Buddhist encounters in Portugal

A discussion on all aspects of Theravāda Buddhism
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Modus.Ponens
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Buddhist encounters in Portugal

Post by Modus.Ponens »

Hello

I recently created a facebook group for portuguese persons that is somewhat translated as "Buddhist encounters in Portugal." The name in Portuguese is "Convívios Budistas em Portugal". The aim of the group is twofold:

- to spread the word on teachings and retreats in Portugal and teachings avaialable on the web.
- to promote social gatherings between buddhists.

For the portuguese visiting this forum, please join :)

Direct link: http://www.facebook.com/groups/conviviosbudistas/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Be well :)
Last edited by Modus.Ponens on Sat Oct 01, 2011 8:56 am, edited 1 time in total.
'This is peace, this is exquisite — the resolution of all fabrications; the relinquishment of all acquisitions; the ending of craving; dispassion; cessation; Unbinding.' - Jhana Sutta
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retrofuturist
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Re: Buddhist encounters in Portugal

Post by retrofuturist »

Greetings,

Direct link: :arrow: http://www.facebook.com/groups/conviviosbudistas/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Metta,
Retro. :)
"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
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James the Giant
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Re: Buddhist encounters in Portugal

Post by James the Giant »

I heard from the abbot here that land has been offered to start a new monastery in poRtugal.
Ajahn Chah Thai Forest tradition.
Might be worth finding out about, for those willing to help out or learn more.
Then,
saturated with joy,
you will put an end to suffering and stress.
SN 9.11
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Modus.Ponens
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Re: Buddhist encounters in Portugal

Post by Modus.Ponens »

Thanks retro. I edited my first post.

James: I watched an interview with Ajahn Sumedho (on dhammatube) when he was here in Portugal and he talked about building a monastery here. I didn't know there was already land for the monastery. I will investigate further. (By the way, your name in portuguese has nothing to do with your name in english. For example, John is João and Peter is Pedro, but James is Tiago :))
'This is peace, this is exquisite — the resolution of all fabrications; the relinquishment of all acquisitions; the ending of craving; dispassion; cessation; Unbinding.' - Jhana Sutta
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cooran
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Re: Buddhist encounters in Portugal

Post by cooran »

Hello MP,

There are 14 Buddhist groups in Portugal listed on Buddhanet – 1 of them is Theravada and 1 is Vipassana … the rest are Mahayana and Vajrayana.
http://www.buddhanet.info/wbd/country.php?country_id=77" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

with metta
Chris
---The trouble is that you think you have time---
---Worry is the Interest, paid in advance, on a debt you may never owe---
---It's not what happens to you in life that is important ~ it's what you do with it ---
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Modus.Ponens
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Re: Buddhist encounters in Portugal

Post by Modus.Ponens »

Hello cooran

Thanks for the link. I got surprised that there was a Theravada center in Portugal and I didn't know it. But now that I know which center it is, I know why I didn't think of it: because it has nearly no activity. And it's far away. But thanks anyway.
'This is peace, this is exquisite — the resolution of all fabrications; the relinquishment of all acquisitions; the ending of craving; dispassion; cessation; Unbinding.' - Jhana Sutta
householder
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Re: Buddhist encounters in Portugal

Post by householder »

Ajahn Vajiro is to be the abbot at the monastery, I understand.
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cooran
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Re: Buddhist encounters in Portugal

Post by cooran »

Hello Householder, MP,

Ajahn Vajiro is a wonderful, knowledgeable monk. He came to visit us in Queensland for a brief time and I was impressed.

A little about him, and his eventual going to in Portugal:

Venerable Vajiro (Phil Gunton) was born in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in 1953. Upon graduating in 1974, he began a study accountancy. During this period, a friend encouraged him to go on a ten-day meditation retreat with John Coleman at the Oakenholt Buddhist Centre near Oxford. He attended further retreats there in 1976 and 1977.
Hearing about the visit Ajahn Chah and Ajahn Sumedho made to Oakenholt in 1977, he went to meet them at the Hampstead Vihara. He eventually moved next door to the vihara. In 1978, however, he asked to join the community as an anagārika; he left for Thailand just after the community moved out of London to Chithurst in June 1979. In October that year he became a samanera, and he received upasampada from Ajahn Chah in June the following year.
Venerable Vajiro returned to England in 1984, and assisted with the establishment of Amaravati Buddhist Centre. From 1985 to 1986 he resided at Harnham Buddhist Monastery and from 1986 to 1993 he lived at ‘Cittaviveka’. Then between 1993 and 1998 he led the community in ‘Bodhinyanarama’ Wellington, New Zealand. He spent the following three years living quietly in the hermitage ‘Sanghaloka’ near Melbourne, Australia. Before moving to Amaravati Buddhist Monastery, where he presently resides.
http://www.amaravati.org/abmnew/index.p ... rticle/13/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Announcements - A message from Ajahn Vajiro
At the invitation of Luang Por Sumedho, and after checking with many members of the then resident community to ask if they felt it would be helpful for
me to be here, I arrived at Amaravati in 2001.
While here Luang Por Sumedho asked to me to help a group from Portugal with setting up the legal structure to support monastics there.

