Bhikkhunī nunnery Srī Gotamī ārāma
Bhikkhunīs Darshikā and Wijithā played a pivotal role in revival of Theravāda bhikkhunī-saṅgha. With over six decades of dedicated service, they have emerged as influential role models, custodians of the Buddha's wisdom, and educators, contributing significantly to the ordination of countless bhikkhunīs. The Srī Gothamī Ashrāmaya, through its diverse engagements, not only ensures well-being of these revered monastics, but also actively contributes to the community’s welfare worldwide. It maintains the promotion of the Dhamma, ensuring that Buddha’s words are alive and spreading. Your support would allow continuation of the service, helping the nuns to touch more lives with compassion and wisdom.
The vision of the nunnery is to educate Buddhist nuns to establish a good knowledge of Dhamma (Buddha's teaching) and Vinaya (monastic rules). The aim is to develop one's own meditation practice and to be able to lead a Buddhist monastery.
The education in the nunnery focuses on the areas of religious education, and on social and humanitarian help. Nuns play a crucial role in the Sri Lankan social service. In the society the nuns help to change the attitude towards education.
The nunnery education:
Contributions [purpose statement]
Social services and activities
Your financial contributions would enable the nuns to conduct special educational and meditation programs for individuals of all ages, fostering cultivation of wholesome qualities and well-being. It would allow them to facilitate Dhamma courses, visits to pregnant women, homeless children and sick individuals in hospitals, extending compassion and wisdom to those facing challenges.
Preschool for children
The ārāma's commitment to comprehensive education for village children is a testament to its dedication to developing minds in the Buddha kind of way. The plan for free classes for children in subjects such as English, Pali, Sinhala, social skills, literacy, mathematics, science , art, music, dance. The nuns put extra stress on ethics in the Dhamma school. The nunnery currently lacks school books, and supplies. Food for one pupil for one month costs USD 40, school books for one pupil for six months USD 85.
Monastic requisites
The Srī Gothamī ārāma, serves as a sanctuary for venerable bhikkhunīs, particularly senior figures like Bhikkhunīs Darshikā and Wijithā. In recognition of their invaluable contributions and the challenges that accompany old age, with this grant, the hope is to cover the four requisites of food, clothing, shelter, and medicines. As the senior nuns face the challenges of old age, their healthcare needs become increasingly critical.
Making the temple accessible
Last year, the generosity of donors facilitated the purchase of a wheelchair for Bhikkhunī Matale Wijithā, providing her with enhanced mobility. However, the temple's facilities need further accommodations to ensure accessibility, allowing the venerable bhikkhunī to navigate the temple comfortably and participate fully in their monastic activities.
Humanitarian help
The Srī Gothamī ārāma emerges as a beacon of compassion during times of natural disasters that annually afflict the region. As heavy rains, winds, floods, droughts, or landslides pose significant challenges, the venerable nuns dedicate themselves to providing relief to those temporarily displaced.The venerable nuns collect, and distribute dry rations, clothes, and medicine.
Operations cost of the Olaboduwa temple
This temple’s operating cost includes support for a number of nuns in training. Running the ārāma and maintaining the vast outreach has been increasingly difficult in the past few years because of the Covid pandemic, worsening economic situation in Sri Lanka and steep price increases in electricity, gas, transportation costs and more.
Travel
Part of the funds allocated for local travels would support venerable bhikkhunīs (bhikkhunī Darshika, Venerable Vichithra and companions) in commuting to ordination ceremonies or community work in Sri Lanka. This not only strengthens the Bhikkhunī Sangha but also fosters connections with Buddhist communities.
Furniture and repairs
Your financial contributions would enable the ārāma to cover nuns to cover essential improvements to ensure a safe and comfortable living space. New tables, chairs, and shelves are urgently needed to accommodate the growing number of monastics at the temple. Repairing the floor leading to the outdoor bathroom to address slipperiness and instability, creating easy wheelchair access to the dāna hall and bathroom. There is also a need for a repair of the bathroom roof and wall. The water heating barrel is leaking.
Cooperation with other temples in the area
By joining hands locally with Koralaima (Sanghamitta Educational Center), Sudarshanaramaya, and the Sakyadhita Center, where higher ordinations take place, and with Karuṇā Sevena internationally, we aim to create a stronger, more vibrant spiritual community through collaborative work.
Sri Lanka is an island located right next to the Indian Peninsula. Ceylon is the name of the island of Sri Lanka, in fact, that very same name was used to be the official name of the country until 1972. About 75% of Sinhalese live in this multi-ethnic country. The minority is made of Indian Tamil people. Since 1830 Tamils were imported on the island from India as a labour force to work on the tea plantations. The country faced almost thirty years of civil conflicts. The fights for creating an independent state organized by the “Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam“ ended in 2009. The government military force defeated the Tigers. The fights caused many victims (up to 100.000). About three hundred thousand refugees made their way through the island. In 2005 this beautiful country faced massive destruction by a tsunami.
Support of the Project Suriya Lamai
Full name of the account holder: Spolek Karuna Sevena
Bank account: 6855679001/5500; IBAN: CZ4955000000006855679001; SWIFT: RZBCCZPP
Address of the recipient: Slezska 3; City: Prostejov, Zipcode: 79601; Country: Czech Republic
Email: karuna.sevena.en@gmail.com
The intention of the project Suriya Lamai “The Children of the Sun” is to enable children from underprivileged families to develop and educate themselves and to provide them with basic needs.
The donation is tax-deductible in the Czech Republic.
Please state the reason for the donation with the following note" For the Children of SL."
Neither of the above is a public collection, and therefore we ask all donors to add their contact information to their gift, so that we can issue a donation agreement contract or a donation receipt. We thank all the donors.
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