Buddhist Society of Western Australia

Published with permission of Treasure Mountain Podcast. Please visit Treasure Mountain Podcast and Treasure Mountain website.

In this episode of Sage Advice, we have Bhikkhuni Candavisuddhi, known as Venerable Canda, the pioneering nun blazing a trail for women monastics by striving to establish the Anukampa project, a monastery for fully ordained nuns in the United Kingdom. Those who previously listened to Venerable Canda’s story in a previous episode of Treasure Mountain will know that she has a lot grit to practice in challenging circumstances, and now to lead the way to establish a community of practice, and eventually a monastery in the UK. One quality that she has demonstrated in large measure is resilience, and she joins us today for this episode of Sage Advice to discuss the topic of resilience and determination.

Ayya Canda's links:

• Anukampa Bhikkhuni Project - website
• Anukampa Bhikkhuni Project - Facebook page

Treasure Mountain links:

Published with permission of Treasure Mountain Podcast. Please visit Treasure Mountain Podcast and Treasure Mountain website.

In this episode of Spirit Stories our guest is Venerable Candavisuddhi, also known as Ayya Canda, who first encountered meditation and the spiritual path when travelling through Asia as a young woman. This led to several years of going on and supporting retreats in India and Nepal. Whilst the yearning to live the Buddhist monastic life intensified, she found that opportunities for women to lead a meditative monastic life were few, until finding out about a chance to ordain with Sayadaw U Pannyajota in rural Burma. The meditative life suited Venerable Canda very well, but four years of the Burmese climate, diet and parasites took a toll on her health, and she decided to return to the West. A chance encounter led Venerable Canda to the teachings of Ajahn Brahm, and the opportunity to practice and take higher ordination at Dhammasara Monastery in Western Australia in 2014. Now she is blazing a trail for women monastics by leading a project to start a monastery for bhikkhuni sangha in the country of her birth, the United Kingdom. Venerable Canda joins us now to share her Spirit Story.

Links related to this episode:

• Anukampa Bhikkhuni Project
• Donate to the Anukampa Bhikkhuni Project to help Ayya Canda start a monastery.
• To find out more or volunteer with the Anukampa Bhikkhuni Project email team@anukampaproject.org

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

To find and download more precious Dhamma teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the teaching you want and click on the audio to open it up on Podbean.

In this day retreat organised by Anukampa, Ajahn Brahm shows us how we can build a reservoir of freedom and peace within, even when everything is chaos on the outside. Ven Canda also offers reflections, meditation instructions and further exploration of the theme, in her afternoon sessions all drawn from her 25 years of study and practise.

The day is filled with warmth, humour and practical tips for developing the mind, using personal anecdotes and teachings from the Buddhist texts.

These teachings are freely offered so as to be accessible to all. Any donation you feel moved to offer will enable us to continue spreading the priceless Dhamma and will also contribute towards the development of the first Theravada Bhikkhuni Monastery in the UK, where women will be able to train towards full ordination, and people of every background, race, sexual orientation and gender will be warmly welcomed to visit or reside as guests. Your generosity is greatly appreciated.

Please visit www.anukampaproject.org/donate

Track 3 of 3.

In this one day online retreat organised by Anukampa Bhikkhuni Project, Ajahn Brahm shows us how we can build a reservoir of freedom and peace within, even when everything is chaos on the outside. Venerable Canda also offers reflections, meditation instructions and further exploration of the theme, in her afternoon sessions all drawn from her 25 years of study and practise. The day is filled with warmth, humour and practical tips for developing the mind, using personal anecdotes and teachings from the Buddhist texts.

Teaching retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPxfnU-O-ZyezXr4Rrv16jotND_rnX7ZV

Ajahn Brahm is the Spiritual Adviser of Anukampa Bhikkhuni Project. Donations towards Anukampa's aim to spread the Dhamma and develop a nuns' monastery in England are extremely welcome, please visit https://anukampaproject.org/donate/

Please find Anukampa Bhikkhuni Project's upcoming events here and Anukampa's YouTube channel (talks by Venerable Canda, Ajahn Brahm, Ajahn Brahmali and more) here.

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

To find and download more precious Dhamma teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the teaching you want and click on the audio to open it up on Podbean.

Track 2 of 3.

In this one day online retreat organised by Anukampa Bhikkhuni Project, Ajahn Brahm shows us how we can build a reservoir of freedom and peace within, even when everything is chaos on the outside. Venerable Canda also offers reflections, meditation instructions and further exploration of the theme, in her afternoon sessions all drawn from her 25 years of study and practise. The day is filled with warmth, humour and practical tips for developing the mind, using personal anecdotes and teachings from the Buddhist texts.

