Bodhi Tree Forest Monastery and Vipassana Retreat Centre

Bodhi Tree Forest Monastery and Vipassana Retreat Centre
Bodhi Tree Forest Monastery and Vipassana Retreat Centre was founded in 2006 by Venerable Pannyavaro (Pannya) an Australian monk of over 30 years service.
Pannyavaro spent many years studying and practicing in Burma and Sri Lanka and received higher ordination in the Thai tradition. He is better known as the founder and webmaster of the websites: BuddhaNet.net www.buddhanet.net, World Buddhist Directory: www.buddhanet.info/wbd/ Buddhist eLibrary: www.buddhistelibrary.org

At Bodhi Tree we are working on developing a meditation community to serve both lay and monastic practitioners on ninety-five acres of beautiful land at Tullera ten minutes from Lismore in the Northern Rivers of New South Wales, Australia. This land has been purchased as a sanctuary and hermitage – known as Bodhi Tree Forest Monastery and Vipassana Retreat Centre.





Supportive Conditions
Supportive conditions for ordained and lay practitioners to undertake intensive meditation practice are hard to find in western countries. To assist people to penetrate the heart of the Buddha’s teaching the Buddha Dharma Education Association plans to built a purpose built meditation retreat complex on its land at Bodhi Tree Forest Monastery. After having negotiated planning permission, we are currently work on the first stage of the build!

The Land

The land forms and tree cover at Bodhi Tree naturally divide the land making it easy for different activities to coexist here. From two streams with beautiful rock pools the land rises to a large flat plateau. There is a good balance of cleared and forested land with many impressive old trees, the creek valleys have plenty of flat and gently sloping areas. The plateau of 15 acres of rich red soil has expansive and uplifting views and is a natural choice for the Retreat Centre.

Bush Regeneration and Revegetation Project at Bodhi Tree

In 2006-2007, with a grant from the Envirofund, Bodhi Tree Forest Monastery planted 1,500 rain forest tree along our creeks and rock pools. Since then we have extended our bush regeneration and revegetation project over the past ten years and have now planted approximately 8,000 trees comprising local rainforest trees, koala food trees as well as fruit and nut trees, which are thriving!

2015-08-10
By: admin
On: August 10, 2015
CONTACT
Bodhi Tree Forest Monastery and Vipassana Retreat Centre
78 Bentley Road, via Lismore
Tullera NSW 2480
AUSTRALIA
+61 (02) 6628 2426
webmaster@buddhanet.net

:- http://bodhitreemonastery.org/

 

Rainforest Restoration


When we acquired the land it was very rundown and degraded, which required a massive effort to remove invasive weeds and trees in preparing the land for planting. As there was very little regeneration of the native rainforest we have had to resort mainly to revegetation.

Below is a sample of revegetation at Bodhi Tree Forest Monastery with new plantings and views of endemic subtropical rainforest we have established since 2006.



On acquiring the 95 acres (36.91 hectares) of land for a Buddhist Monastery and a Community Retreat Centre in 2006, our focus since then has been to restore the subtropical rainforest, which had been totally destroyed, leaving the land in a degraded state with just invasive trees and weeds.

More than 99% of the original subtropical rainforest in the Northern Rivers of New South Wales has been cleared since colonisation, leaving just remnants filled with endangered plants and animals. Our effort is and remains the on-ground restoration of critically endangered rainforest.

The land forms and tree cover at Bodhi Tree naturally divide the land making it easy for different activities to coexist here. From two streams with beautiful rock pools the land rises to a large flat plateau on which the new retreat complex is being built.

There is a good balance of cleared and reforested land with many impressive rainforest trees. The creek valleys have plenty of flat and gently sloping areas. The plateau of 15 acres of rich red soil has expansive and uplifting views and is a natural choice for the retreat centre, which we have now started to build.

The Rainforest Regeneration and Revegetation Project at Bodhi Tree

In 2006-2007, starting with a grant from the Envirofund, the Bodhi Tree Forest Monastery with the help of volunteers has been able to plant approximately 1,500 rain forest tree along our creeks and rock pools.

Since then we have extended our bush regeneration and revegetation project over the past seven years with the expertise of EnviTE assisted by the Green Army we have planted approximately 8,000 local rainforest trees, as well as koala food trees – donated by the Friends of the Koalas, including fruit and nut trees, which are now all thriving!

Bodhi Tree has received a $5k grant from the Lismore City Council’s “Rural Landholders Initiative” project to extend our bush regeneration work and revegetating of endemic rainforest trees. So with that help we have planted another 1000 trees, to bring up our reforesting effort to approximately 8000 trees.

 

Vietnamese Community Fundraiser
Members of Sydney’s Vietnamese Buddhist community came together earlier this year for a Bodhi Tree fundraising evening. It was a very successful night, the benefits of which will help us to make a start of the building of our new retreat complex.

Ven. Pannyavaro and the Bodhi Tree Retreat Centre team wish to thank all the volunteers who organised the night and the Vietnamese community for it’s generous support.



