News
Vesak celebration in Sumedharama – 15 May 2022

Next Sunday, May 15th, the celebrations will take place. Vesak in Sumedharama, thus commemorating the Birth, Enlightenment and Parinibbana of Buddha Gautama, with the following program:
10 a.m. – Taking of the Precepts, followed by Parittas (Songs of Protection)
10.30 a.m. – Rice ceremony (pindabat) and meal offer
11 a.m. – Lunch
12.30 p.m. – Ajahn Gavesako, invited monk, will give a Dhamma Lecture
All are invited to participate, being able to enjoy the commemorative and contemplative atmosphere of the occasion and space of the Monastery.
Well Hajam
Online meditation and Q&A with Ajahn Vajiro:
14 March 2022
11.30 – 13.00 (WET)
Dear friends,
A Little Bangkok Sangha organised an online Dhamma session with Ajahn Vajiro via the Zoom platform.
To participate you can use the following link
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/6871703208
e
Meeting ID: 687 170 3208
With best wishes,
the Sangha of Sumedhārāma
The Four Brahma Viharas – with Ajahn Vajiro – 2022-03-09
The Italian Association “Progetto PienEssere” organised an online Dhamma Talk with Ajahn Vajiro.
This will take place on Wednesday 9 March, from 18:30 to 20:00 and can be accessed through the Zoom platform with the link:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84193388344?pwd=T0VIVUxRa2RFaXRkUkFvb3pLZ1dEZz09
or
Meeting ID: 841 9338 8344
Password: 230503
Everyone is welcome
The Triple Jewel: Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha - with Ajahn Vajiro - 2022-02-09
The Italian Association “Progetto PienEssere” organised an online Dhamma Talk with Ajahn Vajiro.
This will take place on Wednesday 9 February, from 18:30 to 20:00 and can be accessed through the Zoom platform with the link:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89412456168?pwd=ZWc3ZU9kWDZIZFBOWnFJZmFTeWprUT09
or
Meeting ID: 894 1245 6168
Password: 520878
Everyone is welcome
Ajahn Vajiro:
Make Peace and Open Your Hand
Dear friends,
Saturday 11 December 2021, Ajahn Vajiro will give a Dhamma Lecture hosted by Bandar Utama Buddhist Society (Malaysia).
You can watch it through:
Zoom Link : www.bubs.my/zoom/tav
meeting ID : 864 7971 6663
Passcode : 211211
Order of events:
8.30 p.m. (Malaysia) / 12.30 p.m. (Portugal) – Small Guided Meditation
20:45 (Malaysia) / 12:45 (Portugal) - Dhamma Lecture: Make Peace and Open Your Hand
21.30 (Malaysia) / 13.30 (Portugal) - Questions and Answers
21.45 (Malaysia) / 13.45 (Portugal) – Merit Sharing and Closure
22h (Malaysia) / 14h (Portugal) – End
With best wishes,
the Sangha of Sumedhārāma
Meditation and Silence Retreat - 7-9 January 2022

This retreat will be guided by Ajahn Vajiro and will take place at the St. Ignatius Retreat House in Sintra.
The organization is in charge of Helena Gallis.
Registration is now closed as the maximum number of participants has been reached.
With best wishes from the Sumedhārāma Forest Sangha
Kathina 2021
Celebration of Kathina in Sumedharama
Sunday 24 October 2021