Teaching retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPxfnU-O-ZyezXr4Rrv16jotND_rnX7ZV

Ajahn Brahm is the Spiritual Adviser of Anukampa Bhikkhuni Project. Donations towards Anukampa's aim to spread the Dhamma and develop a nuns' monastery in England are extremely welcome, please visit https://anukampaproject.org/donate/

Please find Anukampa Bhikkhuni Project's upcoming events here and Anukampa's YouTube channel (talks by Venerable Canda, Ajahn Brahm, Ajahn Brahmali and more) here.

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

To find and download more precious Dhamma teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the teaching you want and click on the audio to open it up on Podbean.

Track 1 of 3.

In this one day online retreat organised by Anukampa Bhikkhuni Project, Ajahn Brahm shows us how we can build a reservoir of freedom and peace within, even when everything is chaos on the outside. Venerable Canda also offers reflections, meditation instructions and further exploration of the theme, in her afternoon sessions all drawn from her 25 years of study and practise. The day is filled with warmth, humour and practical tips for developing the mind, using personal anecdotes and teachings from the Buddhist texts.

Teaching retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPxfnU-O-ZyezXr4Rrv16jotND_rnX7ZV

Ajahn Brahm is the Spiritual Adviser of Anukampa Bhikkhuni Project. Donations towards Anukampa's aim to spread the Dhamma and develop a nuns' monastery in England are extremely welcome, please visit https://anukampaproject.org/donate/

Please find Anukampa Bhikkhuni Project's upcoming events here and Anukampa's YouTube channel (talks by Venerable Canda, Ajahn Brahm, Ajahn Brahmali and more) here.

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

To find and download more precious Dhamma teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the teaching you want and click on the audio to open it up on Podbean.

Venerable Canda of Anukampa Bhikkhuni Project in England conducts an online live Q&A session with Ajahn Brahm in Perth, WA. Find parts 1-3 on bswa.org here.

Ajahn Brahm is the Spiritual Adviser of Anukampa Bhikkhuni Project. Donations towards Anukampa's aim to spread the Dhamma and develop a nuns' monastery in England are extremely welcome, please visit https://anukampaproject.org/donate/

Please find Anukampa Bhikkhuni Project's upcoming events here and Anukampa's YouTube channel (talks by Venerable Canda, Ajahn Brahm, Ajahn Brahmali and more) here.

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

To find and download more precious Dhamma teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the teaching you want and click on the audio to open it up on Podbean.

This is a very special Q&A session, given by Ajahn Brahm in support of Anukampa Bhikkhuni Project, headed by Venerable Canda in the UK (part 2 of 2).

To enable Anukampa Bhikkhuni Project to continue spreading the priceless Dhamma teachings and contribute towards the development of the first Theravada Bhikkhuni Monastery in the UK, where women can train towards full ordination, donations are extremely welcome and gratefully received (visit here). 

Visit Anukampa Bhikkhuni Project's YouTube Channel here.

View both parts on bswa.org here

Teaching retrieved from https://youtu.be/Wc0WJnX__ZM

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

To find and download more precious Dhamma teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the teaching you want and click on the audio to open it up on Podbean.

This is a recording of live stream event organised by Venerable Canda of Anukampa Bhikkhuni Project in England (part 1 of 2). It was an unprecedented opportunity for participants to ask pressing and deep questions to Meditation Master Ajahn Brahm (in Perth, Western Australia) renowned for his kindness, humour, wisdom and warmth. Topics include unfulfilled love, kamma and rebirth, gender equity in the monastic alms line, jhanas, non-self, how to relate to family members who hurt or anger us and heavenly beings! Do see it all (in increments?) including the last twelve minutes where Ajahn and Venerable Canda discuss the exciting Anukampa Bhikkhuni Project in England and how you can be involved.

The session starts with a brief introduction and Dhamma Reflection, followed by Q&A, a short meditation in the middle and further Q&A in the second half with Ajahn Brahm extending into overtime as is characteristically generous of him!

Donations towards Anukampa's aim to develop a nuns' monastery in England are extremely welcome. Thank you for your kind generosity. Please visit https://anukampaproject.org/donate/

View both parts on bswa.org here

Teaching retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jT54wHbFZfk&feature=youtu.be  (YouTube Channel: Anukampa Bhikkhuni Project)

To find and download more precious Dhamma teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the teaching you want and click on the audio to open it up on Podbean.