WELCOME to the peaceful and friendly atmosphere of a Thai forest Buddhist monastery in the Southern Highlands, NSW, Australia. This is a place where you can learn and apply Buddhist teachings to add inner peace in your daily life.

 

We offer many Dhamma programs and activities for all levels of interest, from serious meditators to students or just curious visitors.

 

Monks and volunteers have created teaching tools to simplify the complicated Buddhist teachings into modern day language. Plants in the monastery gardens are carefully chosen to link with Buddhist history and add more peaceful and pleasant feelings to both meditators and visitors.  

 

We constantly carry out in depth research of Buddhist history, by visiting many archaeological sites and museums, and by meeting with experts in many universities around the world. The knowledge that we have acquired from this research helps us to extract the spiritual values of Buddhist teachings from the veil of cultural practises.

 

Our monthly meditation retreats are highly attended by people from all over Australia. We combine the beautiful rural location, archaeological history of Buddhism, ancient artefacts, stone carvings, visual arts, Buddhist chanting, and yummy Thai vegetarian food, with many outdoor activities i.e. Tai Chi Qi Gong, walking & sitting meditation in the gardens. Many people attend up to 6 retreats per year.

 

Monks from Sunnataram Forest Monastery have been regularly invited to talk on various topics of Buddhism and teach meditation in many universities, local and Sydney schools, and other countries. The monastery is a favourite place for local school excursions.

 

Sunday is a very suitable time when individuals, couples or the entire family can enjoy the beautiful view and art work around the monastery. Visitors are welcome to participate in our programs without changing their religion!! Parents and young children can experience offering vegetarian food to monks, listening to Buddhist blessings, short sitting meditation, Dhamma talk, and can feel free to ask questions to the monks. Every Sunday 11am-2pm.

Please read more from the above tabs.

 

 

 

For more enquiries, please contact us by email.

 

Thank you very much for all of kind support. All letters were sent to the Minister. Now we are just waiting for the outcome.

 

 

 

 Please read here for more info.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Instagram

To follow up our current activities, please visit Instagram @kimmcsweeney52  or   #sunnataramforestmonastery.

Every Tuesday

6 - 8 PM Buddhist Chanting, Guided Meditation & Dhamma talk by the monks. All are welcome.

Every weekend

Open Day for all visitors (good for the entire family) between 11 AM - 4 PM.

Please read 'Guideline for Visitors'.

Buddhism for HSC Students

After experiencing teaching Buddhism in many high schools, we have decided to include a section in our website to help those students studying Buddhism in HSC. Read more in 'Dhamma Teachings/Buddhism for Students'

The Principal Teachings of Buddhism

Buddhist teaching is always beneficial and practical for everyone even in this digital age. Once we practise Dhamma righteously, we can achieve inner peace without being involved in religious rituals and supernatural stories. Read more in 'Dhamma Teachings/ The Principal Teachings of Buddhism Part I, II and III by Ven. Ajahn Buddhadasa, Suan Mokh, Thailand.

Teaching Monks: Further Training in Australia

 

Sunnataram Forest Monastery now establishes a special training program: Teaching Monks: Further Training in Australia, to support international Buddhist monks who want to learn how to teach Buddhism in Australia and the West.

We welcome any non-Thai monk who would like to undertake this program to experience teaching Dhamma and helping Dhamma work in Australian culture for 3 months. Please email us.

Thank you & Sadhu

 

 

We would like to thanks to all friends who kindly donate Bunning Gift cards and other gift cards to the monks. We have been using them to purchase many building materials to maintain the monastery and to support our Dhamma teaching programs. May all happiness and wisdom be with all of us. Sadhu

Need to build a new meditation hall.

The Karuna Cloister: the Shrine of Compassion started in 2007 with the concrete slab and timber poles in place. Due to the increase in Dhamma teaching activities, the monks decided to pause the construction of both Karuna and Metta cloisters until the need arised. Now it's the time. Please see more detail in Project / Building Karuna Cloister for meditation 2015. and Lists of generous donors.

Activities for Feb 2018

Fri 2nd  - Sun 4th Feb 18

 

 

The First Weekend Meditation Retreat of 2018: The Power of Metta (Unconditional Love)

Please click here for photo and feedback.

 

 

Wed 14 Feb 2018

 

 

 

10 am - 3 pm   20 Students and teachers from MLC school, Burwoodl visit the monastery for Dhamma talk and Buddhist study.

 

 

Acitivities for March 2018

Fri 2nd - Sun 4th Mar 18

 

 

 

Weekend Meditation Retreat: Mindfulness & Well-being

Please click here to see some photos in Gallery/2018

Sun 18 Mar 2018

 

 

 

 

Biannual Thai Dhammayutta Missionary Monk of Australia and New Zealand Meeting at Thai temple, New Castle

Please click here to see more photos.

