Carolina Buddhist Vihara
Greenville, SC
Exciting News!
In September of 2019 CBV initiated a Stupa Project for the backyard at the Vihara. Our fundraising efforts and the generosity of many sangha members allowed for the Stupa to be commissioned in Sri Lanka.
What we were unaware of at the time was that there would be a global pandemic that halted the progress of this project. Malika Vejay, co-founder of CBV, has been informed that the Stupa is now complete, photo above.
What remains to be done is:
Shipping from Sri Lanka to the US
Land transportation from the Port of Charleston to the Vihara, and
Site work at the Vihara
While great generosity was shown when the project was initiated, there were not enough funds to complete the project therefore we are asking for donations to complete this project.
If you are able, please consider a donation to CBV for the Stupa Fund. You can donate to this worthy cause by mailing a check directly to the Vihara referencing the Stupa Project.
Thank you!
With Metta,
Ayya Sudinna for Carolina Buddhist Vihara
Contact information:
Vihara phone # 864.329.9961
Address: 113 Woodridge Circle, Greenville SC 29607
Email: greenvillebv@gmail.com
Vihara Reopening
Good News! With the recent guidelines that the CDC issued we can begin to reopen the Vihara.
We request that all sangha members who attend in person follow CDC guidelines in relation to masks and social distancing. Due to social distancing in person attendance will be limited to 9 sangha members and Ayya. If you would like to attend in person for any scheduled offerings you must call first to reserve your space. The Vihara phone number is (864) 329-9961.
Meditation:
The Vihara is open for meditation every Monday & Thursday from 6.00- 8.00 PM.
Women only Meditation: A meditation session for women will be held every Friday from 9:00 -10:00 AM.
Sutta Study every other Saturday:
Sutta Study will continue every other Saturday on Zoom and will also be open to attend in person for those who are able to. The next Sutta Study will be May 29th. Please call to reserve your space if you intend on attending in person at the Vihara.
Vesak Day Celebration
On Sunday May 23rd CBV will hold a Vesak Day Celebration beginning at 10:00 AM with a Pot-Luck Lunch.
The morning session will be conducted OUTSIDE to accommodate all those individuals who would like to attend. Please remember to RSVP. As we do not have enough chairs it may be useful to bring a lawn chair to sit outside.
The afternoon session, of continued chanting, will be conducted inside, in the Shrine Room and be limited to 9 sangha members. This will be conducted in person. You must reserve your space in advance to attend this session.
With Metta,
Ayya Sudinna
864-329-9961
greenvillebv@gmail.com
2021 Clean-up Day & Pot-Luck Lunch
As the time nears to re-open the Vihara after the long Covid-19 shut down we’d like to have another clean-up day as we did in 2019. Sunday May 16th is the day Ayya has chosen. We’d like to combine this with a Pot-Luck lunch outside.
This year there will be both outside and inside clean-up.
Outside:
Raking, cleaning up the gardens, if anyone has the skill to mend the fence and replace some of the boards that would be very much appreciated. There may be a few potted plants to replant. If there are any ideas to secure and strengthen the cover and netting over the gazebo they would be welcome. Bring your own rakes, soil for replanting etc. Re-arrange the contents of the shed to make room for the items that will be moved from the attic to the shed for storage.
If a power washer can be obtained for the day the outside chairs and gazebo floor can be washed. If not just hosed down. The chairs may need a fresh coat of spray paint.
Inside:
While a general vacuuming, dusting, floors, bathroom clean-up is always welcome the big project for this year will be the attic.
The attic project will take a few strong, able-bodied individuals (3 or 4).
- All items in the attic must be brought downstairs for Ayya (and whom ever is assisting her) to go through the boxes to determine what should be kept, what can be donated and what no longer has value.
- Vacuum as much dust up as possible, with a shop vac if one can be obtained for the day.
- Once the attic is emptied bring the boxes and containers that will remain out to the shed and put those things to be disposed of out front for trash removal.
Please contact Ayya directly at the Vihara to let her know if you will be able to participate, whether your participation is inside or outside, how you would like to participate and if you will be able to donate any of the needed items, potting soil etc.
