Sravasti Abbey, the first Tibetan Buddhist monastery for Western nuns and monks in the U.S., was established in Washington State by Bhikshuni Thubten Chodron in 2003. Whilst practicing in the Tibetan Buddhist Tradition, Sravasti Abbey monastics ordain in the Dharmaguptaka Vinaya. It is situated on of forest and meadows, outside of Newport, Washington, near the Idaho state line. It is open to visitors who want to learn about community life in a Tibetan Buddhist monastic setting.
The name Sravasti Abbey was chosen by the 14th Dalai Lama. Thubten Chodron had suggested the name as Sravasti was the place in India where the Buddha spent 25 rains retreat (varsa in Sanskrit and yarne in Tibetan), and communities of both nuns and monks had resided there. This seemed auspicious to ensure the Buddha's teachings would be abundantly available to both male and female monastics at the monastery.
History
The Abbey was founded in 2003. Its founder, Bhikshuni Thubten Chodron, is an American who was ordained in 1977 by Kyabje Yongdzin Ling Rinpoche, the Dalai Lama's senior tutor. She lived and studied in India and Nepal for many years, and her teachers include the Dalai Lama, Tsenzhab Serkong Rinpoche and Thubten Zopa Rinpoche. Under her guidance, Sravasti Abbey has male and female monastics train together as equals, and uses social service as a key component of community life. At the same time, the Abbey cultivates the traditional Buddhist values of non-harming, mindfulness, compassion, inter-relatedness, respect for nature and service to all sentient beings. The Abbey has a monastic residence called Gotami House, named after Mahapajapati Gotami who was the first woman to request and receive ordination from Buddha Shakyamuni. There is also a residence for guest teachers and a guesthouse called Chenrezig Hall. The Abbey is notable because it is home to a growing group of fully ordained bhikshunis (Buddhist nuns) practicing Buddhism in the Tibetan tradition. This is notable because the tradition of full Buddhist ordination for women was generally believed to have not been transmitted from India to Tibet, whereas Khenpo Shantarakshita brought the full ordination tradition for nuns and monks to Tibet before the persecution by Udum Tsenpo brought a temporary end to the nun's tradition. Ordained women practicing in the Tibetan tradition usually hold a getsulma (novice) ordination, while full ordination in the Tibetan tradition was revived on 23 June 2022 in Bhutan. Before this date, Thubten Chodron, while following the teachings of her Tibetan teachers, has arranged for her female students to seek full ordination as bhikshunis in Taiwan.
On October 2, 2006, Jan Howell became the first person to ordain at Sravasti Abbey, taking her sramanerika (novice) and sikasamana (probationary) ordinations with Thubten Chodron as her preceptor in 2006.
Also in 2006, the Abbey launched its first annual week-long Young Adult Retreat in order to bring Buddhist solutions to situations facing today's youth.
The Abbey has regularly practiced posadha (the bi-monthly confession) since 2011.
In January 2014, the Abbey began its first winter varsa (three-month monastic retreat), which lasted until April 13, 2014. As far as the Abbey knows, this was the first time a Western bhikshuni sangha practicing in the Tibetan tradition had done this ritual in the United States and in English. On April 19, 2014 the Abbey held its first kathina ceremony to mark the end of the varsa. Also in 2014 the Abbey held its first Pavarana rite at the end of the varsa.
In October 2015, the Annual Western Buddhist Monastic Gathering was held at the Abbey for the first time; it was the 21st such gathering.
In November 2015, the Abbey purchased their neighbor's property and named it Tara's Refuge.
In 2017, the Abbey's first bhikkhu, Thubten Losang, was ordained.
In 2018, Prajna Cottage was completed and Thubten Chodron moved into it.
Also in 2018, the Abbey community ordained Rebecca Bradley, which as far as the Abbey was aware marked the first such ordination in their Vinaya lineage (Dharmaguptaka) given by an all-Western sangha.
Daily schedule
The Abbey's daily schedule begins at 5:00 a.m. when both monastic and lay students perform preparatory practices and tasks such as water bowl offerings. Morning meditation practice begins at 5:30 and lasts an hour and a half. A simple breakfast is offered at 7:30. Praises to Tara is chanted first, and the meal offered to the Three Jewels. The meal is eaten in silence until a gong is rung halfway through. From 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. residents “offer service” performing tasks.