Everyone is welcome to participate in this occasion, celebrating the presence of the monastic community in Sumedharama:
Programme:
9.30 a.m. – Arrival at the Monastery (bring a meal to share)
10 a.m. – Request for the five precepts, followed by songs
10.30 a.m. – Rice supply (Pindapat)
11 a.m. – Dinner for monks and lunch for the lay community
12.30 p.m. – The community offers the traditional monastic habit
1 p.m. – Lecture by Ajahn Vajiro
From 14:00 – Informal conversation with the monks.
In the rainy season (Vassa), in Asia, (the period corresponding to summer in Europe) the monks undertake to stay in a certain place for three months.
The story goes that at the end of this period, the Buddha allowed the monks to look for fabric with which they could patch up their old habit or even make a new one. The fabrics that the monks collected consisted of rags that had been thrown away. Over time people, realising this need, began to hang fabric from the trees so that the monks could ‘find’ them. The custom then developed so that not only pieces of cloth were left on the trees, but also the habits already made. People saw here an opportunity to make offerings of other requirements to monks, as a gesture of support and appreciation of their practice. The ceremony was called Kathina, which is the name of the loom that monks use to sew their habits with the fabrics offered.
In this same ceremony the monks offer lectures on the Dhamma, and there is also a period where people have the opportunity to meet and talk to the monks more informally. In this event it becomes quite evident the interconnection of the lay community with the monastic community and how both benefit from this dynamic.
Outside and Inside - New Audiobook
With great joy, Sumedharama Monastery held its first Audiobook,
which we hope will be beneficial to all those who have the opportunity to listen to it.
This is the book ‘Outside and Inside’ by Ajahn Jayasaro.
It presents a series of “Questions and Answers that may be of interest to you.
To access the book please click here.
With our best wishes
The Sangha of Sumedhārāma Forest
Vesak celebration in Sumedharama – 15 May 2022

Next Sunday, May 15th, the celebrations will take place. Vesak in Sumedharama, thus commemorating the Birth, Enlightenment and Parinibbana of Buddha Gautama, with the following program:
10 a.m. – Taking of the Precepts, followed by Parittas (Songs of Protection)
10.30 a.m. – Rice ceremony (pindabat) and meal offer
11 a.m. – Lunch
12.30 p.m. – Ajahn Gavesako, invited monk, will give a Dhamma Lecture
All are invited to participate, being able to enjoy the commemorative and contemplative atmosphere of the occasion and space of the Monastery.
Well Hajam
Online meditation and Q&A with Ajahn Vajiro:
14 March 2022
11.30 – 13.00 (WET)
Dear friends,
A Little Bangkok Sangha organised an online Dhamma session with Ajahn Vajiro via the Zoom platform.
To participate you can use the following link
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/6871703208
e
Meeting ID: 687 170 3208
With best wishes,
the Sangha of Sumedhārāma
The Four Brahma Viharas – with Ajahn Vajiro – 2022-03-09
The Italian Association “Progetto PienEssere” organised an online Dhamma Talk with Ajahn Vajiro.
This will take place on Wednesday 9 March, from 18:30 to 20:00 and can be accessed through the Zoom platform with the link:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84193388344?pwd=T0VIVUxRa2RFaXRkUkFvb3pLZ1dEZz09
or
Meeting ID: 841 9338 8344
Password: 230503
Everyone is welcome
The Triple Jewel: Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha - with Ajahn Vajiro - 2022-02-09
The Italian Association “Progetto PienEssere” organised an online Dhamma Talk with Ajahn Vajiro.
This will take place on Wednesday 9 February, from 18:30 to 20:00 and can be accessed through the Zoom platform with the link:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89412456168?pwd=ZWc3ZU9kWDZIZFBOWnFJZmFTeWprUT09
or
Meeting ID: 894 1245 6168
Password: 520878
Everyone is welcome
Ajahn Vajiro:
Make Peace and Open Your Hand
Dear friends,
Saturday 11 December 2021, Ajahn Vajiro will give a Dhamma Lecture hosted by Bandar Utama Buddhist Society (Malaysia).
You can watch it through:
Zoom Link : www.bubs.my/zoom/tav
meeting ID : 864 7971 6663
Passcode : 211211
Order of events:
8.30 p.m. (Malaysia) / 12.30 p.m. (Portugal) – Small Guided Meditation
20:45 (Malaysia) / 12:45 (Portugal) - Dhamma Lecture: Make Peace and Open Your Hand
21.30 (Malaysia) / 13.30 (Portugal) - Questions and Answers
21.45 (Malaysia) / 13.45 (Portugal) – Merit Sharing and Closure
22h (Malaysia) / 14h (Portugal) – End
With best wishes,
the Sangha of Sumedhārāma
Meditation and Silence Retreat - 7-9 January 2022

