Project: Dhammanikhom - construction of the nunnery
location: Heinersbrück (Brandenburg)
The Dhammanikhom Vipassana meditation center, founded in 2017, is located in Brandenburg Germany. It is a place where Buddhist teachings and Vipassana meditation are taught.
The Dhammanikhom Meditation Center also serves as a nunnery in the Theravada tradition where Buddhist nuns can be trained and ordained. Currently one bhikkhuni, the abbess – the Venerable Bhikkhuni Silavaddhani – lives in the Dhammanikhom. Nuns from other German monasteries and abroad are often present and – as is usual in Thailand – there have been temporary Maechee ordinations.
The community of nuns is now growing in Germany and women who feel connected to this meditation tradition should be given the opportunity to follow the monastic path. The Dhammanikhom would like to create a suitable framework for this and is in the process of developing a separate nuns’ area.
Plans for this nuns’ area include 4 nuns’ rooms, 3 bathrooms, an office and a spacious “multi-purpose hallway” in which a visiting nun can also be accommodated if necessary. In addition, there will be a small tea corner for the nuns as well as a storage room for Dhamma materials and religious items as well as robe materials.
The nuns’ area is to be expanded in three construction phases.
This phase is still in planning.
Sati Stiftung, Stiftung für Achtsamkeit
IBAN: DE68 5204 0021 0311 4477 00
Purpose: Construction Project Dhammanikhom Nunnery
The Dhammanikhom Vipassana meditation center, founded in 2017, is located in Brandenburg Germany. It is a place where Buddhist teachings and Vipassana meditation are taught.
The Dhammanikhom Meditation Center also serves as a nunnery in the Theravada tradition where Buddhist nuns can be trained and ordained. Currently one bhikkhuni, the abbess – the Venerable Bhikkhuni Silavaddhani – lives in the Dhammanikhom. Nuns from other German monasteries and abroad are often present and – as is usual in Thailand – there have been temporary Maechee ordinations.
The community of nuns is now growing in Germany and women who feel connected to this meditation tradition should be given the opportunity to follow the monastic path. The Dhammanikhom would like to create a suitable framework for this and is in the process of developing a separate nuns’ area.
Plans for this nuns’ area include 4 nuns’ rooms, 3 bathrooms, an office and a spacious “multi-purpose hallway” in which a visiting nun can also be accommodated if necessary. In addition, there will be a small tea corner for the nuns as well as a storage room for Dhamma materials and religious items as well as robe materials.
The nuns’ area is to be expanded in three construction phases.
This phase is still in planning.
So a wise person, envisioning his own benefit, should have delightful dwellings built so that the learned may stay there. He should, with an awareness clear & bright, give them—those who’ve become straightforward— food & drink, clothing & accouterments. They will teach him the Dhamma dispelling all stress so that he—knowing the Dhamma right there— totally unbinds, effluent-free.
Cullavagga VI.1.5
Sati Stiftung, Stiftung für Achtsamkeit
IBAN: DE68 5204 0021 0311 4477 00
Purpose: Construction Project Dhammanikhom Nunnery
Update July 2024
With the support received so far, the second stage of the three-part goals has been achieved. The first construction phase should be followed immediately by the second construction phase in order to save costs. The Dhammanikhom Supporting Association is now expecting costs of around €40,000.
Project: ‚The Bhikkhuni Patimokkha‘
“The Bhikkhuni Patimokkha” is an introduction to the rules of the nuns’ order, which is intended as a small introduction help for monastic helpers, anagarikas and nuns at the beginning of their monastic training. After a brief general introduction to the Vinaya, the collection of the rules of the order, each of the 311 rules is presented with an illustration, the text in Pali and English, as well as a brief explanation.
The PDF version of the book has already been used in several Vinaya seminars and has received a lot of positive feedback. Since the nuns’ sangha is growing in Germany, new monasteries are being built and monastery helpers and candidates will be trained every year, this book could be of great help.
Sati Stiftung, Stiftung für Achtsamkeit
IBAN: DE68 5204 0021 0311 4477 00
Purpose: Bhikkhuni Patimokkha
Project: Pilgrimage "In the Footsteps of the Buddha"
Place: India and Nepal
Sati Stiftung, Stiftung für Achtsamkeit
IBAN: DE68 5204 0021 0311 4477 00
Purpose: Pilgrimage
Update November 2024
The time has come. The pilgrimage organized by tour guide Jörn Materne is underway. Bhikkhuni Anuvidita, Saccika, Rakkhita, Jutindhara, Samaneri Sarita and Anagarika Kevali are visiting the Buddha’s sites together with the pilgrimage group. The Sati Foundation would like to thank all donors. In particular the travel agency Moskito Adventures, which did not charge us any costs for their work. Thanks to the generosity of Christian Hertel and Jörn Materne, it is possible for so many nuns to take part in the trip.
