Pacific Hermitage

Join in a community meal offering and celebration of Magha Puja at the Pacific Hermitage. All are welcome! 

Three times a year, the community commemorates the primary Buddhist holy days at the Pacific Hermitage.  Magha Puja (sometimes called Sangha Day) will be observed on Saturday, Feb. 28 in the traditional way: Gathering at the monastery, offering a meal, taking the five precepts together, and talking on Dhamma with the monastics in residence.

The schedule for the day is from 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM, as follows:

• Arrive by 10 AM.
• If you like, you can bring a meal or dish to share, already prepared and ready to go on the table when you arrive.
• We will offer the meal by 10:30, eat, and clean up.
• Around 11:30, there will be time for chanting, taking precepts, Dhamma conversation, and perhaps tours of the property. There may be other activities as Ajahn Sudanto determines.
• Families are welcome! There’s a big field, a small pond, and walking trails for kids to enjoy.
• The event should wrap up around 1:00 PM.

Magha Puja celebrates the occasion when 1,250 arahant disciples spontaneously gathered to hear a teaching from the Buddha, the Ovādapātimokkha.  It is also the day the Buddha announced that he would enter Parinibbana in three months.  Ajahn Maha Boowa offered this talk on the significance of this holiday, if you want to discover more.

We hope to see you there!

While traveling in Thailand recently, Ajahn Sudanto was offered a beautiful Buddha statue and stand for the Pacific Hermitage. Depicting the Buddha’s first teaching at Deer Park, the statue is a replica of a renowned piece of Indian art from about 500 CE currently housed in a museum in Varanasi, India.  The image shows the Buddha’s hands in the Dhammacakka mudrā, signifying the setting in motion the Wheel of Dhamma.  The original is considered one of the most important masterpieces of Buddhist sculpture in world, and it fully conveys the concept of the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta, the teaching on the four noble truths.

The image offered is crafted from red sandstone, is slightly taller than 5 feet, and weighs more than 1,700 pounds. The offering was made specifically for the new Monks’ Retreat House to be built at the Hermitage (more on this below).

How the Offering Happened

Many kind people were involved in this offering, and how it came about seems quite auspicious. Ajahn Sudanto was visiting the Wat Pah Boonlorm monastery in Ubon, Thailand. The Vice-Abbot, Ajahn Dhirapanno, had commissioned a Buddha statue for a new uposatha hall to be built.  As is customary, a twin of the image was made at the same time.

When Ajahn Sudanto admired the Buddha image, Ajahn Dhirapañño coordinated with the sponsor of the images to offer its twin to the Pacific Hermitage.  Our community is very grateful to Ajahn Dhirapañño and to the sponsor, Phra Luang Por Suthum Sudhammo, Abbot of Wat Baan Taad monastery, along with a main supporter, Dr. Narirat and her family, for this very generous gift.  In addition, a sandstone pedestal base for the image was offered by Khun Sirichai and his family, the owners of the factory where it was made.

As is the custom, Ajahn Dhirapañño offered to name the Hermitage’s image. “Pariyosāna Sakyāmuni,” means “Śākyamuni, the Sage who has attained the serene and consummate fulfillment of Dhamma.”

Ajahn Sudanto went to the factory to chant blessings and invite the Buddha to the Pacific Hermitage. He invited Ajahn Achallo, Abbot of Anadagiri Monastery in Petchabun, Thailand, and Ajahn Ñyaṇiko, Abbot of Abhayagiri Monastery in California to join him for this joyous occasion.

Beautiful Connections to our Roots in Thailand

It is particularly meaningful that this extraordinary Buddha image offered is the twin of the one at Wat Pah Boonlorm, an Ajahn Chah lineage monastery in Thailand.  And in another sweet connection, even the source of the sandstone is from an area near Kahi Yai National Park in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand where Ajahn Sudanto went on pilgrimage with one of his early teachers, Ajahn Gunha. Having this image enshrined at the Pacific Hermitage will be a powerful symbol of the connection with our Thai Forest family right here in the Pacific Northwest.

The New Monks’ Retreat House to Be Built

It is timely that the offering was made specifically for the new Monks’ Retreat House to be built at the Hermitage.  Architectural Plans have been completed, and now everything is in place to move forward with this important project as soon as sufficient funds have been raised.

The Retreat House will be a multi-use space, but its primary purpose is to suitably accommodate senior monks in our Thai Forest tradition for visits and periods of solitary retreat. Features of this two-story dwelling include an accessible sleeping room with an en-suite bathroom, separate living space for an attendant, a kitchenette, and restrooms. It will also have a peaceful meditation and gathering space with expansive views of the forest that may be used for a variety of occasions.

