetarian, but can eat vegetables cooked with fish or shrimps.
For breakfast, porridge is preferred and can be cooked at the monastery if some basic groceries are offered.
Suitable foods:
Drinks: almond milk & other non-dairy milk, juice (pomegranate, orange, grape)
Yogurt: any type that is unsweetened
Eggs
Breads: any type except white bread
Condiments: honey, jam, hummus, black sesame oil, miso
Nuts: mixed nuts, walnuts, pistachios, almonds, chestnuts, etc.
Seeds: black sesame seeds, flax seeds powder, h**p seeds, sunflower seeds
Dried fruits: prunes, apricots, cranberries, fig, goji berry, etc.
Fresh fruits & berries: avocado, pineapple, papaya, mango, grapes, blueberry, cherry, raspberry, blackberry, strawberry, pear, tangerine, orange, apple, etc.
Mushrooms: any types (fresh or dried)
Vegetables: broccoli, celery, kale, swiss chard, red cabbage, collage greens, cauliflower, spinach, bok choy, asparagus, long beans, brussels sprouts, bell peppers, white radish, corn, etc.
Root vegetables: yams, sweet potatoes, beet, carrot, garlic, etc.
Beans: red beans, black beans, etc.
Rice: any type except white rice
Noodles
Others: seaweeds, dark chocolates
Carolina Buddhist Vihara is funded by the generosity of the lay followers. If you are able to give, it benefits the sangha by providing them with food, shelter, and medicine. Your support contributes to the monastic’s ability to continue these offerings to lay followers. Donations can be made here: https://carolinabuddhist.org/donate/
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