Our Work in Australia

Welcome to the Bodhicitta Dakini Monastery (Kalyanamitra Fund)

We are a monastery for Western Monastics in the Tibetan Buddhist/Mahayana Forest tradition. We are also a socially-engaged Centre of Contemplation, with the aim of providing training, shelter, and emotional/spiritual support for Western Nuns, Monks, and the lay-community. We base this around the traditional model of the Four-Fold Sangha of Nuns, Monks, lay-women, lay-men, and non-binary people, founded by the Buddha.

Our Monastery is 38 beautiful acres of UNESCO World Heritage Forest in the Western Tiers of northern Tasmania, an island on the very southern tip of Australia. We emphasise gender equality and nun-driven leadership, as historically, women have been left out of most positions of power in Tibetan Buddhism, while also receiving less support and education.

We invite you to be a part of this exciting project to offer teaching and establish the Dharma in the west, with the ultimate goal of creating a more compassionate, peaceful, and sane world. Our aim is to create a monastery and retreat centre where non-Himalayan monastics can live, practice, and study. Currently, Western monastics have to pay money to live in lay-centres, and also have an 85% disrobing rate due to lack of support. With our Monastery, western monastics can live in the Vinaya, do deep practice, study social service, and gain the insights necessary to preserve the vast and profound teachings of non-sectarian Tibetan/Theravada fusion Buddhism, called Mahayana Forest Tradition.

We draw inspiration and influences from other traditions, such as the Thai Forest Tradition  of using alms bowls, doing the Kathina cloth, alms round, tudong pilgrimage, and living in simplicity in nature with a monastic routine. We also utilise the teachings of the Plum Village Thich Nhat Hanh tradition of beginning anew, non-violent communication, communal harmony, mindful eating, and mindful living.

People are most welcome to visit us, attend our online classes (on the Bodhicitta Foundation YouTube Channel), offer a meal, ask for a ceremony, apply for ordination, or apply for retreat time. Please make sure to see our criteria before applying.

To find out more, please visit us at: https://bodhicitta-monastery.com/ , or email us at: moondakini@hotmail.com

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