Sarnath, India

THE SARNATH PROGRAMME : 11th  DHARMA GATHERING

Annuaul Dharma Gathering at the Thai Monastery, Sarnath, near Varanasi, from February 9 to February 19,
Christopher Titmuss, Jaya Ashmore, Gemma Polo and other teachers  hold a annual event of Dharma teachings and practices at the Thai Monastery in Sarnath, near Varanasi, India.see www.bodhgayaretreats.org for further information.

The Dharma Gathering is run entirely on dana (donations). 

See also Tiruvannamalai and Bodh Gaya Programme

Participants can stay in local monasteries, guest houses, tourist bungalow or local hotels.

One is free to attend all or part of the daily programme
To be held at the Meditation Centre,
Thai Monastery, Sarnath, UP
-25 minutes by taxi from Varanasi.

Participants are welcome to arrive on any day during this period and leave any day. It is our intention to offer a full programme throughout the month for beginners and those with many years of Dharma experience.

We will encourage those who wish to experience more silence and fully engage in the daily timetable to stay in the meditation centre, itself, during the time of their stay. Others have the opportunity to stay in nearby monasteries and guesthouses in Sarnath. There are several local restaurants for vegetarian meals. Sarnath acts as a wonderful resource for people daily to explore with others their experiences and understanding.

Our timetable includes yoga, meditation, inquiry, public talks, questions and answers. Teachers and assistants facilitate daily small groups meetings. These group discussions include such themes as dealing with fear and anger, relationships, the nature of awareness, studies of Buddhist texts, depths of meditation and liberation.

The intention with our programme in Sarnath is to provide a resource for daily Dharma teachings and practices under the guidance of experienced teachers and assistants. We wish to encourage Dharma students to participate in the programme for as many days as possible.

The Lord Abbot of the Thai Monastery, Sarnath, kindly invited us to give teachings in the meditation centre in his monastery, perhaps the largest monastery in Sarnath with acres of beautiful grounds, trees and flowers. We regard Sarnath as a place for individuals, couples and families to come together to contribute to each other's potential to live an enlightened life.

We experienced a wonderful response in our first three years in Sarnath. Everybody in the village made us very welcome. Between 70 to around 100 people participated daily in the Sarnath programme. We will continue to run the programme purely on donations (dana) for the monastery, costs of items and teachers. There is no need to send your name to book for the Sarnath Programme.

We look forward to seeing you in Sarnath.

Yours,
In the Dharma,

Christopher Titmuss
Co-founder