Sirimangalo.org blessings for the whole world

Below is a list of frequently-asked questions and information regarding application as a meditator to our centre, sorted into groups.

Locating the Center

Where is the centre? What is the best way to travel to it?

About the Courses

When do the courses start?
How long can / should I stay?
Should I reserve in advance?
How much do the courses cost?
What is Vipassana Meditation?
Do I have to be Buddhist to practice Vipassana Meditation?
Can I practice other forms of meditation, yoga, or martial arts while at this centre?
What is the schedule for meditators?
Can beginner meditators practice at your centre? How much attention is given to meditators?
Can people on medication, or with prior mental illnesses, practice at this centre?

Accomodation Questions

What are the accommodations like?
Do I get a private room?
What do I need to bring?
How is the food? Can I eat vegetarian? Vegan?
What rules / customs will I have to follow while at this centre?
Is there anything else I need to know?

Locating the Center

Where is the centre? What is the best way to travel to it?
The Sirimangalo International forest meditation centre is set in the 3000+ acre Bua Tong National Forest Park 52 km North of Chiang Mai City in Northern Thailand.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT FROM CHIANG MAI: Take the bus or red truck from the Vororot market going to Prao. Get off at the entrance to the Bua Tong waterfall (ask the driver to let you off at "Nam Dtok Bua Dtong"). Walk 2.5 km towards the waterfall and the monastery is at the bottom of the second hill.

PICKUP IN CHIANG MAI: In case of any difficulty travelling to our centre, please contact us, as we are normally able to pick up meditators in Chiang Mai and bring them to the centre.

About the Courses

When do the courses start?

Courses at our centre are followed one-on-one with an instructor, allowing the course to suit the individual meditator's needs. As a result, there is no scheduled start or finish date for the courses. As long as there is room availability, one can start a course on any day one wishes. Persons with specific dates in mind should contact us well in advance and wait for a response as to room availability for the dates requested.

How long can / should I stay?

A Foundation Course may take approximately twenty-one days to complete. For those who have completed this course, a ten-day Advanced Review Course may be taken. Stays shorter than 21 days are generally not accepted at our centre, as there are other alternatives in the Chiang Mag area for shorter stay. Persons with experience in Vipassana meditation may request a shorter Foundation Course, but may not take the Advanced Review Course until they have completed the Foundation Course.

Should I reserve in advance?

Making reservations well in advance is important, especially during the winter (November - February) season. Room priority will be given to those who have made prior reservations. Please contact us for more information.

How much do the courses cost?

The courses at our centre are completely free of charge, following the ancient Buddhist tradition of offering teachings freely without expecting payment.

The international staff will never ask meditators for donations, nor instruct them on donating, either directly or indirectly, as this is considered wrong livelihood in a monastic setting.

Persons wishing to offer support to our meditation centre may do so at any time, irrespective of services rendered by the centre or staff.  Interested donors, please visit our donations page for more information.

What is Vipassana Meditation

The Lord Buddha's teaching has five objectives:

1. For the purification of all beings;
2. For passing beyond sorrow and lamentation;
3. For release from bodily and mental pain;
4. For seeing the truth of life; what real, true life is;
5. For the end of all suffering.

The method of practice that will lead to these five objectives is called Insight Meditation (Vipassana Kammatthana), in line with the Four Foundations of Mindfulness (Satipatthana).

What is Vipassana?

Vipassana means "to see clearly".  Vi means "clearly"; passana means "to see".  To see clearly in regards to what?  To see clearly in regards to our own body and mind, and the whole world around us. To see that, both inside ourselves and in the whole world around us,
a) things are uncertain, unstable, changing (anicca);
b) things are stressful, unsatisfying (dukkha);
c) things are not under our control (anatta).

What are the Four Foundations of Mindfulness?

The Four Foundations of Mindfulness are:

Body: Noting the body while prostrating, walking, and sitting.
Feelings: Noting pain as "pain", happiness as "happy" and calm as "calm".
Mind: Noting thoughts about past or future - both good and bad - as "thinking".
Dhammas: Noting hindrances as "liking", "disliking", "drowsiness", "distraction", and
"doubt".

Why Should We Be Mindful?

"The Four Foundations of Mindfulness are a device that stops evil, stops bad deeds, stops defilement. 'sati nivaranam settham' - Mindfulness is an exceptional preventer (of evil states). During the time when we are mindful, evil won't enter in to reach our hearts. We will have pure hearts always.

"It is like dark and shining light. Mindfulness is a shining light; all defilements, all evil states, are like darkness.  When the bright light shines, the darkness disappears. For this reason, one should be mindful at all times - our mind will shine, clean and peaceful all of the time."

Do I have to be Buddhist to practice Vipassana Meditation?

No. Meditators are asked to respect the meditation practice as given, as well as the customs and regulations of the centre, including paying respect to the Teacher and the Teaching. No background in Buddhism or Buddhist meditation is expected, but meditators should be aware that our centre follows a very old, very traditional Buddhist monastic way.

Meditators are required to undergo a traditional opening and closing ceremony before and after each course. Persons unwilling to participate in the ceremonial chanting, offering of flowers and paying respect (bowing down) are advised to seek an alternative centre.

Can I practice other forms of meditation, yoga, or martial arts while at this centre?

No. In order to gain a good understanding of what is Vipassana meditation, to achieve positive results from the practice, and to allow proper assessment of one's practice by the instructor, meditators are required to put aside other forms of meditation, yoga, martial arts, etc. for the duration of the course.

What is the schedule for meditators?

