Announcing the Final Birken Online Upāsikā Program
for Dedicated Lay Buddhist Practitioners Around the World
Since 2015 Birken Forest Buddhist Monastery (‘Birken’) has offered the Birken Upāsikā Program for Dedicated Lay Practitioners as a formal training structure for lay people to practice and study together under the mentorship of Ajahn Sona. Over the past seven years, four Upāsikā groups have completed the one year training program, while the fifth group will be concluding their studies at the end of 2022.
The current Birken Online Upāsikā Program represents the final group in our Upāsikā training program. Once they have finished their current training, there will be nearly 225 Graduate Upāsikās who will continue their training independent of Ajahn Sona’s instruction.
What began as a bold experiment to share the Buddha’s teachings with a small group of lay people in North America has culminated in an expansive expression of commitment to the Dhamma from Upāsikās and Upāsakas in nearly 30 different countries. We wish to express our boundless gratitude to Ajahn Sona for his vision in moving the program forward, and for his unwavering kindness, generosity, and wisdom over these many years. Anumodana!
For those of you interested in studying under Ajahn Sona’s guidance, please see his YouTube Channel for an extensive library of Dhamma teachings for all levels of Buddhist practitioners.
Three Refuges:
1. To the Buddha, I go for refuge.
2. To the Dhamma, I go for refuge.
3. To the Sangha, I go for refuge.
Five Precepts:
1. I undertake the precept to refrain from taking the life of any living being.
2. I undertake the precept to refrain from taking that which is not given.
3. I undertake the precept to refrain from sexual misconduct.
4. I undertake the precept to refrain from false and harmful speech.
5. I undertake the precept to refrain from consuming intoxicating drinks and drugs which lead to carelessness.
Eight Precepts:
1. I undertake the precept to refrain from taking the life of any living being.
2. I undertake the precept to refrain from taking that which is not given.
3. I undertake the precept to refrain from any kind of sexual activity.
4. I undertake the precept to refrain from false and harmful speech.
5. I undertake the precept to refrain from consuming intoxicating drinks and drugs which lead to carelessness.
6. I undertake the precept to refrain from eating at inappropriate times.
7. I undertake the precept to refrain from entertainment, beautification, and adornment.
8. I undertake the precept to refrain from lying on a high or luxurious sleeping place.
Support the Monastery
Birken Forest Buddhist Monastery is a registered Canadian charitable society and is supported entirely by donations or ‘dāna’ (generosity). All teachings, accommodations, and meals are offered free of charge. It is left to the good will and discretion of visitors and well-wishers to decide how they might support the work of the monastery.
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Birken Forest Buddhist Monastery
7000 Smith Lake Forest Srv Rd.
Knutsford, BC | V0E 2A0 | Canada