Ayya does look forward to seeing everyone once again and being able to welcome us all back!
864-329-9961
greenvillebv@gmail.com
Revival of Theravada Bhikkhuni Sasana in Cambodia
Ayya Sudinna visited Cambodia in December 2019. Cambodia is predominantly a Buddhist country with Buddhist Temples & Pagodas common throughout. The people are friendly & hardworking. It’s a country that has faced many hardships and is now emerging out of the gloom to take its due place in the international community.
A primary aim of the trip was to stimulate the revival of the Theravada Bhikkhuni Sasana in Cambodia. Ayya Sudinna arrived in Cambodia on the 18th of December, and returned to the Vihara on January 10, 2020. Her program in Cambodia included Fourfold Sangha participation in inaugurating a new Cetiya which contains a Buddha’s relic and commemorative art of ancient Bhikkhunis (the first to feature Bhikkhunis in Cambodia), meeting with the Sangharaja about supporting Bhikkhuni Sangha revival at his invitation, attending a Bhikkhuni Seminar, meeting with nuns, and a visit to the ancient temples in Siem Reap including Angkor Wat.
Angkor Wat
The beauty & grandeur of Angkor Wat draws many people from all over the world to Cambodia.
Angkor was the capital city of the Khmer empire, which flourished from approximately the 9th to the 15th centuries. Angkor was a megacity supporting at least 6.1 % of the global population during 1010-1220. In addition to the palace, the living quarters of the king & his family, there were many Buddhist temples & cells for Monks built in the 12th & 13th centuries. Some are built entirely of sandstone. There are also ruins of temples dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva.
Below are some pictures from the trip.
Ayya Sudinna in Cambodia
Ayya Sudinna will be departing the Vihara on December 16th, 2019 on a trip to Cambodia, arriving on the 18th in Cambodia. She will return to the Vihara on the 10th of January, 2020. The program in Cambodia includes Fourfold Sangha participation in inaugurating a new Cetiya which contains a Buddha’s relic and commemorative art of ancient bhikkhunis (the first to feature bhikkhunis in Cambodia), meeting with the Sangharaja about supporting Bhikkhuni Sangha revival at his invitation, a Bhikkhuni Seminar, meeting with nuns, and a visit to ancient Angkor Wat temple. The aim is to stimulate the revival of the Theravada Bhikkhuni Sasana in Cambodia.
A new Stupa for the Vihara
Exciting news!
Ayya Sudinna has a vision for the backyard at the Vihara.
This vision is centered around a new Stupa and would be a place where we can sit on benches, meditate, pay homage to the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha and/or make offerings to our dearly departed.
One of the Vihara’s co-founders has completed research and found that we can have an authentic Stupa from Sri Lanka fabricated, shipped and installed at the Vihara for approximately $10,000.
Today begins our fundraising campaign to raise these funds and see Ayya’s vision become reality.
If you can please consider a donation to CBV for the Stupa Fund. You can donate to this worthy cause on our Facebook Page
Please note that you MUST have a Facebook Account and be signed in to Facebook on your browser to donate via the previous link. If you do not have a Facebook account, please click on the Donate link in the top menu to find out how to donate directly to the Vihara for this fundraiser.
Let’s do this!!
Photos from Silent Retreat
A few pictures from the non-residential silent meditation retreat held at the Vihara from Friday June 21st through Sunday June 23rd are shown below.
Non-Residential Meditation Retreat
A non-residential silent meditation retreat is being offered from Friday June 21st through Sunday June 23rd. You can attend for all or part of the retreat. There are no accommodations for participants to stay overnight inside the Vihara, however, if you have a tent and sleeping bag you are welcome to camp out in the backyard. Meals will be potluck style with each participant bringing their own food or food to share. While there is no charge for this retreat, donations to the Vihara are welcome.
Date/Time: Friday June 21st, 2019 9:00AM to Sunday June 23rd, 2019 3:00PM
Location: Carolina Buddhist Vihara, Greenville, SC
Please let us know if you are going to attend all or part of this retreat. It’s a great opportunity to deepen your meditation practice.
