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Welcome to Wat Sacramento Buddhavanaram

A Thai Buddhist temple in the Dhammayut tradition

Our temple is a center for Buddhist and those interested in Thai culture to meet and explore.

We offer you a place where your knowledge can grow and you can focus on a way of life and living that leads to greater understanding and achievement along the Lord Buddha's great path.

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Wat Sacramento Buddhavanaram

2025 Thai Language and Culture Class

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

WAT SACRAMENTO BUDDHAVANARAM HAS PURCHASED A NEW PROPERTY AND WILL BEGIN RELOCATING THIS YEAR. THERE IS CURRENTLY NO TIMELINE FOR THE COMPLETION OF THE MOVE.

DUE TO THE TRANSITION FROM THE TEMPLE’S CURRENT LOCATION AT 151 SOUTH AVENUE TO 8611 PALLADAY ROAD, THAI LANGUAGE AND CULTURE CLASSES ARE CANCELLED THIS YEAR.

IF AND WHEN SUITABLE FACILITIES ARE AVAILABLE AT THE NEW SITE, WE WILL CONDSIDER REOPENING THE SCHOOL BUT IT DOES NOT APPEAR THAT WILL HAPPEN IN 2025.

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A Heart Released ...

Phra Ajaan Mun Bhuridatta Thera

§1. Practice is what keeps the true Dhamma pure.

The Lord Buddha taught that his Dhamma, when placed in the heart of an ordinary run-of-the-mill person, is bound to be thoroughly corrupted (saddhamma-patirupa); but if placed in the heart of a Noble One, it is bound to be genuinely pure and authentic, something that at the same time can be neither effaced nor obscured.

So as long as we are devoting ourselves merely to the theoretical study of the Dhamma, it can't serve us well. Only when we have trained our hearts to eliminate their 'chameleons' — their corruptions (upakkilesa) — will it benefit us in full measure. And only then will the true Dhamma be kept pure, free from distortions and deviations from its original principles.

§2. To follow the Buddha, we must train ourselves well before training others.

purisadamma-sarathi
  sattha deva-manussanam
    buddho bhagavati

Our Lord Buddha first trained and tamed himself to the point where he attained unexcelled right self-awakening (anuttara-sammasambodhiñana), becoming buddho, one who knows, before becoming bhagava, one who spreads the teaching to those who are to be taught. Only then did he become sattha, the teacher and trainer of human and divine beings whose stage of development qualifies them to be trained. And thus, kalyano kittisaddo abbhuggato: His good name has spread to the four quarters of the compass even up to the present day.

The same is true of all the Noble Disciples of the past. They trained and tamed themselves well before helping the Teacher spread his teachings to people at large, and so their good name has spread just like the Buddha's.

If, however, a person spreads the teaching without first having trained himself well, papako saddo hoti: His bad name will spread to the four quarters of the compass, due to his error in not having followed the example of the Lord Buddha and all the Noble Disciples of the past.

§3. The root inheritance, the starting capital for self-training.

Why is it that wise people — before chanting, receiving the precepts, or performing any other act of merit — always take up namo as their starting point? Why is it that namo is never omitted or discarded? This suggests that namo must be significant. If we take it up for consideration, we find that na stands for the water element, and mo for the earth element — and with this, a line from the scriptures comes to mind:

mata-petika-sambhavo
  odana-kummasa-paccayo:

'When the generative elements of the mother and father are combined, the body comes into being. When it is born from the mother's womb, it is nourished with rice and bread, and so is able to develop and grow.' Na is the mother's element; mo, the father's element. When these two elements are combined, the mother's fire element then heats the combination until it becomes what is called a kalala, a droplet of oil. This is the point where the connecting cognizance (patisandhi-viññana) can make its connection, so that the mind becomes joined to the namo element. Once the mind has taken up residence, the droplet of oil develops until it is an ambuja, a glob of blood. From a glob of blood it becomes a ghana, a rod, and then a pesi, a piece of flesh. Then it expands itself into a lizard-like shape, with five extensions: two arms, two legs, and a head.

(As for the elements ba, breath, and dha, fire, these take up residence later, because they are not what the mind holds onto. If the mind lets the droplet of oil drop, the droplet of oil vanishes or is discarded as useless. It has no breath or fire, just as when a person dies and the breath and fire vanish from the body. This is why we say they are secondary elements. The important factors are the two original elements, namo.)

After the child is born, it has to depend on na, its mother, and mo, its father, to care for it, nurturing it and nourishing it with such foods as rice and bread, at the same time teaching and training it in every form of goodness. The mother and father are thus called the child's first and foremost teachers. The love and benevolence the mother and father feel for their children cannot be measured or calculated. The legacy they give us — this body — is our primal inheritance. External wealth, silver or gold, come from this body. If we didn't have this body, we wouldn't be able to do anything, which means that we wouldn't have anything at all. For this reason, our body is the root of our entire inheritance from our mother and father, which is why we say that the good they have done us cannot be measured or calculated. Wise people thus never neglect or forget them.

