1. Common understanding
Songdhammakalyani monastery is open for genuine female spiritual seekers, even those who are not Buddhists. Rare exceptions can be made for accompanying husbands or teachers but this is decided only after a personal consultation with Ven. Dhammananda.
There should be a common understanding for visitors, particularly those who want to stay overnight, that they come to the temple with an interest to have a unique experience of monastic life. It is, therefore, expected that they follow the monastic rules and schedule which include attending morning and evening chanting, the two meals, assist in the cleaning up of the kitchen before and after meals, and participate in any other community work which includes one hour helping out in the garden. Visitors can also assist the regular members of the monastery in doing their chores. This is always greatly appreciated by the bhikkhunis.
Going on alms round: on Sunday and on Wanpra (Buddhist days), visitors have the chance to follow monastics on their alms round. This is a unique opportunity where the guests can experience, for the first time, female monks receiving the alms round, a practice that dates back to the time of the Buddha. Guests can also assist them in the simple act of pushing the cart that carries their food.
Visitors can also request to meet with Ven. Dhammananda sometime during the day. If she is not busy, she is always willing to have a casual conversation with the guests.
2. Schedule: Daily & Weekly Routines
Daily Routine
| 5.30 – 6.30 am | Morning chanting and silent meditation |
| 6.30 – 7.00 am | Cleaning the dining hall and/or the library |
| 7.00 – 7.45 am | Breakfast – vegetarian food |
| 8.00 – 11.00 am | Doing the assigned job, reading, personal meditation, helping in the kitchen, etc. |
| 11.30 am – 12.15 pm | Lunch – vegetarian food |
| 12.15 pm | Washing up and tidying in the kitchen |
| 13.15 pm | Doing the assigned job, reading, personal meditation, study time |
| 4.30 – 5.30 pm | Community work – maintenance of the monastery, cleaning, pruning, weeding, sweeping fallen leaves etc. |
| 7.00 – 8.00 pm | Evening chanting and usually a Dhamma talk by Venerable Dhammananda, otherwise a short meditation session. |
| 10.00 pm | Lights off |
Weekly Routine
Saturdays & Sundays
| 8.00 – 8.30 am | Meditation at the Medicine Buddha Vihara (option to stay until 9:30) |
Sundays & Buddhist Days
| 6.00 – 7.00 am | Alms round – guests are welcome to join the monastics |
| 10.00 – 11.15 am | Uposatha building: Taking the Three Refuges and the Five or the Eight Precepts by laypeople, dana offering, and a Dhamma talk by Venerable Dhammananda in Thai, sometimes in English. |
Buddhist Days (full moon & dark moon)
| 6.30 – 8.00 pm | Special evening chanting at the Medicine Buddha Vihara with the monastics and laypeople. |
3. Precepts
Normally Buddhists take the 5 precepts when they come to stay at the temple.
To visit the monastery, it is not necessary to convert to Buddhism however, you must keep the 5 precepts while you are here. The 5 precepts are ethical code of conduct suitable for all people, no matter their beliefs.
These are:
• Abstaining from killing any sentient beings
• Abstaining from stealing
• Abstaining from sexual misconduct
• Abstaining from false and harmful speech
• Abstaining from taking any intoxicants
On Buddhist days, some Buddhists like to observe the 8 precepts, which are the basic 5 precepts plus:
• Abstaining from eating in the afternoon
• Abstaining from entertainment and beautifying oneself
• Abstaining from using luxurious furniture
Also, abstaining from sexual misconduct becomes being total celibate.
4. Proper interaction with Bhikkhuni/s
• When you see a monastic, greet them with hands together like in prayer, bow your head and if you want, you can say ‘namaskar’. You can address them as ‘Venerable’ or, if you speak some Thai you can say ‘Luang Pee’, which means ‘Venerable Sister’.
• Please do not touch a Buddhist monk, so no hugging, handshaking or putting an arm around their shoulder.
• Please do not sit higher than a Buddhist monk.
• Monastics do not sit on the same seat with laypeople and they eat separately.
• Do not engage with a monastic while she is eating.
5. Proper behaviour in the Temple
• Please remove your shoes before entering and of the buildings/rooms.
• Please do not stretch out your legs or sit with your arms hugging your knees.
• Please do not point your feet toward any Buddha statue or a monk.
• Please sit with your feet behind you, i.e., kneeling, (virasana, seiza) or with knees bent and your feet to one side. During meditation, you can sit cross legged, in lotus, or in the Burmese meditation position.
• You may bring your own cushion to sit on, although we do supply them at the temple.