When I began my involvement with that project I said that I was not intending to live there myself ... too old.
Last year the group there formally invited me to help further and lead the initiative for five years. Now I am older, it seems a good idea and I’m avail-
able, and learning Portuguese may stave off Alzheimer’s disease. Luang Por Sumedho is supportive of the project and the Elders’ Council here in Europe
are happy for me to try and see. Both Luang Por Liem and Luang Por Anek expressed their support too. The Portuguese bhikkhus from our communities will also be part of this development.
After the Kathina in November this year I have a commitment to visit New Zealand for six months.
With other teaching engagements along the way I plan to be back in the UK by early July 2012. Afterwards I intend to be based in Portugal, where at the
moment there is no base for Theravada monastics.
Anumodana for all the support offered.
Ajahn Vajiro
http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cac ... g5tyIj9Y7g" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

with metta
Chris
---The trouble is that you think you have time---
---Worry is the Interest, paid in advance, on a debt you may never owe---
---It's not what happens to you in life that is important ~ it's what you do with it ---
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Modus.Ponens
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Re: Buddhist encounters in Portugal

Post by Modus.Ponens »

Hi cooran, householder

Thank you very much for the information. :)

Did I understand correctly: does Ajahn Vajiro have Alzheimer's? :(
'This is peace, this is exquisite — the resolution of all fabrications; the relinquishment of all acquisitions; the ending of craving; dispassion; cessation; Unbinding.' - Jhana Sutta
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cooran
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Re: Buddhist encounters in Portugal

Post by cooran »

Hello MP,

No, he doesn't have Alzheimer's. :rofl:

As people get to be over-50 years of age, there is a lot of talk about learning new things that stretch the brain, to keep it plastic and active.... things like a new language, and any new skill, or pastime like chess, playing a new musical instrument, writing poetry, sudoku etc. etc.

with metta
Chris
---The trouble is that you think you have time---
---Worry is the Interest, paid in advance, on a debt you may never owe---
---It's not what happens to you in life that is important ~ it's what you do with it ---
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Modus.Ponens
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Re: Buddhist encounters in Portugal

Post by Modus.Ponens »

That's a relief! lol :smile:
'This is peace, this is exquisite — the resolution of all fabrications; the relinquishment of all acquisitions; the ending of craving; dispassion; cessation; Unbinding.' - Jhana Sutta
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Modus.Ponens
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Re: Buddhist encounters in Portugal

Post by Modus.Ponens »

Bump.

There are over 1000 visits from Portugal on the map. If you are portuguese, please join the facebook group. :smile:
'This is peace, this is exquisite — the resolution of all fabrications; the relinquishment of all acquisitions; the ending of craving; dispassion; cessation; Unbinding.' - Jhana Sutta
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pilgrim
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Re: Buddhist encounters in Portugal

Post by pilgrim »

Modus.Ponens wrote:Bump.

There are over 1000 visits from Portugal on the map. If you are portuguese, please join the facebook group. :smile:
What map? Where is this new Vihara..
BTW, strange coincidence...When Ajahn Vajiro's father worked in a rubber trading company in Malaysia in the 1960s, my father was his employee.
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cooran
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Re: Buddhist encounters in Portugal

Post by cooran »

Hello pilgrim,

Maybe the Clustr Map on the lower left side of the Front page of DhammaWheel?
http://www.dhammawheel.com/index.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

with metta
Chris
---The trouble is that you think you have time---
---Worry is the Interest, paid in advance, on a debt you may never owe---
---It's not what happens to you in life that is important ~ it's what you do with it ---
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Cittasanto
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Re: Buddhist encounters in Portugal

Post by Cittasanto »

pilgrim wrote:
Modus.Ponens wrote:Bump.

There are over 1000 visits from Portugal on the map. If you are portuguese, please join the facebook group. :smile:
What map? Where is this new Vihara..
BTW, strange coincidence...When Ajahn Vajiro's father worked in a rubber trading company in Malaysia in the 1960s, my father was his employee.
There isn't a vihara in portugal yet, but I believe they have land. Three monks are going there in july (I think) Ajahn Vajiro is one of them, for three months to see if there is enough interest in the area, but not sure of the exact location.
Blog, Suttas, Aj Chah, Facebook.

He who knows only his own side of the case knows little of that. His reasons may be good, and no one may have been able to refute them.
But if he is equally unable to refute the reasons on the opposite side, if he does not so much as know what they are, he has no ground for preferring either opinion …
...
He must be able to hear them from persons who actually believe them … he must know them in their most plausible and persuasive form.
John Stuart Mill
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