Vesak Day (Visakha Puja)

Saturday, June 3, 2023
5:00 AM 10:00 PM 05:00 22:00

Temple Forest Monastery Jessen Ln Temple, NH, 03084 United States (map)

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Daytime celebrations will be folded into the Pa Bah offering ceremony on June 4, beginning at 10:30 a.m. If weather allows, will also hold a traditional evening candlelit circumambulation of the Buddha statue on the hill after the Saturday Evening Dhamma Talk on June 3.

Everyone is welcome to join in or attend.

Winter Retreat routine in place from January 6–March 31, 2025

The monastic community of Temple Forest Monastery will be observing our annual three-month winter retreat from January 6 – March 31, 2025, and normal public activities – as well as most email correspondence – have been paused until April.

During this time you may still come for the 11 a.m. meal offering on any day, and afterwards speak with a monk. The weekly Saturday Evening Puja & Dhamma talk will still be open to all. Please check the website’s front page for general updates, and the calendar for possible cancellations due to winter weather.

Regular Schedule

Morning & Evening Pujas

You are welcome to join the community for evening and morning pujas (about 50 mins. group meditation and 10 mins. chanting) every day. On some days (Sunday evenings through Tuesday evenings) no formal pujas will take place: instead there is a quiet meditation sitting for guests and visitors at the usual puja times of 5 a.m. and 7 p.m., which you are welcome to join.

Evening Puja: 7–8 p.m.
Morning Puja: 5–6:15 a.m.
Meal Offering: 11 a.m.

Saturdays: Dhamma Talk after Evening Puja, 7–9 p.m.
Sundays: Meditation & Dhamma Talk, 1–3 p.m.

Sundays: No Evening Puja (informal sitting instead)
Mondays: No Pujas (informal sittings instead)
Tuesdays: No Pujas (informal sittings instead)

Meal Offering

Please join the community any day for the meal offering at 11 a.m. This is a good way to get to know the community and get a feel for the monastery environment. Every day there is a pot-luck style buffet with the dishes people happen to bring to offer for that day, which is formally offered to the monastic community at 11 a.m. After some traditional chanting, guests and visitors are invited to help themselves. Children are welcome.

It’s helpful to let the monastery know beforehand to give the kitchen an idea of how much food is coming if you plan to offer food. Normally there should be about a dozen monastic community members for the meal (plus three or four guests on most days). But do feel free to come on any day without notice, too.

If you’re bringing food, it’s good to arrive before 11 in order to prepare the offerings: coming anytime in the morning is OK; between 8:30–11 a.m. is best.

Temple Forest Monastery

Temple Forest Monastery

Calendar

Temple Forest Monastery

Calendar

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Vesak Day (Visakha Puja)

Regular Schedule

Morning & Evening Pujas

Evening Puja: 7–8 p.m.Morning Puja: 5–6:15 a.m.Meal Offering: 11 a.m.

Saturdays: Dhamma Talk after Evening Puja, 7–9 p.m.Sundays: Meditation & Dhamma Talk, 1–3 p.m.Sundays: No Evening Puja (informal sitting instead)Mondays: No Pujas (informal sittings instead)Tuesdays: No Pujas (informal sittings instead)

Meal Offering

If you’re bringing food, it’s good to arrive before 11 in order to prepare the offerings: coming anytime in the morning is OK; between 8:30–11 a.m. is best.

Evening Puja: 7–8 p.m.
Morning Puja: 5–6:15 a.m.
Meal Offering: 11 a.m.

Saturdays: Dhamma Talk after Evening Puja, 7–9 p.m.
Sundays: Meditation & Dhamma Talk, 1–3 p.m.

Sundays: No Evening Puja (informal sitting instead)
Mondays: No Pujas (informal sittings instead)
Tuesdays: No Pujas (informal sittings instead)