2017 – is our 11th Year at Bodhi Tree!

 

Volunteer Positions Vacant
Bodhi Tree Forest Monastery (located 10 minutes from Lismore, NSW) is seeking two lay supporters to help with administrative and general operations of the Centre. In return, volunteers will be offered free accommodation in a peaceful and natural setting, conducive for meditation practice. Please note: anyone applying for either role must attend the 6:00 am – 7:00 am group meditation practice. These roles offer a great service to the Bodhi Tree community and in return volunteers will live in a quiet, meditative atmosphere, located in beautiful, peaceful surrounds and have access to an extensive Buddhist library.

The following two volunteer positions are currently vacant – September 9th 2017:

Cook/Gardener

Knowledge of vegetarian cooking and nutrition essential. Preparing, when required, breakfast and lunch for occasional visiting meditators, and lunch for Ven Pannyavaro daily. This role finishes in the early afternoon (after lunch cleanup). These hours can be flexible. In addition maintenance and planting out of the kitchen garden would be appreciated.

Essential skills/duties:

– cooking of basic vegetarian foods
– sound hygiene practices
– driver’s license
– purchase of food supplies in Lismore
– ensure visitor’s room is clean before and after guest visit;
– greet guests and supply necessary items if needed
– take care of washing and airing of guest bedding

Office Worker and Web maintenance person

Working hours are approximately 8-12 noon, 5 days a week. These hours can be flexible.

Essential skills/duties:

– basic ability to maintain websites
– in the Abbot’s absence respond to incoming emails and post if required
– spread sheet skills and handling of invoices
– answering the phone and checking phone messages
– manage accommodation needs or inquiries
– driver’s license

Please note that these are not paid positions. Lodging, utilities and Internet access are provided free of charge. Outside of working hours, you will have access to our library facilities and guidance about Dharma and meditation.

For enquiries or to express interest, please contact: Ven. Pannyavaro (Pannya) venpannyavaro(at)gmail.com


On: August 15, 2015

 

MINDFULNESS MEDITATION WORKSHOP
SUNDAY 26th November 9 am to 4 pm

The teacher is Ven. Pannyavaro (better known as Pannya), who is Bodhi Tree’s founder and resident monk. Bodhi Tree Forest Monastery and Vipassana Retreat Centre is located at Tullera, ten minutes from Lismore in Northern New South Wales.

There’ll be instructions on the basics of Insight meditation, i.e. sitting, walking, and awareness during one’s daily activities. Emphasis will be on applying this knowledge, together with practical strategies, to both the intensive retreat practice situation and integration it into your everyday life.

If already experienced, this retreat can benefit you by providing an opportunity to work through with the teacher any difficulties or to clarify any questions regarding your meditation practice. So this will be opportunities to receive feedback on your practice from the teacher in a supportive environment.

This workshop should increase your confidence and ability to self-manage and further develop your practice, particularly when applying these meditation skills to daily life.

A light vegetarian meal is offered. No charge is made, however a donation towards costs is appreciated.

Please make a booking by filling in the Booking Form below . . .
If you’re not comfortable with the forms – book by phone: 02-6628 2426


MEDITATION EVENINGS AT BODHI TREE
The Wednesday Meditation Evenings are on hold as
Ven. Pannyavaro has other commitments until the new year.
Regular Wednesday Evenings Meditation with (Q & R )
Good Questions, Good Responses
Between 6:00 to 7:00 pm
All are welcome!

MINDFULNESS MENTORING
with Ven. Pannyavaro at Bodhi Tree Forest Monastery

To people who have or are willing to make a commitment to the practice of Satipatthana Vipassana in the Mahasi Sayadaw tradition, mindfulness meditation mentoring is being offered by Ven. Pannyavaro (Pannya), the Abbot and resident teacher at Bodhi Tree.

Selective students will be taken on with personal instruction and mentoring on a one-to-one basis. To qualify for this unique experience one must be prepared to follow instruction and be unreservedly committed to the practice over the long term.

The decision as to who will be accepted will be made by the teacher who has been a Vipassana practitioner since 1974, having studied and undertaken long periods of intensive practice with teachers in the Mahasi Sayadaw tradition in Myanmar.

Potential students who are interested can contact Bodhi Tree Forest Monastery and Vipassana Retreat Centre, located at Tullera, 10 minutes from Lismore, and make an appointment either by phone: (02) 6628 2426 or e-mail: webmaster@buddhanet.net

 

Vipassana Meditation with Pannyavaro (Part 1)

Bodhi Tree Forest Monastery & Vipassana Retreat Centre
Published on Jul 17, 2016
Vipassana Meditation Talk with Venerable Pannyavaro at Bodhi Tree Forest Monastery & Retreat Centre. www.bodhitreemonastery.org

 

Vipassana Meditation with Pannyavaro (Part 2)

Vipassana Meditation with Pannyavaro (Part 3)

Bodhi Tree Forest Monastery & Vipassana Retreat Centre
Jul 17, 2016