Vihara Update – June 2019
Opportunity to provide a Meal/Dana
With summer vacations already beginning, a number of the sangha members who regularly provide meal dana to Ayya Sudinna either are, or soon will be, on vacation. If you would like to provide Ayya with a meal, please look at the Dana Calendar on the website and pick an open date/meal that is convenient for you. When delivering, you may bring the meal the day before or the morning of. Thank you, with much metta.
Schedule of Activities – June 2019
Sutta Study: June 16, 2019
Sutta Study is scheduled for Sunday June 16th, this is a change from the original date of 6/9. The sutta to be discussed is the Mahasaccaka Sutta: The Greater Discourse to Saccaka found in the Majjhima Nikaya #36.
Or at this link: https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/MN/MN36.html
Non-Residential Retreat: June 21, 22, 23
More information will be provided in the next few weeks. You can join us for part or all of the retreat, morning, afternoon or evening.
Weekly Schedule:
Monday June 3rd 6-8:00 Pm
Chanting and Meditation with Ayya Sudinna
Wednesday June 5th 6-7:30
Guided Meditation; Refresher for experienced meditators or for those new to the practice. Discussion before and after meditation.
Thursday June 6th 6-8:00 pm
Chanting and Meditation with Ayya Sudinna
Friday June 7th 9:30 – 10:30
Woman’s Meditation
May we all be well, happy and peaceful.
Vesak Day Celebration 2019
The Vihara held it’s Vesak Day celebration on May 19, 2019. The photos below show some of the decorations and activities at the Vihara on this special occasion.
This most important Buddhist festival is known as either Vesak or Wesak, and is celebrated annually on the full moon of the ancient lunar month of Vesakha, which usually falls in May, or in early June.
At Vesak Buddhists commemorate the birth of the Buddha-to-be, Siddhattha Gotama, his Enlightenment at the age of 35 when he became the Buddha and his final ‘passing’ into Nirvana at the age of 80, no more to be reborn. Buddhist scriptures relate that each of these three significant events occurred on a full moon of the Indian lunar month of Vesakha.
Vesak Day Celebration / Poya Day
Vesak Day is a holiday traditionally observed by Buddhists. It commemorates the birth, enlightenment and death of Gautama Buddha.
When: Sunday, May 19, 2019 at 10 AM – 4 PM
Where: Carolina Buddhist Vihara 113 Woodridge Cir, Greenville, South Carolina 29607
Weekly Schedule: May 5-19
Friends,
The following is the weekly schedule for next week:
Sunday 5/5/19
Sutta Study 2-4:00 pm
Aṅguttara Nikāya, The Book of the Fours, #61. Worthy Deeds. It can be found on page 449. For those who do not have a copy of the Anguttara Nikaya the Sutta can be found at this link
Monday 5/6/19 6-8:00 pm
Chanting & Meditation with Ayya Sudinna
Wednesday 5/8/19 6-7:30 pm
Guided Meditation, instruction and discussion. Refresher for experienced meditators for those new to the practice.
Thursday 5/9/19 6-8:00 pm
Chanting & Meditation with Ayya Sudinna
Friday 5/10/199:30 – 10:30 am
Women’s Meditation
Sunday May 19th (in 2 weeks)
Vesak Day Celebration!
May we all be well, happy and peaceful
Visit to the Bhavana Society Meditation Center
Ayya Sudinna recently translated Bhante G’s (Henepola Gunaratana) book Meditation on Perception: Ten Healing Practices To Cultivate Mindfulness into Sinhala from English and received published copies when she went to Sri Lanka. Ayya wanted to deliver the book to Bhante in person so we took a “road trip” to the Bhavana Society Meditation Center in West Virginia. These are some of the pictures that were taken. We also had a “road trip” around Bhavana when Bhante G graciously toured the grounds with us. It was a very special time as there were only 3 people in residence at Bhavana (including Bhante) and Ayya Sudinna, Indira and Roberta were the only 3 guests.
Day 1 of the Vihara Cleanup
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=435695923664473
Day 1 of the Vihara facelift! More to come!!!
Carolina Buddhist Vihara 