I. About Retreat
—— Samatha & Vipassana Meditation Retreat ——
Conducted by Venerable Sayadaw-U-Aggañña
Ven. Sayadaw-U-Aggañña
Venerable Sayadaw, was born in 1953 and graduated with a BSc degree in mathematics from Rangoon University. He started practicing as a lay Buddhist in1989 and was later ordained by his teacher, Pa-Auk Sayadaw U Acinna in1992.
From 1996 to 2001, He followed Pa Auk Sayadaw to Sri Lanka for Dhamma propagation. He was then appointed by Pa Auk Sayadaw to teach meditation at various centres in Sri Lanka. While in Myanmar, he taught meditation at the Pa-Auk Forest Monastery (Main) and International Buddhasassana Meditation Centre in Thanlyin.
Year 2000, He followed Pa Auk Sayadaw to Penang, Malaysia to teach meditation.
From 2005 to Current, He is appointed as the resident meditation teacher at BMSM-Pa Auk Dhammavijaya Meditation Centre, Dengkil, Malaysia. In year 2019, he was appointed as one of the teachers at Pa Auk Taiwandipa in Taiwan.
Sayadaw has given Dhamma talks and taught meditation retreat in Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Nepal, Australia, Taiwan, China, Nepal and America.
Sayadaw speaks Burmese and English.
II. Location and Date
April 1-10, ( Extended training from April 11 to 26 ) 2020
| Organizer： | Bodhi Monastery |
| Location： | Bodhi Monastery |
| 67 Lawrence Road | |
| Lafayette, NJ 07848 | |
| Sign-Up Date： | Start now until it’s full. |
| Check-in Date： | Tuesday, March 31, at 3 p.m. |
| End Date： | Saturday, April 11th, at 11am, An option of extended practice, from 11-26, is available during registration. |
| Quota limit： | 40 person, Accept beginners to sign up |
| Language： | In English with Chinese translation |
| Cost： | We welcome your generous donation via online or check during the check-in time. All donations are tax-deductible. |
| Email： | Contact Us |
| Phone： | 973-940-0473（Bodhi Monastery） |
| Sign Up： | Register Online |
III. Registration Note
- We kindly ask that all meditation participants attend the entire retreat from start to finish. Please read The Rules & Regulations at the bottom of this page and the retreat general guidelines for details.
- Please submit your application here Online registration .
- Admission is limited to 40 participants.
- Meditation retreat will be conducted in English with Chinese Mandarin translation.
- As a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt religious organization, we welcome your generous donation via online or check during the check-in time. All donations are tax-deductible.
- Sign-in: March 31, 2020 @ 3:00- 5:00 pm
- Retreat ends on: April 11th, 2020 @ 11:00am
IV. Time Schedules
| Time | 3/31（Tu） | 4/1（Wen）- 4/10（Fri） | 4/11（Fri） |
| 04:30-05:00 | Wake-up call | ||
| 05:00-06:00 | Meditation Sitting 1 | ||
| 06:00-06:30 | Morning Chanting, Taking Eight Precepts | ||
| 06:30-07:30 | Breakfast、Cleaning up | ||
| 07:30-08:30 | Break | Cleaning up | |
| 08:30-10:00 | Meditation Sitting 2 | ||
| 10:00-11:00 | 10:00-10:30 INTERVIEW (if needed) / Walking Meditation | Departure | |
| 11:00-01:30 | Lunch、Break | ||
| 01:30-03:00 | Meditation Sitting 3 | Extended training |
|
| 03:00-03:30 | Sign-In | Walking Meditation | |
| 03:30-05:00 | Meditation Sitting 4 | ||
| 05:00-06:00 | Briefing for yogis | INTERVIEW/ Walking Meditation | |
| 06:00-07:00 | Break | ||
| 07:00-08:30 | Dhamma Talk – Introduction | Meditation Sitting 5 / Dhamma Talk & Sharing Merit | |
| 08:30-09:00 | Nighttime Preparation/Light out | ||
V. Rules & Regulations
We are very honored to invite Ven. Sayadaw-U-Aggañña to visit with Bodhi Monastery, host and guide this meditation. In order to ensure the smooth progress of meditation, I urge you to attend the trainees to pay attention to the following matters:
During the Retreat and Interview
- Participants are required to learn and practice meditation method as instructed by the meditation teacher throughout the retreat. Please let go any other meditation methods you had learnt before.
- Participants are required to follow the retreat schedule and interview with the meditation teacher.
- At interview with the meditation teacher, please be focused and brief on the content of your experiences and questions. Please try to avoid asking irrelevant questions.
- If you have any questions regarding dhamma, please ask the meditation teacher during the interview.
- During the retreat, if you have any mental or health obstacles, please let your meditation teacher and/or the retreat organizers know as soon as possible.
- Please read the retreat descriptions and the Daily Schedules for information about daily activities and the General Guidelines at Bodhi Monastery. The retreat will be held at Bodhi Monastery, and all participants are to stay in the dormitories on the premises for the entire length of the retreat.
- Retreat participants are required to attend the entire retreat from start to finish. In addition, participants are required to stay on the premises during the entire retreat unless permission is granted by the leading retreat instructor for legitimate reasons.
- Retreat participants are required to follow the daily schedules closely, including wake-up time, bedtime, meal time, and meditation sessions. Participants will also be asked to fulfill some assigned chores as a part of meditation practices while attending to daily activities.
- It is highly recommended that all participants observe the Eight Precepts.
- All participants are asked to observe the Noble Silence. Talking is prohibited unless it is absolutely necessary. In cases where oral communication needs to take place. It is recommended that concerns, questions or requests be communicated to monastery staff or retreat volunteers.
- Please bring your own sleeping bags, sheets, toiletries, clothes, slippers, loose and casual clothes for sitting, medicines, identity documents, and health insurance card. Please also bring your own water bottles and cups for the purpose of environmental protection. It is also recommended that you bring a pair of earplugs for quiet nighttime sleep.
- Please leave your valuables at home as Bodhi Monastery will not be responsible for the loss of any personal belongings.
Transporation:
- The closest airport is Newark Liberty Airport (EWR). It is a 60-minute drive from the Bodhi Monastery. On the days of arrival and departure, the monastery will provide a limited number of pick-up and drop-off car services.
- It will be greatly appreciated if some of those who would be driving could kindly offer carpools to others. Also, if you would be able and wish to help with airport pick-ups or drop-offs, please indicate so on your application form.
- For those coming from the New York City area, there is a bus line departing from the Port Authority Bus Terminal (Times Square). Please take Lakeland Bus (Route 80) to Sparta Police Station. Bodhi Monastery will be able to pick you up at the Sparta Police Station. Please call us at (973) 940-0473 once you arrive at the bus station.