Fri 30th Mar - Mon 3rd Apr 2018

 

 

 

Easter Longweekend Meditation Retreat: Liberté  (only for experienced people)

Please click here to see photo

 

Activities for April 2018

Tue 10th April 2018

 

 


11 AM - 2 PM Students from Chevalier College, Bowral visit the monastery for Dhamma study and meditation. Please click here to see photos.

 

 

 

Fr i20th - Sun 22nd Apr 18

 

 

 

 

Weekend Meditation Retreat: Joy & Wisdom

Dear Everyone,

Thank you all so much for your wholehearted participation during the April weekend retreat.

Venerable Phra Mana, LuongPo Sawat, Peter and all volunteers enjoyed having you all in the monastery.

We are very grateful for your hard work during the working bee, and for helping to keep the monastery a beautiful place for everyone to enjoy.

Thank you to many of you who have already sent lovely emails of your experiences during the retreat.

And we hope Phra Mana’s teachings and the good vibration from the monastery will help to sustain your practice always.

 We hope to see you all again soon, if not at retreat, just for Sunday lunch and Dhamma talk

With metta,

Kim

Please click here to see photos and feedback.

 

Activities for May 2018

Fri 4th  -Sun 6th May 18

 

 

 

Weekend Meditation Retreat: Like a drop of water on the lotus leaf.

 

Dear Everyone,

Venerable Phra Mana, LuongPo Sawat, Peter and all the volunteers would like to thank you for your diligent participation in this weekend’s meditation retreat.

We are all very grateful for your help in the working hour, and for keeping the monastery tidy for our 60 Thai students tomorrow.

 “Like a drop of water on the lotus leaf”.

We train the mind to be free from attachment to the world and free from all unhappiness.  

Nirvana is the summit of all Buddhist blessings, which will happen only we have cultivated a lot of virtues as described in Mangala Sutra.

Mindful breathing offers us two major benefits: relax and wisdom. Breathe to relax, breathe to be free.

As 4 legs support a table, consider to use a combination of techniques to establish calmness of mind.  

For example, loving-kindness meditation is the combination of:

1.Visualization of smiling faces of people who love us 2. Delightful happiness 3. Saying ‘Happy in, happy out’. 4. Mindful breathing.

However we may also apply other combinations to remove different kinds of the five hindrances.

When the mind is calm, learn to practise Vipassana meditation, observing whatsoever comes into the mindful breathing first, till the mind can ‘see’ change of that object.

Narrow the window of consciousness to focus on one object at a time, so the message of impermanence will be clear.

Repeat observing with mindful breathing until Á ha’moment comes.

The letting go of attachment will be done by the Awakened consciousness itself.

Be aware that we can lose mental skill easily, so make time to maintain our practise.

Dilute the colourful water with mindfulness, calmness and wisdom each day, eventually the mind will be clear.

The mind is like a guest house so all thoughts, memories and feelings are just guests.

Please email me if you would like any further explanation or clarification.

I can also email copies of the whole chanting book, or just Mangala Sutra, if you wish to study further.

If you would like to continue coming to our retreats, Mangala Sutta is an excellent chant to memorize and learn the meaning.

More photos will be on website shortly.

 Kim
 

 

 

 

 

Mon 7th - Thur 10th May 2018

 

 

 Special Retreat for 60 girl students from Thailand


The special visit from a group of 60 girl students (13-14 years old) from many schools from Thailand  to our monastery. They will learn meditation, history of Buddhism and Aussie lifestyle. Fun will be included i.e bon fire, bush walk, painting the world map, night safari (searching for wombats and kangaroos) and yummy Thai vegetarian food. This is a special request from Nan Tien temple to assist their youth project. Any friend who wants to help out for this event, please contact Kim  by email: [email protected] (Otherwise two old monks here will have more grey hair with 60 teenagers).

 

 

 

Fri 11 May 2018

 

 

 

7 - 9 PM Dhamma talk by Phra Mana at ANU, Canberra

The Australian National University Buddhist Association (ANUBA).

https://www.facebook.com/TheANUBuddhistAssociation

 

Sun 20th - Sat 26th May 18

 

 

 

Vesak retreat: The Middle Way

We accept only people who have done many meditation retreats in Sunnataram Forest Monastery only. The purpose is to encourage these people to further their understanding and practise of the Dhamma in the same style which they all are familiar with. Their pariticipation is at the discretion of the teacher. Thank you.

