Dhamma USA

10/27/2026

A Morning of Generosity at Union Square 🧡

In October 2026, bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs from Empty Cloud Monastery joined Thai monks for an alms round at the Union Square Farmers Market in New York City.

Members of the Thai community and the wider public offered food and support to the Mahā Saṅgha. It was a simple and meaningful expression of dāna, or generosity, in the heart of the city.

Thank you to everyone who took part and offered their kindness. 🙏

10/26/2026

Sharing the Dhamma Across Generations and Traditions 🙏

It was a joy to represent Empty Cloud Monastery at the 2026 Western Buddhist Monastic Gathering, held at Sravasti Abbey.

Monks and nuns from Theravāda, Japanese Zen, Chinese Chan and Pure Land, and Tibetan Buddhist traditions came together for several days of friendship, discussion, chanting, and shared practice.

The theme, “Learning from the Diversity of Our Intergenerational Saṅgha,” gave us an opportunity to listen to the experiences of both senior and younger monastics. Together, we reflected on supporting one another in training, caring for aging members of our communities, and encouraging the next generation of monastic leaders.

It was also a special experience to hear chanting and prayers from different Buddhist traditions during the preparation and consecration of two statues at the Abbey. The gathering reminded us how much we can learn from one another.

My heartfelt thanks to Ven. Thubten Chodron and the Sravasti Abbey community for welcoming us so warmly. I am also grateful to the organizing committee members, Ayyā Anandabodhi, Bhante Jayasāro, Ayyā Silānandā, and Ayyā Satimā, and to all the volunteers and supporters who helped make this gathering possible.

May the friendships and understanding shared during these days continue to support the Saṅgha and benefit all beings. 🙏

10/25/2026

Powerful Mettā Guided Meditation for Daily Practice:

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10/25/2026

🌕 Assayuja Puṇṇamī | Vap Full Moon Poya Day
Pāli: Assayuja Puṇṇamī (අස්සයුජ පුණ්ණමී)
Sinhala: වප් පුර පසළොස්වක පොහොය

This full moon marks the completion of the traditional three-month rains retreat, or Vassa. The monastic community observes Pavāraṇā, inviting one another to point out any faults seen, heard, or suspected. It is a meaningful reminder to welcome wise guidance, acknowledge our shortcomings, and grow through humility.

According to Theravāda tradition, this day also commemorates the Buddha’s return to Saṅkassa from Tāvatiṃsa heaven after teaching the Abhidhamma to the deities, including the deity who had formerly been his mother.

The following month is the Kathina season, when lay communities offer Kathina robes and other necessities to support the Saṅgha, expressing gratitude for their dedication to the Dhamma.

May we observe this Poya through generosity, ethical conduct, meditation, and loving-kindness.

May all beings be well, peaceful, and free from suffering. 🙏

🌕 අස්සයුජ පුණ්ණමී | වප් පුර පසළොස්වක පොහොය
පාලි නාමය: අස්සයුජ පුණ්ණමී (Assayuja Puṇṇamī)
සිංහල නාමය: වප් පුර පසළොස්වක පොහොය

වප් පුර පසළොස්වක පොහොය පෙර වස් සමාදන් වූ භික්ෂූන් වහන්සේලාගේ තෙමස් වස් කාලය අවසන් වන පින්බර දිනයයි. මෙදින මහා පවාරණය සිදු කරන සංඝයා වහන්සේලා, තමන් පිළිබඳව දුටු, ඇසූ හෝ සැක කළ වරදක් ඇත්නම් එය අනුකම්පාවෙන් පෙන්වා දෙන ලෙස එකිනෙකාට ඇරයුම් කරති. නිහතමානීව අවවාද පිළිගැනීමටත්, තම අඩුපාඩු හඳුනාගෙන නිවැරදි කරගැනීමටත් මෙය අප සැමට වටිනා ආදර්ශයකි.

ථෙරවාද බෞද්ධ සම්ප්‍රදායට අනුව, බුදුරජාණන් වහන්සේ තව්තිසා දෙව්ලොවදී මාතෘ දිව්‍යරාජයාණන් ඇතුළු දෙවියන්ට අභිධර්මය දේශනා කර, සංකස්ස නුවරට වැඩම කළ අසිරිමත් අවස්ථාවද මෙම පොහොය දින සිහිපත් කෙරේ.

වප් පොහොයෙන් පසු ඉල් පොහොය දක්වා කඨින චීවර පූජා පැවැත්වෙන චීවර මාසය උදා වේ. වස් විසූ සංඝයා වහන්සේලා උදෙසා කඨින චීවර හා අනෙකුත් අවශ්‍යතා පූජා කරමින් කෘතගුණ දැක්වීමටත්, ගිහි පැවිදි සබඳතාව ශක්තිමත් කිරීමටත් මෙය අගනා අවස්ථාවකි.

දානයෙන්, සීලයෙන් හා භාවනාවෙන් මෙම පොහොය අර්ථවත් කරගනිමු. සදහම් අසමු. මෛත්‍රිය වඩමු. යහපත් අවවාද පිළිගෙන අපගේ ජීවිත වඩාත් යහපත් කරගනිමු.

සියලු සත්ත්වයෝ සුවපත් වෙත්වා! නිදුක් වෙත්වා! දුකින් මිදෙත්වා! 🙏

10/22/2026

What a wonderful morning sky at Shravasti Abbey!

10/20/2026

Sukhā sanghassa sāmaggi

10/19/2026

“Om mani padme hum”
Beautiful Theravada & Vajrayana sangha chanting

10/18/2026

📚🪷 Learn Pāli with Dhamma USA!
PĀLI 101 — Level 1: Pāli for Beginners

Would you like to understand Buddhist chanting and explore the Buddha’s teachings through the language of the Pāli scriptures?

Our Pāli class resumed on October 17, 2026, and both new and returning students are warmly welcome!

👨‍🏫 Teacher: Ven. Dr. Nivitigala Sumitta Thero
🗓 Every Saturday
⏰ 8:30 AM Eastern Time (New York)
💻 Online via Zoom

No previous knowledge of Pāli is required. Monastics, lay practitioners, students, and anyone interested in learning are welcome. We will learn together, step by step, in a friendly and supportive community.

🙏 Offered freely as Dhamma Dāna. Donations are welcome but optional.

📝 Register here:
https://forms.gle/yi23ZtkSnGXBgqB27

Zoom details will be shared privately with registered students through email or our class WhatsApp group.

▶️ Subscribe for video lessons and updates:
https://www.youtube.com/

📧 Questions? [email protected]

Please share this invitation with anyone who would enjoy learning Pāli with us.

10/15/2026

🍂 Shared Smiles, Spiritual Friendship at Sravasti Abbey 🙏

A joyful moment with some of the monastics attending the Western Buddhist Monastic Gathering at Sravasti Abbey.

Amid the autumn colors, it is a pleasure to spend time together, share experiences, and encourage one another in monastic life. We come from different Buddhist traditions, yet share a deep commitment to cultivating wisdom, compassion, and freedom from suffering.

Grateful for these friendships and for the Abbey community’s warm hospitality. May the kindness and understanding we nurture together benefit all those we serve.

10/13/2026

🌄 A Golden Morning at Sravasti Abbey

After our morning chanting and meditation at the Western Buddhist Monastic Gathering, we stepped outside to this beautiful sight, clouds glowing gold above the autumn trees and quiet monastery grounds.

A precious moment to pause, breathe, and appreciate the morning. Grateful to share these days of practice and Dhamma friendship with fellow monastics.

May the peace of this morning reach you wherever you are. May all beings be well and happy. 🪷