We first have to take up this body, this namo, and only then do we perform the act of bowing it down in homage. To translate namo as homage is to translate only the act, not the source of the act.

This same root inheritance is the starting capital we use in training ourselves, so we needn't feel lacking or poor when it comes to the resources needed for the practice.

To be Continued...

  "A Heart Released: The Teachings of Phra Ajaan Mun Bhuridatta Thera", by Phra Ajaan Suwat Suvaco,
translated from the Thai by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
Access to Insight (BCBS Edition), 30 November 2013,
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/thai/mun/released.html

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Contentedness

And how is a monk content?

Just as a bird,
  wherever it goes,
    flies with its wings as its only burden;
so too is he content with a set of robes to provide for his body and almsfood to provide for his hunger.
Wherever he goes, he takes only his barest necessities along.

This is how a monk is content.

  "Samaññaphala Sutta: The Fruits of the Contemplative Life" (DN 2),
translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
Access to Insight (BCBS Edition), 30 November 2013,
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.02.0.than.html

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Money is like a Dangerous Serpent, Ready to Strike!

The Vinaya Pitaka, the Monastic Code, is very specific about the forms of support a monk is allowed to accept and rely upon.

Within the 227 rules of the Bhikkhu Vinaya, each developed as the related problem or situation arose within the sangha community, there is a distinct guideline for all monastic behavior.

One area that is often the subject of discussion, especially in modern times, is money. Among the ten requisites of a monk, money is not included. There is good reason to keep the two separate. Money, for all of us, but especially those gone forth, is like a dangerous snake. Coming near it may not be unavoidable for a monk, but reaching out and taking hold of money can be very dangerous.

When on alms, monks might be offered money along with rice and other foods. Money is not food. While traditional Thai foods are often prepared and given wrapped in banana leaf, never has food been wrapped in money. It is not just forbidden; it is also unsanitary.

Dana, in all its forms, is an important part of Buddhist practice. It cultivates generosity while subduing greed. In being careful and mindful with your donations, may you soon reach the ultimate goal!

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Sigalovada Sutta: The Discourse to Sigala
The Layperson's Code of Discipline

Having just observed the Teacher Honor Ceremony at the temple, it might be worthwhile to reflect on the Buddha's teaching regarding the relationship between teachers and students.

As the Great Teacher, the Knower of the Dhamma, it is interesting to see how the Buddha describes both sides of the Teacher-Student relationship.

The chant, Recollection of the Buddha, recalls many aspects of the Buddha's role as a teacher.

Recollection of the Buddha
Itipi so bhagavā arahaṃ sammāsambuddho	He, the Blessed One, is indeed the Pure One, the Perfectly Enlightened One;
Vijjācaraṇa-sampanno sugato lokavidū	He is impeccable in conduct and understanding, the Accomplished One, the Knower of the Worlds;
Anuttaro purisadamma-sārathi	He trains perfectly those who wish to be trained;
satthā deva-manussānaṃ buddho bhagavā’ti	He is Teacher of gods and humans; he is Awake and Holy

In The Discourse to Sigala, besides explaining how to properly exist in society, expressing respect for all the different relationships (the Six Quarters) a Buddhist might be part of, the Teacher-Student aspect becomes an important element in cultivating social calm and progress through a proper education.

"And how, young householder, does a noble disciple cover the six quarters?

"The following should be looked upon as the six quarters. The parents should be looked upon as the East, teachers as the South, wife and children as the West, friends and associates as the North, servants and employees as the Nadir, ascetics and brahmans as the Zenith.

"In five ways, young householder, a pupil should minister to a teacher as the South:

• by rising from the seat in salutation,
• by attending on him,
• by eagerness to learn,
• by personal service,
• by respectful attention while receiving instructions.

"In five ways, young householder, do teachers thus ministered to as the South by their pupils, show their compassion:

• they train them in the best discipline,
• they see that they grasp their lessons well,
• they instruct them in the arts and sciences,
• they introduce them to their friends and associates,
• they provide for their safety in every quarter.

"The teachers thus ministered to as the South by their pupils, show their compassion towards them in these five ways. Thus is the South covered by them and made safe and secure.

   From the Digha Nikaya - DN 31
   https://accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.nara.html
 — Translated from the Pali by Narada Thera

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Walking Meditation

When we come to the temple, we are very careful to sit properly as we pay respect to the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha. Throughout the normal activities we are mindful of our posture, careful to avoid any offensive attitude or position. Chanting, we make the five-point prostration and, holding our hands in anjali, continue our effort to be mindful and proper. Finally, we sit in meditation, still careful with our thoughts and bodily actions. All this attention to detail may become stressful, especially for beginners or the older ones among us! Maybe taking a little time to practice walking meditation can help!