 Before you book in for the retreat, please be sure that you can complete the whole retreat. Leaving the retreat earlier is considered to be disrespectul and unfair to many friends who can't come due to your booking and our volunteers who need to prepare the meals. Thank you.

 Places are still available. Please send in the application form at least 7 days in advance.

Activities for June 2018

Fri 8th - Mon11th Jun 18

 

 

Queen's Birthday Long Weekend Meditation Retreat: Happiness is here & now

 

Before you book in for the retreat, please be sure that you can complete the whole retreat. Leaving the retreat earlier is considered to be disrespectul and unfair to many friends who can't come due to your booking and our volunteers who need to prepare the meals. Thank you.

Places are still available. Please send in the application form at least 7 days in advance.

 

 

 

Activities for July 2018

Fri 6th   - Sun 8th Jul 18

 

 

Combined University Retreat


Students from Sydney University, MacQuarie university and University of Technology Sydney will practise meditaton in the monastery.

 

 

 

Fri 20th   - Sun 22nd Jul 18

 

 

Weekend Meditation Retreat: Awareness & Compassion

Love brings happiness, but compassion helps to remove troulbes away from all of us. Let's learn how the combination of mindfulness and wisdom can help us to find peace and to promote compassion at the same time.

Before you book in for the retreat, please be sure that you can complete the whole retreat. Leaving the retreat earlier is considered to be disrespectul and unfair to many friends who can't come due to your booking and our volunteers who need to prepare the meals. Thank you.

Places are still available. Please send in the application form at least 7 days in advance.

 

 

 

 

Activities for August 2018

Fri 17th  - Sun 19th Aug 18

 

 

 

Weekend Meditation Retreat: The Seven Steps to Enlightenment

Enlightenment is practical and achievable when we learn to cultivate the right qualities within us. This weekend we will practise sitting & walking meditation and listening the Dhamma talk of these seven steps towards inner peace.

Before you book in for the retreat, please be sure that you can complete the whole retreat. Leaving the retreat earlier is considered to be unfair to many friends who can't come due to your booking and our volunteers who need to prepare the meals. Please email us asap if you have to cancel your booking.Thank you.

 

 

Fri 31st  Aug - Sun 2nd Sept 18

 

 

 

Weekend Meditation Retreat: Nirvana

Nirvana doesn't mean Inner Peace after death, but it is the blissful happiness which everyone can experience in the present life.  Let's use consolidate our Dhamma qualities and achieve the end of unhappiness in the present moment.

Before you book in for the retreat, please be sure that you can complete the whole retreat. Leaving the retreat earlier is considered to be unfair to many friends who can't come due to your booking and our volunteers who need to prepare the meals. Please email us asap if you have to cancel your booking.Thank you.

 

Activities for September 2018

Fri 29th - Mon 1st Sept 18

 

 

Labour Day Long Weekend Meditation Retreat: Awakening in the garden

 The Buddha was born in the garden, attained Enlightenment in the garden, taught in the garden and passed away in the garden. Let us enjoy the practise of sitting & walking meditation in the monastery gardens and experience how the calming power of nature enabled the Buddha to attain Inner Peace 2600 years ago.

Before you book in for the retreat, please be sure that you can complete the whole retreat. Leaving the retreat earlier is considered to be disrespectul and unfair to many friends who can't come due to your booking and our volunteers who need to prepare the meals. Please email us asap if you have to cancel your booking.Thank you.

 

Activities for October 2018

Fri 19th - Sun 21st Oct 18

 

 

 

Weekend Meditation Retreat: Heart Blossom

Activities for November 2018

Fri 2nd  - Sun 4th  Nov 18

 

 

Weekend Meditation Retreat:  Art of A Beautiful Living

 

 

 

Activities for December 2018

Fri 1st  - Sun 3rd Dec18

 

 

Last Meditation Retreat for Beginners for the year 2018: Born Pure Again

 

 

 

Retreat Dates

Meditation retreats start from 6pm on the first day, and finish at 2pm on the last day (except long weekend). Please apply online at least 7 days in advance, and see Meditation Retreat Rules and Guidelines for more information.

 2018

 

 

April             Fri 20th – Sun 22nd  sorry the retreat is full.

 May               Fri 4th –  Sun 6th

May               Sun 20th –  Sat 26th  (Vesak retreat for only experienced people)

 June              Fri 8th - Mon 11th ( Queen’s Birthday Long Weekend)

 July               Fri 20th – Sun 22th

 August          Fri 17th –  Sun19th    

 September     Fri 31st Aug  -  Sun 2nd Sept

 September     Fri 28th – Oct  Mon 1st   (Labour Day Long Weekend)

 October         Fri 19th – Sun 21st

 November      Fri  2nd  –  Sun 4th  

 December      Fri 1st  – Sun 3rd (Last retreat for beginners)

 December      Wed 26th Dec 2018 – Jan  Tue 1st  Jan 2019 (Boxing Day & New Year for only experienced  people)

 

All enquiries email: [email protected] 

Thank you.