Project: Wassermond Monastery
Location: Brandenburg, nearby Guben
The monastery is located secluded in a forest by a lake and offers nuns the opportunity to live and practice as a community. On the monastery grounds there are old buildings in need of renovation, which are gradually being converted and made usable depending on financial resources. In addition, donations are needed for the maintenance of the nuns, especially for medical costs, i.e. health insurance.
Zweck: Kloster Wassermond
Sati Stiftung, Stiftung für Achtsamkeit
IBAN: DE68 5204 0021 0311 4477 00
The Watermoon Chan Monastery opened in 2022 and is led by the Venerable Shifu Simplicity Bhikshuni. The Theravadan nun Ayya Vimalanyani lives in the monastery.
Shifu Simplicity has been a nun for over 25 years and spent many years at Chung Tai Chan Monastery in Taiwan before returning to Germany in 2018 to build a monastery here.
Ayya Vimalanyani Bhikkhuni has been ordained for about 10 years and has lived most of the time as a wandering nun in many different monasteries around the globe before returning to Germany in 2021.
The Watermoon Chan Monastery opened in 2022 and is led by the Venerable Shifu Simplicity Bhikshuni. The Theravadan nun Ayya Vimalanyani lives in the monastery.
Shifu Simplicity has been a nun for over 25 years and spent many years at Chung Tai Chan Monastery in Taiwan before returning to Germany in 2018 to build a monastery here.
Ayya Vimalanyani Bhikkhuni has been ordained for about 10 years and has lived most of the time as a wandering nun in many different monasteries around the globe before returning to Germany in 2021.
The monastery is located secluded in a forest by a lake and offers nuns the opportunity to live and practice as a community. On the monastery grounds there are old buildings in need of renovation, which are gradually being converted and made usable depending on financial resources. In addition, donations are needed for the maintenance of the nuns, especially for medical costs, i.e. health insurance.
Sati Stiftung, Stiftung für Achtsamkeit
IBAN: DE68 5204 0021 0311 4477 00
Purpose: Wassermond Monastery
Project: venerable Bhikkhuni Silavaddhani
place: brandenburg/Spree-Neiße, germany
Venerable Bhikkhuni Silavaddhani ordained as aspirant (Maechee) with Most Venerable Phra Ajarn Tong Sirimangalo as preceptor at the beginning of 2010.In June 2012 followed the ordination as novice (Samaneri) in Sri Lanka. With the permission and support of her teachers and preceptors she received the Higher Ordination as Bhikkhuni in January 2019. In October 2014 she was appointed as a meditation teacher by Most Venerable Phra Ajarn Tong Sirimangalo.
Currently she lives and directs the Dhammanikhom Vipassana Meditation Center. The Dhammanikhom is a place where Buddhist teachings and Vipassana meditation (insight or mindfulness meditation) are taught. All people who are interested to live and practice the Dhamma are welcome. Furthermore it is a partially a monastic establishment where nuns or postulants can practice Vipassanā meditation and tread the monastic Path according to monastic rules.
All arising costs are covered solely by voluntary donations. According to the Buddhist tradition the participation in the courses is free of charge.
Project: supporting monastics/Dhammanikhom
Sati Stiftung, Stiftung für Achtsamkeit
IBAN: DE68 5204 0021 0311 4477 00
Project: monastic medical support
Place: nunnery Aneñja Vihara
Ayya Phalañāņī Bhikkhunī and her 5 novices, Sāmanerī Anuviditā, Sāmanerī Vinītā, Sāmanerī Rakkhītā, Sāmanerī Saccikā, Sāmanerī Jutindharā, live in the Buddhist nunnery Aneñja Vihara. Like all of us, they have to have health insurance. At times medical assistance that is not covered by insurance is needed. Medical care is one of four requirements that the Buddha allowed as a necessity for nuns and monks. The cost of medical care and health insurance is an ongoing expense and we welcome your support for the monastic medical fund.
Sati Stiftung, Stiftung für Achtsamkeit
IBAN: DE68 5204 0021 0311 4477 00
purpose: monastic medical support
Project: maintenance Aneñja Vihara
place: Bavaria, germany
purpose: maintenance Aneñja Vihara
The nunnery Aneñja Vihara is entirely dependent on donations for the running costs and for the maintenance of the monastery buildings. The buildings are quite old and major repairs are not the exception. The nuns are very hands on and try to maintain the monastery as best as they can. They don‘t shy away from repair work and fix whatever they can, but major restoration and maintenance work, such as roof repairs, excavations, and construction work, must be done by professionals.
Sati Stiftung, Stiftung für Achtsamkeit
IBAN: DE68 5204 0021 0311 4477 00