This retreat will be guided by Ajahn Vajiro and will take place at the St. Ignatius Retreat House in Sintra.
The organization is in charge of Helena Gallis.
Registration is now closed as the maximum number of participants has been reached.
With best wishes from the Sumedhārāma Forest Sangha
Kathina 2021
Celebration of Kathina in Sumedharama
Sunday 24 October 2021

Everyone is welcome to participate in this occasion, celebrating the presence of the monastic community in Sumedharama:
Programme:
9.30 a.m. – Arrival at the Monastery (bring a meal to share)
10 a.m. – Request for the five precepts, followed by songs
10.30 a.m. – Rice supply (Pindapat)
11 a.m. – Dinner for monks and lunch for the lay community
12.30 p.m. – The community offers the traditional monastic habit
1 p.m. – Lecture by Ajahn Vajiro
From 14:00 – Informal conversation with the monks.
In the rainy season (Vassa), in Asia, (the period corresponding to summer in Europe) the monks undertake to stay in a certain place for three months.
The story goes that at the end of this period, the Buddha allowed the monks to look for fabric with which they could patch up their old habit or even make a new one. The fabrics that the monks collected consisted of rags that had been thrown away. Over time people, realising this need, began to hang fabric from the trees so that the monks could ‘find’ them. The custom then developed so that not only pieces of cloth were left on the trees, but also the habits already made. People saw here an opportunity to make offerings of other requirements to monks, as a gesture of support and appreciation of their practice. The ceremony was called Kathina, which is the name of the loom that monks use to sew their habits with the fabrics offered.
In this same ceremony the monks offer lectures on the Dhamma, and there is also a period where people have the opportunity to meet and talk to the monks more informally. In this event it becomes quite evident the interconnection of the lay community with the monastic community and how both benefit from this dynamic.
Outside and Inside - New Audiobook
With great joy, Sumedharama Monastery held its first Audiobook,
which we hope will be beneficial to all those who have the opportunity to listen to it.
This is the book ‘Outside and Inside’ by Ajahn Jayasaro.
It presents a series of “Questions and Answers that may be of interest to you.
To access the book please click here.
With our best wishes
The Sangha of Sumedhārāma Forest
The Foods We Need
People often ask us what they can offer us in terms of food.
In addition to the Meal Offer link calendars proper, often meals are made in the Monastery itself, so there is really also the need to have ingredients for the people who stay here overnight to be able to cook.
Thus, at the moment the most missing foods are:
- Soya milk
- Fruit: apples, bananas
- vegetables and vegetables:
watercress, lettuce, spinach, kale, turnips, carrots, coriander - Cheese
With great gratitude from the Monastic Community
Anumodana
DIRECTIONS
Coming from Lisbon (by car)
Take the A8 towards Leiria and leave for the A21 (Exit 5) towards Ericeira. Follow the A21 to the end and at the roundabout, exit at the third exit, towards Fonte Boa dos Nabos. After 550 meters turn right, where it says Fonte Boa dos Nabos. After the tunnel, always go straight ahead, on General Humberto Delgado Street, passing through the center of the village. At the intersection, continue on Rua do Vale Grande until you find on your left the Caminho do Vale Grande (before a yellow house with a
white wall). In 800m, after a stretch of dirt road, you will reach Sumedharama.
Coming from Lisbon (by bus)
Take bus 2740 from Carris, in Campo Grande, to Ericeira.
Arriving at Ericeira you can take a taxi to the monastery (3kms)
Coming from Porto
There are two possibilities:
- via Aveiro – coming by IC1 (A17/A8) to find the A21 near Venda do Pinheiro. After that, you can follow the same indications as in “from Lisbon”.
- via A1 Porto-Lisbon, and near Alverca leave for CREL (A9). Then leave for the A8 towards the North and follow the same indications as in “Lisbon”.


