We are delighted to welcome Bhante Sujato for a few days with us in Dublin. As part of a series of retreats and talks in Europe on the the topic of “Ancient words (the Suttas, Early Buddhism), present choices (how we live our life) and future visions (climate change and the end of the world)”, Bhante will lead in Dublin a weekend retreat on: "Climate change and gender issues: Buddhism in the modern world".

Bhante has a passion for the early suttas and has recently translated afresh the main four books of the Sutta Pitaka (see here). He also created a vast depository of these texts and translations to make them accessible to everyone in the world (SuttaCentral). Apart from this major work, Bhante has always been concerned by the revival of the bhikkhuni order in Theravada (he's written numerous essays and books on the issue, see example here) and the wider question of gender issues and inclusivity in Buddhism and spiritual circles (e.g. his translations of the suttas are as much as possible gender-neutral) as well as the environment and how to best live one's life with respect for nature and other beings.

The retreat will probably be a mix of sitting and walking meditation, as well as metta meditation (of which Bhante is a keen adept) and discussions and Q&A on the topics above or anything that you'd like to bring up.

Venue: AppleTree Health and Wellness, Ranelagh (directions and map here). At the door press bell marked "Appletree TOP".

Time: 9:30am - 4:30pm

Fees: No fees - Anonymous donations only. Donation baskets will be available for IST and the teacher.

Lunch: We will share a vegetarian lunch on both days. Please bring some plastic-free savory and sweet food to share (we can't cook dishes on the day but we can warm up pre-prepared dishes!).

Registration: Retreat is fully booked. Please send an email to info@irishsanghatrust.ie if you'd like to be on the waiting list in case there are last minute cancellations.

On the day:

- Please be seated in the meditation hall at least 5 minutes before the session. Comfortable clothing is recommended. Dressing in layers is also a good idea.

- Refreshments, CDs and Dhamma books are available for free distribution.

Resources:

- You can read Bhante's latest essay on the topic of climate change here: Harbinger - A fireside chat

- His project dedicated to the Early Buddhist texts: SuttaCentral and the associated forum

- Bhante's new monastery in Sydney, Lokanta Vihara, with links to his latest essays

Bhante Sujato

Bhikkhu Sujato is an Australian Buddhist teacher and monk, who studies Buddhism in the forest monks tradition of Thailand. His main influences are the forest tradition, with its strict practice of the monk's discipline of Vinaya, the study of the early Buddhist sutras, and the practice of loving kindness which he learnt from Ajahn Maha Chatchai. In his studies of the early sutras he was struck by the parallel texts preserved in the Sansrkit, Chinese, and Tibetan texts, which he has presented as evidence that much of the original teachings of the Buddha were accurately preserved in these sutras. He also has a special interest in the ordination of women and the revival of the Bhikkhuni ordination in the Therevadhan traditions. He has founded Santi Forest Monastery in 2003 and served as its abbot. He resigned as abbot, ceasing his duties in 2012, to work on translation of the sutras into English, as one of the three founders of Sutta Central.

(biography courtesy of Encyclopedia of Buddhism)