The courses offered in Vipassana meditation at our centre are intensive in nature. Students are instructed to sleep at most six hours at night, practice many hours of formal meditation each day, and to maintain mindfulness throughout the day. Meditators are required to meet with their instructor every day to discuss their practice, and meet in a group each week to retake the eight precepts and listen to a discourse on the meditation practice. An example of a meditator's daily schedule is as follows:

Apart from the set times above, one is expected to partake solely in the practice of Vipassana meditation at all times. Further instruction on the schedule may be given at the centre.

Can beginner meditators practice at your centre? How much attention is given to meditators?

English-speaking teachers and translators are always available to accommodate the needs of beginning students. Meditators undergoing a Foundation Course are not required to have any background in meditation, but are required to put sincere effort into the practice, and be prepared for a challenging, life-changing experience. Persons concerned about their practice or special needs are advised to request further attention or consult with their teacher.

Can people on medication, or with prior mental illnesses, practice at this centre?

Persons suffering from mental illness are absolutely required to inform their teacher of their condition. Vipassana cannot be used as a replacement for psychiatric treatment. Persons with prior mental illness must necessarily have their practice adjusted accordingly, due to the intensive nature of the course.
Persons on medication or with prior drug or alcohol addiction are also required to inform their teacher of their condition. According to the 5th precept, recreational drugs and alcohol are absolutely forbidden at the centre. Meditators are also asked to abstain from smoking cigarettes and drinking caffeinated beverages.

Accomodation Questions

What are the accommodations like?

Meditators practicing at our centre will generally stay in private, individual rooms with a simple washroom and sometimes a cot. Simple bedding and pillows are provided by the centre. Please note that due to the simplicity of forest life, persons requiring more luxurious accommodation should look elsewhere.

Do I get a private room?

All meditators are ensured a private room for the first month. Long term meditators may have to share or make do during busy periods.

What do I need to bring?

1. One photocopy each (or the actual document) of your valid passport, visa and entry stamp.
2. Customary offerings for the Opening Ceremony:

• Eleven white lotuses/white flowers (are easiest to get in Chiang Mai before you come),
• Eleven yellow candles and eleven incense sticks (usually these can be gotten at the center).

3. At least two sets of white clothing (can be purchased in Chiang Mai):

• For men: Loose, modest, non-transparent white trousers, shirts and undergarments.
• For women : Loose, modest, non-transparent white sarong or trousers,
  loose, non-transparent white shirt, slip and a sapaai (shoulder sash).
• Warm clothing during the winter months is a must. Colored coats and jackets
  are allowed but bring warm white clothes if possible (i.e. thick wool socks,
  thermal undergarments, sweaters, scarf, hats, etc.)

4. A functioning count-down timer (important for timing meditation sessions).
5. A flashlight for early mornings
6. Your own sitting mat or cushion if you are unable to sit on a flat sitting mat.
7. Laundry soap, bath towels, and all personal toiletry items.
8. A pair of plastic sandals or slip-on shoes (any color).
9. An umbrella.
How is the food? Can I eat vegetarian? Vegan?

At our meditation center, food is prepared by long-term meditators and staff twice per day: breakfast and lunch (no eating after 1200 noon). Vegetarian is usually possible, but considering the Buddhist principle of contentment, meditators are expected to make do with what is freely given by those with faith in our practice. Persons with exceptional dietary needs should consult with staff in order to discuss meal options. Drinks, like soy milk, yogurt drink and juices are allowed in the afternoon.

What rules / customs will I have to follow while at this centre?

Meditators must observe the Eight Buddhist Precepts during their entire stay.

Perhaps the most important precept is that meditators must abstain from talking with other meditators during their stay. Advisors and instructors are always available to discuss problems or answer questions during the course - there is no need to disturb other meditators. Whereas there are many ways to hurt one's own practice, this is the only common way to destroy someone else's. Persons unable to keep this or any other of the eight precepts are advised to seek an alternate center.
If a meditator insists on chatting with other meditators, or is otherwise unable to keep the rules below, they may be asked to leave.

The eight precepts are:

1. To refrain from killing living beings.
2. To refrain from stealing, or taking what has not been given.
3. To refrain from any kind of sexual or romantic activity whatsoever.
4. To refrain from false, rude, harmful, or useless speech.
5. To refrain from using alcohol, drugs or intoxicants.
6. To refrain from eating outside of the morning hours. (see note)
7. To refrain from distractions and beautification.(see note)
8. To refrain from using large and luxurious seats and beds.

Regarding the 6th precept, meditators may have any kind of wholesome drink outside of the morning hours (6:00 to 12:00). This includes yoghurt, soya milk, juice, etc., which may be offered by the centre.

Under the 7th precept, meditators are required to put aside all entertainment or communication devices during their stay, as well as reading or writing material of any sort. Please ensure that all travel or other arrangements are fixed prior to attending the centre.

More specific instructions about rules of the centre will be given upon arrival.

Is there anything else I need to know?

In summary of some of the requirements above, meditators at the Sirimangalo International centre must:

- be willing to participate in Buddhist ceremonies during their stay,
- keep the Eight Buddhist Precepts at all times during their stay,
- keep to themselves, not finding distraction outside or chatting with others,
- practice only as taught by the teacher during their stay,
- practice many hours per day of formal meditation practice and maintain mindfulness during rest periods.

Interested applicants should keep the following further points in mind:

- Meditation is not simply relaxation, it is a remedy (latin: mederi) for craving which is the cause of life's suffering.
- Meditation is not easy and not simple, it takes sincerity, effort, and an open mind to practice successfully.
- Meditators are guests at this centre, and should act and speak appropriately at all times.
- Meditators should take care of all external affairs before arriving so as to not waste time and energy worrying unnecessarily during the course.

Should there be anything unclear or lacking in this list, please do not hesitate to contact us.

For information on the Venerable Ajaan Tong himself, please see A Brief Biography of Ajaan Tong Sirimangalo.