SNOW LION THE BUDDHIST MAGAZINE & CATALOG

Monastic Communities in America? Two Views

by Marsha Rule

More than 2600 years ago, Buddha Shakyamuni created a monastic community to preserve the lessons that led to his enlightenment. Since then, monastic communities throughout Asia have been the guardians and disseminators of those teachings. The increased popularity of Buddhism in the United States has fostered a plethora of Dharma centers and retreats of every persuasion. But is there a place for Buddhist monastic communities in America? What follows are two views. Venerable Bhikshuni Thubten Chodron is founder and Abbess of Sravasti Abbey in Newport, Washington. Sravasti Abbey centers on the spiritual practice of Tibetan Buddhism. Venerable Dr. Sak Dhammadipa is director of the Cultural & Educational Center of Massachusetts Budhi Siksa Society in Quincy, Massachusetts and Abbot of the Chuan Yen Monastery in Carmel, New York. Chuan Yen Monastery was built by a Chinese Buddhist community.

Venerable Chodron thinks there is a definite need and a place for monastic life in the United States. "Buddha was a monastic. He is our teacher. He created a monastic community, and had lay followers as well," she explained. "There is a role in American Buddhism for monastic communities. We must preserve the monastic lifestyle and adapt it for Americans.

"A monastery offers a physical location where people can come and live the Dharma in community," Venerable Chodron said. "It's a place where monastics have time to study, work and practice without so much distraction. It's also a place where lay practitioners can come for teachings, retreats, and more in-depth practice."

Sravasti Abbey is an intentional community centered on the spiritual practice of Tibetan Buddhism. The Abbey is located in a beautiful rural setting on 240 acres of land. The Abbey offers both men and women an opportunity to train in the monastic lifestyle—a lifestyle of simplicity, study, practice and service.

"By living in a community with the same people every day, we are able to see our imperfections and apply our practice right away. We are able to do this because we know we're all here for the same purpose—to develop loving kindness and to live according to Buddhist values."

The benefits of monastic life extend into the larger community through service. In addition to studying, practicing, and teaching, residents of Sravasti Abbey disseminate the Dharma in classes, over the Internet, and on an elaborate Web site where people from all over the world can access Dharma teachings. Other activities include engaging in prison work, writing, inter-faith dialogue, environmental projects and leading retreats.

Residents also travel to local towns to offer classes on stress reduction and developing love and compassion to non-Buddhists.

Sravasti Abbey is the newest generation of the Buddha's first monastic community, a vital link to ensuring that Buddhism thrives in the United States.

"Buddha set this up and Buddhism has continued to flourish," Ven. Thubten Chodron said. "Monastic communities definitely need to be included in the scope of American Buddhism."

Ven. Dr. Sak Dhammadipa holds a slightly different view of the place of monasticism in America. He is an ordained monk in the Theravadan tradition.

He agrees that monastic communities provide needed environments that are inherently conducive for practice. However, Ven. Dhammadipa said that there may also be a drawback to living in a closed community—losing sight of what's important. "I think people living in a monastic community may become so intent on sticking to the rules that they may forget the importance of the teachings."

While Buddhist monastic traditions have been long standing in various Asian cultures, they are relatively new in the West. And, cultural differences play a significant role in whether Buddhist monasticism has the potential to be firmly rooted in the West.

"In Eastern traditions—like Tibetan, Chinese and Theravada—people generally know the rules and formalities of monastery life, because monasteries are so much a part of Asian cultures," Ven. Dhammadipa explained. "In America, I think American Buddhists are much more relaxed about traditions and ritual and place a greater emphasis on the essence of the teachings."

"You must consider American culture as it is," Ven. Dhammadipa said. "Americans are generally quite busy. I think temporary retreats would work better for the American culture. I think temporary retreats, by providing an environment with facilitated practice, can help Americans build up a fresh mind. This can help them at first. "But in the long run, monasticism still plays an important and absolute role for training monks, nuns and lay persons to be leaders of the Dharma and to understand the clergy life."

Ven. Dhammadipa said that while the Buddhist monastic lifestyle must be adapted for its place in the United States, Americans, with their more relaxed focus on the essence of the teachings, have a great deal to contribute to Buddhism as a whole.

"I believe America will be more tolerant of different traditions and find important meanings in Buddhism by focusing on the main teachings without the burden of heavy ritual and sectarian views."