This video on walking meditation, "A Dhamma Reflection from Tan Ajahn Kalyano," Abbot of Buddha Bodhivana Monestery in Victoria, Australia, is a timely reminder of the methods and benefits of this practice. Walking Meditation

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Still Flowing Water

Have you ever seen flowing water? Have you ever seen still water? If your mind is peaceful, it will be just like still, flowing water. Have you ever seen still, flowing water? There! You’ve only seen flowing water or still water, haven’t you? When your mind is peaceful, you can develop wisdom. Your mind will be like flowing water, and yet still. It’s almost as if it were still, and yet it’s flowing. So I call it “still, flowing water.” Wisdom can arise here.

Ajahn Chah

Still, Flowing Water

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The Buddhist Monk's Discipline:
 Some Points Explained for Laypeople

Bhikkhu Khantipalo

"It is well to reflect about kamma and how each person is — 'owner of kamma, heir to kamma, born of kamma, bound by kamma, determined by kamma' — for such reflection cultivates equanimity. Each person trains himself, a bhikkhu according to his knowledge and ability and a layman likewise."

Every action, word, and even thought in some way touches our kamma. With that in mind, consider reading through Bhikkhu Khantipalo's short essay before your next encounter with Buddhist Monks.

Beneficial is control of eye,
Control of ear is beneficial too,
Beneficial is control of nose,
Control of tongue is beneficial too,
Bodily control is beneficial,
Control of speech is beneficial too
Beneficial is control of mind,
Everywhere restraint is beneficial.
The Bhikkhu here restrained in every way
Free utterly is he from every ill.
— Dhp 360-361

 The Buddhist Monk's Discipline:
  Some Points Explained for Laypeople", by Bhikkhu Khantipalo.
  Access to Insight (BCBS Edition), 30 November 2013,
  https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/khantipalo/wheel130.html.

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Five Subjects for Frequent Recollection

Jarā-dhammomhi jaraṃ anatīto.

I am subject to aging. Aging is unavoidable.

Byādhi-dhammomhi byādhiṃ anatīto.

I am subject to illness. Illness is unavoidable.

Maraṇa-dhammomhi maraṇaṃ anatīto.

I am subject to death. Death is unavoidable.

Sabbehi me piyehi manāpehi nānā-bhāvo vinā-bhāvo.

I will grow different, separate from all that is dear & appealing to me.

Kammassakomhi kamma-dāyādo kamma-yoni kamma-bandhu kamma-paṭisaraṇo.

I am the owner of my actions, heir to my actions, born of my actions, related through my actions, and live dependent on my actions.

Yaṃ kammaṃ karissāmi kalyāṇaṃ vā pāpakaṃ vā tassa dāyādo bhavissāmi.

Whatever I do, for good or for evil, to that will I fall heir.

Evaṃ amhehi abhiṇhaṃ paccavekkhitabbaṃ.

We should often reflect on this.

These are the five facts that one should reflect on often, whether one is a woman or a man, lay or ordained.
  – Upajjhatthana Sutta – AN 5.57

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An Ancient Path Rediscovered

"It is just as if a man, traveling along a wilderness track, were to see an ancient path, an ancient road, traveled by people of former times. He would follow it. Following it, he would see an ancient city, an ancient capital inhabited by people of former times, complete with parks, groves, & ponds, walled, delightful. He would go to address the king or the king's minister, saying, 'Sire, you should know that while traveling along a wilderness track I saw an ancient path... I followed it... I saw an ancient city, an ancient capital... complete with parks, groves, & ponds, walled, delightful. Sire, rebuild that city!' The king or king's minister would rebuild the city, so that at a later date the city would become powerful, rich, & well-populated, fully grown & prosperous.

"In the same way I saw an ancient path, an ancient road, traveled by the Rightly Self-awakened Ones of former times. And what is that ancient path, that ancient road, traveled by the Rightly Self-awakened Ones of former times? Just this noble eightfold path: right view, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration... I followed that path. Following it, I came to direct knowledge of birth... becoming... clinging... craving... feeling... contact... the six sense media... name-&-form... consciousness, direct knowledge of the origination of consciousness, direct knowledge of the cessation of consciousness, direct knowledge of the path leading to the cessation of consciousness. I followed that path.

"Following it, I came to direct knowledge of fabrications, direct knowledge of the origination of fabrications, direct knowledge of the cessation of fabrications, direct knowledge of the path leading to the cessation of fabrications. Knowing that directly, I have revealed it to monks, nuns, male lay followers & female lay followers, so that this holy life has become powerful, rich, detailed, well-populated, wide-spread, proclaimed among celestial & human beings."

    — SN 12.65

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The Middle Way realized by the Tathāgata — producing vision, producing knowledge — leads to calm, to direct knowledge, to self-awakening, to Unbinding.

 

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From the Dhammapada

Refuge ...

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Nibbaana sacchikiriya ca etammangalamuttamam

Endeavoring for the realization of Nibbaana is the highest blessing