• Please refrain from talking too much, especially during meal times and avoid loud speech.
• Please dress properly (see dress code).
6. Meeting with Ven. Dhammananda
If you would like to receive explanations in English or would like to have an appointment with Ven. Dhammananda, kindly schedule this by contacting us a few days in advance by e-mail.
7. Dress code
You are coming to a temple, therefore kindly cover yourself properly.
Shoulders and knees should be covered and long hair tied or pinned up.
Please avoid tight or transparent clothing.
Loose clothing is advised for sitting in the shrine room if you participate in morning and evening chants and it’s ideal if you can wear white for the chants, however it is not mandatory.
8. Daytime visitors
You can visit the temple (e.g. the Medicine Buddha Vihara, the library and the garden) from 08.30 A.M. to 05.00 P.M.
If you want, one of our monastics to show you the premises. There is no need to book an appointment in advance for one day visits.
Simply report to the front desk on the left side of the driveway after you pass the main gate. Beware of the dogs, but don’t worry, as soon as they bark, someone will come out of the office. They are usually quite friendly.
9. Overnight guests
We do allow overnight guests however, we request that you contact us well in advance by email and by filling out the registration from. Please state your motivation for wanting to come here and the desired period. We will get in touch with you to evaluate the options. During your stay, you will be considered a member of the sangha so you must follow the monastic schedule.
Kindly note that we offer very basic accommodation and we are located on the highway, meaning this experience is for the interested seeker of the Dhamma. Please arrive at the monastery before 5:00 p.m.. For those of you who are sensitive to noise, we recommend bringing silicone earplugs to facilitate sleeping.
We can accommodate larger groups of up to 30 people with specific programs to experience the monastic lifestyle. We often arrange such experiences for local and international universities and companies . The duration of a stay of this kind is usually around 3 – 4 days. Dhamma and meditation teachers interested in bringing their students are asked to prepare them in advance on the uniqueness of the monastery, its Theravada lineage and basic Buddhist knowledge.
A specific focus of our teachings and Dhamma talks for that group can be discussed and organized with ample advance notice. If you would like to arrange a group stay in a different format, kindly consult with us.
To cover basic expenses for your stay and for the upkeep of the monastery, we kindly ask you to contribute a donation of 25 USD per person/day.
If you would like to top this up with an additional donation, we would appreciate it very much, but please do not worry about it if your budget is tight. Please, before your visit, make sure you fill out the visitor request form below and you e-mail it to [email protected]. Thank you.
10. What to bring
For visitors staying for more than one day, we suggest you also bring working clothes for gardening.
We will provide you with a pillow, bed sheets and a towel; if needed, also with shampoo and soap.
Flip-flops are convenient as shoes are not allowed in the buildings.
Visitor rooms are double rooms (single occupancy, if available) and they have mosquito nets. The monastery is on a busy road so if you are sensitive to noise, we advise you bring earplugs to use at night.
Please also research the Thai weather conditions when packing. Insect repellent, sunscreen, a hat and water bottles are advised.
Please avoid leaving plastic waste in the monastery.
11. What to expect
Meal times
We have 2 meals a day, breakfast at 07.00 a.m. and lunch at 11.30 a.m.
If you are a layperson, you may keep some of the lunch meal for your dinner at 06.00 p.m.. Coffee, tea and soy milk are provided in the dining hall.
Going for Alms round
At least 3 Sangha members go out for alms round on Sundays and on the Wan Pra (Buddhist days according to the moon). They start out as early as 06.00 a.m. and as visitors you may like to follow them. The walk lasts approx. one hour.
Library
The library is open from 08.00 a.m. to 05.00 p.m. and we have both international (mostly English) and Thai books.
Please replace the book exactly where you found it and do not take the books out of the library. If you have a Dhamma book in the language of your country that you would like to donate, please let us know.
Community time
This is a requirement for everyone staying at our temple, whether as a guest or regular member. We spend 1 hour together in the late afternoon cleaning, raking, cutting grass, sweeping and removing branches and watering the plants.
We consider this time spent together as a way to chill out and equalize the restlessness of the mind.
It is a simple, yet beautiful way of giving without expecting anything in return. If we are mindful, these simple tasks can show us the 3 characteristics of all existence: impermanence, non-self and unsatisfactoriness. This, in turn, teaches us how to give up the ego, that illusive self that we cling to.
Kindly remember that you are coming to a temple to practice and the first steps for practice are sincere introspection and reflection.
We look forward to seeing you and we wish you have a pleasant and fruitful stay at our monastery!