All retreats run by donation. We recommend a donation of $55 per night to cover monastery expenses.  The monastery makes no profit from your kind donation. If you wish to donate more, your generosity is greatly appreciated, and will ensure the retreat programs continue to help many more people.

Please send your donation to:

Sunnataram Forest Monastery

ANZ Bank

BSB: 012 547

Acc No: 2370-37944

Things We Need

We are grateful for your kind support to the monks, but in the past 25 years the monks have received too many unnecessary things, and they have a ‘big’ problem to store them. We feel responsible for your good Kamma and the waste of your money. For example, many kinds of food expire before the monks can eat, too many towels, toothpaste, soaps and monk’s robes are eaten by mice etc.

While other necessary things that the monks use more often, but not included in the ‘traditional monk gifts’, are not known by supporters. 

Since 2008, monks of the Sunnataram Forest Monastery, realizing people’s need for peacefulness of mind, focus their mind and dedicate their energy on teaching Dhamma and conducting monthly and special meditation retreats, for both youth and adults. The result is wonderful, inspiring  and brings much rejoicing. There is so much positive feedback that will gladden your heart, so please read the feedback and messages from our website.

To continue these worthy activities, we need many other necessary items which can be used either for the Dhamma study program or to maintain the monastery.

To support fulfilment of your wishes, to value your kind gifts to the monks, and to help other people learn Buddhism we would humbly like to suggest the following items:

 

Gardens:  the following plants- Waratahs, Rhododendrons, Pieris Temple Bells, Hellebores, Euphorbia,  and bags of potting mix.

Office: Epson 82 printing ink: all colours

Research Books: Thanks and Anumodhana - Rejoice with Ong Wei Jin for your kind donation to purchase these books which will greatly help Phra Mana's research and lectures to many people. Sadhu Sadhu Sadhu

Building Materials: 

  • Decking timber, hard wood, any sizes & length.
  • Outdoor screw, nuts and bolts any size
  • Or just Bunning Gift Cards  or Home Hardware Gift cards and post to the monastery.

Thank you very much.

Or donation to

Sunnataram Forest Monastery

ANZ Bank

BSB: 012 547

Acc No: 2370-37944

 

Things not to bring to the monastery

  • Bags of rice , bags of sugar, dry noodles(we have too much and hard to store them and rat & mouse problems)
  • Bath towels, toothpaste, tooth brush, soap, monk's robe, socks, shoes and medicine (we have no store room and they always expire)

 

 

สิ่งของที่ไม่แนะนำไปถวายที่วัด

ข้าวสารถุง, น้ำตาลถุง, เส้นหมี่แห้ง(เพราะมีมากจนไม่มีที่จะเก็บ มีปัญหาเรื่องหนูตามมา)

ผ้าเช็ดตัว, ยาสีฟัน, แปรงสีฟัน, สบู่, จีวรพระ, ถุงเท้า, รองเท้า, ยารักษาโรคชนิดต่างๆ (ไม่มีที่จะเก็บ และหมดอายุเร็ว)

สิ่งของที่ทางวัดต้องการ

กรุณาดูจากรายการข้างบน สาธุ ขออนุโมทนา

ข้อแนะนำก่อนไปวัด

สุภาพสตรี กรุณานุ่งห่มผ้าให้เรียบร้อย ยาวปิดข้อศอกและยาวปิดหัวเข่า ห้ามนุ่งกระโปรงหรือกางเกงขาสั้นจนเปิดถึงต้นขา ห้ามใส่เสื้อรัดตัว หรือคอกว้างลึก หรือ เปิดแผ่นหลัง

  • ประตูวัดเปิดบ่าย 1 โมง และปิดบ่าย 4 โมง ระหว่างวันอังคาร -วันศุกร์   หากจะถวายเพล เวลา 11 โมงเช้า ระหว่างวันอังคารถึงศุกร์ กรุณาช่วยโทร หรือ อีเมล์แจ้งก่อนล่วงหน้า เพราะบางวัน พระต้องไปสอนธรรมนอกวัด
  • ปิดวัดทุกวันจันทร์ เพราะพระต้องเข้ากรรมฐานปฏิบัติธรรมตัวเอง
  • เสาร์อาทิตย์เปิดตั้งแต่ 11 โมงเช้า ถึงบ่าย 4 โมง
  • ขออภัยในความไม่สะดวก และขออนุโมทนาในบุญกุศลเมตตาของทุกท่าน