This project is important because currently there are no suitable accommodations to house esteemed elders in our tradition such as Luang Por Pasanno, Luang Por Sucitto, visiting Thai senior Ajahns, or others in that generation of senior monastics. Once the Retreat House is in place, we will be able to invite these elders to spend extended periods of time with us right here in White Salmon. The community would have the chance to offer alms, engage in Dhamma discussions, and practice with them – in that small town, unstructured way that can actually happen in a place like the Hermitage.

The Retreat House will be the final major building project for the Hermitage, with only an additional monk’s cabin and some small renovations necessary to complete the vision for the hermitage facilities.  We are hoping to have the project largely funded by 2027 so it may be completed by our 20^th anniversary in 2030.  While it is a bold goal, the immense value to the community and impact on the Sangha makes us hopeful we can achieve it. And the new Buddha image is certainly a beautiful way to begin!

How You Can Help

For anyone who is interested in contributing, you can donate through the Sanghata organization that supports the monks.  You can designate the funds for the project by putting “Monks Retreat House” in the comment.

Chris Holcombe, a dedicated practitioner living in Fairview, Oregon, will be serving as our temporary Dana Coordinator. Chris has enjoyed visiting the Hermitage over the years with his family, and steps into this role with a spirit of generosity and care.  He looks forward to supporting the flow of dana and connecting with the community.  As always, you can reach the dana coordinator at dana@pacifichermitage.org.

Our Dana Coordinator, Cāgasiri, was recently involved in a car accident and is currently recovering from a traumatic brain injury. While she will miss being in touch with everyone during this time, her focus now needs to be on rest, healing, and recovery. We hold her with deep care and kindness as she takes the time she needs.

We are grateful to Chris for offering his time, energy, and willingness to serve in this interim period, anumodana!

Happy 2026!

The Hermitage has entered into the Winter Retreat time, which is from January 1st – March 31st. As previously noted, Ajahn Sudanto will be the only monastic in residence through the end of March. This is the first time that Ajahn has had the chance to spend winter retreat at the hermitage alone, and to really limit activities so that he is more fully in retreat mode. It is particularly good timing since his new kuti is complete, and he is very grateful for this time of peaceful, dedicated practice.  The community is happy to offer him this gift of supported solitude.

Ajahn’s Travels

Ajahn Sudanto returned to the Hermitage in early December after traveling for nearly two months. His journey began in October, when he visited Abhayagiri for the Kathina.  From there, he stopped in Japan to visit a relative in Kyoto before heading to Thailand. He spent more than a month in Thailand visiting eight different monasteries. The majority of his time was spent at Wat Khao Opat, Wat Pah Boonlorm, and Taotam Forest Hermitage, though he also visited Wat Pah Nanachat, Wat Nong Pah Pong, and Wat Pah Subthawee Dhammaram, among others. What a beneficial gift for Ajahn to spend time with the monastic Sangha in Thailand.

While in Thailand, Ajahn Sudanto was offered quite an auspicious gift specifically for the Monks’ Retreat House project.  The offering was a beautiful Buddha Rupa image and stand.  Crafted from sandstone, it depicts the Buddha’s first teaching at Deer Park, in Sarnath India.  More details about this beautiful and timely offering will be shared in a separate post very soon.

Tuesday nights at Yoga Samadhi

Though Ajahn is on retreat, Tuesday evenings at Yoga Samadhi will continue through the winter.  Tuesdays are a great opportunity to talk Dhamma with Ajahn during this time, and as a reminder the schedule is as follows:

• 5:15 PM – 6:15:  Silent meditation (doors are locked at 5:15 sharp)
• 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM:  Community meditation and Dhamma reflection

Anyone can join either or both sessions whether you have joined before or not, all are welcome.

Winter Meal Dana

A meal dana update for the winter was recently published here.

Looking Forward

We will begin our Garden Parties in April as usual.  The first one will be held on Saturday, April 4^th, mark your calendars.  Caring for the Hermitage land is a wonderful way to welcome in Spring and connect with the community.

Ajahn Sudanto will be away traveling for two weeks from mid-March.  In May Ajahn will be at Birken for the annual tradition of the Birken-Pacific Hermitage retreats from May 1^st – 24th.  (Reminder that registration is now open until January 21^st.) Following the retreats, Ajahn will travel to Abhayagiri for its 30th Anniversary celebration.

May the community be happy and well, and may 2026 be a fruitful year on the path.